Honda Dangles A Couple Of 2026 Passports From A Crane To Show Off New Beefy Recovery Hooks

When Honda engineers told the automaker’s Public Relations team that the newly redesigned Honda Passport TrailSport’s recovery points are capable of holding the weight of two Passport TrailSports, it probably became quite clear how the brand was going to celebrate its first pair of exposed tow hooks on a truck: hook three of the SUV together and dangle them like fishing lures over the brand’s proving ground in Cantil, California. It’s a no brainer. 

Honda drained three Passport TrailSports of their life-giving fluids and stuck the transmissions into neutral (safety first, kids) before the attempt, but everything else about the cars is stock Honda design. Embedded in the Passport TrailSport’s front are a set of beefy cast iron exposed recovery points–a first on light trucks for Honda. The old Passport does have a recovery point, but it’s underneath the car and attached to the skid plate. In an effort to up the off-roading bona fides on the unibody SUV, Honda stuck the new pair of exposed bright orange powder coated tow hooks into the body in a closed-loop system for extra durability. But not only can these hooks hold an immense amount of weight, they were also cleverly designed to break away from the vehicle during a front-end collision. 

You might be wondering, how can something so strong be designed to break away in a very specific situation? I wondered that myself, so I asked Honda engineers all about their brand new patent on the vivid orange tow hooks. 

“We developed an all-new design for the Passport TrailSport’s heavy-duty front recovery points that enable the mounting bolts to slip and then shear in a front collision, so the recovery points can slide toward the vehicle and detach,” Honda told Jalopnik. I get it Honda. I, too, fall apart when pushed too hard.

This clever new design allowed the TrailSport and TrailSport Elite trims to match the base RTL in crash test ratings. The sheering design helps protect the vehicle as the tow hooks could potentially cause spikes in G-force during a front end collision, causing more damage and potentially obliterating the delicate electrical systems in the front portion of the vehicle. While there is still a recovery point in the front skid plate as well, it’s these hooks that will be the primary recover points for owners. 

“Due to the critical role they play,” Honda said, “the recovery hooks are installed at our Alabama Auto Plant with electric torque tools rather than manual or pneumatic tools, which helps associates install the recovery points to the precise specifications.”

The special way these tow hooks sheer off is a world first and patented by the automaker. It’s only the front hooks that sheer away, as the rear hooks are embedded below the rear fascia directly into the class 3 steel tow hitch which protects the recover points from damage during off-roading sessions. The Alabama-built 2026 Honda Passport has been redesigned from the tires up to make it more durable and capable off road, and we’ll have a full review of the vehicle for you soon enough. Until then, enjoy this fun exercise in marketing as only a well-heeled automaker can accomplish, as a treat.