Passport Radar Detector Review
Ranked as our 4th Most Popular Windshield Mounted Radar Detector
Overview of the Passport
The main benefits of the Passport are:- Programmed with Escort’s newest digital signal processing algorithm (DSP)
- Over 4-times the range of a police radar gun
- Built-in bluetooth connectivity for Escort Live! integration
- The ability to filter out many of the false alerts caused by the anti-collision sensors installed in new cars today
- High definition OLED display
- Clear digital voice alerts in English and Spanish
Newest Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Algorithm
When investing in a radar detector two of your biggest concerns is the detector’s ability to sniff out real police radar threats and its ability to filter out false alerts, here is why.
Police departments across the world are now in the process of updating their equipment to the new, low power battery operated hand held digital radar guns.
All of these types of radar guns are instant on, meaning that they do NOT transmit any radar signal until the officer has a target vehicle in sight and presses the trigger.
Because of this when you select your radar detector, an important consideration is its ability to detect instant on miles away.
“Passport uses a new type of digital signal processing (DSP), which
can reduce false alarms from some non-police-radar sources. Think of DSP
as a pair of Bose noise-canceling headphones for radar reporting. By
reliably identifying noise, the Max can focus on real police-radar
threats, leading to faster and more accurate warnings.”
- Car and Driver Magazine
Then another problem, the anti-collision sensors that are being installed in most new cars today.
These sensors operate on the same K-Band frequency that police use and because of this most radar detectors constantly false alert.
Because of this Escort developed a new digital signal processing (DSP) algorithm for the Passport detector.
This enables the Passport to sniff out and alert to these low power radar guns at over 4 times their capture distance, while also having the ability to block out many of those annoying false alerts.
Escort Live Ready
The biggest break through this decade in the speed counter measurement community is the ability for your radar detector to share historical and real time data with accuracy, with other radar detectors in the cloud.The Passport is Escort Live ready, which enables it to connect to the Escort Live community through your iPhone and/or Android smartphone.
This enables your Passport to:
- Alert you of real time police spotted alerts
- Alert you of real time radar and laser speed traps in your area
- Alert you of historical speed trap locations including aircraft enforcement locations
- Alert you of fixed photo enforcement camera locations
- Enables you to program the advanced features of your detector through your smart phone
High Definition OLED Display
The Passport has a programmable easy to read multicolored OLED display, which includes intuitive icons, to make it easy to identify threats.Additional display features include:
- Cruise Alert – warning you when you’re exceeding the posted speed limit
- Bar Graph – identifying the signal strength of the threat
- Expert Meter – identifies up to 8 multiple alerts with signal strength at once
- SpecDisplay – identifies the actual numeric frequency of the radar signal
- 5 levels of brightness including full dark mode
Clear Audible Voice Alerts English/Spanish
The Passport has easy to understand voice alerts, which warns you in either English or Spanish of approaching threats, enabling you to keep your eyes on the road and not on your detector.User Preferences Programming
You can access the advanced programming features of your Passport either by pressing the buttons on your detector, or though your smartphone enabling you to:- Sensitivity – City, Highway, Auto, AutoNoX
- Language – Spanish/English
- Color of OLED display
- Speed display
- Cruise alert speed settings
- Overspeed setting
- Display meter options
- Audible tones
- Automute – On/Off
- AutoLearn – On/Off
- Voice – On/Off
- Auto Power Settings
- Radar/Laser Bands
- Mark and/or clear locations
Included Accessories
Your Passport comes shipped with everything you need including:- Windshield Mount
- 12 volt smart cord
- Travel Case
- Getting Started Guide instruction booklet
Additional Accessories
You can also accessorize your Passport with these additional accessories- Basic Direct wire
- SmartCord direct wire
- Dash Mount
- BlendMount mirror mount
Warranty & Support
Your Passport comes with Escort’s 1-year warranty and our 30-day no risk money back guarantee.Also, because we have been an authorized Escort dealer since 1995, you’re pre-approved to purchase Escort’s extended 24 month extend warranty for only $29.95.
