Compare the2023 Honda PassportVS 2022 Lexus RX

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Passport are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The RX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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

Both the Passport and the RX 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 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 Lexus RX:

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Passport is safer than the Lexus RX:

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

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Passport for 1 year and 14,000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the RX (2/24,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 4 times as many Honda dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Passport’s warranty.

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

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

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda Passport is faster than the Lexus RX:

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

Both the Passport and the RX 450h have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Passports have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Passport uses regular unleaded gasoline. The RX 450h requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Passport has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the RX Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (19.5 vs. 17.2 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 RX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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 RX.

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

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 RX’s standard 65 series tires. The Passport EX-L/Elite’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the RX’s optional 55 series tires.

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 RX doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Passport’s wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the RX (110.9 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Passport is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than the track on the RX.

The Passport Elite handles at .79 G’s, while the RX 450h pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Passport is 3.4 inches shorter than the RX, making the Passport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Passport Elite is quieter than the RX 350 F Sport AWD:

The Passport has .1 inches more front headroom, 2.5 inches more front hip room, 4.2 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom, 1.2 inches more rear hip room and 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the RX.

The Passport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the RX with its rear seat up (41.2 vs. 16 cubic feet). The Passport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the RX with its rear seat folded (77.7 vs. 32.6 cubic feet).

The Passport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RX’s (5000 vs. 0 pounds).

A Trailer Stability Assist is standard on the Passport, using the Vehicle Stability Assist sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the RX.

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. Wireless charging costs extra on the RX.

Insurance will cost less for the Passport owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Passport will cost $1190 to $3210 less than the RX over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda Passport will be $4019 to $5630 less than for the Lexus RX.

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