Ultimate Honda Passport Overland Build – TrailSport on 33s

For a long time, serious off-roading was associated exclusively with body-on-frame SUVs. The Jeep Wrangler, Toyota 4Runner, and Land Cruiser have achieved cult status thanks to classic solid-axle or rugged independent designs, top-notch off-road capabilities, and massive aftermarket support.

However, this 2024 Honda Passport TrailSport overland build by Aaron Gotter is confidently challenging that status quo. Outfitted with oversized 33″ off-road tires, a massive 4.5″ lift, Nolodesigns skid plates, and mandatory off-road adventure equipment, this unibody crossover is pushing the platform to its absolute limits.

With thousands of miles of hard trail use and highway road-tripping logged on this setup, Aaron gave us the exact blueprint required to put together a truly capable 3rd-gen Honda Passport overland build.

The Build

Aaron Gotter was one of the first enthusiasts to actively use the first generation Honda Pilot outside of asphalt. It was equipped with a spacer lift and oversized tires, but it was just enough to realize that despite the obvious limitations of this platform compared to large 4x4s, these crossovers have a pretty good potential for recreational overlanding.

So when it came time to buy a new vehicle, his choice fell on the 2024 Honda Passport TrailSport – the first truly off-road-focused version of Honda in years which he fitted with an advanced 4.5″ lift and oversized 33″ off-road tires.

Factory Baseline: TrailSport Off-road Capabilities

Honda finally began to listen to the community of enthusiasts and consider the success of competitors like Subaru Wilderness and Toyota RAV4 Adventure/TRD Off-Road. But, it’s important to understand that Passport TrailSport does have typical unibody SUV limitations like it’s direct competition (wheel travel, actual locking differentials, and vulnerable underbody compnents).

The model is equipped with an i-VTM4 all-wheel drive (Intelligent Variable Torque Management). This is a forward-oriented system that can transmit up to 70% of the torque back and distribute the load between the rear wheels using electronic control. There is no separate 4-Low and classic transfer case here, so the Passport relies more on electronics, Terrain Management modes and proper tires (like the majority of modern crossovers).

This crossover has resulted 46.5/100 points based on our Off-road capability evaluation system for stock vehicles. See how it compares side by side with other SUV’s and Crossovers in terms of off-road capabilities.

From the factory, the TrailSport trim has an increased clearance of 8.1 inches, 21.1° entrance and 24.3° exit angles, as well as a differently tuned suspension designed specifically for trail conditions (including softer shocks, retuned dampers and revised stabilizer bars). But the main question for owners of such cars is always one: how far can you go with some modifications like the lift and oversized tires?

Suspension Modifications

The main element of this off-road build is the HRG Offroad 4.5″ Beast Lift kit. It’s the suspension that determines whether a Passport simply looks aggressive or performs well off-road.

Installing a massive 4.5-inch lift on an independent suspension vehicle is truly a geometric nightmare if done incorrectly. If you simply add 4.5″ longer struts or massive spacers to the factory chassis, you severely alter the resting angle of the CV (Constant Velocity) axles.

When CV axles operate at steep, unnatural angles, the rubber boots pinch and tear, and the joints themselves endure massive stress, leading to premature (and expensive) failure on the trail. This is why the subframe drop kit is mandatory for a lift height like this.

Keep in mind, a suspension lift of this magnitude introduces an inevitable trade-off by shifting the vehicle’s center of gravity significantly higher. It increases body roll on sharp turns and can exaggerate nose dive or squat during braking and acceleration (this effect becomes even more noticeable when you add heavy overland gear and a rooftop tent).

Wheels & Tires

But the size Aaron selected is even bigger than maximum 265/65/18 recommended by the lift kit manufacturer. Obviously it didn’t go without minor trimming of the fender liners.

Shifting to nearly 33-inch tires results in approximately 1.5 extra inches of real ground clearance under the vehicle’s lower points. On the road, this is often more important than it seems.

Goodyear Duratrac RT is a hybrid between all-terrain and more aggressive mud-terrain tires. They maintain an acceptable level of comfort on the road, but thanks to large shoulder blocks work better in mud, sand and rough surfaces.

It’s also important to note how much room they leave for airing down – the sidewall height is pretty remarkable! Though, a set of beadlock wheels would really be a good idea to keep them mounted securely when running low PSI.

Large wheels do have some disadvantages, of course. The weight of unrestrained masses increases, the load on the transmission increases and the gas mileage inevitably goes down. Just keep that in mind.

