2020 Honda Passport
The 2020 Honda Passport is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Passport FWD, is EPA-rated at 22 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 104 complaints, most often about the forward collision avoidance. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passport FWD | Gas | FWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 20 | 25 | 22 | $3,050 |
| Passport AWD | Gas | AWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 19 | 24 | 21 | $3,200 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42254, 42259.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passport AWD, Passport FWD | 3 / 10 | California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
Source: NHTSA vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV] |
| Doors | 5 |
| GVWR class | Class 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg) |
Engine Basics
| Cylinders | 6 |
| Displacement | 3.5 L |
| Engine configuration | V-Shaped |
Engine Output
| Horsepower | 280 hp |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Seating
| Seat rows | 2 |
| Seating capacity | 5 seats |
Transmission
| Drivetrain | 4x2 |
| Transmission | Automatic |
| Transmission speeds | 9 |
Driver assistance
Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Rear cross-traffic alert
Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: ELITE, EXL, SPORT, TOURING). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 190.6 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 78.7 in |
| Height | 71.7 in |
| Wheelbase | 111.0 in |
| Track, front | 66.5 in |
| Track, rear | 66.5 in |
| Curb weight | 4,167 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 58/42 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door SUV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2020 Honda Passport is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (10)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseAir Bags
Air Bags
XHP, VHQFuel System, Gasoline
KGC, KGDBack Over Prevention
EEL, ZEM, SFCVisibility
FE5Tires
UA2Electrical System
T89Electrical System
Y7YEquipment
B6TThese are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
NHTSA defect investigations
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages open
On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On January 6, 2023, Honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to restart issue in the 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020
Opened Mar 26, 2025 · action EA25004 · the investigation’s page →
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking — Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking open
On March 7, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24008) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system in model year 2019-2022 Honda Insight and 2019-2022 Honda Passport vehicles. The complainants allege activation of the AEB system with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's path, resulting in rapid vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that it is aware of a total of 412 reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and stated that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of the AEB system and its limitations. However, many consumer compl
Opened Jan 17, 2025 · action EA25002 · the investigation’s page →
Forward Collision Avoidance — Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking closed
On March 7, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24008) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system in model year 2019-2022 Honda Insight and 2019-2022 Honda Passport vehicles. The complainants allege activation of the AEB system with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's path, resulting in rapid vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that it is aware of a total of 412 reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and stated that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of the AEB system and its limitations. However, many consumer compl
Opened Mar 7, 2024 · closed Jan 17, 2025 · action PE24008 · the investigation’s page →
Whether any of this applies to one specific Passport
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2020 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Honda publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2020 Honda Passport, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2020 Honda Passport
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this Passport →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported
38 per 10,000 built · Honda reported 27,694 Passport built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2020: 13 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2023: 13 · 2024: 17 · 2025: 27 · 2026: 23
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
With the Idle-Stop activated, the engine shut down while stopped at a red light. However, when I disengaged the brake and tried to push the gas pedal to start, the car did not restart. It went "dead." I had to attempt to restart the car, and it took multiple attempts to get it to restart.
The cmbs keeps flashing the brake warning light when I’m changing lanes to a center turn lane. This happens at least 2-3 times weekly. I’ve also had it brake going through a stop light when no one was in front of me and almost got me rear ended.
2020 Honda Passport touring. Consumer writes in regard to defective collision mitigation braking system. The consumer stated the collision mitigation braking system did not perform any action to brake the vehicle. The dash only displayed "brake" on the screen with a warning sound.
Driving in neighborhood suddenly Tire pressure light came on. Tire flat with 4 ruptures on sidewall of tire. Continental cross contact LX sport 265/45 R20. This incident happened in Jan 2022 had similar episode in August of 2021 with rupture in sidewall
When turning on car all the advanced systems fail. I need to restart my car sometimes 3 times to clear error from instrument panel, otherwise if I drive the car none of the advanced safety features work. Honda has been unable to diagnose and twice has withheld paper work
On july 14 2020 a flying object went under my car while I was driving on highway i73 (close to gate city blvd greensboro nc).the object gashed the side of the fuel tank causing fuel leak!the plastic tank is close to the manifold which could of caused fire or explosion of the vehicle!the fuel tank is shielded from the bottom but it's not…
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by Honda itself: 8 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 8 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 29 per 100,000 built. Every Passport model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
When owners reported it
miles, typically
Half the 22 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 3,000 and 25,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.
Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Driver-assist crash reports (1)
Source: NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-011 severity unknown
May 2021 to May 2021 · 1 with an air bag deployment · 1 towed
What was engaged, and what was hit
System named: not named in the filings
Crash partner: Unknown 1
Filed by: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
| Incident | System | Struck | Injury alleged | State | Speed | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | Level 2 | Unknown | unknown | NY | — | 62-1143 |
From the manufacturer’s own filing
The reporting entity’s narrative as NHTSA published it, with anything identifying removed and nothing added. A narrative is a notice, written before the entity had verified what happened.
