Honda Goes Rugged With TrailSport
Serena Aburahma
· 3 min read
The automotive market is currently full of SUVs meant to appeal to bigger families and off-road drivers. New SUVs like the Ford Bronco have been particularly acclaimed for their
off-road abilities
.People don’t usually think of
Honda
vehicles for off-road use, but a new trim called the TrailSport could change that.According to
Car and Driver
, Honda buyers will be able to add TrailSport trim to certain Honda models. This will improve the off-road capabilities of Honda vehicles, and Honda plans to expand the TrailSport features in the future.
What comes with the Honda TrailSport badge?
The TrailSport package is designed to turn Honda SUVs and trucks into more off-road-friendly vehicles by having exterior and interior changes and performance improvements.
Vehicles with the TrailSport badge will have rugged exteriors with extra protection and a stronger front end than standard models. Interiors will also be more equipped for the outdoors with all-weather floor mats.
Besides having additional protection, the vehicles with the TrailSport package will also be built to drive over more difficult terrain with Honda’s i-VTM4 all-wheel-drive system.
Vehicles that might have it as an option
Honda has not yet announced which vehicles will be available with the optional TrailSport package. Car and Driver expects the Ridgeline Pickup and Passport Crossover SUV to be the earliest Hondas with TrailSport options.
The Ridgeline is a natural choice for an off-road upgrade. Prospective pickup truck owners are often interested in the ability of a truck to traverse tough terrains.
There have been solutions to improving the capabilities of Honda pickups before, like
lifting a Ridgeline
, so there’s definitely a market for the TrailSport.Meanwhile, the Honda Passport is an acclaimed SUV, but in its current state, it’s not necessarily the most rugged crossover. The features that a TrailSport train package would offer could take it to the next level and make it an SUV off-road drivers could love.
The future of TrailSport
Honda is planning to expand features included in the TrailSport package with future model years.
Future editions of the TrailSport trim could have features such as bigger off-road tires and full-size spares to add peace of mind to trail driving. Different suspensions meant for all-terrain driving will also be part of the future of TrailSport.
In addition to increasing the number of features a TrailSport package contains, Honda will also give more vehicles TrailSport options. This could lead to TrailSport versions of the Pilot and CR-V.
While Honda is implementing TrailSport trim options to their lineup, other manufacturers are doing similar packages.
Hyundai, for example, has produced the Santa Fe XRT, which is intended to be a more off-road variety of Santa Fe. Unlike the TrailSport features, the XRT does not increase the Santa Fe's capabilities.
For drivers interested in an off-road Honda, TrailSport trim packages are expected to hit the market before the end of 2021. Right now, it’s unknown how this upgrade will affect the price of Honda vehicles.
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