When you’re on a family adventure, you want a fun vehicle that has space for everyone. Honda invited us to Pennsylvania for the Little League World Series and we get to test drive the Honda Passport during our trip!
It was our family’s first visit to Pennsylvania and we began our adventure with a two-hour drive from the airport in Harrisburg to the Little League World Series complex in Williamsport. The nice people from Honda handed over the keys and away we went in the new Passport. As we turned onto the highway, I remembered the sage wisdom of Ferris Bueller who once said, “The question isn’t what are we going to do. The question is what aren’t we going to do.”
Our route took us along the Susquehanna River, but we found opportunities to take a few detours which let us drive the Passport on a few different road surfaces. When we drove through a muddy patch, I switched the drive mode so the Passport’s active torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system could work its magic.
When we made it back to the main road, I had to merge onto the main highway quickly, but had to do so on loose gravel. When I stomped the gas, the wheels gripped the loose rocks without any loss of traction. Honda says that the Passport can help families get to the muddiest fields or to and from the most remote ones. After our little joyride in the Passport, I have to agree.
The drive also gave us an opportunity to test many of the creature comforts in the Honda Passport, like the infotainment system and the heated/cooled seats. I really liked the wireless phone charging pad and I used Apple Carplay for the majority of our trip. One of the really interesting design features is the push button gearshift. It was the first time that I had driven a vehicle like this. I put a short video of it on my Instagram page if you want to see how it works.
An additional item we really liked was the underfloor storage that would be perfect for dirty cleats or muddy gear. The plastic bin can be removed from the car so that it can be easily cleaned. It really is perfect for families that need a place to store dirty sports gear without getting mud on the seats.
Our excitement continued to build as we approached Williamsport and saw all of the World Series signs. Many of the signs for the local businesses welcomed the visiting teams. And you could easily spot the decorated cars that belonged to the parents and families of the players. It was incredible to see how proud these families were of their children.
For most of these kids, it was a once in a lifetime experience to play in the big game. And as we watched the final series of games, it was abundantly clear how much the game meant to these players. It wasn’t like watching a Major League Baseball game where its just another day of work. At the Little League World Series, the game meant everything. You could feel the elation as the winning teams cheered and you felt a lump in your throat as teams shed tears over their losses.
Honda has supported Little League for more than 20 years and it was exciting to have this opportunity to attend the final games as their guests. In between games, we stopped by Honda’s booth next to the stadium and had fun trying a few activities. Our favorite was the dunk tank and my wife impressed us all with her softball pitch. The poor guy who got dunked on the first throw was the most surprised of us all.
We learned that Honda has helped turn Little League moments into lifelong memories through its Honda Little League Grant Program. The program has helped improve fields, replace equipment, and make repairs for leagues nationwide.
The Little League World Series was unlike any other baseball game that I’ve attended. The attendees would clap, cheer, and high-five the payers whenever they were spotted on the LLWS grounds. The audience applauded for great plays by both teams. And there was a level of respect that you wouldn’t see on a MLB field. It was really special to see this level of sportsmanship at such an important game.
After the games were over, we filled the back of the Honda Passport with our suitcases and headed back to Harrisburg to catch our flight home. The trip was a wonderful opportunity to be together as a family and a fun way to enjoy the end of the summer.
In addition to the Honda Passport that we drove, Honda also offers a full lineup of light trucks that offer families multiple options for getting to and from practice and games, including the HR-V, CR-V, Pilot, Ridgeline pickup and Odyssey minivan.
Thank you to Honda for inviting us to the Little League World Series and for your generous hospitality during the trip.
