Honda Passport vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid took a significant departure from its softer, more traditional crossover styling after its redesign in 2019. Its new look featured a more substantial, blocky appearance with a trapezoidal grille adapted from Toyota’s truck lineup to add an element of heft. The redesigned model had beveled and angled bodywork framing its headlights. This radical design shift became less standout over the years as other carmakers, such as Honda and Mazda, adopted a similar angular aesthetic.

The angular theme was also prominent in the RAV4’s interior, characterized by a multi-tiered dashboard with beveled cutouts to add some visual interest to an otherwise plain surface. The interior layout was common for vehicles at that time, with an infotainment touchscreen mounted atop the dash surrounded by physical buttons and knobs for primary feature controls. Materials quality was standard for its class, with lightly padded surfaces at touchpoints and harder plastics elsewhere. Notably, the base model and the Woodland trim came with a downmarket urethane steering wheel and center armrest, which felt rubbery and cheap. But, higher trims boasted a leather-wrapped steering wheel, contributing to a better tactile experience. Build quality was sound, with minimal creaks or squeaks when driving over rough pavements.

In contrast, the 2024 Honda Passport retained much of its previous-generation design despite Honda’s updated design language being visible in models like the Civic, Accord, CR-V, and Pilot. The Passport (and the Honda Ridgeline) received some tweaks in 2022, such as a more upright grille and squared-off corners, but they still resembled older Honda designs.

The Passport had a straightforward approach with three trim levels: EX-L, TrailSport, and Black Edition. Compared to competitors that offered lower-priced, entry-level trims, all Passport trims came with leather seats, a power moonroof, identical touchscreens, and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The TrailSport trim aimed to be the rugged option with genuine all-terrain (A/T) tires, roof rails, and LED fog lights.

Despite its rugged look, the TrailSport was more show than go, with plastic faux skid plates, lack of recovery points, and no lift kit. However, it had impressive approach and departure angles, which were better than those on a Subaru Outback Wilderness. Inside, the Passport had large air vents, simple controls, and ample storage space, aligning with its utilitarian design. TrailSport trims featured black leather upholstery with orange stitching and accents but maintained a simple and unassuming overall interior.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid was powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor/generator. This hybrid setup worked with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels, while a second electric motor provided all-wheel drive (AWD). Combined, the powertrain produced 219 horsepower, which enabled the RAV4 Hybrid to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds. This performance placed it half a second quicker than the standard RAV4 and on par with competitors like the Honda CR-V Hybrid (8 seconds) and the Kia Sportage hybrid, which was slightly quicker.

Braking in the RAV4 Hybrid felt standard, with regenerative braking engaging initially before transitioning to physical brakes for more aggressive stops. Its suspension performed well, providing a smooth ride over bumps and potholes while delivering confident cornering without being overly sporty. The RAV4 Hybrid’s driving dynamics were satisfactory, although they didn’t stand out in any significant way compared to its rivals.

On the other hand, the 2024 Honda Passport eschewed hybrid and turbocharged configurations, sticking with a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine. This engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, met or exceeded the output of most of its competition. Managed by a nine-speed automatic transmission, the Passport offered strong acceleration for its size. The torque-vectoring iVTM4 AWD system was standard, with traction-management settings for normal, snow, sand, and mud conditions.

The TrailSport trim featured mechanical tweaks for off-roading, such as wider front and rear tracks, A/T tires on 18-inch wheels, and an off-road-tuned suspension. While it performed well off-road, the V6 engine’s peak torque came on at 4,700 RPM, requiring higher revs to maximize performance, which impacted fuel economy (19 mpg city, 24 highway, 21 combined). The Passport’s steering was notable for its balance and accuracy, which was a pleasant surprise for its size. Towing capacity was also competitive at 5,000 pounds, surpassing vehicles like the Subaru Outback Wilderness (3,500 pounds) but falling short of the Jeep Grand Cherokee (6,200 pounds).

