Toyota 4Runner Vs Honda Passport Comparison

There will be no off-roading in this SUV comparison.

Yes, the Toyota 4Runner and, to a lesser extent, the Honda Passport, are both known for their rugged nature. But what we have here are the on-road-oriented versions of these two mid-sized SUVs. Beyond a couple dirt roads and gravel parking lots, that’s precisely where we kept them—and that’s likely to be the case for a lot of owners.

The Passport had a rhinoplasty this year, with a snout like the Ridgeline and a soft-roading Trailsport trim. What we have here is a little different: a top-level Elite (Touring in Canada) with the new HPD package. Meanwhile, the 4Runner has been running around with minimal changes for the best part of a decade. This TRD Sport model is new for 2022 however, hanging some big wheels off the axles, in addition to a few other choice aesthetic changes. Managing editor Mike Schlee and I spent a week with these two brutes to see which we preferred.

4Runner: There’s no confusing the 4Runner for anything other than an old-school SUV. The dashboard design is all right angles, with two not-entirely-convincing metallic trim pieces framing all the central controls. What the 4Runner lacks in sophistication, it makes up for in plain ease-of-use. All the controls are clearly labelled and laid out; “like the manual switches and knobs in the 4Runner” read Mike’s notes. The door-top controls are a gentle reminder this isn’t your typical mall-crawler.

The TRD Sport wraps its seats in Toyota’s SofTex artificial leather, which is not only convincing, but easy to clean. You sit high and upright in the 4Runner, a clear view out over that hood scoop. Both Schlee and I are thrown off by the enormous steering wheel, which does nothing to shake the feeling that the 4Runner is larger than its measurements suggest. The seats are surprisingly supportive, in both rows, making it an easy ride to spend long trips in.

Passport: While the Passport’s interior design is certainly newer than that in the 4Runner, it’s not exactly more exciting. It’s standard mid-2010s Honda, a safe dashboard design with a whole lot of black. The climate controls stand out in a sea of piano black, and while some of the buttons are a little tiny, we appreciate Honda keeping a dedicated screen down there. Mike does wish there was still a tuning knob, however.

As the Passport’s main keeper for the week, I just couldn’t gel with its seats. They look good, and the leather is typical Honda quality, but on longer hauls, my lower back would start to ache after 90 minutes or so. I’m also not a fan of the foot-operated parking brake, which hangs down just enough to hit my shin every time I move my left leg around. There were no complaints from the numerous people who rode in the second row during the week.

The Honda also has the Toyota beat for cargo space. There’s a cavernous 50.5 cu-ft (1,430 L) with the second row upright, and 100.7 cu-ft (2,852 L) with it down—one of the largest storage spaces out there. The wheel arches barely intrude on a wide, flat space, which is nice, though the Passport’s load lip is quite high.

Bottom Line: The numbers don’t lie: the Honda is the more spacious ride. It has a more car-like feel inside too, which may or may not be to your tastes. The 4Runner isn’t without its advantages: we preferred the Toyota’s chunky physical controls and commanding driver position.

4Runner: Toyota’s old Entune infotainment system lives in the central touchscreen. There are concessions to modernity—yay, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support—but the screen is slow to respond and washes out in sunlight. We already know the 2023 model won’t be adopting the excellent new Toyota infotainment system, so we’ll have to wait for the full generation change, which we expect for 2024. The climate controls below it look dated, but we’re fine with that when the AC blows so cold, so quickly. Front passengers have heated seats, but no ventilation, and neither in the second row.

Beyond that, the 4Runner utilizes a small but useful info screen between its analog dials, displaying things like fuel economy, safety assist info, and more.

Safety assists include a pre-collision warning system, lane departure alert, auto high beams, and adaptive cruise control.

Passport: Like the 4Runner, the Passport houses an 8.0-inch touchscreen within its dashboard. It too uses wired phone mirroring. Honda’s native menu system is cleaner and easier to operate at a glance, not to mention quicker in its responses.

The Passport uses a larger digital screen in its instrument panel, housing not just secondary info but also the tachometer and speedometer. It’s easy to read in all lighting situations, and easy to navigate via the wheel-mounted controls. This being a top-level trim, the Passport features heated and ventilated front seats. Helpfully, these settings save, so no need to prod that button for a cooled backside on every start-up. Backseat riders have heated seats, as well.

