The Honda Passport has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Acadia doesn't offer knee airbags.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Passport deploy with different levels of force or don't deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Passport's side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Acadia's side airbags don't have smart features and will always deploy full force.

With its standard Collision Mitigation Braking System, the Honda Passport is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the GMC Acadia, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Passport. But it costs extra on the Acadia.

The Honda Passport TrailSport Elite's Multi-View Camera System is available with washers for its front and rear cameras, ensuring crystal-clear visibility in any weather condition. Conversely, the GMC Acadia only offers a rear camera washer, which may not provide the same level of all-weather performance.

Both the Passport and the Acadia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Passport is safer than the Acadia:

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda Passport is safer than the Acadia:

The Honda Passport has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS' rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Acadia is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

The Passport's corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Acadia's (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it's being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Passport's reliability 49 points higher than the Acadia.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Passport second among midsize suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Acadia isn't in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports' March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. GMC is ranked 20th.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Honda Passport is faster than the GMC Acadia:

On the EPA test cycle the Passport RTL gets better fuel mileage than the Acadia AWD (19 city/25 hwy vs. 20 city/23 hwy).

The Passport has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Acadia. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Passport higher (7 out of 10) than the GMC Acadia (6). This means the Passport produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Acadia every 15,000 miles.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Passport, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Acadia.

For better stopping power the Passport's brake rotors are larger than those on the Acadia:

The Passport stops shorter than the Acadia:

For better traction, the Passport has larger standard tires than the Acadia (265/60R18 vs. 255/55R20).

The Passport's tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Acadia AT4's standard 65 series tires.

The Passport offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn't interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn't available on the Acadia; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

For greater off-road capability the Passport has a 1.5 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Acadia Elevation (8.3 vs. 6.8 inches), allowing the Passport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Passport's minimum ground clearance is .5 inch higher than on the Acadia AT4 (8.3 vs. 7.8 inches).

The Passport is 1 foot shorter than the Acadia, making the Passport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Passport has a much larger cargo volume than the Acadia with its rear seat up (44 vs. 23 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can't be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Passport. The Acadia doesn't offer locking storage for small valuables.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than GMC. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With an 8% lower rating, GMC is ranked 15th.

The Passport's front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Acadia's passenger windows don't close automatically.

The Passport's standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn't have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Acadia's standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Passport to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Acadia doesn't offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Passport is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Acadia's mirrors don't automatically adjust for backing.

The Honda Passport has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. GMC charges extra for Homelink® on the Acadia.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Honda Passport retains 54.21% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 46.9% resale value of the 2025 GMC Acadia after five years, which can save the Honda's owner up to $2340.90516 in depreciation.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Passport and the GMC Acadia, based on reliability, safety and performance.