The 1997 Honda Passport may not be the most desirable vehicle ever made, but it has an interesting history and some intrinsic value beyond nostalgia. If you’re curious about what your 1997 Honda Passport might be worth today, here’s how to calculate it based on demand, mileage, condition and other factors.

The Honda Passport was a mid-size SUV that offered lots of space and versatility for not a lot of money. It went on sale in 1994 as a 1995 model and quickly became one of Honda’s top sellers due to its price, comfort, versatility, and ruggedness.

The only engine available was a 3.2-liter V6 mated to an automatic transmission (both were common among luxury SUVs at the time). Handling was better than other midsize SUVs at high speeds thanks to its independent front suspension and four-wheel disc brakes; however, we don’t recommend driving off-road since it had more ground clearance than suspension travel.

Here's What The 1997 Honda Passport Is Worth Today

1997 Honda Passport
Via: Auto Database

The 1997 Honda Passport is a truck-based SUV that was first introduced in 1996 as a slightly upgraded version of its predecessor, which was available from 1991 to 1995.

It had more cargo room than most other SUVs on the market and came standard with four-wheel drive. Today, used versions of these trucks can be bought for very reasonable prices, and they’re a good choice for someone who needs something simple yet rugged.

While you won’t get much in terms of luxury or power, you will get reliability, decent fuel economy and added cargo space—and if your use is mostly limited to off-roading or light hauling duties, then it should work just fine. All in all, you can expect to pay $1,500-$4,000 for one of these vintage models depending on mileage and condition; about $2,000 would be average.

You could probably find them for less since they aren’t commonly sought after by collectors, but there are plenty out there still running strong, so don’t expect too much of a bargain.

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Honda Passport Overview

1997 Honda Passport
Via: CarsFromWest

The Honda Passport, or Nissan Mistral depending on which side of the pacific you call home, was a four-door crossover SUV produced by one of Japan’s top car manufacturer.

Cost At The Time And Specifications

This vehicle shared its underpinnings with two other Hondas of different varieties: The Honda Prelude and the first-generation Acura 3.2TL. All three models were built in Canada from 1997 to 1999.

Production for US consumers continued until 2001, but plenty of leftovers are available online for purchase even today. Before we can determine how much is a 1997 Honda Passport worth today, we must examine what it was all about back then: Engine and Performance With a starting price just south of $18,000 Canadian (about $14,000 American), buyers could opt for either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive powerplants.'

The Passport was capable of around 190- to 200-hp depending on the given specifications and around 190 lb-ft of torque.

The design of a vehicle says a lot about its reliability, and before you buy a used car, it’s always worth taking one for a test drive. Passports tend to score pretty high on most aesthetic points but bear in mind that these vehicles were first built as workhorses.

In other words, they may not necessarily be as comfortable or quiet as newer cars – particularly if they are fitted with lower-quality interior parts. That said, plenty of Passports have been cared for well over their lifetimes; paying attention to little details like maintenance records can go a long way.

If nothing else, we would recommend focusing your efforts on finding a lightly driven example with minimal damage history. These are probably more difficult to find than you might think! It’s also worth mentioning that parts prices will likely fluctuate quite a bit over time (for better or worse).

Parts prices will vary depending on where you live, so do some research beforehand and don't make any rushed decisions. Of course, eBay is an excellent resource for anyone looking to get an idea of what prices look like – just use caution when working with individual sellers.

RELATED: Honda Is Reviving The Passport—Sort Of

Issues With The 1997 Passport

The first generation of Honda Passports was plagued with a host of transmission and electrical problems. The CVT, in particular, caused many issues and was prone to failure after as little as 50,000 miles. Poorly-made cables were also an issue; in fact, if you own a 1995-1997 model year, you’ll probably want to keep a set of replacements in your glove box at all times. Electrical gremlins such as faulty ignition coils were common, and Honda offered extended warranties on early models to help alleviate the cost burden for consumers.

There are good resale values today for any 1997 Honda Passport that has made it past 120,000 miles with no major mechanical problems. For example, we found one owner reporting driving his over 150,000 without ever spending money on maintenance besides oil changes and tires. However, it’s difficult to know just how much his vehicle is worth considering he maintained regular service throughout its lifetime—it could be nothing more than a fluke. So, what will yours be worth?