Automakers love to bring back names that have been away from the market for a period of time. The Honda Passport is a name we’ve known in the past but haven’t seen offered for quite some time, but it appears to be a name we will see again in the future.

When you look at what Honda offers in the SUV lineup you might think the different models are exactly what they should have with the HR-V, CR-V, and Pilot, but there happens to be a large gap between the CR-V and the Pilot which could fit a new SUV.

Because of this gap in the market and the size, there seems to be an opportunity for Honda to bring about an SUV that could fit in the lineup and be offered to compete against the Ford Edge as a midsize two-row crossover that is comfortable and impressive on the road. While we don’t have any specifics regarding this new SUV, Honda has filed the patents needed to make this a reality in the future and has the right vehicle to offer already on the roads in other markets of the world.

Speculation Can Become Reality

So far, the return of the Passport is simply speculation, but it appears the writing is on the proverbial wall for this SUV to be offered in the future. Honda already filed a patent application for the name along with a design patent for the midsize crossover SUV. In addition to this evidence, there is a vehicle offered in China by Honda that could easily become the new Passport to allow the SUV to be offered in a form that fits in this space that’s been left open above the Honda CR-V and below the Pilot, which is the perfect spot for this vehicle.

In China, the Honda brand offers a vehicle called the UR-V which is a midsize two-row crossover SUV that is exactly what we could receive when the new Passport comes to the market in North America. Because this model is already developed and on the road, the Honda team won’t have to spend much time developing or designing a new SUV, and will instead, be able to make use of this model as the Passport. This makes the most sense and certainly seems to mean there is a streamlined path to the market for this vehicle.

While no details have been confirmed at all for the new Passport, the plan is already in place for this SUV to show off at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto show later in the fall and be part of the market early in the 2019 calendar year. This plan to move forward makes it easy for us to see how Honda is working toward making sure there is an SUV for every size and need we have for the drive on the roads.

Look for this new model to show up in LA later this year so that we can get a look at what the Honda Passport will be going forward.