Picture this: a stock Honda SUV, straight off the assembly line, diving headfirst into one of the toughest rallies on the planet. That's exactly what's happening with the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport as it gears up to battle the Alcan 5000 Rally. This isn't some short weekend jaunt—it's a brutal 11-day slog covering almost 6,000 miles, including 900 miles of rough, unpaved backcountry that would chew up lesser vehicles and spit them out. Starting in Kirkland, Washington, the route snakes north through Canada's Yukon Territory, hits Fairbanks, Alaska, and loops back to British Columbia. It's the kind of adventure that tests not just the machine, but the grit of everyone involved.
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What makes this run stand out is that the Passport TrailSport is going in basically unmodified. Sure, it's got some handy add-ons like rock sliders, a full-size spare, and extra lights for those long northern nights, but the core of it—the engine, transmission, suspension—is all factory standard. Honda's betting big on this model's toughness, and if it pulls through, it'll prove that you don't need a custom-built monster to tackle serious off-road challenges. For guys who love hitting the trails on weekends or dreaming about epic cross-country drives, this could be the rig that changes the game.
At the heart of the Passport TrailSport is a solid 3.5-liter V6 engine pumping out 285 horsepower. It's paired with a smooth 10-speed automatic transmission that includes paddle shifters for those moments when you want more control. The torque-vectoring i-VTM4 all-wheel drive system keeps power flowing to the wheels that need it most, whether you're cruising highways or grinding through mud. The suspension's been beefed up with stronger forged steel arms and cast-iron knuckles, tuned specifically for off-road work. Throw in seven drive modes like Trail, Sand, Snow, and Sport, and you've got a vehicle that adapts on the fly to whatever the road—or lack of it—throws your way.
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Protection is key in a rally like this, where rocks, ruts, and who-knows-what-else lurk around every bend. The TrailSport comes standard with high-strength steel skid plates underneath to shield the vital parts. Those all-terrain General Grabber tires are built to grip loose surfaces without sacrificing highway manners. And for recovery, there are heavy-duty points that can handle twice the SUV's weight—handy if you get stuck in a ditch far from help. Honda even added some genuine accessories to amp up the adventure factor: an aluminum front scuff plate, black wheels, a cargo roof platform for gear, a black hood decal for that rugged look, and MOLLE boards for organizing tools and supplies inside.
To light up the dark stretches, they've fitted auxiliary lights from Baja Designs, mounted on a prototype bar from Rally Innovations. It's all about seeing what's ahead when the sun dips low, especially in those remote Alaskan spots where night falls fast. The only real tweaks beyond stock are these practical extras, showing how Honda's focused on real-world usability rather than flashy overkill.
Behind the wheel will be a proven team: Andy and Mercedes Lilienthal, who took home the win in the 2S class at the 2024 winter Alcan 5000. These aren't rookies—they know the rally inside out. Andy, the driver, sums it up best: he wants capability, comfort, and power in his ride, and he says the Passport TrailSport delivers all three. Mercedes, handling navigation, points out that Honda put this SUV through intense off-road testing on America's roughest trails. That kind of engineering backing gives them the edge to push hard without worrying about breakdowns.
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The Alcan 5000 isn't your typical race. It's a time-speed-distance event, where the goal is precision over speed. Teams follow a paper route book with turn-by-turn directions, sticking to posted limits on public roads. You score points based on how close you hit the ideal times set by the rallymaster—zero is perfect, and the closest overall wins the class or the whole thing. It's been running since 1984, drawing folks who crave that old-school challenge. For the Passport, this follows stints in other tough events like the Rebelle Rally and the Mint 400, building on its rep as a go-anywhere machine.
Honda's no stranger to building vehicles that last. This year alone, Passport sales are up 27 percent, with the TrailSport model making up about 80 percent of that. It's part of a broader lineup that's all about reliability and fun, from sedans like the Civic and Accord to trucks like the Ridgeline and minivans like the Odyssey. They're pushing hard into electrified options too—the all-electric Prologue SUV, the fuel-cell CR-V e:FCEV, and hybrids in the Accord, CR-V, and Civic. A hybrid Prelude is coming later this year, and electrified models already account for over a quarter of their sales in 2024.
What sets Honda apart is their deep roots in American manufacturing. They've been building cars here for more than 40 years, with eight major plants cranking out vehicles. In 2024, over 99 percent of Hondas sold in the U.S. were made in North America, and about two-thirds right here in the States using parts from domestic and global suppliers. That means jobs for Americans and vehicles tuned for our roads, from city streets to backwoods trails.
For anyone who's ever stared at a map, plotting a big road trip, the Passport TrailSport's Alcan run is inspiring. It shows what a well-built SUV can do without bells and whistles—just solid engineering and a willingness to get dirty. As the rally kicks off on September 2 and wraps on the 12th, all eyes will be on whether this Honda can conquer the north's unforgiving terrain. If it does, it might just become the benchmark for adventure-ready SUVs that handle everyday drives as well as extreme escapes. Keep an eye out— this could be the start of more stories like this from Honda's toughest offering yet.
