Is the Toyota 4RUNNER more reliable than the Honda Passport?

Yes, the 4RUNNER has a clear edge. Its standing is excellent and the Passport's is good. Owners filed 286 complaints on the 4RUNNER and 548 on the Passport, and the 4RUNNER's rate per vehicle sold is far lower. Repair costs are nearly equal, so complaints drive the gap.

Which has more recalls, the 4RUNNER or the Passport?

The Passport has more. Federal recall records show 29 recalls across 8 Passport model years. The 4RUNNER has 17 across 9 model years. Check any specific vehicle's VIN for open recalls before you buy, since a model-level count does not tell you what a single car needs.

Which costs less to repair, the 4RUNNER or the Passport?

They cost about the same. Independent repair-cost data puts the 4RUNNER at $514 a year and the Passport at $521. Over five years that is roughly $35 apart. The Passport has fewer unscheduled shop visits, 0.3 a year against 0.4 for the 4RUNNER.

What is the main problem with the Honda Passport?

Electrical complaints lead, at 123. The most common report is the engine failing to restart after Auto Idle Stop at a light, leaving the car stuck until a jump start. Phantom braking from the forward collision system is next, with 64 complaints, and dealers often cannot reproduce it.

Which 4RUNNER and Passport years should I avoid?

Avoid the 4RUNNER's 2018 and 2019 years and the Passport's 2019 and 2020 years, which are the weakest for each. Newer years such as 2026 show fewer complaints mostly because they have had less time on the road, so do not treat them as proven.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Honda Passport vs Toyota 4Runner: Reliability Compared

Honda Passport

Good

More Reliable

Toyota 4Runner

Excellent

On reliability, the Toyota 4RUNNER comes out clearly ahead of the Honda Passport. Owners filed 1.5 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 11.6. Repair costs are close, so that complaint gap decides it. The Passport also has more federal recalls across its model years.

How Do the Honda Passport and Toyota 4Runner Generations Compare?

A long fifth generation covers nearly every 4RUNNER a shopper will consider. It ran from the 2010 model year through 2024, with a facelift in 2013, so the 2018 to 2024 years are all late examples of one design. The sixth generation began with the 2025 model year, which makes 2025 and 2026 new designs with little track record. The Passport's third generation ran from 2019 through 2025, with a facelift for 2022 and model year changes in 2023 and 2024. Its fourth generation began with the 2026 model year. The 2019 and 2020 Passports carry the weakest standing, so a facelifted 2022 or later is a reasonable used target.

Verdict

The Toyota 4Runner is more reliable than the Honda Passport, scoring 80/100 vs 74/100.

The clear edge goes to the 4RUNNER. Owners file far fewer complaints per vehicle sold, and its standing is excellent against good for the Passport. Repair cost is nearly identical, so complaint volume decides it. The Passport's common faults, such as stalling after the idle-stop feature and phantom braking, strand or surprise drivers in daily use. The 4RUNNER's most common faults are more of a nuisance, like highway wheel shake and brake squeak, though its air bag reports are serious.

Key Differences

1Toyota 4Runner has 12 fewer total recalls
2Toyota 4Runner has 10.1 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Toyota 4Runner costs $7 less per year to repair

Category Scoreboard

1Honda Passport

—

4Toyota 4Runner

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair Frequency

Honda Passport vs Toyota 4Runner: Which Is More Reliable?

Honda Passport vs Toyota 4Runner at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Honda Passport	Toyota 4Runner
Reliability Score	74/100	80/100
Years Tracked	8	9
Total Recalls	29	17
Complaints per 10k Sold	11.6	1.5
Annual Repair Cost	$521/yr	$514/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.4/yr
Year Wins	1 (2 tied)	5 (2 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Honda Passport and Toyota 4Runner?

Everyday driving takes the hit on the Passport. The engine can fail to restart after Auto Idle Stop at a light, the transmission can drop into neutral on a highway on-ramp, and the forward collision system can brake hard with nothing ahead. Early front rotor wear is another pattern. The 4RUNNER's lead complaints are a wobble through the steering wheel between 50 and 70 mph and a metal squeak from cold brakes. Its most serious area is air bags: 20 of 24 complaints are crash-linked, including front bags that did not deploy. The Passport has no air bag or steering category among its top problems.

