Honda Pilot or Honda Passport: which fits Egg Harbor Township families?
In Atlantic City, a family of six or more, or one that runs a carpool, fits the Honda Pilot, and a family of up to five that packs for the beach fits the Honda Passport. The one difference that decides it is the third row: the Pilot seats 7 to 8 and the Passport seats 5.
Everything else is close. Both carry 285 hp, both come with the same warranty, and both are Honda SUVs we sell and service on Tilton Road in Egg Harbor Township. So start with a head count, then let the weekend, the winter, and the price gap settle what is left.
Keep reading below, then schedule a test drive in Egg Harbor Township. Bringing your own numbers to the lot settles this faster than any spec sheet.
A third row decides it for an Atlantic City family of six
Count the people who ride with you in a normal week. The Passport seats 5. The Pilot seats 7 to 8, so a sixth rider has a seat in the Pilot and has none in the Passport.
That sixth rider is more common in Atlantic City households than a spec sheet suggests. It might be a third child, a grandparent who joins Sunday dinner, or the neighbor’s kid in your school carpool. Each one needs a belted seat, and the Passport has none to give.
The second row is nearly identical. Second-row legroom is 40.9 in in the Passport and 40.8 in in the Pilot, so teenagers sit comfortably in either one. The gap shows up in the third row of the Pilot, which gives 32.5 in of legroom. That is 8.3 in less than the second row. It works well for children and for shorter rides, and adults will feel the difference.
If your household is four or five people and the extra seats would sit empty, the third row is weight and price you carry for nothing. The Passport gives you the same engine and the same second row without it. If you already know you will fill six seats or more most weeks, the Pilot is the answer and you can stop comparing.
Atlantic City beach weekends reward the Passport’s 5,000 lbs of towing
On a summer weekend, a family that hauls gear, a boat, or a camper should look at towing first. The Passport tows 5,000 lbs on every trim, as rated by the manufacturer when properly equipped. The Pilot tows 3,500 lbs to 5,000 lbs, depending on the trim you choose.
That makes the Passport the simpler choice for a trailer. You do not have to check which trim carries the higher rating, because the rating is the same on the RTL, the TrailSport and the TrailSport Elite. With the Pilot, a trailer buyer has to confirm the trim before signing.
Cargo is where the Pilot pushes back. Its maximum cargo is 111.8 cu ft to 113.7 cu ft, against 104.4 cu ft to 104.6 cu ft in the Passport. Behind the Pilot’s second row, there is 48.5 cu ft to use. So the Passport is not the roomier hauler. It is the one that gives you five seats, a fixed 5,000 lbs of towing, and a large load floor in a smaller package.
Time in the seat matters too. Over one typical summer weekend in 2023, roads across the four county region of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem absorbed 40,869.5 vehicle hours of delay (South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization, 2024). A trip to the shore can crawl. That makes a seat for every rider as important as space for the cooler.
Here are the figures side by side for the 2026 model year.
| Figure | Honda Passport | Honda Pilot |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP, the manufacturer’s suggested price | $44,950 to $53,850 across 3 trims | $42,395 to $55,195 across 6 trims |
| Seating | 5 seats | 7 seats to 8 seats |
| Horsepower | 285 hp | 285 hp |
| Maximum cargo | 104.4 cu ft to 104.6 cu ft | 111.8 cu ft to 113.7 cu ft |
| Maximum towing, properly equipped | 5,000 lbs | 3,500 lbs to 5,000 lbs |
| Ground clearance | 8.3 in | 7.3 in to 8.3 in |
| Second-row legroom | 40.9 in | 40.8 in |
| Third-row legroom | No third row, 5 seats | 32.5 in |
| EPA combined mpg, gasoline | 20 to 21 | 20 to 22 |
Atlantic City’s daily drive is a tie, but snow favors the Passport
For the daily commute, pick on seats and not on the drive itself. Both SUVs carry 285 hp. The EPA combined rating is 20 to 21 mpg for the Passport and 20 to 22 mpg for the Pilot, so your fuel bill will look much the same in either one.
