2020 Honda Passport vs 2021 Lexus NX Hybrid

The 2020 Honda Passport was a testament to Honda's consistent design philosophy, offering a familiar yet appealing aesthetic that resonated with loyal Honda buyers. Its exterior design, reminiscent of a scaled-down Honda Pilot, presented a rugged and athletic appearance, distinguishing it from the Pilot and CR-V. The Passport's elevated ground clearance further enhanced its off-road capabilities, making it a versatile choice for adventurous drivers. Inside, the Passport boasted a sophisticated cabin with a mix of durable and soft-touch materials, providing a comfortable and spacious environment for passengers. The Elite trim level offered luxurious features such as heated and ventilated front seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, and advanced technology options, ensuring a premium driving experience.

In contrast, the 2021 Lexus NX Hybrid combined sharp edges and a streamlined profile, creating a distinctive yet familiar look within the Lexus family. Despite its sporty F Sport styling elements, the NX Hybrid's design had remained largely unchanged over the years. The interior, once considered radical, had become familiar due to its consistent design across Lexus models. The F Sport Black Line treatment added unique touches like aluminum pedals and NuLuxe upholstery with blue contrast stitching, but the overall material quality felt more akin to mainstream brands. While the NX Hybrid's design aimed for a sporty feel, it lacked the luxurious touches expected from a premium brand like Lexus.

The 2020 Honda Passport was equipped with a robust 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, the Passport provided smooth acceleration and reliable performance in various driving conditions. However, its fuel economy was less impressive, with FWD models achieving an EPA-estimated 20 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined, while AWD models performed slightly worse. The Passport excelled in off-road capabilities, thanks to its torque-vectoring AWD system and multiple drive modes, making it a capable companion for adventurous journeys. Additionally, the Passport's towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds surpassed its competitors, offering practicality for those needing to haul heavy loads.

The 2021 Lexus NX Hybrid featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor, producing a total system output of 194 horsepower. While the NX Hybrid prioritized fuel efficiency, its performance was less thrilling, with a 0-60 mph time of 9.1 seconds and a top speed of 112 mph. The hybrid powertrain struggled with seamless transitions between electric and gasoline power, impacting its responsiveness in traffic. However, the sport-tuned suspension in the F Sport model improved handling, providing agility and comfort in corners. Despite the inclusion of Normal, Eco, and Sport drive modes, the NX Hybrid's steering lacked feedback, and the overall driving experience felt less refined compared to newer models based on the Toyota New Global Architecture platform.

The 2020 Honda Passport was a practical choice, offering ample interior space and comfort for passengers. Its right-sized proportions provided excellent visibility and spacious seating for four adults, with height-adjustable seatbelts and three full LATCH connections for child safety seats. The Passport's cargo area was generous, with 41.2 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and the most under-floor storage in its class. The SUV's interior featured thoughtful storage solutions, including a large center console and secondary shelf space, making it ideal for road trips. While the Passport's interior materials were not luxurious, they were durable and easy to clean, adding to its practicality.

In contrast, the 2021 Lexus NX Hybrid offered less interior space, with limited front and rear headroom and the worst rear legroom in its segment. The front seats, however, provided excellent support and comfort, especially with the Black Line-specific bolstering. The NX Hybrid's sloping roofline and thick rear pillars compromised rear visibility, although large exterior mirrors helped mitigate this issue. The cargo space was also limited, with 16.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 53.7 cubic feet with the seats folded. While the NX Hybrid included features like a power-folding second row and power liftgate, they were not standard, and the overall interior design prioritized a sporty feel over traditional SUV functionality.

The 2020 Honda Passport featured a practical infotainment system, with the EX-L, Touring, and Elite trims offering an 8.0-inch Display Audio touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The system was user-friendly, with pinch, swipe, and tap functionality, although the dashboard design felt slightly outdated. Standard features included Bluetooth, a USB port, and a seven-speaker audio system, with higher trims offering additional USB ports, a wireless phone charger, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. While not flashy, the Passport's technology was reliable and easy to use.

The 2021 Lexus NX Hybrid's infotainment system was a weak point, with a standard 8-inch display screen and an optional 10.3-inch display. The system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility, but lacked a touchscreen. Instead, it relied on the awkward Remote Touch Interface touchpad, which was difficult to use while driving. The graphics appeared dated, and the menus were text-heavy and challenging to navigate. The base audio system was underwhelming, with higher trims offering a 14-speaker Mark Levinson system. Despite these shortcomings, the NX Hybrid provided analog controls for climate and audio functions, allowing drivers to bypass the native infotainment system.

The 2020 Honda Passport prioritized safety, earning good scores from the IIHS and NHTSA, and receiving an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. It came standard with the Honda Sensing suite, including collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims offered additional features like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic detection, providing comprehensive safety coverage for most drivers.

The 2021 Lexus NX Hybrid received a "Top Safety Pick+" award from the IIHS, with top scores in crash tests and front-crash prevention tech. The NHTSA awarded it a five-star overall safety rating. The NX Hybrid came standard with the Lexus Safety System+ 2.0, offering a comprehensive suite of driver aids, including forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure warning. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard, making the NX Hybrid a strong contender in terms of safety features.