Honda Pilot or Honda Passport: which fits Owings Mills drivers?
The Honda Pilot fits Owings Mills drivers who need a third row for carpools, family trips and extra passengers. The Honda Passport fits drivers whose household fits in two rows and who want an SUV built for weekend trips. Group 1 Honda Owings Mills sells both, so a driver can compare them on one lot.
Choose by how many people ride with you most weeks: the Pilot when a third row is a regular need, the Passport when two rows are enough and weekend trips matter more. Both are sold at 9701 Reisterstown Rd, Owings Mills, MD 21117, where we also offer Honda leases.
Keep reading below, then schedule a test drive in Owings Mills. Bringing your own numbers to the lot settles this faster than any spec sheet.
Who should choose the Honda Pilot and who should choose the Passport in Owings Mills?
Choose the Pilot if your household or carpool regularly needs a third row. Choose the Passport if two rows seat everyone you carry and weekend trips matter more. According to Honda’s published 2026 specifications, the Pilot seats up to eight on every trim except the TrailSport AWD, which seats seven. Every 2026 Passport trim seats five.
Say, hypothetically, a family of two adults and four children needs a seat for each person on every school run. Six people need six seats, and the Passport has five, so that household starts with the Pilot. A couple with one child on weekend trips fits in the Passport’s five seats with no third row to plan around.
How many seats and how much cargo room do the Pilot and Passport have?
The Pilot adds a third row, and the Passport keeps two rows with cargo space behind them. On the Pilot Sport (2WD), legroom is 41.0 inches in row one, 40.8 inches in row two and 32.5 inches in row three. Cargo room behind row three is 18.6 cubic feet, and maximum cargo reaches 111.8 cubic feet. On the Passport RTL, legroom is 41.1 inches in row one and 40.9 inches in row two, with 83.8 cubic feet behind row one and 104.6 cubic feet at maximum, according to Honda’s published 2026 specifications.
Say, hypothetically, a family packs two suitcases and a cooler for a weekend with only two rows in use. The Passport’s 104.6 cubic feet of maximum cargo room covers that trip without a third row to plan around.
How much do the 2026 Honda Pilot and Honda Passport cost?
The 2026 Pilot starts at $42,395 for the Sport (2WD), and the 2026 Passport starts at $44,950 for the RTL, according to Honda’s published 2026 pricing. Higher trims climb from there, to $55,195 for the Pilot Black Edition (AWD) and $53,850 for the Passport TrailSport Elite Blackout. These are starting MSRP figures for each named trim, so the trim you pick matters more than the model name.
What is each SUV like on an I-795 and Reisterstown Road commute?
Owings Mills residents average 29.4 minutes to get to work, give or take 2.0 minutes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey). On a daily drive of that length, fuel economy is the figure to check first. The AWD Pilot and the AWD Passport are each rated 19 city, 25 highway and 21 combined. The TrailSport AWD in either model is rated 18 city, 23 highway and 20 combined.
Size differs too. The Pilot Black Edition measures 200.1 inches long, and the Passport RTL measures 191.5 inches, according to Honda’s published specifications.
What do the Passport and Pilot offer for weekend trips and towing?
Every 2026 Passport trim tows 5,000 pounds. The 2WD Pilot Sport and EX-L tow 3,500 pounds, and every AWD Pilot trim, from the Sport AWD to the Black Edition, tow 5,000 pounds.
The TrailSport trims sit higher off the ground. The Pilot TrailSport AWD has 8.3 inches of unladen ground clearance, against 7.3 inches on the other Pilot trims (American Honda Motor Co., 2026). The Passport TrailSport also has 8.3 inches (2026 Honda Passport Press Kit, 2025).
Say, hypothetically, a family tows a boat on a trailer that weighs 4,000 pounds loaded. The 2WD Pilot Sport and EX-L fall short of that load, while the Passport and the AWD Pilot trims are rated to pull it.
Honda Pilot and Passport specs: price, seats, cargo, mpg and towing
The Pilot Sport (2WD) is the cheapest Pilot at $42,395, and the Passport RTL starts the Passport range at $44,950. Towing is 3,500 pounds on the 2WD Pilot Sport and EX-L, and 5,000 pounds on every other trim named here.
| Trim | Starting MSRP (Honda, 2026) | Seats | Max cargo (cubic feet) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot Sport (2WD) | $42,395 | Up to 8 | 111.8 |
| Pilot Sport (AWD) | $44,495 | Up to 8 | 111.8 |
| Pilot EX-L (2WD) | $44,695 | Up to 8 | 112.4 |
| Passport RTL | $44,950 | 5 | 104.6 |
| Passport TrailSport | $48,650 | 5 | 104.6 |
Seating separates these two models more than price does. Passport trims seat five, and Pilot trims seat up to eight.
