2024 Honda Passport vs 2025 Nissan Armada

The 2024 Honda Passport retained much of its familiar design, despite Honda's recent updates to other models in its lineup. While the Passport did receive some minor tweaks in 2022, such as a more upright grille and squared-off corners, it largely maintained the aesthetic of Honda’s previous-generation designs. The Passport offered three trim levels: EX-L, TrailSport, and Black Edition, all of which came standard with leather seats, a power moonroof, identical touchscreens, and all-wheel drive. The TrailSport trim, which we tested, was designed to be the most rugged, featuring all-terrain tires, roof rails, and LED fog lights. However, its rugged appearance was more for show, as it lacked metal skid plates and recovery points.

Inside, the Passport featured traditional physical controls and an 8-inch touchscreen, which seemed small compared to newer models. The TrailSport trim included black leather upholstery with orange contrast stitching and a "TrailSport" emblem on the headrests. The interior was simple and unassuming, with a mix of resilient plastics and softer materials. The design emphasized utility, with large air vents, simple controls, and ample storage space.

The 2025 Nissan Armada showcased a bold design with a high beltline, reminiscent of its luxury counterpart, the Infiniti QX80. The front fascia appeared taller, aided by higher ground clearance and a limited lower grille. The PRO-4X trim stood out with a skid plate and unique front lighting featuring C-shaped LED lines. The Armada's imposing grille made a strong impression, setting it apart from its predecessor. From the side, the third-generation Armada appeared larger and more business-like, with a parallel beltline and distinctive D-pillar accents. The PRO-4X trim added rugged character with black plastic cladding and Lava Red accents.

The Armada's interior was comfortably outfitted, even in the task-oriented PRO-4X trim, which featured leather seats and a padded center console. Higher trims offered more luxurious touches, such as quilting and unique color combinations. The Armada's cabin felt like a luxurious escape, with tan leather adorning the dash and door cards. The three-row SUV offered flexible seating configurations, with captain’s chairs available on Platinum trims and power-folding third-row seats. Cargo volume increased across the board, providing ample space for passengers and their belongings.

The 2024 Honda Passport was equipped with a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, provided smooth acceleration and unobtrusive gear shifts. However, peak torque was achieved at 4,700 RPM, requiring drivers to rev higher for optimal performance. 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 off-road-tuned suspension. 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 Nissan Armada introduced a new powertrain with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, inspired by the GT-R, producing 425 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. The nine-speed automatic transmission replaced the old seven-speed, and all trims except the PRO-4X offered RWD or 4WD. The PRO-4X trim featured 20-inch wheels, all-terrain tires, an electronic locking rear differential, and metal skid plates. The Armada's adaptive electronic air suspension, shared with the Platinum Reserve, provided a 33-degree approach angle and 9.6 inches of ground clearance. The Armada's towing capacity reached 8,500 pounds, with standard trailer sway control and other towing aids. The Armada's electric power steering offered a nice sense of engagement, and the adaptive air suspension provided comfort on-road and capability off-road.

The 2024 Honda Passport excelled in cargo capacity, offering 41.2 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, expandable to 77.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The Passport's interior was spacious, accommodating five adults comfortably, with ample cupholders and a redesigned center console for increased storage. The Passport's rear-seat legroom was competitive within its segment, and the overall design emphasized utility and practicality.

The 2025 Nissan Armada featured a push-button transmission, freeing up center console space for a wireless charging pad. The Armada's "Zero Gravity" seats provided comfort, with power adjustments available across trims. Heated front seats were standard on the SL trim, with cooling and second-row heating available on higher trims. The Armada offered flexible seating configurations, with captain’s chairs or a bench in the second row and power-folding third-row seats. Cargo volume increased across all rows, providing ample space for passengers and their belongings. The Armada's headroom and legroom varied depending on the presence of a sunroof, with improvements in some areas and reductions in others.

The 2024 Honda Passport featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which felt small compared to competitors. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and a wireless charging pad. The system's resolution and response speed were impressive, but the navigation software's turn-by-turn directions could be intrusive. The TrailSport trim's seven-speaker audio system was underwhelming, with better options available in other vehicles.

The 2025 Nissan Armada came standard with two large screens, 12.3-inch on the SV and SL trims, and 14.3-inch on higher trims. The screens were housed together, providing clear visibility from the driver’s seat. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with six USB-C ports. The SL trim added a wireless charging pad and Google Built-In, allowing for native Google Maps integration. A head-up display was optional, and a 12-speaker Klipsch Premium Audio System became standard on the SL trim. The Klipsch system impressed with its sound quality, appealing to audiophiles.

The 2024 Honda Passport came equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features under the "Honda Sensing" umbrella, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. Despite these features, the Passport received mixed ratings from safety organizations, with the IIHS rating it "Acceptable" and "Marginal" in certain crash tests, and the NHTSA awarding it five stars overall but four stars in frontal and rollover tests.

The 2025 Nissan Armada featured Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist suite, with varying levels of advanced driver-assistance technologies across trims. The most basic version included adaptive cruise control and active lane-centering, while ProPILOT Assist 1.1 added proactive speed management. ProPILOT Assist 2.1, available on higher trims, offered hands-free highway-driving assist technology. The Armada also came with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included traffic-sign recognition, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and more. A surround-view camera was standard on the SL trim, with higher trims offering additional camera features for enhanced visibility.