The Honda TrailSport is nearly official.
On Tuesday, the automaker teased what a trademark hinted at earlier this year: the TrailSport lineup is upon us. It will be more than just one model, as Honda says it will become the “rugged halo” for its light truck/SUV lineup. The move comes as we have more choice for “rugged” trucks and crossovers than ever — from Adventure to Wilderness to Timberline, not to mention the established go-to off-road names.
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From what we guessed upon the trademark and what we can see here, Honda’s leaning more toward a modest ruggedization. In short, don’t expect a Wrangler-fighter out of the brand here. Instead, the company says the TrailSport will see bespoke front and rear fascias with high-contrast orange elements. Under the skin, the models will get more aggressive tires (including full-size spares), more ground clearance and underbody protection. “Expanded” all-wheel drive capabilities by way of Honda’s i-VTM4 system and off-road tuned suspension rounds out the headline changes.
On paper, at least, it looks like we’ll see a similar treatment to the Wilderness trims, or even Ford’s Timberline models. More capable on the trail than your standard models, and that’s the sum of it. Honda said nothing of the matter in its official statement, but it’s clear the Passport will get the TrailSport treatment first. Under the hood, I’d expect the 3.5-liter V6 engine with 280 horsepower and a 9-speed automatic transmission to remain.
We’ll have more official information soon, as the first TrailSport is set to launch later this fall.
