Head-to-head reliability
Honda Passport vs Honda FIT
How the Honda Passport and Honda FIT compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Honda Passport vs Honda FIT: The Passport has 85.9 complaints per year, while the FIT has 112.9. Passport owners report phantom braking and engine stalls, while FIT owners face display failures and air bag issues. Choose based on your tolerance for these risks. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Honda Passport or Honda FIT more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Honda Passport
The Honda Passport, as a midsize SUV, shows a reliability picture dominated by electrical and driver-assistance gremlins rather than mechanical breakdowns. Owners report the auto stop-start system failing to restart the engine smoothly, sometimes stalling, and the forward collision avoidance system triggering phantom braking with no obstacles. These issues can be unnerving and potentially dangerous, but they are not constant failures—many occur intermittently, especially in certain conditions. Overall, the Passport's complaints suggest a vehicle that may be more troublesome in its electronic systems than in its core drivetrain.
Honda FIT
The Honda Fit, a subcompact hatchback, has a higher complaint rate per year, with electrical system and air bag issues leading the list. Owners describe the digital display going blank or garbled, especially in cold weather, and there are concerning reports of air bags not deploying in crashes. The fuel/propulsion system also shows problems like loss of power and engine misfires. While the Fit is known for practicality and fuel economy, these reports indicate potential safety and reliability concerns that a buyer should weigh.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Honda Passport | Honda FIT |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 859 Better | 1,129 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 43 Better | 51 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 43 Better | 59 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 85.9 Better | 112.9 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 29 Better | 60 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Honda Passport
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM172
- 02FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE168
- 03ENGINE118
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER117
- 05SERVICE BRAKES95
Owners report the auto stop-start system becoming sluggish or failing to restart, sometimes causing the vehicle to shut off while accelerating. This can be a safety hazard in traffic and indicates a battery or starter issue.
The collision mitigation system triggers phantom braking with no obstacles, causing sudden stops and steering wheel shake. This is alarming and could lead to rear-end collisions.
The engine struggles to restart smoothly after auto stop, with hesitation and sluggish starts. This is tied to the electrical system and can leave the driver stranded at intersections.
“For several months before the failure, the Auto Idle Stop (engine stop-start) system became progressively slower to restart the engine after stopping. Each restart sounded sluggish, as though the starter was dragging, and the vehicle would remain stopped for…”
“The contact owns a 2025 Honda Passport. The contact stated that on several occasions, the Auto START/STOP intermittently failed to operate and the vehicle shut off while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that a battery warning light was dis…”
Honda FIT
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM309
- 02AIR BAGS225
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM145
- 04ENGINE139
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER130
The digital display (fuel gauge, odometer, oil life) intermittently goes blank or garbled, especially in cold weather, leaving the driver without critical information. This is a visibility and information issue.
There are reports of air bags not deploying in crashes, and a recall for the occupant classification sensor. This is a serious safety concern that could increase injury risk in an accident.
Owners report the car juddering, losing power, and the engine light flashing at highway speeds, along with misfires caused by carbon buildup. This can be a drivability and safety issue.
“The dealership changed the oil on my 2020 Honda Fit, and the Oil Life display was reset to 100%, on 1/8/24. Two days later the LCD panel, which shows the fuel gauge, odometer, remaining range, oil life, etc. began to intermittently go blank or become garbled…”
“DIGITAL DISPLAY (MILEAGE, OIL LEVEL, FUEL GAUGE, ETC) FAILS WHEN TURNING VEHICLE ON DURING COLD WEATHER. IT REMAINS BACKLIT, BUT ALL TEXT DISAPPEARS. TYPICALLY, THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING ON EITHER HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS. THIS MEANS AS A DRIVER I'M UNABLE TO…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Honda Passport — 43 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Passport and 2023-2025 Pilot vehicles. The fuel filler neck tube and fuel filler pipe may separate, allowing fuel to leak.
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the fuel filler neck tube and pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this r…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Pilot, and 2019-2023 Passport vehicles. Due to a faulty Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) communication coaxial cable connector, the rearview camera image may not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles…
The risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the MOST cable harness and install a straightening cover over the vehicle cable connector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-21…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, w…
The risk: Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall ar…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Passport and Ridgeline vehicles. The inner ball joint housing in the steering gearbox assembly may loosen and detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.
The risk: A loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the steering gearbox as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is LHY.
Honda FIT — 51 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura R…
The risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls ar…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of…
The risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 13, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is 6DW. This recall has…
The defect: Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles that were previously recalled under NHTSA recall number 23V-046. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit.…
The risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Honda service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are TIQ and DIR. Vehicles previou…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022…
The risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH,…
Buyer analysis
Honda Passport or Honda FIT: which should you buy?
The Honda Passport has fewer complaints per year (85.9) compared to the Honda Fit (112.9), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the Passport's problems are more safety-critical, involving sudden braking and engine stalls, while the Fit's issues are more about information display and air bag reliability. In practice, the Passport may be less troublesome overall, but its specific failures could be more dangerous.
Key differences
- The Passport has more complaints about forward collision avoidance phantom braking, while the Fit has more about air bag deployment failures.
- The Passport's auto stop-start system causes engine stalls, whereas the Fit's electrical issues are mainly display malfunctions.
- The Fit has a higher complaint rate per year (112.9 vs 85.9), but the Passport's issues are more likely to cause accidents.
- The Fit's fuel system problems include loss of power and misfires, while the Passport's engine issues are tied to the stop-start system.
- Test the auto stop-start system repeatedly to ensure it restarts smoothly without hesitation or stalling.
- Check for any history of phantom braking by asking the owner if the collision mitigation system has ever activated unexpectedly.
- Inspect the digital display for any signs of blanking or garbling, especially in cold weather, by starting the car when it's cold.
- Verify that all air bag recalls have been completed, especially the occupant classification sensor recall.
Before you buy
- Check the NHTSA recall status for both vehicles and ensure all recalls are performed.
- For the Passport, test the auto stop-start and forward collision avoidance systems in a safe area.
- For the Fit, check the digital display in cold conditions and ask about any air bag warning lights.
- Review the vehicle's service history for any engine or fuel system repairs.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic focusing on electrical and safety systems.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Honda Passport | Honda FIT |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 92 | 35 |
| 2019 | 271 | 134 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Honda Passport or Honda FIT in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Honda Passport vs Honda FIT
- Honda Passport total complaints
- 859
- Honda FIT total complaints
- 1,129
- Honda Passport total recalls
- 43
- Honda FIT total recalls
- 51
- Honda Passport avg complaints/year
- 85.9
- Honda FIT avg complaints/year
- 112.9
- More reliable overall
- Honda Passport
- Honda Passport top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda FIT top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM