Honda is giving TrailSport owners a new way to turn their off-road adventures into something closer to a telemetry session. The automaker has launched a new smartphone app called Honda Trail Experience, or HTX, designed specifically for drivers of the 2026 Passport, Pilot, and CR-V TrailSport models.
Available now as a free download on Apple’s App Store, the app allows drivers to monitor real-time off-road vehicle data while recording and sharing their trail runs. It is one of the more enthusiast-focused software tools Honda has released in recent years and shows how automakers are increasingly blending adventure driving with connected technology.
Rather than simply adding another navigation app, Honda designed HTX to function more like a lightweight off-road data logger. The system tracks multiple live vehicle metrics while also allowing users to record videos overlaid with telemetry data and trail maps.
The feature set feels inspired by performance driving apps commonly seen on sports cars, only adapted for dirt trails and rock crawling instead of racetracks.
The App Tracks Eleven Different Vehicle Metrics
Honda says HTX can monitor 11 different vehicle data points in real time while off-roading. Drivers can choose to display up to six of those metrics simultaneously on the vehicle’s infotainment screen using Apple CarPlay.
The available information includes tire angle, pitch, roll, throttle position, brake pressure, engine temperature, outside temperature, elevation, latitude, and longitude.
For off-road enthusiasts, the pitch and roll displays could be especially useful when navigating uneven terrain or steep inclines. The app essentially gives drivers a better understanding of what the vehicle is doing beneath them in real time.
HTX also stores route information to create interactive trail maps that users can revisit later. That adds a practical element beyond social sharing, particularly for drivers exploring unfamiliar trails or remote routes.
Video Recording Is A Major Part Of The Experience
One of the more interesting features is the app’s integrated video-capture functionality. Drivers can remotely control their iPhone’s camera directly through the TrailSport’s touchscreen while the phone is mounted anywhere within Bluetooth range.
That means users can place the phone inside the cabin, attach it outside the vehicle, or position it near obstacles to capture wheel articulation and terrain clearance shots.
Once recorded, the footage can be exported directly from the app with telemetry overlays, including trail maps and live performance data layered onto the video.
The idea mirrors the type of onboard telemetry overlays seen in motorsports and track-day footage, though here it is aimed squarely at recreational off-roading and overlanding culture.
Honda Worked With Owners During Development
Honda says the app was developed using feedback from more than 1,500 owners of the 2026 Passport TrailSport. According to HTX project lead Omar Saleh, the goal was to help owners “drive with confidence and celebrate every adventure.”
The company also tested the software on a closed off-road course earlier this year with beginner, novice, and experienced off-road drivers. Honda says updates are already planned based on the feedback gathered during those tests.
That owner-focused development process makes sense given how competitive the off-road SUV segment has become. Buyers increasingly expect technology and lifestyle features alongside mechanical capability, especially in vehicles marketed toward adventure-oriented customers.
Honda Is Leaning Further Into The TrailSport Identity
TrailSport models have become an increasingly important part of Honda’s SUV lineup as the company pushes deeper into the rugged lifestyle market traditionally dominated by brands like Jeep, Toyota, and Subaru.
While TrailSport models are not serious rock crawlers in the same way as vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco, Honda has steadily added more legitimate off-road hardware and capability in recent years.
The HTX app fits neatly into that strategy. It gives owners another reason to engage with the TrailSport brand while adding a layer of interactivity that appeals to younger, tech-focused buyers.
Honda also confirmed that future updates are planned, including expanded functionality and eventually an Android-compatible version of the app.