If you enjoy taking your SUV off-road, Honda has a free upgrade that's about to make things a whole lot safer and more enjoyable. The Japanese automaker just announced its new Honda Trail Experience (HTX) off-road app, which is now available as a free download on the Apple App Store. An Android version is coming later.

Honda says the app was specifically developed for its line of off-road SUVs, including the 2026 Passport TrailSport, 2026 Pilot TrailSport, and 2026 CR-V TrailSport. Even though Honda also builds a TrailSport version of the Ridgeline pickup truck, HTX isn't available there. A Honda spokesperson told us: "The HTX App requires our newest generations of user interfaces—featured in the CR-V, Passport and Pilot TrailSports."

2026 Honda Passport TrailSport

Photo by: Honda

HTX gathers 11 vehicle data points via Apple CarPlay, which can be displayed on the touchscreen. These include elevation, pitch, roll, brake pressure, throttle position, speed, engine temperature, outside temperature, tire angle, latitude, and longitude. Users can then choose up to six data points to show on the screen.

To share your off-road exploits, Honda encourages drivers to mount their iPhone for filming. They can then trigger a recording from the touchscreen using the phone’s built-in camera and microphone. If they export the footage, HTX will even let them add the map and data overlays to the video. The same function allows still photo capturing, even if the iPhone is being held by a spectator.

"With the launch of the Honda Trail Experience app, we’re empowering TrailSport owners to get more from every off-road journey—delivering real-time vehicle data, intuitive navigation tools, and seamless video sharing to help them drive with confidence and celebrate every adventure," said Omar Saleh, HTX Project Lead at Honda Development and Manufacturing of America.

Honda promises it will continue to add new features to HTX, including suggestions from the off-road community. A "share feedback" option is built into the app, so users can send their suggestions directly to the development team.

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Motor1’s Take: Honda is showing that it wants to be taken more seriously as a competitor in the off-road space by adding more TrailSport variants, including the more rugged Passport TrailSport. This HTX app is a small step in the right direction, but it’s far from the first of its kind. Jeep, Ford, Toyota, and others all have similar apps to make off-roading safer and more enjoyable. For Honda to truly have a mic-drop moment in this segment, it needs to tease a body-on-frame vehicle, like Hyundai did recently with the Crater Concept.

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- The Motor1.com Team