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New Honda Trailsport Will Be Out For TRD Blood
April 8, 2021
by Jared Rosenholtz Off-Road / 7 Comments
Which Honda models will get the off-road treatment?
Around one year ago, Honda submitted a trademark filing with the USPTO for the name "Trailsport." The name clearly hinted at an upcoming off-road-themed model or perhaps a slew of Trailsport-badged variants. No additional details about the name have emerged, but we recently spotted Honda submitting a new trademark, this time for the Trailsport logo.
The application reads as follows: "The mark consists of a miscellaneous design set above the term TRAILSPORT with the letters 'R' and 'S' connected together all in a stylized font. This trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of land vehicles, namely, sport utility vehicles, automobiles, trucks, and structural parts for the foregoing."
For those who are more visual learners, we've attached a copy of the new Trailsport logo below. As the application suggests, the 'R' and 'S' are connected via a lower bar. The logo contains other cool details too, like a mountain range on the top and a slash through the letter 'O.' We expect this new emblem to feature prominently as a badge on the back of a future Honda product, or possibly along the side as a decal.
It's still unclear which Honda model (or models) will receive the Trailsport treatment. The rugged 2021 Honda Passport seems like the most ideal candidate, but we can't rule out the Pilot or Ridgeline either. There's even a small chance that the Trailsport will be a standalone model to compete with the upcoming Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, and Toyota 4Runner.
It's tough to make educated guesses based only on a name, but we lean more towards the more capable Passport and Pilot camp versus a dedicated Jeep rival. Following the positive reception of the refreshed Ridgeline, Honda promised that the new aggressive styling could migrate to its SUVs. The Passport and Pilot Trailsport will likely gain more rugged styling and some different tires, but we doubt either will challenge more capable vehicles from Ford, Jeep, and Toyota.