Interior space and cargo capacity are critical for vehicle comparison. The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid provided ample front seat space for larger passengers, and the rear seats comfortably accommodated average-sized adults. While the RAV4 offered slightly more rear headroom on paper compared to the Honda CR-V and Kia Sportage, the practical difference was minor. Rear legroom was a bit less, which might require adjusting the front seats to fit a rear-facing infant seat. The low rear seat cushions could leave taller passengers desiring more thigh support during long trips.

The RAV4 Hybrid boasted 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, nearly matching the non-hybrid variant. This space slightly trailed competitors like the Honda CR-V (39.5 cubic feet) and Kia Sportage (39.3 cubic feet), but the difference was minimal. Folding the rear seatbacks flat aligned them with the cargo floor, although shorter users might struggle to reach them. The interior storage options were impressive, including a wide dashboard shelf, a phone tray, large cupholders, and a spacious center armrest bin.

In comparison, the 2024 Honda Passport shone as the cargo king in its segment, offering 41.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, with additional underfloor storage. This capacity exceeded the Subaru Outback (32.6 cubic feet), Hyundai Santa Fe (36.4), Jeep Grand Cherokee (37.7), and Ford Edge (39.2), expanding to 77.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat. The Passport had ample space for five adults, although rear-seat legroom was slightly tighter than in the Santa Fe but still competitive within the segment. It featured numerous cupholders, including six in the back seat.

A notable change for 2024 was the redesigned center console bin in the Passport, which now offered deeper storage with a padded flip-up armrest. While this resulted in a slightly less airy feel in the front-seat environment, the additional storage was a practical improvement. The overall design remained user-friendly, with large air vents, simple controls, and plenty of storage space aligning with Honda's utilitarian approach.

The tech setup in the 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid received a significant upgrade with a new infotainment system, offering modern and sharp graphics with logically arranged menus. The touchscreen rested atop the dashboard to minimize distractions while driving. Most trims featured an 8.0-inch display, while higher trims upgraded to a more substantial 10.5-inch touchscreen. The base display's small on-screen buttons required more effort to press accurately.

Standard tech included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a wireless charging pad as an option. The infotainment system supported over-the-air software updates and provided a Wi-Fi hotspot along with remote vehicle monitoring and control. Higher trims featured a fully digital instrument panel, with six-speaker audio as standard, which could be upgraded to an 11-speaker JBL system in the top Limited trim.

In contrast, the 2024 Honda Passport lagged behind its competitors with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system across all trims. Despite the spacious cabin, the small screen felt inadequate, especially when compared to rivals offering larger displays. Standard tech included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and a wireless charging pad. Although the screen provided sharp resolution and responsive performance, its smaller size detracted from the overall experience.

The Passport’s tech had some usability quirks. For example, turn-by-turn navigation directions remained on the driver’s information display for city driving, while the seven-speaker audio system in the TrailSport trim lacked depth compared to upgraded systems in rival models. Overall, audiophiles would be better served by higher-quality audio options available in competitor vehicles.

Safety was a priority for both models. The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid received top marks from the NHTSA, earning five out of five stars for overall and side crash protection and four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests. The IIHS also rated it highly, with a “Good” rating in most tests and an “Acceptable” rating in the new moderate overlap frontal and side-impact tests. It earned a Top Safety Pick status.

Standard safety features included Toyota's Safety Sense 2.5 suite with forward collision warning, pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and a traffic sign reader. Higher trims added a blind-spot monitor, parking proximity sensors, and optional surround-view camera systems and digital rearview mirrors. These systems worked smoothly and effectively, enhancing overall safety.

The 2024 Honda Passport also prioritized safety, with a comprehensive list of standard features under the “Honda Sensing” umbrella. This included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. These features contributed to a sense of security for drivers and passengers.

However, the Passport had mixed results in crash tests. While it received five stars overall from the NHTSA, it earned four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests. The IIHS rated it "Acceptable" in the passenger-side small overlap test and "Marginal" in updated side-impact tests, preventing it from being a Top Safety Pick.