Honda Just Transformed One of Its Popular Family SUVs Into a True Overlanding Beast with 4Runner Vibes

You might not think of Honda as an overlanding brand, but this rig is about to change your mind.

Orange Honda off-road vehicle with roof rack and lights on, parked in tall dry grass at sunset.

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Published October 30, 2025

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Updated October 30, 2025

The 2025 SEMA show is just around the corner and Honda just revealed what could be its coolest Passport yet. Called the TrailSport HRC Concept, the spiced up Passport shows what happens when you fire Honda Racing’s latest parts cannon at its family SUV.

But rather than being an overcooked concept that’s too done-up for its own good, the Passport TrailSport HRC Concept looks like something that could actually become a drivable reality.

Tugging at the heartstrings of overlanding enthusiasts

Orange Honda SUV with black roof rack and checkered side decals driving on a road with autumn trees in the background. — The Passport TrailSport HRC Concept is the most off-road-ready Honda ever built from the factory.

Honda’s not necessarily the first brand to come to mind when it comes to four-wheeling. At least, not in the same way Toyota, Jeep, Land Rover or even any of the Detroit Big Three are.

But the Big H is looking to change that. Especially after Honda revived the TrailSport trim when it launched the fourth-generation just last year.

Orange Honda SUV with yellow headlights off-roading on rocky mountain trail with another green SUV behind. — Honda revived the TrailSport trim for the Passport when it launched the fourth-gen model.

The Passport TrailSport is basically a factory-upgraded version engineered specifically for the ambitiously adventurous lot. It includes beefier all-terrain tires, steel underbody skid plates, an off-road-tuned suspension and heavy-duty recovery tow hooks.

The HRC Concept, however, cranks it up a few notches to make what Honda calls the “most capable off-road Honda to date.”

Built for exploring the wilderness

Orange off-road SUV with black roof rack and checkered decals parked in a forest with autumn foliage. — The concept shows what happens when you fire the HRC parts cannon at the Passport TrailSport.

Those cranked-up notches include upgraded suspension with an even greater off-road bias. The fortified suspension results in over two extra inches of ground clearance.

Honda Racing Corporation then added larger all-terrain tires with a one-inch increase in diameter, pronounced rocker panel protection sliders and a trunk-mounted swing-out full-size spare tire carrier.

Car interior with black and blue leather seats, digital dashboard, dual touchscreen displays, and panoramic sunroof. — HRC spruced up the interior with two-tone Alcantara trim bits.

The skid plates also grow in size while benefitting from reduction in weight. Not only did HRC upgrade the plates to aluminum. Engineers also enlarged them to better protect the driveshaft and its components, the transfer case and the rear differential assembly.

Other helpful four-wheeling tools include an 8,000-pound winch, an integrated trunk-mounted air compressor, custom exterior multi-zone auxiliary lighting and upgraded foglights.

Orange Honda SUV with roof rack and off-road lights on in a grassy field at sunset. — The Passport TrailSport HRC Concept is what Honda overlanding dreams are made of.

It’s all then wrapped in the Passport TrailSport’s distinctive and eye-catching Thermal Orange, but with a matte-finish. A black-painted roof adds the cherry on top.

Inspiration for future Passport TrailsSport owners

Although not specifically destined for production, the Passport TrailSport HRC Concept showcases what’s possible. Particularly, if one went hame with Honda Racing Corporation’s latest parts catalogue.

Orange off-road vehicle splashing through a shallow rocky stream in a mountainous landscape. — Even the standard TrailSport is built and ready to tackle overlanding.

Under the hood still lies Honda’s venerable naturally-aspirated “J35” 3.5-liter V6, good for 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Honda’s equally ubiquitous 10-speed automatic channels the power to all four wheels via all-wheel drive.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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