2024 Honda Passport vs 2024 Mazda CX-30

While many automakers resort to daring designs or flashy tech in their efforts to stand out amid a crowded midsize SUV market, Honda takes a different approach. The 2024 Honda Passport has been refreshed for this year, but few would notice. There are no big-screen TVs in this SUV, no futuristic materials or shocking styling choices. Instead, the Passport goes simple: a proven engine, easy-to-use technology, and enough (but not too much) capability to make it appealing in all weather.

The Honda Passport’s V6 engine makes impressive power, and the TrailSport trim level tested in this review adds extra capability courtesy of some all-terrain tires and an off-road-tuned suspension. Although its 2024 refresh doesn’t make the Honda Passport a segment leader in any specific category, it will still find plenty of buyers who want a practical, spacious, safe, and reliable crossover SUV.

Introduced in 2020 and continually updated and upgraded since then, the CX-30 is Mazda’s smallest crossover SUV. This year, the 2024 CX-30 comes in new a new Suna trim level, adds USB-C charging ports, and is available with a larger infotainment screen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All CX-30s have standard all-wheel drive (AWD), and you can upgrade to a turbocharged engine for more power and performance.

Verdict: Sticking to its corporate traditions with the 2024 CX-30, Mazda delivers style, refinement, safety, and rewarding driving dynamics in the small crossover SUV segment. As expected, rear-seat room and cargo space are tight, but otherwise, the Mazda CX-30 is a delightful little SUV.