When is the Honda Pilot or the Honda Passport the wrong choice?
The Passport is the wrong choice for a household that needs a third row, because every 2026 Passport trim seats five. The Pilot seats up to eight on most trims and seven on the TrailSport AWD. The Pilot is the wrong choice when two rows carry everyone and weekend trips matter most, since the Passport is built for that use. If you need 3,500 pounds of towing or less, the 2WD Pilot Sport or EX-L fits. If you tow more, pick an AWD trim, rated at 5,000 pounds.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Honda Passport have a third row?
No. Every 2026 Passport trim seats five, so it has two rows. If a third row is a regular need, the Pilot seats up to eight on most trims and seven on the TrailSport AWD.
Do the Honda Pilot and Passport come with all-wheel drive?
Yes on the Passport. Its 2nd-Gen i-VTM4 all-wheel-drive system is standard on every trim (American Honda, 2025). The Pilot’s Sport and EX-L trims come in either front-wheel or all-wheel drive, and its other trims are all-wheel drive.
Does Honda offer a hybrid Pilot or Passport?
The Pilot’s published 2026 specifications list one powertrain, a 3.5-liter V6 rated 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque (Honda Newsroom, 2026). The Passport’s V6 is rated at the same 285 horsepower (American Honda, 2025).
What warranty comes with the Honda Pilot and Passport?
Both carry the same 2026 coverage, according to Honda’s 2026 warranty booklet. The basic warranty runs 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first, and the powertrain warranty runs 5 years or 60,000 miles, with the earlier limit ending coverage. Corrosion coverage is 5 years with no mileage limit.
What safety features come standard on the Pilot and the Passport?
Honda Sensing, Honda’s suite of driver-assistive features, is standard on every 2026 Passport trim (Honda Info Center, 2026). It includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and parking sensors at the front and rear.
Why buy a Honda Pilot or Passport at Group 1 Honda Owings Mills?
You can find us in Owings Mills, where we sell new Honda Accord, Civic, CR-V, HR-V, Passport, Pilot, Prologue, Odyssey, Ridgeline and Prelude, so you can compare the Pilot and the Passport against the rest of the Honda lineup in one visit. Our Google record, as of October 2026, is 4.5 stars across 3,505 reviews, and 82 in 100 of them are five-star.
In an August 2026 Google review, Dani M. wrote: “10/10 Experience! We had a great experience working with Anthony Hartwell at Group 1 Honda Owings Mills while helping my son purchase his first vehicle! From start to finish, Anthony’s communication and the information he provided about what we needed were top tier. We never felt pressured at any point during the process, and Anthony made everything easy, comfortable, and stress-free. He took the time to make sure my son was getting exactly what he needed. If you’re looking for a vehicle, definitely go to Group 1 Honda and ask for Anthony Hartwell , he’ll take great care of you and help get you into exactly what you need!”
In an August 2026 Google review, N B. wrote: “Mel Ross is an amazing salesman. He didn’t put any pressure on me to purchase and he did not try to squeeze every penny out of me. Instead he was kind and helpful – he explained the process and patiently answered my questions. Everyone should have a salesperson like him. He focuses on people and not sales.”
Start with the Pilot if a third row is a regular need, or the Passport if two rows will do. Then visit Group 1 Honda Owings Mills at 9701 Reisterstown Rd, Owings Mills, MD 21117, or browse new Honda Pilot inventory online.
Group 1 Honda Owings Mills answers this question against the specific vehicle in front of you rather than the model in general. Value your trade and get pre-approved online, then see us at our Owings Mills showroom, or call (667) 622-9990.
Disclaimer: Vehicle features, specifications, pricing, options, and availability may vary based on production timelines and dealership inventory; images are for illustrative purposes only. Starting MSRP figures are national and exclude destination freight charges, tax, title, license, and dealer fees. Standard and available equipment varies by trim, configuration, and model year; confirm the specification of the individual vehicle before purchase. Maximum towing and payload ratings depend on cab, bed, drivetrain, and equipment configuration; see the vehicle’s Owner’s Manual and trailering guide for limits. Electric range and charging times vary with battery, configuration, temperature, terrain, load, and driving habits. Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. Financing and pre-approval are subject to credit approval. Contact Group 1 Honda Owings Mills for complete details regarding current vehicle inventory, pricing, and equipment.