Motorcycle Use and Accessories
When accessorized with the proper motorcycle mount, external warning device, and weather protection the Passport becomes one of the best radar detectors for your motorcycle.Motorcycle Mounting Systems: RadarBusters offers a variety of motorcycle radar detector and cell phone mounts by Techmount, which will fit virtually any motorcycle.
External Warning Devices: The Max does have an external earphone jack, which you can plug into your motorcycle sound system. However, we would recommend the Legal Speeding HARD system, which is a wireless heads up display.
Weather Protection: There are several websites that sell “motorcycle radar detector boxes,” but we don’t recommend them. Instead, go to your local CVS and buy a child’s size shower cap. It’s cheaper and will protect your detector just as well.
Why Buy from Radar Roy?
Authorized Escort Dealer: RadarBusters has been an authorized dealer for Escort since 1995, so you can be assured that you detector is covered under Escort’s warranty program and pre-approved for Escort’s 24 month extended warranty program.Real Reviews: Unlike the other radar detector review websites out there, Radar Roy is a retired cop and certified traffic radar instructor with over 40 years of experience and has his own arsenal of police radar and laser guns. Luxury Automotive was so impressed with Roy’s high standards and qualifications that they dubbed him the “General Schwarzkopf of radar detectors”.
No Sales Tax: You will not be charged sales tax as long as your order is shipped outside of Arizona.
Passport Summary
The Escort Passport is the best entry level detector which will help you avoid expensive speeding tickets, and it will enable you to become a more aware and safe driver.When ordered from RadarBusters your Passport will arrive at your doorstep with everything you need along with personal 1-on-1 support from Radar Roy who is just a phone call or an email away.
Do you have any Passport Radar Detector Reviews?
Yes, our most poplar are our Ka-band instant on and K-band constant on testing videos where we test the performance of the Passport Max2, the Escort REDLiNE, the Passport and the Uniden LRD950.
What is the difference between the Passport and the Passport Max?
The Passport and Passport Max/Max2 are Escort’s newest radar detectors.
The Passport is based on Escort’s M4 antenna design placing it in the 3-star radar detector category with over 4 times the capture distance of a police radar gun.
What it doesn’t have is its own internal GPS or photo enforcement database.
The Passport can be integrated with the Bluetooth enabled Escort Live! cord that enables it to connect to the Escort Live community.
The Passport Max and Max2 are based on Escort’s new M5 antenna design which places it in the 5-star category with 8 times the capture distance of a police radar gun.
Both the Max and Max2 have an internal GPS and the Escort Defender photo enforcement database.
The main difference between the Max and the Max2 is that the Max2 also includes its own internal Bluetooth chipset, enabling it to connect to the Escort Live community.
I have a Passport radar detector 8500, should I consider upgrading?
Yes, and here are a couple reasons why. First is that a few years ago car manufactures began installing adaptive cruise control sensors in new cars that operate on the same K-band frequency police radar uses. Because of this the old Passport radar detectors like the 8500 x50, 9500i and 9500ix do not have a capability to filter these types of false alerts out. Another reason is that police departments across the country are upgrading their equipment to the newer handheld digital radar guns that are a lot harder to detect.
Now Escort does offer a trade in program where they will give you a $45.00 rebate for your older 8500x50, 9500i, or 9500ix after you purchase one of their newer detectors but here is the problem.
You have to wait till you get your new detector, fill out a form and pay postage to ship it back, which by the way few people follow-up and do.
Because of this we would recommend that you sign up for our VIP club where you will get member only pricing which will save you money and time.
I already have a Passport radar detector power cord; will it work with the new Escort radar detectors?
Yes, all of Escort’s power cords have a RJ-11 connection at the end, which will fit all Escort radar detectors.
What is the difference between the Beltronics and Escort brand of radar detectors?
Escort and Beltronics are the same company, however with the exception of the Beltronics STiR Plus, there is quite a bit of difference between their detectors, here is why.
Escort Brand = Best Radar Detectors
Escort makes sure that their Escort branded radar detectors are the best radar detectors in the industry.
Beltronics Brand = Better Radar Detectors
Then their Beltronics branded detectors are a step or two behind the Escort brand with the focus on the Pro Series of detectors.
NEW Cobra Brand = Good Radar Detectors (late 2015)
In October of 2014 Escort acquired Cobra and in late 2015 they will be releasing a new line of Cobra radar detectors that will be classified as low priced entry model radar detectors.