Honda Passport vs Toyota 4Runner common problem areas comparison
Component	Honda Passport	Toyota 4Runner
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.6Low	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	1.4Low	—None
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.2Low	0.2Very Low
POWER TRAIN	1.2Low	—None
SERVICE BRAKES	1Very Low	0.2Very Low
ENGINE	0.7Very Low	—None
FUEL SYSTEM	0.5Very Low	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.2Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	0.1Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY	0.1Very Low	—None
TIRES	0.1Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.1Very Low	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	0.1Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Honda Passport or Toyota 4Runner?

Annual repair cost is almost the same: $514 for the 4RUNNER and $521 for the Passport. Over five years that gap is about $35, too small to matter. The Passport has fewer unscheduled shop visits, at 0.3 a year against 0.4. The 4RUNNER has a 13% chance that a repair is major. Single Passport bills can still be large, such as a $7,700 out-of-warranty transmission repair reported by one owner.

How Does Honda Passport vs Toyota 4Runner Reliability Compare by Year?

Honda Passport vs Toyota 4Runner year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Honda Passport	Toyota 4Runner	Edge
2026	84/1000R / 0C	84/1000R / 0C	Tie
2025	82/1000R / 11C	81/1001R / 36C	Honda Passport
2024	79/1001R / 12C	79/1001R / 8C	Tie
2023	75/1004R / 24C	82/1001R / 28C	Toyota 4Runner
2022	74/1003R / 45C	79/1003R / 36C	Toyota 4Runner
2021	68/1005R / 119C	82/1001R / 31C	Toyota 4Runner
2020	68/1008R / 84C	82/1001R / 30C	Toyota 4Runner
2019	59/1008R / 253C	77/1004R / 61C	Toyota 4Runner

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Honda Passport scored 79/100 and the 2023 Toyota 4Runner scored 82/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Honda Passport vs the Toyota 4Runner?

Buy the 4RUNNER if you want the lower complaint rate and the fewest surprises. Skip 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. Test drive at 50 to 70 mph and watch for wheel shake, and check the frame and underbody for rust. Ask whether the air bag warning light has ever come on, since one sensor repair was quoted at $6,224.43 out of warranty. Pick the Passport if fewer shop visits matter most and you can accept a higher complaint risk. Avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. Test the idle-stop restart at several traffic lights and feel for hesitant shifts. Drive a road with curves and oncoming traffic to see whether the forward collision system brakes for no reason. If the front camera has ever faulted, owners quote $1,800 to $2,500 to replace it. Check how much life the front rotors have left.

Honda Passport vs Toyota 4Runner: Common Questions

Is the Toyota 4RUNNER more reliable than the Honda Passport?: Yes, the 4RUNNER has a clear edge. Its standing is excellent and the Passport's is good. Owners filed 286 complaints on the 4RUNNER and 548 on the Passport, and the 4RUNNER's rate per vehicle sold is far lower. Repair costs are nearly equal, so complaints drive the gap.
Which has more recalls, the 4RUNNER or the Passport?: The Passport has more. Federal recall records show 29 recalls across 8 Passport model years. The 4RUNNER has 17 across 9 model years. Check any specific vehicle's VIN for open recalls before you buy, since a model-level count does not tell you what a single car needs.
Which costs less to repair, the 4RUNNER or the Passport?: They cost about the same. Independent repair-cost data puts the 4RUNNER at $514 a year and the Passport at $521. Over five years that is roughly $35 apart. The Passport has fewer unscheduled shop visits, 0.3 a year against 0.4 for the 4RUNNER.
What is the main problem with the Honda Passport?: Electrical complaints lead, at 123. The most common report is the engine failing to restart after Auto Idle Stop at a light, leaving the car stuck until a jump start. Phantom braking from the forward collision system is next, with 64 complaints, and dealers often cannot reproduce it.
Which 4RUNNER and Passport years should I avoid?: Avoid the 4RUNNER's 2018 and 2019 years and the Passport's 2019 and 2020 years, which are the weakest for each. Newer years such as 2026 show fewer complaints mostly because they have had less time on the road, so do not treat them as proven.

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Decided between Honda Passport and Toyota 4Runner? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Honda Passport and Toyota 4Runner

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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