Should You Choose the Honda Passport, Pilot, or Odyssey?
Living near Seattle, you need a reliable vehicle to get around. Whether you need a car with AWD, excellent fuel efficiency, or advanced safety features, a Honda vehicle should be on your mind. Klein Honda is proud to be your Honda dealer near Bothell, WA if you’re interested in a Honda for your next vehicle, but here’s the question: should you choose the Passport, Pilot, or Odyssey? It’s a tricky question––and the answer will differ depending on the driver. On the one hand, the Passport and Pilot are SUVs, while the Odyssey is a minivan with all the bells and whistles.
All three vehicles are great choices for any driver looking for something roomy and versatile if they live in Washington. The real reason why you would go with any of these vehicles over the other will mostly come down to size––both in the realm of cargo space and passenger seating. While the Pilot and Odyssey have three rows of seats, the smaller Passport has two rows. All three Honda vehicles have mainstream appeal, but some of the questions you may have might be along the lines of how these three cars compare and contrast, and we’ll help you decide which one is right for you.
Another thing we should discuss is pricing. This may be the best example of similarities while also showing variability across the lineup. The 2023 Odyssey starts at $37,490, the 2023 Pilot is slightly less costly at $36,300, and the 2023 Passport is the highest-priced of the three at $41,100.[a] This pricing shows a decent amount of variability, as we mentioned. However, all three vehicles are within $5,000 of each other, meaning many shoppers may consider them to all be within their price range.
What to Expect From All Three
Remember when we mentioned the main differences between the Passport, Pilot, and Odyssey came down to size––whether that is passenger capacity or cargo space? That’s true, but while they may be different sizes, they offer extremely similar performance. All three vehicles utilize the same engine, although only two of them share the same transmission type, and a different two share the same towing capacity.
Installed into each of the three Honda vehicles is a 3.5L V6 engine. In the Pilot and Odyssey, this V6 engine is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, but this is reduced to a nine-speed automatic transmission in the Passport. Interestingly, the Passport and Odyssey have identical power ratings at 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. While the Pilot matches them in torque output, it is slightly more potent with 285 hp.
The Odyssey’s sleek profile and front-wheel drive powertrain mean that it’s the most efficient of the bunch, but it also has the lowest towing capacity at 3,500 lbs. Conversely, the Passport is only available with AWD, and both it and the Pilot have a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 lbs. For those who live in Washington, you should consider an AWD variant of one of these Honda vehicles because driving on wet roads isn’t uncommon. However, the Odyssey is still quite controllable in bad weather and includes Intelligent Traction Management with Snow Mode.
The 2023 Honda Odyssey is the most efficient of the three, with an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway.[b] Next in line is the 2023 Honda Pilot, with its EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway for front-wheel drive models.[c] Finally, there is the 2023 Honda Passport, which has an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway.[d] If you live in or around Bothell, WA, you should always consider fuel efficiency because if you’re taking the trip into Seattle regularly, you may as well save some money.
Buy the Passport for Small Families
Out of the three Honda vehicles up for discussion today, there’s only one you should consider if you know you won’t need or don’t want three rows of seating: the Passport. Sure, the price of the Passport exceeds the Odyssey or Pilot at the base level. However, if you are considering the higher trims, the Passport Elite comes in at a far lower price than the Odyssey Elite or Pilot Elite, making the Passport the more cost-effective option if you want added luxuries.
The 2023 Passport comes with its share of modern-day amenities, like the standard eight-inch infotainment center that matches the standard screen in the Odyssey. The Pilot, by comparison, comes with a slightly smaller seven-inch infotainment center, but this can be swapped out for an even larger nine-inch screen. Infotainment centers are great, especially if you need to get around the city since they can show local weather or traffic updates in Bothell or find great eateries in Seattle––the possibilities are endless.
The Passport is easier to handle, which is perfect for many drivers if parking may be an issue due to space limitations. This is helpful living in a city and especially useful in a more metropolitan setting like Seattle, where parallel parking may occur. Because you don’t have to account for a third row of seating, you’ll also have a surprising amount of cargo space. With five people in the Passport, you’ll still have 50.5 cu.ft. of room for cargo. If you’re traveling alone and need extra space, then folding down the rear seats almost doubles the amount of cargo space to 100.7 cu.ft. That sounds great for vacationing and adventuring, right? Absolutely, and with standard i-VTM4 AWD and Intelligent Traction Management, if you’re feeling adventurous and want to take your car off-roading or go on a drive to a hiking trail in the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, you’ll love the Passport.
Buy the Pilot or Odyssey if You Need More Room
If you’re looking for something bigger than the Passport, you may have skipped ahead to this point because there are only a few types of vehicles that will give you all the space you need. The Pilot is a wildly spacious SUV, and with three rows of seating, you’ll always have the option of choosing between more cargo space or a higher passenger capacity. When you don’t need the extra cargo space––whether because you’re driving with the whole family or carpooling with coworkers––your Pilot has a seating capacity of up to eight. With so many passengers, you need as many ways as possible to keep them safe, and that’s where the Honda Sensing suite comes into play. This collection of advanced driver-assist features comes standard on all 2023 Honda models, including the Passport and Odyssey.
Speaking of the Honda Odyssey, it’s the only minivan on this list. Minivans may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they can revolutionize the way you get yourself and your loved ones around. There’s an incredible amount of space in the Odyssey, and we’re not just talking about cargo. Passengers will likely be more comfortable in a minivan like the Odyssey than in any SUV. That’s not to say that SUVs aren’t a good choice for drivers with families or friends, but minivans have been the de facto pick for many because of reasons like these.
However, the proof is in the pudding when discussing which of these three vehicles is the most spacious. When it comes to cargo space, the 2023 Honda Odyssey can fit 38.6 cu.ft. of stuff behind the third row, while the 2023 Honda Pilot only offers 21.8 cu.ft. when all the seats are occupied. Folding down both rear rows of seats reveals the incredible roominess of a minivan, with the Odyssey providing up to 158 cu.ft. of cargo space compared to 111.8 cu.ft. for the Pilot. Not every driver needs that much space, but if you do, the Odyssey should be your top pick.
What’s Our Take?
You’ve likely pieced together that the Passport, Pilot, and Odyssey are all for people who will regularly drive others around, but that doesn’t mean each vehicle is the perfect match for everybody. The best way to figure out which one works best for you is to think about how many people you’ll regularly be transporting and whether you see yourself ever needing that third row of seats and extra cargo space. If you’re looking for a vehicle for carpooling or need a car with three rows because you’re an Uber or Lyft driver, three-row vehicles are the best choice. Three-row vehicles are especially the best choice with fuel efficiency as good as we’ve seen with the Pilot and Odyssey, so keep this all in mind when you go shopping for a vehicle at Klein Honda.