Sales of sport utility vehiclers reached 900,000 units for 1992-and sales projections for the year 2000 topped the 1.5 million mark-every auto-maker knew it was time to get into the sport utility game. So, in December '92,
Honda inked a complementary product agreement with Subaru-
Isuzu Automotive to develop a product that would give them a toehold in the sport utility market. (The Passport, in fact, is remarkably similar to the
Isuzu Rodeo.)
The result is the 1994 Honda Passport, which employs a body-on-frame design that is typically used in trucks and that feeds suspension and drive loads directly into the frame for better shock absorption on rough terrain.
The Passport is available in four different configurations: the base 2WD DX, the mid-line LX in both 2WD and 4WD, and the high-end 4WD EX. The DX model is powered by a 2.6-liter, 120hp, in-line four-cylinder engine, while the LX and EX models pack the increased power of a 3.2-liter, 175-hp, 24-valve, aluminum alloy V6.
We tested a Passport EX with a base MSRP of $25,600, a price that seemed steep until we saw the list of standard equipment on this top-of-the-line model: ventilated front disc brakes with lockup torque converter; rear anti-lock disc brakes; part-time 4WD system with front auto-locking hubs; variable assist power steering; air conditioning; leather-wrapped steering wheel; reclining front bucket seats; electric rear-window defroster; removable tilt-up moonroof, dual heated power mirrors; rear privacy glass; AM/FM stereo with a cassette player; power windows and door locks; remote tailgate window release; cruise control; and a cargo net.
In other words, instead of playing the a la carte option game, Honda has loaded the Passport EX with luxury-line features for a single price. The only optional charge on our test model was $79 for floor mats, which, along with the destination charge, brought the total price to $26,054.
At first blush, the Passport evokes memories from 10 or 15 years ago when we saw this kind of brawny vehicle bouncing through the African bush in the pages of National Geographic. The Passport definitely conveys rugged, sport utility, all-terrain stance and attitude. At the same time, however, its engineers clearly paid attention to styling: The rounded edges, sloping hood and flared fenders effect as much of an aerodynamic-flow feeling as you'd want in a vehicle niche where the major selling points are no-nonsense functionality and hard-nosed durability.
Other form-meets-function, body design elements on our test Passport included flared wheel trim-moldings, chrome front and rear bumpers, alloy wheels, a front bumper guard and recessed door handles. A fuel tank skidplate is standard on all models, and the LX and EX are also equipped with a front skidplate under the radiator area.
In the rear, the two-piece tailgate comprised an upper sashless window, which was suspended by gas-filled struts, and a lower gate that employed torsion-bar springs to aid in lowering and closing. An air-deflector at the upper rear edge of the roof helped keep the rear window free from rain, snow and road sludge. A high-mounted center stoplight projected a rearward beam whether the tailgate was up or down.
The spare tire was mounted on a sturdy hinged bracket that opened to the left for more convenient curbside cargo loading. A cam-and-lock mechanism kept the door open during loading and unloading. We liked the heft of the lower gate-when it's down, it's down. We weren't as thrilled, however, with the awkward placement of the rear windshield wiper arm: When closing the gate, There is a very real likelihood of accidentally grabbing-and even bending---the wiper.
