How Honda's Rugged Off-Road SUVs & Trucks Pass the Test

Tackle Any Terrain

2026 Passport TrailSport Elite in Ash Green Metallic driving through red rock environment with red dust flumes kicking up behind. Sunset. Orange vehicle trails behind.

Passport TrailSport Elite shown in Ash Green Metallic* and Sunset Orange* with Honda Genuine Accessories.

Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive Systems

Honda all-wheel-drive systems are designed to effortlessly tackle bad weather, rough terrain and big jobs, channeling available power where and when you need it most. Second-generation intelligent Variable Torque Management™ (i-VTM4®) offers expanded AWD capabilities, which comes standard on all Passport and Ridgeline models and is available on the Pilot.

Tackle Any Terrain

Passport TrailSport Elite shown in Ash Green Metallic* and Sunset Orange* with Honda Genuine Accessories.

Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive Systems

Engineered for Performance

2026 Honda Ridgeline IN Solar Silver Metalic carrying 2 motorbikes in the tuck bed while driving across a small river in the mountains

Ridgeline Sport shown in Solar Silver Metallic with Honda Genuine Accessories.

How All-Wheel Drive Works

Honda offers two different all-wheel-drive systems: Real Time AWD™ and i-VTM4. Both can deliver instantaneous power to the rear wheels to help you power through challenging conditions, and the i-VTM4 system adds torque vectoring for greater side-to-side control.

Engineered for Performance

Ridgeline Sport shown in Solar Silver Metallic with Honda Genuine Accessories.

How All-Wheel Drive Works

Wet or Snowy Roads

Pilot TrailSport shown* in Platinum White Pearl* with Honda Genuine Accessories. Pilot TrailSport shown* in Platinum White Pearl* with Honda Genuine Accessories.

Unpaved Roads

Passport TrailSport Elite shown in Sunset Orange* with Honda Genuine Accessories. Passport TrailSport Elite shown in Sunset Orange* with Honda Genuine Accessories.

Towing & Hauling

Ridgeline TrailSport shown with Honda Genuine Accessories. Honda reminds you to properly secure cargo items and follow all applicable load limits and loading guidelines. Maximum towing capacity for AWD trims is 5,000 lbs. Towing requires accessory towing equipment. Please see your Honda dealer for details. Ridgeline TrailSport shown in Modern Steel Metallic with Honda Genuine Accessories. Honda reminds you to properly secure cargo items and follow all applicable load limits and loading guidelines. Maximum towing capacity for AWD trims is 5,000 lbs. Towing requires accessory towing equipment. Please see your Honda dealer for details.

How Torque Vectoring Works

The i-VTM4® system helps enhance stability on muddy, wet and icy roads, and can even improve dry-weather handling. It uses a pair of clutch packs—one for each rear wheel—that can be engaged separately. This allows variable amounts of torque to be sent to each rear wheel independently to help compensate when one wheel loses traction or to distribute torque to the outside wheel for smoother turning.

Snow Mode

To help minimize wheel slippage, especially when accelerating from a stop, Snow mode sets the automatic transmission to start in second gear and adjusts the throttle for less pedal sensitivity.

Honda Passport driving Off Road in the Mud

Mud Mode

Maintaining momentum is essential in muddy driving conditions. To help you keep moving, Mud mode delays upshifts for increased wheel torque and adjusts VSA to allow more wheel slip.

Honda Pilot driving Off Road in the Sand

Sand Mode

Soft-sand driving calls for more aggressive pedal tuning to minimize throttle delay. Sand mode also delays upshifts for increased wheel torque.

Unibody Construction

The Ridgeline is unique among pickup trucks for its smooth-riding unibody cab and bed, with an integrated frame that’s stronger than conventional body-on-frame designs. Approximately 45% of the body on frame uses special high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel that adds rigidity without undue weight.

ACE™ Body Structure

The Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure is a Honda-exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal collisions.

Steering Hanger Beam

To help improve ride and handling, as well as improve the fit and finish of the instrument panel, the steering hangar beam is made of light-weight cast magnesium.

3-Bone Front Floor Structure

In the event of a frontal collision, the 3-bone front floor structure is designed to help channel energy away from the passenger cabin.

Unibody Critical Joint

A strong connection between the truck bed and cab is vital for towing and hauling capability. By integrating the bed rail into the C-pillar and reinforcing it with spot welding, Honda engineers improved torsional rigidity by 28% over the first-generation Ridgeline.

Truss-Style Rear Inner Construction

To improve towing and hauling capability, the body sides and rear tailgate frame are fully boxed for enhanced rigidity.

Advanced Suspension Systems

With independent multi-link suspensions, Honda SUVs and trucks not only offer nimble handling and smooth rides—they’re also built to stay steadfast in off-road conditions, making easy work of dirt and gravel.

Towing Prowess

The Passport, Pilot, and Ridgeline, when equipped with i-VTM4® AWD systems, are all capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds* thanks to their powerful V-6 engines. That’s enough muscle to pull a 24-foot camper, a trailer with two side-by-sides, or a 22-foot boat.

Designed for Extremes

2022 Passport Elite shown in Deep Scarlet Pearl, 2021 Pilot Elite shown in Crystal Black Pearl, 2021 Ridgeline RTL-E shown in Modern Steel Metallic, 2021 Passport TrailSport shown in Lunar Silver with Honda Genuine Accessories.

BAUDETTE

Cold Weather Testing

Wintry conditions can create a wide range of challenges, from snow to ice to slush. We test our technologies for all of them, on both level ground and inclines, on 23 different driving courses in the frozen prairies of Northern Minnesota. And to make sure our SUVs and trucks can withstand the bitter winters, we test cold starts in -40-degree cold cells.

MOJAVE DESERT

2021 Ridgeline Sport shown in Modern Steel Metallic, 2022 Passport Elite shown in Deep Scarlet Pearl, 2021 Pilot Elite shown in Sapphire Steel Metallic, 2021 Passport TrailSport shown in Lunar Silver with Honda Genuine Accessories.

MOJAVE DESERT

All-Terrain Testing

At the Honda Proving Center of California, spanning 3,840 acres of sun-scorched desert, we test everything from 191-mph supercars to off-road motorcycles and ATVs. With a 1.3 million-square-foot vehicle dynamics area, a 1.6-mile gravel course and an expansive powersports complex, it’s the perfect place to test the rugged capability of our SUVs and trucks.

Designed for Extremes

BAUDETTE, MN

Cold Weather Testing

MOJAVE DESERT

All-Terrain Testing

MOJAVE DESERT

Gallery

VIEW GALLERY

Honda Trail Experience

The Honda Trail Experience app is designed for TrailSport trims on the 2026 CR-V, Passport, and Pilot, bringing real-time trail data and vehicle readouts to your adventures. Download the free app and discover available features.

Log The Drive

Take on rugged terrain with more confidence through 11 available real-time vehicle data points that keep you aware and in control, including everything from elevation and pitch to tire angle and speed.
Capture The Adventure

Track your TrailSport adventures through interactive maps that capture GPS, timestamps, and vehicle data, so you can revisit challenging trails and share your experiences.
Share The Experience

Share your off-road experiences with friends, family and fellow TrailSport explorers on social media.