The latest chapter of the Bronco vs Wrangler story has a new twist. A rather unfamiliar automaker in this segment has decided to step up and challenge these two Americans.
According to CarBuzz, Honda has filed for the “Trailsport” trademark that suggests the automaker wants a share of this ever-growing pie. The trademark doesn’t explicitly specify that it’s for off-road purposes, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out its intended use. Will this serve as a ‘passport’ for Honda to fly into the off-road segment?
’Trailsport’ Suits An Off-Road Trim
The publication has reported that Honda has filed for the “Trailsport” trademark and it is registered under "automobiles and automobile structural parts” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Back in the 60s, Honda had a series of mini bikes that were sold under different names in different markets. One bike from the series, the ST90, was sold as the ‘Trailsport’ in the U.S.
What Vehicles Could Honda Use It For?
From its current lineup, the Passport and the Ridgeline seem to be worthy of the badge. The company has been marketing the Passport as a rugged midsize SUV, and given its past as a badge-engineered version of the Isuzu Rodeo, it fits the bill to qualify as an off-roader.
As for the Ridgeline, well, who doesn’t like pickup trucks with an off-road bias? Also, there is a demand for such products these days. This niche had very few players until a few years ago, but now there’s the Jeep Gladiator, the Colorado ZR2,Ford Ranger Raptor (when it arrives in the States), etc}. So, it wouldn’t be a bad bet and the Honda could capitalize by being perhaps the first unibody off-road truck.
The other crossovers and SUVs like the CR-V, HR-V, and the Pilot are also offered with an all-wheel-drive system, which would make it easier to turn them into competent off-roaders, but those plans can be on the shelf for now.
Apart from this, ‘Trailsport’ could be used for optional off-road packages as well, something like the Sasquatch package that Ford offers on the Bronco.
Final Thoughts
There are endless possibilities of what Honda decides to do with the ‘Trailsport’ moniker. We just hope the automaker decides to do something about it instead of letting it stay on paper. What do you think Honda will do with ‘Trailsport’? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.