Tomorrow marks 2 weeks of ownership. I traded in a 2013 Honda CRV for an Obsidian Blue Elite. Prior to the CRV, I drove a 2004 Honda Pilot. My initial opinions:
(1) CRV drove and felt like a car. Passport drives and feels like a truck. The feel is much bigger than the CRV. LOVE sitting up high on the road again and the expansive view. Really easy and enjoyable to drive. Although reliable, I immediately regretted my gray CRV. Felt like like throwing in the towel on middle age. Boring bordering on depressing, IMO. Passport brings excitement back.
(2) I've seen the industry complaints about the transmission. I've noticed no shifting issues - very smooth. The lag in power comes from the Econ button. The Econ button on CRV made a noticeable difference in power - but the impact is MUCH greater for the PP. Unless coasting on the highway, I don't think its usable. It definitely creates a multi-second lag in go time from a stop. If you test drive a PP, make sure its off. Second, I think the perception of a power lag comes from the fact that, compared to CRV or other lighter cars, you need to press accelerator down more to go and the brakes down more to stop. Its like a driving style adjustment.
(3) My biggest complaint by far is that I FEEL every lump, bump, ridge, hole in the road. I was looking forward to improvement here over the CRV, but PP is at least as bad. Boo. Maybe it's the tire size, the low-profile, the suspension? Don't know. Very disappointing. I really can't see how going off-road would be enjoyable. Seems like passengers would be miserable and kids would be crying. Don't know.
(4) We have a 50's style 2 car garage. Parking is tight and much harder than CRV. I need to see exactly where the truck starts and ends, but can't. 360 or front cameras would have REALLY helped. Parking sensors are not helpful for nailing a 2-3" sweet spot. I assume I'll get it down eventually. But it's been hard so far trying to park AWAY from everyone else as much as possible.
(5) Driving the PP is so good that you forget or almost about the small annoyances that bug you before you buy. Especially exterior things like the taillights, for example. As long as no one hits you, does it really matter if they're half sized?
(6) The heated steering wheel is big. I totally get that heated steering is unnecessary. However, I live in MN. My drive to work yesterday was -2; today 5 degrees. I used to drive home from work with gloves on and my hands would hurt, radiate with pain from cold the whole way. If your hands are ice cold from the wheel, you feel very cold even with seat heaters and vents. Conversely, if you're hands are warm, you feel warmer even if seats and vents are cold. It makes a big difference for the driver, IMO.
(1) CRV drove and felt like a car. Passport drives and feels like a truck. The feel is much bigger than the CRV. LOVE sitting up high on the road again and the expansive view. Really easy and enjoyable to drive. Although reliable, I immediately regretted my gray CRV. Felt like like throwing in the towel on middle age. Boring bordering on depressing, IMO. Passport brings excitement back.
(2) I've seen the industry complaints about the transmission. I've noticed no shifting issues - very smooth. The lag in power comes from the Econ button. The Econ button on CRV made a noticeable difference in power - but the impact is MUCH greater for the PP. Unless coasting on the highway, I don't think its usable. It definitely creates a multi-second lag in go time from a stop. If you test drive a PP, make sure its off. Second, I think the perception of a power lag comes from the fact that, compared to CRV or other lighter cars, you need to press accelerator down more to go and the brakes down more to stop. Its like a driving style adjustment.
(3) My biggest complaint by far is that I FEEL every lump, bump, ridge, hole in the road. I was looking forward to improvement here over the CRV, but PP is at least as bad. Boo. Maybe it's the tire size, the low-profile, the suspension? Don't know. Very disappointing. I really can't see how going off-road would be enjoyable. Seems like passengers would be miserable and kids would be crying. Don't know.
(4) We have a 50's style 2 car garage. Parking is tight and much harder than CRV. I need to see exactly where the truck starts and ends, but can't. 360 or front cameras would have REALLY helped. Parking sensors are not helpful for nailing a 2-3" sweet spot. I assume I'll get it down eventually. But it's been hard so far trying to park AWAY from everyone else as much as possible.
(5) Driving the PP is so good that you forget or almost about the small annoyances that bug you before you buy. Especially exterior things like the taillights, for example. As long as no one hits you, does it really matter if they're half sized?
(6) The heated steering wheel is big. I totally get that heated steering is unnecessary. However, I live in MN. My drive to work yesterday was -2; today 5 degrees. I used to drive home from work with gloves on and my hands would hurt, radiate with pain from cold the whole way. If your hands are ice cold from the wheel, you feel very cold even with seat heaters and vents. Conversely, if you're hands are warm, you feel warmer even if seats and vents are cold. It makes a big difference for the driver, IMO.