The Honda Pilot is a popular three-row SUV for families, road trips, and light outdoor adventures. With a published tow rating that looks reasonable on paper, many owners assume it can easily handle a travel trailer.
In real-world towing, however, the limiting factor is usually not tow rating — it’s payload and tongue weight. This example shows how those numbers play out.
Tow rating assumes an almost empty vehicle. Real family SUVs are rarely empty.
All of the following count against payload:
Once payload is exceeded, stability and braking performance suffer — even if the trailer weight itself looks “within limits.”
Travel trailers usually place about 10–15% of their loaded weight on the hitch.
Let’s look at a common family camping setup:
Total payload used: ~1,255 lb
Depending on the exact Pilot trim and payload sticker, this can leave little margin — or exceed limits entirely.
Yes — but only with smaller, lighter travel trailers and careful loading.
The safest Pilot towing setups:
Use the towing calculator to estimate payload usage, tongue weight, and remaining margin.
Use the Towing CalculatorMeasuring tongue weight removes guesswork and prevents overload.
View tongue weight scale on AmazonCan improve stability and reduce rear sag on heavier trailers. Choose the correct rating range.
View weight distribution hitch on AmazonTire heat and underinflation are common causes of trailer tire failure. A TPMS provides early warning before problems occur.
View trailer TPMS on Amazon