On the safety front, the Passport comes standard with auto high beams, full-range adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. We appreciate Honda’s blind-spot warnings being inside the cabin, so terrible weather doesn’t affect their visibility.

Bottom Line: Simply put, nobody is buying a 4Runner and expecting the latest tech. The Passport isn’t cutting-edge either, but it has the better infotainment system, a more robust safety suite, and more creature comforts. It wins here.

4Runner: People who don’t believe in time travel have yet to drive a 4Runner. Like it has for so long, this model runs a 4.0-liter V6 under that squared-off hood, good for a totally fine 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque.

Fine on paper, that is. Those healthy figures have to contend with a five-speed automatic transmission. With so few cogs in the box, each gear has to cover a wider spread, and that makes for gingerly acceleration. We didn’t mind it too much with the dirt-loving Trail model last year, but on the road, the 4Runner is just outmatched here.

On the plus side, it is quiet. The 4Runner’s highway manners are good, so long as the road is smooth. Introduce uneven surfaces and it jiggles, taking time to settle. Those big, blingy wheels clatter into potholes, robbed of the cushioning sidewall smaller items enjoy. The steering is vague, and the brake pedal soft (though it will haul the 4Runner down without issue). Those with body-on-frame driving experience will feel right at home, but folks wanting even a bit of sophistication will be left wanting.

Even though we didn’t take these two off-road, it’s important to mention a simple rolling stock change would dramatically improve both vehicle’s performance on the trails. And the 4Runner still comes with a selectable 4LO setting.

It’s also a thirsty beast. Officially, the 4Runner scores just 16 mpg city and 19 mpg highway, for a 17 mpg combined rating. (Canadian figures are 14.8, 12.5, and 13.8 L/100 km, respectively.) To its credit, it matched those ratings with us. Good thing it drinks 87.

Passport: Honda’s 3.5-liter V6 is a bit of a growler in the Passport. Stomp the throttle and there’s a distinctive burble from those twin exhaust tips. With important figures of 280 hp and 262 lb-ft, there’s not much between it and the 4Runner. But where the Toyota is lethargic, the Honda is eager to rev, and the four gear advantage in its nine-speed ‘box ensures it’s always got the right ratio for the job.

Neither of these two are quick, but the Honda is more assertive on the road, getting up to speed without fuss and staying there. Compared to most other unibody crossovers out there, it has a distinctly soft, traditional SUV feel to how it drives. But with an actual BOF SUV alongside it, the Passport is practically a car. Its steering is more direct, and it smooths bumps in a way the 4Runner simply can’t. The brake pedal is progressive and easy to modulate.

Passport: The Passport is certainly the softer of the two, even with the bluff new schnoz for 2022. The HPD kit is certainly A Choice. The graphics and matte black plastic wheelarch extensions being writing checks we’re not entirely sure the Passport can cash, but they certainly set it apart. Similarly, the bronze 20-inch wheels are sure to divide opinions. I like ’em, but think they work better on the Ridgeline than this.

Bottom Line: You know where this is going: it’s a matter of taste, just as it ever was.

Passport: These two are remarkably close from the start, with the 2022 Passport lineup kicking off at $39,665 (including destination) for the EX-L. This top-shelf tester has everything thrown at it, plus the HPD Bronze package, which bumps the as-tested price to $50,520.

In Canada, the Passport Sport is the tongue-twisting anchor of the lineup, at $47,520 CAD including destination. The Touring is the top trim, with a list price of $54,120 CAD. With the HPD package and added-cost paint, this particular model runs $58,610 CAD.

Bottom Line: The Passport is more expensive on either side of the border, but the gap is far smaller in Canada. It packs in more content, going a long way to justifying the added outlay.

This was a tough one to pick. Not because there was a clear winner, but because neither of these vehicles really won us over.

The 4Runner is an old cathode-ray tube TV: big, heavy, and boxy, a low-res relic in an HD world. There’s a certain nostalgic warmth to those scanlines though, and in something like the go-anywhere TRD Pro or rustic Trail, we see the appeal. But the 4Runner TRD Sport feels sluggish and awkward on the road. If you’re doing the body-on-frame thing, you’ve gotta lean into it.

Nothing makes the Passport feel like the car-based crossover it is like sticking it against the 4Runner. It’s smoother, easier to live with, and better pampers its occupants. But it’s also lacking in character (snarly V6 aside), and pricier.

Of these two, your choice will depend as much on personal preference as hard figures. The real two-row SUV winner? The Jeep Grand Cherokee.

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