2024 Honda Passport vs 2024 Chevrolet Suburban

The 2024 Honda Passport retained a design continuity that harkened back to its predecessors, despite Honda's recent vehicular makeovers. It displayed minor tweaks with a more upright grille and squared-off corners introduced in 2022, yet it shared significant stylistic elements with older models. The three available trims—EX-L, TrailSport, and Black Edition—offered a streamlined choice, with all trims boasting leather seats, a power moonroof, identical touchscreens, and all-wheel drive (AWD). The TrailSport, positioned as the rugged option, featured General Grabber A/T sport tires with a snowflake emblem indicating enhanced performance on snow, roof rails, and LED fog lights. Externally rugged aesthetics were more surface-level, with plastic skid plates and no added lift kit, yet it outperformed contenders like the Subaru Outback Wilderness in approach and departure angles.

On the other hand, the 2024 Chevrolet Suburban, a name synonymous with size and history, continued to dominate with its immense dimensions. At over 18 feet long and over six feet tall, it was a behemoth on the roads, ideal for those needing extensive cargo and passenger space. Offered in six trims—LS, LT, RST, Z71, Premier, and High Country—the Suburban provided a range from basic comforts to luxurious features, with 18-inch alloy wheels standard on LS escalating to 22-inch alloys on the High Country. Its substantial size blended practicality with familiarity, ensuring it wasn’t just a novelty but a staple for many.

The Passport remained steadfast with a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine eschewed the trend of smaller turbocharged or hybrid powertrains, instead focusing on a reliable power output managed by a nine-speed automatic transmission. Its fuel economy, rated at 19 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway, reflected its non-turbo design, which required higher RPMs for peak torque. The TrailSport trim featured wider tracks, 18-inch wheels, an off-road tuned suspension, and Honda’s iVTM4 AWD system with multiple traction settings, distinguishing it for off-roading.

In stark contrast, the Suburban provided three engine choices: a standard 5.3-liter V8 with 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque; a 6.2-liter V8 offering 420 hp and 460 lb-ft; and a 3.0-liter turbodiesel six-cylinder with 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet, noted for its superior fuel economy. A 10-speed automatic transmission complemented all engines, ensuring smooth performance. The Suburban, especially with the diesel option, excelled in towing capacity, maxing out at 8,300 pounds with the 5.3-liter engine and delivering commendable overall performance despite its size.

The Passport’s claim to fame was its cargo capacity, leading the midsize two-row crossover segment with 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats. This space expanded to 77.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, surpassing competitors like the Subaru Outback and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The interior space was generous, accommodating five adults comfortably, with plenty of legroom and numerous storage solutions, including an upgraded center console for 2024.

In comparison, the Suburban’s cargo space was monumental, with 41.5 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 93.8 cubic feet with the third row down and a staggering 144.7 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. This eclipsed the Passport by a significant margin, making the Suburban the go-to for those prioritizing maximum cargo space. Furthermore, a substantial 28-gallon fuel tank made the Suburban ideal for long journeys, offering extensive range, especially with the diesel engine.

Technological offerings in the Passport included an 8-inch touchscreen, standard Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto integration, along with Bluetooth connectivity and a wireless charging pad. Despite the screen’s sharp resolution and responsiveness, its size felt inadequate for the roomy cabin. Navigation and audio systems had their quirks, with turn-by-turn directions often dominating driver displays and a standard audio system lacking fullness, relegating audiophiles to consider other models or trims.

The Suburban featured a more substantial 10.2-inch touchscreen across all but the base LS trim. Chevrolet’s inclusion of Google Built-in facilitated seamless use of essential apps without phone pairing, complemented by wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Optional rear-seat entertainment added value, though the 10-speaker Bose system fell short of expectations. For those seeking superior audio experiences, alternatives like the Ford Expedition’s B&O system or Jeep Wagoneer’s McIntosh system were advisable.

Honda endowed every Passport with a suite of safety features under the “Honda Sensing” umbrella, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. Despite this, its crash-test ratings were less stellar, with an “acceptable” score in passenger-side small overlap and “marginal” in updated side-impact crash tests by IIHS, and mixed results from NHTSA.

Conversely, the Suburban boasted a comprehensive array of ADAS, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and more. With NHTSA awarding it four out of five stars overall, and five stars in side-crash tests, the Suburban highlighted solid safety credentials. The higher trims offered Chevrolet’s advanced Super Cruise system for semi-autonomous driving, a significant tech advantage.