Easy to Pack, Easy to Tow, Easy On the Eyes: Honda Base Station Just Made Camping Cooler
Don't be afraid to tow. It's that easy.
Camping, overlanding and adventure are all the thing lately, but that first leap into the hobby can be a big one. Not only is there the initial cost of buying an RV or camper, but you need a truck or SUV to tow it.
Or do you?
Not so fast, says Honda. The Honda Base Station was created to battle that very objection, as well as the others: Campers can be cramped, uncomfortable and not as charming as a boutique hotel. I got a chance to walk around the Base Station, ask questions and cast a skeptical eye. This is what Honda’s newest innovation is all about, and how when it is available, it may convince me to camp.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
Meet the Modular Honda Base Station
Honda created the Base Station, currently a prototype, not yet priced but hopefully coming to a retailer near you soon, to address a few things: First, more than 80 million Americans camp, and that number has increased by 15 million in the last two years. Honda is seeing more of its customers lean into adventure with its Honda Pilot Trailsport edition, as well as the badass Honda Passport and Passport Trailsport, even the CR-V Trailsport has attracted trail-riding fans.
Then, most campers are cramped spaces that try to do too much but actually, don’t offer enough flexibility (ever shopped for a used camper?).
But the biggest pushback is the need for a powerful truck or SUV to tow a camper. Often, RVs weight 3,000 lbs. or more, requiring a large, gas-thirsty engine to haul it. What’s an EV-driving girl to do but find a boutique hotel and invest in lawn chairs instead of roughing it in the wild?
These are the things that Honda addressed with the Base Station.
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Base Station is Towable, Even With An EV
Made of lightweight materials and void of lots of interior furnishings, the Base Station weights just under 1,400 lbs., meaning it an be towed with a small SUV like the Honda CR-V, which coincidentally, is the CR-V’s tow rating.
But Honda also tested the Base Station with the Honda Prologue to ensure it would work with the EV, too (It also has a tow rating of 1,500 lbs.). This means that the Base Station, when empty, can be towed by a smaller car or SUV, but it also means that anything you carry will need to ride inside the car, and even then, you may be pushing the limits of the car. This will be better towed by a Honda Passport (tow rating up to 5,000 lbs) which will also let you stow all your gear, accessories and things like groceries and luggage in the Base Station and free up room in the car.
Also clever is its size: the Base Station is build to fit in a standard residential garage or parking spot.
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Modular Construction Adds Freedom to the Package
The size and shape of the Base Station is key to its function: It’s tall and square, an open pod that can accommodate your stuff then let you create a camp site around it however most makes sense for you.
The rear wall of the Base Station is actually a lift gate that opens to form a canopy with work lights; it also opens the interior to your campsite. This will make it easy to unpack and build out a campsite; no need to fit all your gear through a tiny doorway with a step or two—just to make it more complicated.
When it’s time to pack up, everything can go right into the back through the lift gate.
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Honda Base Station Sleeps Four
This one is pretty clever: there is a futon-style bed against the back wall of the Base Station that slides out to form a queen bed. Cozy for a couple. But what about the kiddos?
A pop-up roof does double duty: It provides space, air circulation and visual interest. And with a bunk bed accessory it’ll sleep two. We didn’t get to see the accessory in action, so I’m still a bit skeptical that I’d want to sleep there, but if it’s inside and off the desert floor, I could be convinced.
With the futon extended there is a lot of under-bed storage so you can tuck all your groceries, dishes and suitcases away for the night if you need to. So clever.
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Accessories Are the Key To This Camping Experience
Part of the charm of the Base Station is its ability for accessorization. Buyers will be able to add a kitchen—with a heat-free induction cook top! THIS is so smart—a shower, an A/C unit or other accessories. The windows on either side act as accessory panels, so buyers will be able to decide: Light, cooking or showers? Or all of the above?
Since this is still a prototype, there’ll probably be more accessories on the offering when it’s introduced. A sound system, an awning, a larger table, perhaps a refrigeration system might be nice. The possibilities are intriguing. And of course, I still want to see how that bunk bed works.
Lighting, Power and Accessibility Are Included
One of the most charming aspects of the Base Station is its color-changing lighting system—a feature that gives it its space vehicle-like look and feel. Lighting strips surround the accessory panels on either side and function as work lights for setting up a campsite. Inside, lighting strips line the interior so there’s plenty of light. Honda showed this light in blue during our tour, but it can be changed to other colors.
The lighting is powered by an on-board lithium battery system that is charged either by plugging it in or by solar panels on the roof, or both. The Base Station can connect to campsite utilities or a standard outlet for charging or power—and presumably, a shower.
The Base Station’s floor and roof have open air vents for circulation for those who don’t want or need A/C, a necessity for sleeping with the liftgate closed. As anyone who has overlanded knows, critters creeping into your campsite at night need to stay out of your camper. That it can be closed up and comfy with lights, power and real sheets and still offer the charm of being off the grid may just convince me to camp.
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