Built for exactly this kind of trip.
Every 2026 Passport comes with i-VTM4 all-wheel drive standard, 8.3 inches of ground clearance, and up to 5,000 lbs of towing capacity — enough to handle a snowy mountain road, a gravel campground drive, or a trailer full of gear without needing an upgraded trim.
Nothing here requires a special off-road package or the top trim level. The capability that matters for an upstate trip is baked into every Passport that leaves the lot.
Trip-relevant specs
What actually matters on a road trip
| Spec | Figure | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Ground clearance | 8.3 in. | Clears rutted dirt roads and unplowed snow better than a typical sedan |
| Approach / departure angle | Up to 23.0° / 27.1° | Steep driveways and campground entrances without scraping the bumper |
| All-wheel drive | i-VTM4, standard | Actively manages torque side to side, not just front to rear |
| Max cargo | 83.8 cu ft, row 2 folded | Room for camping gear, coolers, and luggage together |
| Towing | Up to 5,000 lb | Covers most small campers, boats, and utility trailers |
The i-VTM4 system is the detail worth understanding: rather than just splitting power between front and rear axles, it can actively send more torque to the outside rear wheel in a turn, which helps on winding mountain roads as much as it helps in snow.
Upstate conditions
What a Catskills or Adirondacks trip actually looks like
Unpaved and unplowed roads
Many state park access roads and rural driveways upstate aren't paved, and winter travel adds unplowed stretches. Ground clearance and AWD both do real work here.
Mountain grades & switchbacks
Routes through the Catskills and Adirondacks climb and descend more than a typical highway drive. i-VTM4's cornering torque distribution is built for exactly this kind of road.
Long highway stretches
Getting there is mostly interstate driving from Queens — the Passport's V6 and 10-speed automatic are tuned for comfortable, stable cruising over long distances, not just off-road capability.
Packing for gear
What 83.8 cubic feet actually holds
With the second row folded, the Passport's cargo hold is large enough for a family's full camping kit — tent, sleeping bags, a cooler, and duffel bags — without needing a roof box for a typical weekend trip. With the second row up, roughly 44.0 cubic feet remains behind it, still enough for luggage and gear for a full carload of passengers.
Compared side by side against the Pilot and Odyssey, the Passport's cargo room is smaller than either — see the Pilot vs. Odyssey family comparison if you need to haul more than gear for a weekend. The Passport's advantage is everything built around that cargo hold: the standard AWD, the ground clearance, and the towing capacity none of the family-hauler models can match.
From Queens
Where an upstate trip actually takes you
The Catskills are the closest real mountain driving from Queens — roughly a two-hour drive to the Catskill Park region, with plenty of unpaved forest-access roads once you're off the main routes. The Adirondacks are a longer haul, generally five to six hours to reach Lake Placid or the High Peaks region, almost all of it on interstate before the roads narrow and climb.
Either trip mixes long, flat interstate miles with a final stretch of climbing, curving, sometimes-unpaved road — exactly the combination the Passport's V6 highway comfort and standard AWD are built to cover without switching vehicles for the last leg.
See the Passport for Yourself
Test-drive a Passport at Paragon Honda and feel the i-VTM4 AWD system for yourself.
Frequently asked questions