![]() ![]() Of course, with the stereo sounding especially poor when turned up, this meant one had to listen to it. The only real assembly flaw was a maddening high-pitched plastic-on-plastic dash rattle. The spare tire is mounted under the vehicle. After a few times of doing this, you’ll really start to get annoyed. To open it, one swings the glass up, then the bottom half swings open. The cargo area was quite nice, with two cargo nets as well as a window-shade-style cargo cover. The seats were covered in a joyless, durable fabric. An hour driving this vehicle and you’ll be ready to stop and stretch. The firm, flat seats are mounted somewhat low and don’t go far enough back for long-legged drivers to get comfortable. Only a tach, speedometer fuel and temperature gauge are offered. Instrumentation was average, if sparse compared to some competitors. This is a cost-effective solution because the automaker only has to install one button, not two, three or four. Functions of adjusting the sound requires long looks away from the road, as one button handles multiple function s. The AM/FM/Cassette stereo system is nothing special, the speakers were especially bad, unable to handle the sound fed through them without massive distortion. This makes little sense since the fan speed is the most often used control. The center of the dash offers two climate control knobs, but the fan speed gets a small slider. The ergonomics are okay and offer few surprises. The dash is covered in hard plastics that are more notable for their cost-effectiveness than beauty. There’s 8.2 inches of ground clearance, as well as a 32.5-degree approach angle and 26.3-degree angle of departure (when equipped with the optional 16-inch tire package.) If you’re going off-road, you’ll be pleased to note that all Passports have skid plates under the radiator, fuel tank and transfer case. In addition to four-wheel-drive, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are standard. A limited slip differential is standard on the 4WD EX model, optional on the 4WD LX. There’s a shift lever to engage low-range. The four-wheel-drive system can be engaged with a dash-mounted button at speeds up to 60 mph. While the tires grip well in corners, there’s ample body lean. This would be agreeable if there was some measure of extra handling. Bumps are absorbed, but still felt by passengers. There’s mild pitching over bumps, while the ride is firm. The suspension may be different, but the result isn’t. The transmission handles it all with swift, if abrupt, downshifts. Push the “Power” button on the four-speed automatic transmission and the power comes on stronger, albeit with a gruff, unrefined demeanor. The 3.2-liter engine has more power than last year’s mill, meaning there’s decent power. All Passports also receive new steering and suspension as well as additional standard features, including air-conditioning, dual heated power mirrors, a roof rack and cargo nets. All models feature a new 3.2-liter, 24-valve, double-overhead-cam V6, good for 205 horsepower and 214 foot-pounds of torque. The vehicle comes in four flavors, two-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive, LX or upscale EX. That means a subtler exterior look this year, that gives the vehicle a more sophisticated look. Both are built at the Suburu-Izusu plant in Lafayette, Ind. What the Honda Passport is, is an Izusu Rodeo. You can almost hear them say, “We’d never fall for THAT.’` They feel sophisticated, looking down their nose at Detroit and its identical cars with different labels, masking a similar vehicle underneath. There’s a certain conceit that some car buyers have. ![]()
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