2026 Honda Passport TrailSport vs. Subaru Outback Wilderness vs. Hyundai Santa Fe XRT: Ultimate Off-Road Crossover Shootout
With rugged body cladding, lifted suspensions, and factory all-terrain tires dominating dealer lots across the United States, adventure-ready soft-roaders have firmly captured the imagination of American motorists. While specialized 4×4 rigs exist for hard-core rock crawling, a rising wave of buyers prefers versatile unibody crossovers that can conquer daily school runs while handling weekend camping excursions. To find out which of these trail-ready trim levels truly delivers when the pavement ends, we loaded up the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite, the 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness, and the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT, pointing their tires deep into the rugged forestry tracks of Pennsylvania.
The Contenders
2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness
Subaru has built its reputation on rugged, all-wheel-drive capability for decades. Capitalizing on the modern overlanding boom, the Subaru Outback Wilderness introduces a lifted stance, robust lower body molding, and aggressive all-terrain rubber wrapped around 17-inch wheels. Underneath the hood lies a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine producing 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. Power routes through a continuously variable transmission (CVT)—engineered with simulated stepped gear ratios—and Subaru’s signature X-Mode torque-vectoring system.
2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite
Honda’s mid-size, two-row SUV has matured into a handsome, squared-off machine. The adventure-focused TrailSport trim brings 8.3 inches of ground clearance, rugged steel underbody skid plates, and 18-inch wheels wrapped in General Grabber all-terrain tires. Revised front and rear bumpers improve approach and departure angles significantly. Motivating the package is a tried-and-true 3.5-liter V-6 engine generating 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, mated to a responsive 10-speed automatic transmission and an advanced torque-vectoring i-VTM4 all-wheel-drive system.
2026 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT
Hyundai maximizes platform flexibility with the boxy Santa Fe, which pushes traditional family SUV boundaries via its rugged XRT specification. It features 8.3 inches of clearance, specialized terrain drive modes, and 18-inch wheels equipped with Continental TerrainContact tires. Performance comes from a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four pushing out 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque—the highest torque figure in this comparison. For this model year, Hyundai has replaced its dual-clutch transmission with a smoother eight-speed torque-converter automatic.
Where We Tested
Starting our journey in bustling urban environments and navigating rough interstate asphalt, our convoy headed west toward the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area in Coal Township, Pennsylvania. Spanning 8,000 acres, this massive off-road park features challenging dirt tracks, deep mud ruts, and standing water crossings, providing an ideal proving ground to evaluate these rugged family haulers.
On the Road
Hyundai Santa Fe XRT: Urban Agility and Serene Cruising
Weighing around 4,400 pounds, the Santa Fe XRT benefits from its light off-road mechanical enhancements when driven on regular tarmac. Light steering and well-calibrated pedals make urban navigation effortless. Out on the open highway, the turbocharged inline-four delivers power smoothly, while the eight-speed automatic transmission executes imperceptible shifts. Cabin insulation is exceptional, keeping wind and tire noise remarkably low, though the driving experience leans toward predictable and appliance-like.
Subaru Outback Wilderness: Spry Handling with Firm Dynamics
Weighing nearly 800 pounds less than the Passport, the Outback Wilderness feels nimble and light on its feet. Its stiffened suspension setup and 9.5-inch ride height provide an engaging, car-like drive through winding mountain passes, though it exhibits more vertical body movement over highway undulations than its rivals. The turbocharged flat-four engine provides eager acceleration once boost builds, though minor turbo lag and the inherent characteristics of the CVT occasionally blunt instantaneous throttle response.
Honda Passport TrailSport: Stable, Mature, and Composed
As the largest vehicle in our test group, the Passport TrailSport offers exceptional highway composure. Its naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 sings willingly toward its redline, paired with a 10-speed automatic that optimizes power delivery across diverse driving conditions. Despite riding on chunky all-terrain tires and rugged suspension tuning, the Passport maintains precise steering feedback and excellent high-speed stability, proving that rugged exterior hardware does not compromise everyday driving refinement.
Off the Road
None of these unibody crossovers feature traditional mechanical locking differentials or low-range transfer cases; instead, they rely on advanced multi-plate clutch systems and brake-actuated traction management. Yet, putting them through rigorous trail tests revealed distinct performance hierarchies.
Clearance and Underbody Protection
Subaru Outback Wilderness: Boasting class-leading ground clearance of 9.5 inches and adaptive damping, the Outback easily clears jagged rocks that scrape the bellies of its competitors.
Honda Passport TrailSport: Offering 8.3 inches of clearance and a longer wheelbase, the Passport relies on heavy-duty steel skid plates to protect critical drivetrain components. Hearing armor scrape against rock ledges produces wincing sounds, but the vehicle’s robust factory reinforcement shrugs off the impacts without mechanical failure.
Hyundai Santa Fe XRT: Equipped with 8.3 inches of clearance and basic plastic protective plates, the Santa Fe frequently kisses the terrain surface, lacking the heavy-duty underbody armor needed for serious rock-strewn trails.
Traction and Hill Climbs
When tackling steep, rutted incline tests from a dead stop:
Honda Passport TrailSport: Ascended with the least drama, leveraging its 23-degree approach angle and lightning-fast i-VTM4 torque vectoring to route power seamlessly to the wheels with traction.
Hyundai Santa Fe XRT: Performed reasonably well on hill climbs, though its H-Trac system experienced brief moments of hesitation under wide-open throttle before locking power to the correct wheels.
Subaru Outback Wilderness: Despite favorable geometry, its conservative traction control programming initially hesitated when articulated on steep slopes, requiring deliberate wheelspin in Deep Snow mode to clear obstacles.
In the Cabin and Value Proposition
Subaru Outback Wilderness: Features a functional layout centered around a 12.1-inch horizontal touchscreen, durable StarTex upholstery, and practical physical climate controls. However, passenger space feels comparatively snug.
Hyundai Santa Fe XRT: Offers premium luxury appeal with dual 12.3-inch displays, abundant USB-C charging ports across three rows of seating, and a remarkably quiet cabin at an aggressive entry-level price point.
Honda Passport TrailSport Elite: Combines a 12.3-inch touchscreen, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, perforated leather seating, and intuitive physical control knobs. While higher trim levels command a premium price, lower non-Elite trims deliver exceptional balance.
And the Winner Is…
After extensive testing across bustling city streets, high-speed interstates, and punishing Pennsylvania dirt tracks, the Honda Passport TrailSport emerges as the definitive champion.
While the Subaru Outback Wilderness excels in raw ground clearance and the Hyundai Santa Fe XRT offers unbeatable value with a spacious three-row cabin, neither matches the unflappable composure of the Honda. The Passport TrailSport bridges the gap between rugged aesthetic styling and genuine capability, delivering supreme on-road comfort alongside robust off-road performance that keeps moving forward when others falter.
Ready to elevate your weekend adventures? Visit your local dealership today to test drive the award-winning Honda Passport TrailSport and discover how effortless off-road exploration can be.