Exterior Mods

Unlike heavy-duty 4x4s, unibody crossovers have vulnerable exposed components like the oil pan and rear differential housing. Nolodesigns Skid Plates act as a vital protective layer, allowing the Passport to slide over obstacles instead of crushing vital drivetrain parts.

Lights

Standard headlights are often insufficient in challenging areas at night. This is especially noticeable when driving slowly on stones or narrow forest roads, where it is important to see the space directly near the wheels.

The Lasfit Offroad Rock Lights installed on all four corners illuminate the area around the tires and ease up the maneuvering in challenging areas.

Also installed is the Mictuning LED Gang Switch – a system for controlling additional equipment through a single unit. This makes wiring neater and reduces the risk of problems when connecting multiple accessories.

Interior & Electronics

GMRS-20V2 Radio with Midland MXTA26 6dB Antenna – are some of the most vital components for any overland build as they ensure communication when cell service drops.

List of Mods

Suspension Modifications

• HRG Offroad 4.5″ Beast Lift
• Wheels & Tires
• 265/70/18 Goodyear Duratrac RTs, 32.6″ (33″)

---

Exterior Mods

• Nolodesigns Skidplates and Light Brackets
• Bunker Indust 270 Awning and Traction Boards
• Dirtcomplex Trail Swing Spare Tire Carrier
• 60″ Yakima Core Load Bars with Timberline Towers

---

Lights

• Lasfit Offroad Rock Lights
• Mictuning LED Gang Switch
• JSport and AUXITO light brackets

---

Interior & Electronics

• GMRS-20V2 20W Customizable Compact Mobile Radio (if you ever went on the trails, you know that cellular connection is not guaranteed, so radio is a must, especially if you’re in a group)
• Midland MXTA26 MicroMobile 6dB Gain Whip Antenna (1.5″ base diameter)
• Smartliner Custom All-Weather Mats and Cargo Tray

Interview with the Owner

Why did you choose a Honda Passport for your off-road project?

– Beyond being unique, I chose the Passport because it fits our family’s long-distance adventure style. I built a lifted 2007 Pilot before this, so I’m very familiar with Honda’s V6 and drivetrain.

The Passport is the perfect mix of comfort and capability for a family of five doing 10+ hour road trips. It cruises the highway comfortably, then handles rain, snow, mud, and trails when we get there. Plus it’s fun to drive with about a 6.5 sec 0-60 stock!

How does it compare to older Passports and body-on-frame 4x4s?

– It’s a totally different vehicle than the original Passport and not meant to be a hardcore rock crawler like body-on-frame rigs. But for what we do, it’s perfect.

The i-VTM4 AWD system and torque vectoring are great on road and surprisingly capable off road, and the 20.1:1 crawl ratio helps a lot without a low range. It’s more of a long-distance adventure SUV that can still handle tough trails.

Most difficult part of the build?

– The aftermarket support. There just aren’t as many parts for the Passport compared to Jeeps or Toyotas, so a lot of it took research and trial and error. Suspension was the biggest focus to get clearance without sacrificing road comfort.

A big help was working with our build partners like HRG Offroad for the 4.5” lift, Nolo Designs for skid plates, Goodyear for the 33” Duratrac RTs, JSport for ditch light brackets, AUXITO, MICTUNING, and LASFIT for off-road lighting, Bunker Indust for the 270 awning, and BTECH for the radio setup.

What do you like most about your Passport?

– How well it does everything. It surprises hardcore off-roaders when they see it in action, and it also gets attention from car people and non-car people alike. It’s just a great all-around adventure vehicle that fits our family life. A lot of those reactions and trail moments are featured on Gotter Adventure YT

Number one recommendation for a Passport overland/off-road build?

– Start with tires, armor (Nolo Designs), and seat time. The Passport is more capable than most people think even stock. Learn it first, then build it around your actual trips instead of overbuilding it right away. I go over this mindset a lot on both Gotter Garage YT (build side) and Gotter Adventure YT (real-world use).

Final Thoughts

Based on our vehicle rating system, Aaron’s modified Passport build scores a 35 out of 70 possible off-road points. The score is naturally capped by the platform’s lack of mechanical locking differentials, low-range gearing, and steel body armor.

But honestly? Unless you plan to challenge heavily modified Broncos and Wranglers on severe rock-crawling trails, it doesn’t really matter.

If overlanding, dirt road exploring, and moderate trails are your priorities, Aaron’s setup is the perfect blueprint. The 33″ tires, massive ground clearance, and improved wheel travel dramatically close the capability gap between this AWD crossover and a traditional body-on-frame 4×4.