2020 Honda Passport vs 2020 Lincoln Navigator

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator, based on the Ford Expedition, distinguished itself with unique front and rear styling elements and the Lincoln Embrace lighting system. It featured a lattice-type grille with an illuminated Lincoln star, fender vents, and full-width taillights. The Navigator offered a new Reserve Monochromatic Package with body-color enhancements and 22-inch black-painted wheels. The test vehicle, a standard-length Navigator Reserve with 4WD, had a price of $92,385, including options like the Luxury and Reserve Monochromatic packages. Inside, the Dark Slate leather interior boasted 30-way Perfect Position front seats, a mid-century modern-styled dashboard, and a panoramic glass roof, creating a luxurious flagship SUV experience.

The 2020 Honda Passport followed Honda's design playbook, resembling a smaller Honda Pilot but with a more rugged and athletic appearance. The five-passenger Passport came in four trims: Sport, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. The Elite trim, as tested, featured a scratch-resistant matte black grille, 20-inch black alloy wheels, and black-rimmed LED headlights. The Passport had more ground clearance than the Pilot, enhancing its off-road capability. Inside, the Passport's cabin was practical and well-appointed, with perforated, heated, and ventilated front seats, a leather-trimmed heated steering wheel, and a moonroof. The design emphasized spaciousness and comfort, making it a practical choice for Honda enthusiasts.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator featured a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque, surpassing the Ford Expedition's most powerful version. A 10-speed automatic transmission transferred power to the rear wheels, with an optional 4WD upgrade. Lincoln Drive Modes tailored the powertrain to various driving conditions, including Conserve, Normal, Excite, Slippery, Deep Conditions, and Slow Climb with the towing package. The Navigator's towing capacity was 8,700 pounds with RWD and 8,300 pounds with 4WD, aided by Pro Trailer Backup Assist. The SUV averaged 16.4 mpg on the testing loop, with an EPA estimate of 18 mpg combined. Despite its size, the Navigator's adaptive damping suspension provided excellent body motion control, though impact harshness was noticeable with 22-inch wheels. Maneuverability was aided by a tight turning radius, parking assist, and numerous camera views.

The 2020 Honda Passport came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine generating 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Passport's fuel economy was 20 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined for FWD models, and 19 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined for AWD models. The large 19.5-gallon fuel tank provided over 400 miles of range. The Passport performed well in various driving conditions, including climbing over 9,000 feet in elevation and navigating tightly-wound roads. The Elite trim featured torque-vectoring AWD, enhancing stability and off-road capability. The Passport could tow up to 5,000 pounds with the towing package, outperforming rivals like the Nissan Murano and Chevrolet Blazer.

Entering the 2020 Lincoln Navigator required climbing up, but once inside, passengers enjoyed ample space and comfort. The test vehicle's 30-way Perfect Position front seats, part of the Luxury Package, were exceptionally comfortable, though finding the ideal settings took time. The second row offered a choice between a three-person bench or two captain's chairs, with the latter option including a large center console. The third-row seat provided class-leading legroom and thigh support. Cargo volumes were also class-leading, with 19.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.5 cubic feet behind the second row, and 103.3 cubic feet maximum. The longer Navigator L offered even more cargo space.

The 2020 Honda Passport was practical, with a right-sized design providing good visibility and spacious seats for four adults. The Passport lacked a third row but featured height-adjustable seatbelts and three full LATCH connections in the second row. The seats were comfortable, similar to those in the Honda Pilot and Odyssey, with ample knee- and legroom. The cabin offered tri-zone automatic climate control and second-row sunshades. Cargo space was generous, with 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and the most under-floor storage in its class. The load floor was high, but a power liftgate was standard. The Passport excelled in small-item storage, with a large center console and secondary shelf space in the front doors.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator's Sync 3 infotainment system was slow to load content, but a new Sync 4 platform was on the horizon. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Lincoln Connect services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and wireless device charging. "Phone As A Key" technology allowed smartphone-based vehicle access. The voice recognition system worked reasonably well but required specific command pathways. The Reserve's Luxury Package included a 20-speaker Revel Ultima audio system with three listening profiles. Additional technologies included a surround-view camera system and a head-up display, though the test vehicle lacked the optional Lincoln Play rear-seat entertainment system.

The 2020 Honda Passport's base Sport model had a 5.0-inch display monitor, while higher trims featured an 8.0-inch Display Audio infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The larger screen was responsive and easy to navigate, with pinch, swipe, and tap functionality. Standard features included Bluetooth, a USB port, a seven-speaker audio system, push-button start, and keyless entry. Higher trims offered a 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio, additional USB ports, a wireless phone charger, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The Passport's dashboard design, borrowed from the Pilot, looked slightly outdated but remained functional.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator came with the Lincoln Co-Pilot360 suite of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot warning with trailer coverage, rear cross-traffic warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Reserve trim added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The Navigator received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, though the RWD model had a three-star rollover resistance rating. The IIHS had not tested the 2020 model.

The 2020 Honda Passport prioritized safety, earning good scores from the IIHS and NHTSA and being named an IIHS Top Safety Pick. The Passport came standard with the Honda Sensing suite, including Collision Mitigation Braking, forward-collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. A rearview camera with a birds-eye view was also standard. Higher trims offered dynamic gridlines for the rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic detection. While it lacked some advanced driver-assist features found in competitors, the Passport's safety technology was well-suited for most drivers.