Every penny counts. Luckily, when you’re looking to buy a new Honda, your pennies are put to good use. Honda SUVs offer the perfect combination of size and efficiency, giving you a quality Honda engine with a bit more room for your commute or a weekend road trip. The 2021 CR-V and Passport are excellent examples of how Honda has and continues to lead the way in the SUV market, building on their reputation for smaller, sportier cars to create something more convenient for families. Not only are the CR-V and Passport fun to drive with plenty of longevity, but they are the types of models that are worth every penny.
2021 Honda CR-V
Introduced in the U.S. for the 1997 model year, the Honda CR-V has been a leader in the SUV market. It’s even made here in East Liberty, Ohio, and Greensburg, Indiana. The 2021 Honda CR-V starts at $25,350 and comes in four trims: LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring.1 Each trim comes with the option of either front or all-wheel drive. The front-wheel drive trims have an EPA-estimated gas mileage of 28 MPG city, 34 MPG highway, and 30 MPG combined, while the all-wheel drive models are only slightly lower at 27 MPG city, 32 MPG highway, and 29 MPG combined.2 The engine in the CR-Vs is a turbocharged four-cylinder with 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque. This turbo, combining fuel efficiency with oomph, is one reason the CR-V is such a great value.
Inside the 2021 Honda CR-V, you’ll find a wide variety of comforts and handy technologies. If you’ve got a long commute, or if you just want the utmost comfort, the driver’s seat on the upper trims has a 12-way power adjustment, including four-way power lumbar support. The EX-L and Touring front passenger seats come with four-way power adjustments, as well. The front seats on all but the base model are heated, and they’re even leather-trimmed on the EX-L and Touring versions.
The rear seats in all models have heater ducts to keep your backseat drivers comfortable on top of their 40.4 inches of legroom and 39.2 inches of headroom. With the rear seats up, you’ll have 39.2 cubic feet of storage space, which is plenty of room for five people and all their weekend bags. If you fold the rear seat down, you’ll have 75.8 cubic feet to get all the supplies for your home improvement projects or sleep under the stars on a road trip. In one of those small things you don’t appreciate ‘til you have it: all CR-Vs have capless fuel tanks. No more touching dirty gas caps or leaving them on top of the pump.
Even the CR-V LX has a five-inch color LCD screen. You can connect your phone with Bluetooth or access your favorite playlists. As with all vehicles, there are definitely multiple benefits to choosing one of the upper trims, starting with a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Also, with the three upper trims, you can use the HondaLink app to get more information on your upcoming maintenance and the current status of your mileage, fuel level, and oil life.
Push-button start, a retractable cargo area cover, dual-zone automatic climate control, a moonroof, and a security system are all perks found on all CR-Vs except the LX. Other subtle exterior differences include rear privacy glass standard on the upper lines, body-colored door handles, and heated power side mirrors with integrated turn indicators instead of the LX’s black ones. Ambient lighting adds to your evening drives in the EX-L Hybrid and the Touring models. The EX-L and Touring models also have a power tailgate; the Touring even has hand-free access.
All CR-Vs come with the Honda Sensing safety and driver-assistive technologies. This suite of tech includes the Collision Mitigation Braking System to apply brake pressure if an unavoidable collision is determined, and Road Departure Mitigation with Pedestrian Detection system to adjust steering and braking if you cross detected lanes without signaling. You’ll also get Lane Keeping Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, and even Adaptive Cruise Control to help you stay not just at a steady speed on the highway but also a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. The upper three trims also come with a Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Monitor. LED fog lights are standard on all but the base trim.
2021 Honda Passport
Honda’s very first SUV offering was the Passport. It debuted for the 1994 model year just as the SUV market was taking off, positioning Honda as a leader in the larger vehicle business. After a break in the first part of the 21st century, the Passport was recreated for the 2019 model year. The original Passports were manufactured in Lafayette, Indiana, and the new line is made in Lincoln, Alabama. The Passport is an excellent family pick because it combines both passenger and cargo space with safety features, reliability, good reviews, and available family-friendly features.