The roads you drive are the same for both, and they are busy. Egg Harbor Township holds 18 of the 100 places on the regional planning organization’s 2023 list of the worst county and local road bottlenecks, more than any other municipality across Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem counties, and the worst of them is CR 608 eastbound at Fire Road (South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization, 2024). School drop-off, the grocery run, and the drive to work all pass through that kind of traffic. A calm, quiet, familiar cabin matters more there than any small mpg gap.
Winter is where the two models part ways, though only by a little. Egg Harbor Township averages 17.4 inches of snow a year under the 1991 to 2020 NOAA normals, with 5.7 inches of that falling in January and 5.9 inches in February, which is enough salting to matter for brake lines and rocker panels without being enough for most owners to think of themselves as living in a snow belt (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 2020).
That is not a heavy winter, but it is real. The Passport holds 8.3 in of ground clearance. The Pilot holds 7.3 in to 8.3 in, depending on the trim. If you park on an unplowed side street or push through a slushy lot, the Passport gives you the full 8.3 in on every trim. Ask us to show you the exact clearance on the Pilot trim you like.
What a Pilot or Passport costs an Atlantic City buyer in New Jersey
The Pilot starts lower and tops out higher. The Pilot’s MSRP runs from $42,395 for the Sport (2WD) to $55,195 for the Black Edition, across 6 trims. The Passport comes in 3 trims, the RTL, the TrailSport and the TrailSport Elite, and runs from $44,950 for the RTL to $53,850 for the TrailSport Elite Blackout. That makes the entry price $2,555 lower on the Pilot, and the top trim $1,345 higher.
These are the manufacturer’s suggested prices. They are not our prices, and they are not what you will sign for. They show how the two models are priced against each other, and that is useful when you are weighing a trim that adds a third row against one that adds a trailer rating.
Your New Jersey paperwork changes the total. A New Jersey dealership must build documentary service fees, destination charges, delivery preparation charges, extended warranty and service agreement charges, accessories, and any manufacturer’s rebate or cash into the taxable sales price, and must exclude the amount of any credit the dealership gives the purchaser for a trade-in, and actual costs imposed by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) for a motor vehicle title and registration (New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2026). In plain words, add-ons raise what is taxed, and a trade-in credit lowers it.
So the sticker is only the start. When you compare a Passport trim and a Pilot trim, ask for the full figure on the exact vehicle, with every line spelled out. That is how a $2,555 gap on paper becomes a real number you can plan around.
What we offer an Atlantic City family choosing between them
We are a Honda store on Tilton Road in Egg Harbor Township, and we sell and service one brand every day. That means a family can see the Passport and the Pilot in one visit and drive them back to back.
If the trim or color you want is not on the lot, we offer custom factory orders for new Hondas. If you are trading in a car, our online trade tool gives an offer from a license plate and state, a VIN, or a year, make, model and trim. You can do that before you visit. If you want to line up the loan first, a secure finance application can be filled out online.
If you would rather buy used, our used inventory includes non-Honda makes, which helps a family that is still deciding on a brand. For a certified pre-owned Honda, the Honda CPO program includes a free vehicle history report. And when the vehicle is yours, we have in-house parts, tire and collision centers, so the same store that sold it can keep it on the road.
Owners who bought a Pilot tell us what that looks like after the sale. In September 2026, Karlos L. wrote this Google review of Boardwalk Honda:
“Amazing job to the BH Team and please make sure Ryan gets his praise for amazing service, professionalism, comms , availability and just being a total asset to the company he is the reason I come back he goes above and beyond with top tier service Thank you to the mechanic team who made sure my vehicle was safe for my daughter who will be taking the pilot to college!!!”
A May 2026 Google review of Boardwalk Honda, from Ben P., said:
“Boardwalk Honda has always provided me with outstanding service. The service representatives are always professional, courteous and friendly. I will never consider having my Pilot serviced at any other place than Boardwalk Honda.”
Kelly L. posted a Google review of Boardwalk Honda in April 2026 and described a long history with us:
“I’ve been going to Boardwalk Honda for years, I bought my first car there back in 2005 and I also have a 2017 Pilot that I’ve been servicing since. Their staff and services are excellent, especially Ryan in the service department!”