Do you offer Passport radar detector repairs?
No, if you have an Escort Passport radar detector in need of repair you will need to contact Escort to see if they can repair it.
Yes, our most poplar are our Ka-band instant on and K-band constant on testing videos where we test the performance of the Passport Max2, the Escort REDLiNE, the Passport and the Uniden LRD950.
What is the difference between the Passport and the Passport Max?
The Passport and Passport Max/Max2 are Escort’s newest radar detectors.
The Passport is based on Escort’s M4 antenna design placing it in the 3-star radar detector category with over 4 times the capture distance of a police radar gun.
What it doesn’t have is its own internal GPS or photo enforcement database.
The Passport can be integrated with the Bluetooth enabled Escort Live! cord that enables it to connect to the Escort Live community.
The Passport Max and Max2 are based on Escort’s new M5 antenna design which places it in the 5-star category with 8 times the capture distance of a police radar gun.
Both the Max and Max2 have an internal GPS and the Escort Defender photo enforcement database.
The main difference between the Max and the Max2 is that the Max2 also includes its own internal Bluetooth chipset, enabling it to connect to the Escort Live community.
I have a Passport radar detector 8500, should I consider upgrading?
Yes, and here are a couple reasons why. First is that a few years ago car manufactures began installing adaptive cruise control sensors in new cars that operate on the same K-band frequency police radar uses. Because of this the old Passport radar detectors like the 8500 x50, 9500i and 9500ix do not have a capability to filter these types of false alerts out. Another reason is that police departments across the country are upgrading their equipment to the newer handheld digital radar guns that are a lot harder to detect.
Now Escort does offer a trade in program where they will give you a $45.00 rebate for your older 8500x50, 9500i, or 9500ix after you purchase one of their newer detectors but here is the problem.
You have to wait till you get your new detector, fill out a form and pay postage to ship it back, which by the way few people follow-up and do.
Because of this we would recommend that you sign up for our VIP club where you will get member only pricing which will save you money and time.
I already have a Passport radar detector power cord; will it work with the new Escort radar detectors?
Yes, all of Escort’s power cords have a RJ-11 connection at the end, which will fit all Escort radar detectors.
What is the difference between the Beltronics and Escort brand of radar detectors?
Escort and Beltronics are the same company, however with the exception of the Beltronics STiR Plus, there is quite a bit of difference between their detectors, here is why.
Escort Brand = Best Radar Detectors
Escort makes sure that their Escort branded radar detectors are the best radar detectors in the industry.
Beltronics Brand = Better Radar Detectors
Then their Beltronics branded detectors are a step or two behind the Escort brand with the focus on the Pro Series of detectors.
NEW Cobra Brand = Good Radar Detectors (late 2015)
In October of 2014 Escort acquired Cobra and in late 2015 they will be releasing a new line of Cobra radar detectors that will be classified as low priced entry model radar detectors.
Do you offer Passport radar detector repairs?
No, if you have an Escort Passport radar detector in need of repair you will need to contact Escort to see if they can repair it.

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Operating Bands
X-band 10.525 GHz ± 25 MHz K-band 24.150 GHz ± 100 MHz Ka-band 34.700 GHz ± 1300 MHz Laser 904nm, 33 MHz Bandwidth Radar Receiver / Detector Type Superheterodyne, Varactor-Tuned VCO Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Laser Detection Quantum Limited Video Receiver Multiple Laser Sensor Diodes Display Type OLED Graphic CruiseAlert™ Bar Graph ExpertMeter™ SpecDisplay™ 3-Level Dimming plus Full Dark Mode |
User Selectable Options
Pilot: Scanning Bar or Full Word Display Color Meter Mode Tones: Standard or Mild AutoMute: On / Off Meter Tones AutoMute (On / Off) Language: English / Spanish Voice: On / Off Radar / Laser Bands: User Selectable Auto Calibration Circuitry Mute, AutoMute and SmartMute Power Requirement 12VDC, Negative Ground Escort SmartCord® Included Sensitivity Control Highway, Auto and Auto No X Compact Size 1.3" H x 3.2" W x 5.3" L |

