Honda recently filed a trademark for the name and logo of ‘Trailsport’ and while it remains unconfirmed what the automaker is planning for the name, it’s not hard to make an educated guess.
The filing is for use on “land vehicles, namely, sport utility vehicles, automobiles, trucks, and structural parts for the foregoing”. The logo itself features ‘Trailsport’ in a stylized font and includes a depiction of mountains in the background, hinting at the possibility of the name being used for rugged models.
Among the possible candidates to receive the Trailsport name are the likes of the Honda Ridgeline, Passport, and Pilot, CarBuzz suggests. In all likelihood, the Trailsport will be used to denote more off-road-focused variants of the aforementioned models. If that’s the case, these vehicles will likely receive the usual range of off-road parts, including beefed-up wheels and tires, LED light bars, flared arches, jacked-up suspension systems and perhaps, some drivetrain modifications.
Autoblog suggests there’s also a possibility a Trailsport variant of the Ridgeline pickup could be used to replace the existing HPD package that helps make the Ridgeline that little bit more capable off the beaten path. While it is also possible the name could be used for an all-new model designed to rival the likes of the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler, this doesn’t seem all that likely.
Regardless of what Honda has up its sleeve, it’s obvious that it is keen to increase investments in rugged models catered towards those looking to escape civilization.
