Compare the2023 Honda PassportVS 2023 Hyundai Tucson

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Passport deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Passport’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Tucson’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Passport. But it costs extra on the Tucson.

Both the Passport and the Tucson have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The Honda Passport weighs 547 to 931 pounds more than the Hyundai Tucson. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Passport is safer than the Hyundai Tucson:

	Passport	Tucson
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

There are over 29 percent more Honda dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Passport’s warranty.

Reliability

The engine in the Passport has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the Tucson has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Passport’s reliability 22 points higher than the Tucson.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Passport third among midsize suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Tucson isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. With 2 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Honda higher than Hyundai.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 8 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

Engine

The Passport’s 3.5 SOHC V6 produces 93 more horsepower (280 vs. 187) and 84 lbs.-ft. more torque (262 vs. 178) than the Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Honda Passport is faster than the Hyundai Tucson:

	Passport	Tucson
Zero to 30 MPH	2.5 sec	3.3 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	9.6 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	2.9 sec	5.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15 sec	17.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	95 MPH	84 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Passport’s fuel efficiency. The Tucson doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Passport has 5.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tucson (19.5 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Passport has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Tucson doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Passport, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Tucson.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Passport has larger standard tires than the Tucson (245/60R18 vs. 235/65R17). The Passport EX-L/Elite’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Tucson (265/45R20 vs. 235/65R17).

The Passport TrailSport’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Tucson’s standard 65 series tires. The Passport EX-L/Elite’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Tucson’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Passport TrailSport has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Tucson. The Passport EX-L/Elite’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Tucson.

The Passport has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Tucson doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Passport has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Tucson; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Passport has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Tucson doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Passport’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the Tucson (110.9 inches vs. 108.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Passport is 3.2 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Tucson.

Chassis

The Passport uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Tucson doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Passport has 6.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Tucson (114.9 vs. 108.2).

The Passport has 4.6 inches more front hip room, 4.4 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 3.4 inches more rear hip room and 5.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Tucson.

Cargo Capacity

The Passport has a much larger cargo volume than the Tucson with its rear seat up (41.2 vs. 38.7 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Passport. The Tucson doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Passport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Tucson’s (5000 vs. 2000 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Passport’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Tucson’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. The Tucson SEL/XRT/N Line/Limited’s rear windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Passport the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Tucson can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Passport’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Tucson’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Passport’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Tucson’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Passport to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Tucson doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Passport’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Hyundai only offers heated mirrors on the Tucson SEL/XRT/N Line/Limited.

When the Passport is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Tucson’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Passport’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Tucson offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Passport has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Tucson and isn’t available on the Tucson SE.

The Passport’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Tucson SE doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Both the Passport and the Tucson offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Passport has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Tucson doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda Passport has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Tucson SEL/XRT/N Line/Limited offers wireless charging.

The Passport TrailSport/Elite has a 115-volt a/c outlet, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Tucson doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Passport and the Hyundai Tucson, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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