2019 Honda Passport SUV teaser touts offroad chops

This is a good time for off-road fans around the world as there are a bunch of capable off-roaders for fans to choose from, including the Gladiator truck from Jeep expected to debut this month in LA. Jeep won't be the only automaker with something brand new and aimed at the off-road market to show off at the LA Auto Show; Honda has a new ride as well. The new SUV Honda has is called the Passport, and it will sit between the CR-V and the Pilot in the Honda line.Passport will launch early next year and was designed in the US by Honda R&D Americas, and it will be built in Lincoln, Alabama. Honda isn't exactly known for vehicles that are meant for off-road use, but it is teasing the off-road capability of the new Passport with Honda saying it is "Adventure Ready."

Honda goes so far as to say that the Passport was designed to hit the sweet spot between a daily driver and a weekend off-road, all-weather adventure vehicle. There are no hard details on the Passport at this time.

We have no idea if this will be a tough off-roader, but odds are as part of the Honda brand this will be more street driving oriented than off-road. Light off-roaders that only want to cruise down dirt roads on the weekend should get by fine, SUV buyers wanting to climb rocky mountains will stick with the Jeep Wrangler.

Honda is having a big year for its light-truck and SUV segment saying that it is on track for a fourth-straight record year of growth. Its overall light-truck sales are on the way to 700,000 units for the third year in a row. We expect full details on the Passport at the LA Auto show.