For getting through your daily commute, running errands around town, and taking the kids to and from school, there are plenty of Honda vehicles that are perfect. But if you are interested in finding a vehicle here at your Honda dealer near Granite Falls that is ideal for reaching your favorite campsite or doing some light off-roading, then you need to be a bit more discerning. Honda offers a number of fantastic vehicles for the road less traveled, but it’s important that you look at what they offer and choose the right one to meet your needs. You might be able to reach some hiking trails in a sporty sedan like the Honda Civic, but we wouldn’t recommend it for going somewhere that’s harder to reach.

Today, we’re going to focus on the SUVs and trucks from Honda that are designed to take you where other vehicles fail to go. First and foremost, that means we want vehicles that have all-wheel drive (AWD) rather than ones only available with front-wheel drive. This ensures better traction and superior control when you’re on dirt roads, not to mention when you leave the road behind completely. None of these are hardcore off-road machines designed for the most challenging trails in the country, but plenty of them work well for reaching your favorite campground. They can also act as a great place to start if you want to make some aftermarket upgrades to turn them into legendary off-roaders.

The Honda HR-V

The smallest SUV we’re looking at today, the HR-V, is a great choice if you don’t need a ton of room inside your ride but still want a very capable vehicle. Although we like the fact that you can get a terrific subcompact SUV for going camping, that smaller size does limit how much stuff you can bring with you. If you like to go camping on your own or with a friend, then the HR-V can work very well, but it’s not one we’d recommend for a big family or if you like to bring a lot of supplies along with you. The 2.0L engine works well and delivers plenty of power for an SUV of this size, ensuring you have a great time behind the wheel.

This is a two-row SUV, as you’d expect given its size, with seating inside for up to five passengers. While it’s a subcompact model, you do get some good room inside to take advantage of, with 24.4 cu.ft. of rear cargo space and up to 55.1 cu.ft. of total cargo volume behind the front seats. Like we said, that could be tight if you have a family of four to load up for a weekend of camping, but it works very well for singles and couples. Finally, keep in mind that this is not an SUV to use for towing, so if you have a smaller camper or boat you want to bring along with you, then we suggest one of the other Honda models. Otherwise, this is a great fit and a terrific choice for a camping trip or a day hike at Mount Pilchuck State Park.

The Honda CR-V

If you want a larger model for going camping but don’t need something too big, then the compact Honda CR-V is a great one to look at. There’s a lot we like about this one, such as the fact that you have two engines to choose from, starting with a 190-hp turbocharged beauty; if you want more power and incredible fuel economy throughout the week, then there’s a 2.0L hybrid engine available with 204 hp. You can get either engine with AWD, so you don’t have to miss out on the performance or fuel efficiency you want, and you can still get the kind of control and traction you need while getting to your favorite campsite near Granite Falls.

As a compact model, this is still a two-row SUV with seating inside for five people, but it has a lot more space for the stuff you need to bring along with you. You’ll find 39.3 cu.ft. of rear cargo volume in the CR-V, along with 76.5 cu.ft. of total cargo space behind the front seats. This makes the CR-V one of our favorite choices for camping—the combination of powerful engines, available AWD, and a lot of room inside comes together beautifully in this SUV. Plus, you can get up to 1,500 lbs of towing from the standard engine, letting you take even more with you.

The Honda Passport

For an even larger SUV that still has just two rows of seats inside, the Honda Passport is a great choice for going camping or even doing some light off-roading. Powered by a 3.5L V6 engine that delivers 280 hp, the Passport has plenty of muscle packed into it to help you go anywhere you want. Perhaps best of all, you get an upgraded i-VTM4 AWD system standard with the Passport, and the available TrailSport trim has further off-road upgrades.

This is still a two-row model, so if you want to bring more than four people along, you’ll want to check out the Pilot (more on that in a moment). The midsize design of the Passport makes it exceptional for loading up for a long weekend away from civilization: you’ll find 50.5 cu.ft. of rear cargo space inside the Passport, with 100.7 cu.ft. of total cargo volume behind the front seats. Combine that with up to 5,000 lbs of towing capacity, and you have yourself a fantastic SUV for camping.

The Honda Pilot

If you need a larger SUV with more seating inside than the rest of the Honda lineup offers, then the Pilot is the way to go. This is a three-row SUV, so you’ll find seating for up to eight people, making it perfect if you have a big family or a lot of friends you want to bring camping with you. The Pilot is powered by a 3.5L V6 engine, much like the Passport, though this one delivers slightly more horsepower. One thing to note is that AWD is an available option here, not standard like the Passport, so make sure you choose a model with it for camping. We’d recommend the TrailSport trim for its rugged features.

Inside the Pilot, not only do you get plenty of room to load up with your loved ones, but also space to load up with everything you need to bring with you. It’s a bit cramped in the trunk with just 21.8 cu.ft. of rear cargo volume due to the third row of seats, but you get 59.5 cu.ft. of cargo space behind the second row and 111.8 cu.ft. of total cargo volume inside. That means this is a very functional option since it gives you lots of room for passengers, camping supplies, or other stuff you need to bring with you. The Pilot can also handle up to 5,000 lbs of towing, making it a great choice for hitting the trail or taking a boat to Lake Stevens or the Sound on the weekend.

The Honda Ridgeline

So far, we’ve looked at Honda’s impressive SUVs, but we know plenty of folks who prefer a reliable truck for going camping or hitting their favorite trail near Granite Falls. The Honda Ridgeline is a midsize pickup, making it ideal for navigating tight spots and getting through tricky trails that larger vehicles might struggle with. This truck is powered by a 3.5L V6 with 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, which gives it plenty of muscle, and it comes with AWD standard, so every Ridgeline is ready for adventure. Things have been taken to the next level for the 2024 model year with the addition of a TrailSport variant.

Much like the Pilot and Passport, the Ridgeline offers up to 5,000 lbs of towing capacity, plus it can handle up to 1,583 lbs of payload piled onto it. You get 33.9 cu.ft. of cargo space in the truck bed, which is over five feet long, plus another 7.3 cu.ft. of cargo room thanks to a lockable, in-bed trunk. Altogether, this makes the Ridgeline a fantastic choice for enjoying your time off. Plus, it has plenty of muscle to help you get your job done during the week when you’re not out on the trail or camping.

Need a Honda for Your Next Adventure?

As you can see, Honda offers a number of excellent options for going camping, doing some light off-roading, and tackling everything else you want to do. Honda’s AWD systems are highly regarded for their quality and the remarkable precision and control they offer you behind the wheel, even when the road gets slippery or hazardous. This is great for staying safe when driving in the winter and works beautifully on dirt and gravel roads, making Honda’s SUVs and trucks some of the best vehicles out there for driving around Granite Falls. All you have to do now is decide which model, features, and options you want, and then let the team here at Klein Honda help you find everything you’ve been looking for. It’s time to hit the road—or leave it behind—and start having fun.