2024 Honda Passport vs 2025 BMW X3

The 2024 Honda Passport retained much of its previous design language, despite Honda's recent updates across its lineup. While the Passport and Ridgeline received minor tweaks in 2022, such as a more upright grille and squared-off corners, the overall aesthetic remained consistent with Honda’s older designs. The Passport offered three trim levels: EX-L, TrailSport, and Black Edition, all featuring leather seats, a power moonroof, identical touchscreens, and all-wheel drive. The TrailSport trim, designed for ruggedness, included all-terrain tires, roof rails, and LED fog lights, but lacked metal skid plates and recovery points, making it more visually rugged than functionally so. Inside, the Passport featured traditional controls and an 8-inch touchscreen, with the TrailSport trim offering black leather upholstery with orange stitching.

In contrast, the 2025 BMW X3 presented a seductive and athletic appearance for a two-box SUV. Its long hood, captivating dashboard-to-axle ratio, and tapering roofline contributed to its sporty look, further emphasized by expressive 21-inch wheels. The test model's Arctic Race Blue paint, combined with machined surface wheels and Calm Beige upholstery, added to its allure. Inside, the X3 featured a simple yet quality cabin, with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 14.9-inch touchscreen housed in the BMW Curved Display. While the front seats offered comfort and adjustability, the rear seats were less accommodating, with complaints about low positioning and hard front seat-back panels. The cargo area provided 31.5 cubic feet of space, with additional storage under the load floor.

The 2024 Honda Passport was equipped with a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, offered adequate acceleration for its size, though peak torque required higher RPMs. The Passport's fuel economy was rated at 19 mpg city, 24 highway, and 21 combined. The TrailSport trim featured wider tracks, 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, and a suspension tuned for off-road driving. All Passports came with Honda’s torque-vectoring iVTM4 AWD system and a traction-management system with various settings. The Passport's towing capacity maxed out at 5,000 pounds, surpassing some competitors but falling short of others.

The 2025 BMW X3 30 xDrive featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Despite its weight, the X3 achieved a zero-to-60 mph time of six seconds, aided by an eight-speed automatic transmission and xDrive AWD system. The engine's power curve provided peak torque from 1,600 to 4,500 rpm, enhancing responsiveness. The X3 also included a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, improving off-the-line performance. The M50 xDrive variant offered a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with 393 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque, achieving a zero-to-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds. The X3's sport-tuned suspension and performance tires provided a dynamic driving experience, though ride quality suffered on imperfect roads. Fuel economy was rated at 29 mpg combined, though real-world testing yielded 24.2 mpg.

The 2024 Honda Passport excelled in cargo capacity, offering 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 77.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The rear seats folded flush with the trunk floor, facilitating easy loading of long items. The Passport comfortably accommodated five adults, with ample cupholders and a redesigned center console bin for increased storage.

The 2025 BMW X3 provided a spacious interior, with a simple dashboard and a BMW Curved Display. The front seats offered power adjustment, heating, and optional ventilation, while the rear seats were less comfortable due to low positioning and hard panels. The cargo area measured 31.5 cubic feet, with a lightweight cargo cover and additional storage under the load floor. The 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat allowed for versatile cargo and passenger arrangements.

The 2024 Honda Passport featured an 8-inch touchscreen, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and a wireless charging pad. However, the screen size felt small for the cabin's dimensions, and the tech showed some faults, such as persistent turn-by-turn directions on the driver’s display. The TrailSport trim's seven-speaker audio system was underwhelming compared to competitors' offerings.

The 2025 BMW X3's BMW Curved Display ran on iDrive 9 software, offering a Quick Select user experience. Despite attempts to create profiles and access BMW Digital Services, the system experienced issues, including screen freezes and media preference resets. The navigation system, with optional augmented video, provided accurate directions. Wireless Apple CarPlay worked flawlessly, though the native infotainment features were problematic.

The 2024 Honda Passport came standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic monitoring, and adaptive cruise control under the “Honda Sensing” umbrella. However, it received mixed crash test ratings, with an “Acceptable” rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.

The 2025 BMW X3 offered a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and active blind-spot monitoring. Additional packages added adaptive cruise control, Parking Assistant Plus, and Driving Assistant Professional features. The X3 earned a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with four-star ratings in frontal-impact crash tests.