Frequently asked questions
Which is bigger, the Honda Pilot or the Honda Passport?
The Pilot is bigger in the ways a family counts. It seats 7 to 8 against 5 in the Passport, and its maximum cargo is 111.8 cu ft to 113.7 cu ft against 104.4 cu ft to 104.6 cu ft. Second-row legroom is almost the same, at 40.8 in for the Pilot and 40.9 in for the Passport.
What are the negatives of the Honda Passport?
The Passport has five seats and no third row, so a family of six cannot ride together in it. Its maximum cargo is also lower than the Pilot’s. If your household is five or fewer, neither point matters much.
Which Honda is best for families?
It depends on the family’s size, and we answer by head count. A family of six or more needs the Pilot’s third row, and a family of five or fewer can choose the Passport. On safety, four 2026 Honda models hold IIHS awards, and the Passport is one of two that earned Top Safety Pick+ (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 2026).
Do the Passport and Pilot carry the same warranty?
Yes. Both carry a basic warranty of 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Both also carry a powertrain warranty of 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Which one gets better gas mileage?
They are very close. The EPA combined rating for gasoline is 20 to 21 mpg for the Passport and 20 to 22 mpg for the Pilot. The range depends on the trim, so check the exact one you plan to buy.
Is the Passport’s second row roomy enough for teenagers?
Yes. Second-row legroom is 40.9 in in the Passport, and the Pilot offers 40.8 in. Teenagers get the same space in either SUV, so the second row should not be the deciding factor.
The Pilot fits Atlantic City families of six, the Passport fits families of five
For an Atlantic City household that needs a third row, the Pilot is the right Honda, and the answer is settled by the head count. For a family that stays at five or fewer and tows a trailer or hauls beach gear, the Passport gives a fixed towing rating and the full clearance on every trim. Everything else, from the engine to the warranty, is close enough that the seats and the weekend should make the call. We can put both in front of you on Tilton Road, with people who sell and service this one brand every day, and help an Atlantic County buyer decide in a low-pressure, transparent way.
Boardwalk Honda: one store on Tilton Road for the whole Honda lineup
Boardwalk Honda is a Honda dealership at 6807 Tilton Rd, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234, just inland from Atlantic City. We sell new, used, and certified pre-owned Hondas and run service, parts, and financing on site. Our customers rate us 4.7 stars across 4,565 Google reviews (Google, 2026). We are part of Group 1 Automotive, which posted record full-year revenue of $22.6 billion, up 13.2%, and sold 459,000 new and used vehicles, a company record (Group 1 Automotive, 2026).
In April 2026, Carmen T. left a Google review of Boardwalk Honda about a tire problem:
“I had a tire problem making it dangerous to drive. I went to Boardwalk Honda and talked to John one of their service writers. He took me in immediately and took care of the problem and found an open recall and took care of that as well. He kept me updated on the progress.”
Choose us and you get a Honda team that stays with you from the first test drive through every service visit.
See our current Passport and Pilot inventory at Boardwalk Honda.
Boardwalk Honda answers this question against the specific vehicle in front of you rather than the model in general. Value your trade and get pre-approved online, then see us at our Egg Harbor Township showroom, or call 609-428-4400.
Disclaimer: Vehicle features, specifications, pricing, options, and availability may vary based on production timelines and dealership inventory; images are for illustrative purposes only. Starting MSRP figures are national and exclude destination freight charges, tax, title, license, and dealer fees. Standard and available equipment varies by trim, configuration, and model year; confirm the specification of the individual vehicle before purchase. Maximum towing and payload ratings depend on cab, bed, drivetrain, and equipment configuration; see the vehicle’s Owner’s Manual and trailering guide for limits. Electric range and charging times vary with battery, configuration, temperature, terrain, load, and driving habits. Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. Financing and pre-approval are subject to credit approval. Contact Boardwalk Honda for complete details regarding current vehicle inventory, pricing, and equipment.
