Compare the2024 Honda PassportVS 2024 Lincoln Nautilus

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 Nautilus’ 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 Nautilus.

Both the Passport and the Nautilus 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.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Passport for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Lincoln only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Nautilus.

There are over 55 percent more Honda dealers than there are Lincoln 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 Nautilus have dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 5 places higher in reliability than Lincoln.

The Passport’s 3.5 SOHC V6 produces 30 more horsepower (280 vs. 250) than the Nautilus’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Passport uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Nautilus requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

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 Nautilus.

For better traction, the Passport EX-L/Elite’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Nautilus (265/45R20 vs. 255/60R19).

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 Nautilus doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Passport is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Nautilus.

For greater off-road capability the Passport has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Nautilus (8.1 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Passport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Passport is 4.1 inches shorter than the Nautilus, making the Passport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Passport has 2.3 inches more front hip room, 3.1 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 1 inch more rear hip room and 3.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Nautilus.

The Passport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Nautilus with its rear seat up (41.2 vs. 36.4 cubic feet). The Passport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Nautilus with its rear seat folded (77.7 vs. 71.3 cubic feet).

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

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Passport uses 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. The Nautilus doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

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 Nautilus has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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

The Honda Passport outsold the Lincoln Nautilus by over two to one during 2022.