2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2021 Honda Passport

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, which debuted in 2005, was still in its second generation. The current generation, introduced in 2014, received a significant refresh in 2018 that carried over into 2021. This refresh included the dual-screen center console, a hallmark of recent Land Rover interiors. The 2020 model year saw the introduction of a plug-in hybrid variant and the availability of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Range Rover Sport offered various trims: SE, HSE Silver, HST, HSE Dynamic, Autobiography, SVR, and SVR Carbon Edition. The base SE trim came with leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, an eight-speaker Meridian sound system, a WiFi hotspot, and the dual-screen infotainment system. Higher trims added features like quad-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated seats, and a 19-speaker Meridian sound system. The HSE Dynamic featured a supercharged V8 engine, while the Autobiography trim offered 22-way power-adjustable front seats and power soft-close doors. The SVR models focused on performance with a more powerful V8 engine and sport seats.

The 2021 Honda Passport was essentially a shortened version of the Pilot, featuring two rows of seats instead of three. The styling similarities between the two were evident both inside and out. The Passport's dash layout mirrored that of the Pilot, including the awkward "button shifter" design. Despite this, the Passport boasted a spacious interior with high-quality materials.

Trim levels for the 2021 Passport included Sport, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. The base Sport trim featured 20-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lights, push-button start, tri-zone climate control, a seven-speaker audio system, and a one-touch fold-down rear bench. The EX-L trim added leather upholstery, a power moonroof, a power rear liftgate, and power-adjustable front seats. The Touring trim included front-and-rear parking sensors, a hands-free liftgate, an upgraded 10-speaker stereo system, and satellite-linked navigation. The top-tier Elite trim offered heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and wireless device charging.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered multiple powertrain options. The base P360 mild-hybrid powertrain, available in the SE and SE Silver Edition, combined a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt electrical system, producing 355 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. The HST model featured the P400 powertrain, delivering 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The HSE Silver Edition also offered plug-in hybrid and diesel powertrains. The P400e plug-in hybrid combined a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine with electric assist for 398 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, while the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 produced 254 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque.

The HSE Dynamic and Autobiography trims featured a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine with 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. The SVR and SVR Carbon Edition trims received a more powerful version of this engine, producing 575 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. All Range Rover Sport models came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive (4WD). The vehicle also featured height-adjustable air suspension and a Terrain Response system with multiple modes for various terrains. The Range Rover Sport could tow up to 7,716 pounds, except for the SVR, which could tow 6,613 pounds.

The 2021 Honda Passport came standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Passport offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The V6 provided strong acceleration, and the automatic transmission managed power well. The engine's stop-start system could be abrupt, but it could be deactivated.

The Passport's ride balanced comfort and refined handling, making it ideal for commuting and weekend adventures. It offered 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and the AWD model's Intelligent Traction Management included Snow, Sand, and Mud drive modes. The FWD Passport could tow up to 3,500 pounds, while the AWD model could tow up to 5,000 pounds.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport provided a maximum of 63.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 31.7 cubic feet with the second row in use. An optional third row increased seating capacity from five to seven, but with the third row in use, cargo space dropped to 10.8 cubic feet. Both the first and second rows offered ample headroom and legroom, while the third row was best suited for children.

The 2021 Honda Passport offered a generous 100.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 50.5 cubic feet with the second row in use. An additional 2.5 cubic feet of storage was available in an under-floor tray. The EX-L trim featured a power liftgate, while the Touring and Elite trims included a hands-free power liftgate. The upright seating position provided excellent visibility, and the center console offered a deep bin and an open cargo tray. Both front and rear seats had deep in-door pockets for storage. The rear seats provided ample headroom and legroom and could recline and slide for added comfort.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport's interior was dominated by a dual-screen center console. The lower screen controlled climate settings and vehicle functions, while the upper screen housed the infotainment system. Although the system had a learning curve and earlier models had bugs, the dual dials on the lower screen were versatile, controlling everything from fan speed to off-road settings. The upper touchscreen featured reasonably sized icons for easy navigation between menus, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Despite its quirks, the system included a real volume button, though it was somewhat hidden.

For 2021, the Honda Passport made Android Auto and Apple CarPlay standard, integrated into the newly-standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This was a significant advantage over the three-row Pilot, which required a higher trim to access these features. However, the Passport's infotainment system had dated graphics, a confusing menu layout, and a volume dial that felt like an afterthought. Despite these drawbacks, the inclusion of a volume dial was a small consolation.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came with a decent list of standard driver assistance features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and front-and-rear parking sensors. However, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were optional. Additional available features included a surround-view parking camera, traffic sign recognition, driver drowsiness monitoring, and parallel and perpendicular park assist. A head-up display was also available.

The 2021 Honda Passport was well-equipped with advanced safety features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Passport received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and top "Good" scores in most crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). However, it received "Acceptable" ratings for headlights, child-seat anchor ease of use, and front crash prevention tech.