The 2021 Honda Passport comes in four trims: Sport, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. The Sport starts at $32,790.3 All but the Elite have front and all-wheel drive options. The front-wheel drive models get an EPA-estimated mileage of 20 MPG city, 25 MPG highway, and 22 MPG combined. The all-wheel drive options get 19 MPG city, 24 MPG highway, and 21 MPG combined. The Passport’s V6 engine has 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. While still a five-passenger SUV, like the CR-V, the Passport is nine inches longer, and that extra kick in the motor helps propel it forward and is especially handy if your commute involves a lot of interstate merging.
Intelligent Traction Management gives you extra security across a variety of road hazards; it even helps the front-wheel drive models tackle snow. The front-wheel drive Passports can tow up to 3,500 pounds, plenty for a trailer with a couple of snowmobiles or Jet-Skis or the smallest of camping trailers. The all-wheel drive models can tow 5,000, more than capable of towing a larger trailer or a more luxurious single-axle camper so your family can enjoy exploring the upstate with a weekend trip to the Thousand Islands or further east into the wilderness areas of Five Ponds, West Canada Lake, and High Peaks. With that good gas mileage, even without towing a trailer, you’re also set to take off to see the Falls anytime you like to take in all the beauty that nature has to offer this close to home. Even without a trailer, there are 50 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the second row of seats and nearly 100 with the rear seats folded.
In 2021 Passport interior is just as powerful as the exterior. All Passports have a standard 8” touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity; these were optional features in previous years. The Touring and Elite models have optional Wi-Fi access, and all Passports have USB ports and 12v power outlets. One fun add: the Elite has wireless charging.
The Touring and Elite models also offer a 115v outlet, and their premium speaker system has three additional speakers over the Sport and EX-L. The upper levels also let you connect with the CabinControl app, so even the rear seat passengers can adjust the temperature and audio controls or even send an update to the navigation system. Heated and leather-trimmed seats are standard on the upper trims, and the Elite’s are ventilated for cooling, as well. A power tailgate is standard on the upper models, and it’s also hands-free on the Touring and Elite models.
Rear privacy glass and a security system are two of the two technologies offered across the entire Passport line instead of being limited like on the CR-V. Like the Limited CR-V, the Sport Passport trim has black side mirrors (but these are powered), and all of the Passports have body-colored door handles. Also, like the CR-V, moonroofs are limited to the upper trims. All of the 2021 Honda Passports, again like the CR-V, come with the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistance technologies. The upper trims also have a Blind Spot Information System. It’s these built-in safety features that make the Passport such an excellent quality family car.
Find Your Honda SUV At Ralph Honda
Honda has been leading the SUV pack since the Passport was first introduced in the late ’90s. Both the 2021 CR-V and Passport have built on that history and been awarded for their value. Whether you’re looking for a compact SUV or one a little larger, both the CR-V and Passport combine comfortable cabins with storage and safety. When you’re trying to decide on your perfect Honda SUV, you’ll want to come to Ralph Honda in Rochester. Ralph Honda believes in building client relationships for life by providing customer services that exceed all expectations. We build these relationships with dedicated, knowledgeable employees who are always respectful to you and appreciative of your business. From the sales staff to the finance team, we are here to get you into your perfect Honda SUV.
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1 MSRP excluding tax, license, registration, $1,175 destination charge and accessories. Dealer prices may vary. MSRP does not include $395 charge for select premium colors. $395 charge applies to 2021 and newer models.
2 28 city/34 highway/30 combined mpg rating for 2WD trims. 27 city/32 highway/29 combined mpg rating for AWD trims. Based on 2021 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors.
3 20 city/25 highway/22 combined mpg rating for 2WD trims. 19 city/24 highway/21 combined mpg rating for AWD trims. Based on 2021 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors.