2020 Honda Passport vs 2021 Lexus GX

The 2020 Honda Passport was a quintessential Honda, featuring familiar parts and aesthetics that appealed to loyal Honda buyers. Its exterior resembled a smaller Honda Pilot but with a more rugged and athletic look, fitting between the Pilot and CR-V in size, capability, and price. The Passport Elite trim came loaded with features like a scratch-resistant matte black grille, 20-inch black alloy wheels, and black-rimmed LED headlights. The interior was sophisticated, with a mix of durable and soft-touch materials, and included perforated, heated, and ventilated front seats, a leather-trimmed heated steering wheel, and a moonroof.

In contrast, the 2021 Lexus GX retained its decade-old body shell with minor updates, including a spindle grille and triple-beam LED headlights. The Premium trim featured standard silver 18-inch wheels. Despite its aggressive and distinctive look, the interior felt outdated for a luxury SUV. The wood trim in the Premium test car looked like molded plastic, and there was an abundance of actual plastic. However, it did offer standard leather upholstery, with semi-aniline leather available on the Luxury trim.

The 2020 Honda Passport was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. It achieved an EPA-estimated 20 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined for FWD models, and slightly lower for AWD models. The Passport performed well in various driving conditions, including high elevations and off-road trails, and could tow up to 5,000 pounds with the available towing package.

The 2021 Lexus GX featured a 4.6-liter V8 engine generating 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. It accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. However, its 5,130-pound weight affected high-speed performance and braking. The GX excelled in off-road capability with a Torsen center differential, low-range 4WD, and several driver aids like hill-descent control. It could tow up to 6,500 pounds and had a ground clearance of 8.1 inches.

The 2020 Honda Passport was practical, offering spacious seats for four adults and ample cargo space with 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats. It featured height-adjustable seatbelts, three full LATCH connections, and available tri-zone automatic climate control. The interior had plenty of small-item storage, including a large center console and secondary shelf space in the front doors. The Passport's load floor was high, but it provided the most under-floor storage in its class.

The 2021 Lexus GX's interior ergonomics showed its age, with an upright dashboard and high center console limiting legroom. The steering wheel's odd angle and tall seating position felt bus-like. However, the boxy profile offered excellent outward visibility. The GX came standard with three rows of seating, but the third row was best for children and difficult to access. Cargo space was limited, with only 64.7 cubic feet available with the second and third rows folded.

The 2020 Honda Passport's base Sport model had a 5.0-inch display, while higher trims featured an 8.0-inch Display Audio infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The system was practical, with pinch, swipe, and tap functionality. Other standard features included Bluetooth, a USB port, and a seven-speaker audio system. Higher trims offered a 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The 2021 Lexus GX was light on tech features, lacking Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. It had standard Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant connectivity, with two USB ports for the first two rows. The infotainment system's graphics were outdated, and the touchscreen offered limited functions. However, Lexus included analog controls for most functions, providing a straightforward interface.

The 2020 Honda Passport received good scores from the IIHS and NHTSA, earning an IIHS Top Safety Pick. It came standard with the Honda Sensing suite, including forward-collision warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims offered additional features like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic detection.

The 2021 Lexus GX had not been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS. It came standard with the Lexus Safety System+ bundle, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. However, it lacked some advanced safety features found in other Lexus and Toyota models, such as traffic-sign recognition.