Customer was exiting 4-way intersection when another vehicle hit her on the driver-side rear tire. There were no reported injuries. 2/[redacted]/22 Update - Changed the 'AUTOMATION SYSTEM ENGAGED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT' field from 'ADAS' to 'Unknown, See Narrative'
A report under the General Order is a notice the manufacturer or operator must file within days of hearing of a crash in which a Level 2 driver-assist or automated-driving system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. It is filed before anything is verified, and entities with telematics hear of far more crashes than entities that rely on complaints, so counts say as much about the reporting as about the car and are not comparable across makes. Nothing is normalised by fleet size. Every report on file, by make and year → · NHTSA’s page and files
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Honda bulletin A23-009Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque.
The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Honda warranty extension (66) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →
Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Visibility/Wiper, Back Over Prevention.
- A24-061 Service bulletin2025-11-07 · Electrical System
- Service Bulletin - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the phone remains in the correct position on the charger due to software specifications that can cause some phones to have issues charging.
- A20-022 Service bulletin2025-08-01 · Structure — Body
- Service Bulletin - One or more accessory running board lights are flickering or not working due to a faulty running board light assembly.
- A23-009 Service bulletin2025-07-07 · Engine
- Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Typically, the customer can immediately restart the vehicle by selecting Park and pressing the ENGINE START/STOP button.
- A24-048 Service bulletin2024-11-22 · Structure — Body
- Service Bulletin - The AWD warning light is on potentially due to water intrusion into the rear differential pump motor connector area that corrodes the terminals.
- A24-061 Service bulletin2024-10-08 · Electrical System
- Service Bulletin - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the phone remains in the correct position on the charger.
- A24-061 Service bulletin2024-09-21 · Electrical System
- Service Bulletin - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the phone remains in the correct position on the charger.
- A23-050 Service bulletin2024-08-07 · Visibility/Wiper
- Service Bulletin - Customer complaint of the A/C not blowing cold air due to Oil/Refrigerant leak from the A/C compressor shaft seal.
- A24-085 Service bulletin2024-07-20 · Engine
- Service Bulletin - MIL flashes and vehicle will not accelerate, low power. After cycling the ignition, the symptom does not return with no stored DTCs. This issue is more common in regions with cold weather (specifically near or below freezing temperatures). Usually after a long drive (around 2 hours) and accelerating while cornering.
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
Diagnostic trouble codes on file
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaintsCodes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.
| Code | What it means | Most often filed under | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| P0087 P0087 on Honda → | Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded. | Electrical System · Fuel pump → | 3 bulletins |
| P0441 P0441 on Honda → | The evaporative purge is not flowing the way it should. | Equipment Adaptive/Mobility · EVAP purge valve → | 3 bulletins |
| P2422 P2422 on Honda → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Engine | 2 bulletins |
Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Honda Passport failed the emissions check on 4.7% of first inspections — higher than the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.4% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%).
failed emissions
1,437 initial inspections of 1,398 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2020 Passport | Every 2020 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 4.7% | 2.2% | 1,434 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 1.4% | 1.6% | 1,437 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.21% | 0.19% | 1,437 |
| Miles driven a year | 10,680 | 9,980 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 66,933 | 62,630 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2020 vehicle” is every 2020 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
Passport by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2020 Passport
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2020 Honda Passport have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 10 recall campaigns for the 2020 Honda Passport. The most serious on file is 26V365000, covering Structure. 1 of them was filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. 1 campaign is phased, so the repair reached some model years before others. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2020 Honda Passport?
NHTSA gave the 2020 Honda Passport 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it D (61/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Honda Passport?
Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2020 Honda Passport, the best EPA combined figure is 22 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2020 Honda Passport?
Transport Canada measured it at 190.6 in long, 78.7 in wide (body, without mirrors), 71.7 in tall, on a 111.0 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,167 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2020 Honda Passport?
Owners have filed 104 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Honda Passport, most often about forward collision avoidance, electrical system, engine. Of those, 1 involved a crash. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2020 Honda Passport?
The EPA smog rating for the 2020 Honda Passport is 3 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2020 Honda Passport?
The manufacturer has filed 121 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2020 Honda Passport, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2025-11-07. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2020 Honda Passport do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Honda Passport failed the emissions check on 4.7% of first inspections — higher than the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.4% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 2 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 2 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | 10 | NHTSA recall campaigns | A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags. |
| Owner complaints | 104 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 2 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 121 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | 3 | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | 1 | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | Crashes the manufacturer or operator reported with a Level 2 or automated-driving system engaged. Notices, filed before verification; not comparable across makes. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | 13 fields | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder. |
| Measured dimensions | 7 fields | Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications | Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | none | Manufacturer press kit | We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.