Passport: Gas and Insurance Cost More Than Depreciation

Our calculator puts the 2026 Honda Passport at $48,755 over five years, or $813 a month. That is $2,355 more than the $46,400 we assume you pay for it.

The odd part is where the money goes. Depreciation, the cost most shoppers fixate on, comes to $19,024. Fuel ($13,957) and insurance ($10,975) add up to $24,932. Keeping the Passport running and legal costs $5,908 more than watching it lose value.

That flips the usual car-buying logic. Most people haggle over the sticker and ignore the gas pump. With this SUV, the pump and the insurance bill are the bigger story.

The five-year bill, in plain terms

Here is how the $48,755 breaks down. Depreciation is about 41% of the purchase price over five years. That is normal for a midsize SUV and not a reason to panic.

Fuel works out to roughly $2,790 a year at 12,000 miles. Insurance averages about $2,195 a year. Maintenance is $2,924 over five years, and repairs are $1,620. Registration is $255, which is nearly rounding error.

The repair and maintenance numbers are the quiet good news. Together they are $4,544 over five years, less than a third of what you will spend on fuel. Honda's reputation for cheap, boring upkeep shows up in our figures.

Insurance is our estimate, based on the car's value and class. It is not a quote. Your own rate will depend on your age, ZIP code, and driving record, and it could land well above or below ours.

Who this SUV is for

The Passport is a two-row midsize SUV with a V6 and all-wheel drive. It suits people who want a roomy, tough-looking family hauler and do not need a third row.

Think of a couple with two kids and a dog. Or someone who drives to trailheads and ski hills a few times a year and wants real ground clearance without a truck's ride.

Who it is not for: anyone who regularly carries more than five people. Also skip it if you drive a lot of miles in city traffic, since the fuel line in our estimate will hurt. And skip it if you want an SUV that feels special for the money. More on that below.

Trims and pricing

Honda's pricing for the 2026 model year has been moving, so treat the figures below as approximate and confirm them on Honda's build page. Our $46,400 purchase assumption is our own estimate for a typical mid-level buy, not a Honda list price.

Trim	MSRP	What you actually get
EX-L	Roughly $44,000	The sensible entry point: leather, a power tailgate, heated front seats, and the standard V6 and AWD
TrailSport	Roughly $46,000 to $47,000	Off-road-flavored tires, a bit more ground clearance, and tougher styling. Our pick for most buyers
Elite	Roughly $50,000	Ventilated seats, a premium audio system, and the full gadget list

The jump from the middle trim to the top trim is where the value gets thin. You pay about $3,000 to $4,000 more for comfort items, and none of them make the Passport faster, safer, or cheaper to run.

What the powertrain costs you at the pump

There is one engine: a 3.5-liter V6 paired with a nine-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is standard. There is no hybrid and no turbo four-cylinder.

The V6 is smooth and gives the Passport easy highway power. It does not need to be revved hard, and it has a long track record. That helps explain our modest repair figure.

But one engine means no cheaper option for people who want to save fuel. For official mileage numbers, check the EPA's fueleconomy.gov listing for this model. Our calculator turns that rating into dollars: $13,957 over five years at 12,000 miles a year.

A hybrid rival would cut that number noticeably. The Passport's V6 is the reason fuel is its second-largest cost, right behind depreciation.

What it gets right

Space, mostly. The cabin is wide, the rear seat is genuinely roomy for adults, and the cargo area is large and square. Honda also hides a deep storage bin under the cargo floor, which is handy for muddy gear.

The controls are sensible. Honda still uses real knobs and buttons for several everyday functions, which is a relief if you have tried to adjust a fan speed through a touchscreen on a moving highway.

Visibility is good. The driving position is upright. The ride is composed without being floaty. It feels like a vehicle designed by people who have actually used one with children in the back.

The TrailSport also looks better than the standard trims. It has some attitude without pretending to be a Jeep.

What it gets wrong

The Passport costs a lot for what it is. Around $46,000 buys you a two-row SUV with no hybrid option and no third row. Rivals at that price often give you one or both.

The interior is functional rather than inspiring. Some plastics and the infotainment screen feel a generation behind what you see at the same price from Korean brands.

Then there is the fuel bill. A single thirsty engine in a market that is shifting toward hybrids is a real gap. Our calculator's $13,957 fuel total is the cost of that gap.

And the TrailSport's off-road look can mislead. It is more capable than the other trims, but it is not a serious rock crawler. You are paying partly for appearance.

Safety ratings

At the time of writing, we cannot confirm a full 2026 Passport rating from either agency. We would rather say that than guess. Check the NHTSA and IIHS sites for the current status before you buy.

Earlier Passport model years have generally tested well, but a past rating does not carry over automatically to a new model year. Honda also changes standard driver-assist features between years, so confirm what is included on the specific trim you test drive.

Your first year with the mid-level trim

The first year is the most expensive in terms of lost value. New cars typically lose 15% to 22% in year one. On our $46,400 assumption, that is roughly $6,960 to $10,210.

Fuel will cost more if you drive more. At 15,000 miles a year instead of 12,000, we estimate fuel at about $3,490, up from roughly $2,790.

Insurance is where quotes vary most. Our estimate averages about $2,195 a year, and a realistic range for many drivers is about $1,800 to $2,700. Again, that is not a quote. Get several.

For service, Honda's Maintenance Minder tells you when the first oil change is due. For most drivers that falls somewhere in the first year, often near 7,500 to 10,000 miles. Expect a modest bill, in the neighborhood of $100 to $150 for a dealer oil change and tire rotation. Over five years, our calculator puts maintenance at $2,924 in total.

Add registration at roughly $51 a year on average, per our five-year figure of $255. The first year lands mostly on depreciation, fuel, and insurance. Everything else is small.

How it stacks up

Toyota Highlander. The Passport wins on cargo room and rugged looks. It loses because the Highlander offers a hybrid that will likely beat the Passport on fuel costs.

Kia Telluride. The Passport wins on powertrain simplicity and a track record for low-drama ownership. It loses on a third row and a more upscale-feeling interior for similar money.

Ford Explorer. The Passport wins on predictable, easy maintenance and a smoother, naturally aspirated V6. It loses on seating capacity and the number of engine choices.

Verdict

The Passport is a good SUV that costs more than it should to own, and not because of repairs. The problem is that it has one thirsty engine in a class where thriftier ones exist.

Buy it if you want a reliable, roomy five-seater, you keep cars a long time, and you value Honda's low repair and maintenance costs. For those buyers, the $4,544 in five-year upkeep is the real selling point, and the TrailSport is the trim to get.

Skip it if you drive heavy mileage, if gas prices make you wince, or if you need a third row. A hybrid rival will probably save you real money. Skip the Elite too, unless you simply like ventilated seats.

The Passport's sticker is not the number to worry about. At $813 a month all in, the number to worry about is what happens every time you fill the tank.