2016 Honda® Pioneer 500

2016 Honda® Pioneer 500

The Pioneer™ 500 is a brilliant concept: Like a full-sized side-by-side, it lets you take a passenger along and has the off-road capability to get you where you need to go. But the Pioneer™ 500 is a new take on the SxS formula: it’s narrow, fits on tight trails, is fun to drive and easy to load into a full-size truck bed.

But you still get a full-sized list of features, like Independent Rear Suspension, four-wheel drive, and paddle shifting. And that’s just the start. Want to go where other side-by-side's can't? The Pioneer™ 500 can get you there and back again, and you’ll have fun doing it.

• Liquid Cooling

Our time-tested Honda® engine is liquid-cooled, which provides more consistent operating temperatures and more power than a comparable air-cooled motor. This adds up to better performance and longer engine life.

• Compact Overall Size

The Pioneer™ 500’s 50-inch overall width is a huge bonus. Whether it’s for narrow or the convenience of not having to buy a trailer, the Pioneer™ 500 can go where just about no other side-by-side can!

• TraxLok 4WD

Our rock-solid system lets you select either 2WD or 4WD, giving you the freedom to choose between lighter steering (in 2WD) and maximizing available traction (in 4WD) when you need it most.

• Electric Shift Featuring Paddle Shifters

Upshift and downshift without ever having to take your hands off the wheel. You get to choose the exact gear you want for challenging terrain, and it’s engineered for precise, smooth shifts.

• Fun, Sporty Ride

With 5.9 inches of suspension travel and 9.6 inches of ground clearance, the Pioneer™ 500 can negotiate tough trails with ease. And the Pioneer™ 500’s suspension is tuned for a fun, sporty ride, too.

• Side-By-Side Seating

With a comfortable bench-style seat, individual backrests and seatbelts for both driver and passenger, the Pioneer™ 500 offers side-by-side comfort and excellent maneuverability.

• Single Operation Door/Net

The Pionee™r 500 comes standard with doors, and the occupant net is directly attached—just open the door, and the net automatically swings aside, making entry and exit easier.

• Strong Gearbox

Unlike the belt-drive automatics out there, the Pioneer™ 500 features an electric-shift transmission that uses rugged, steel gears. You get true compression braking for superior controllability (especially when descending hills), as well as long transmission life.

• Semi-Dry-Sump Engine

Compact and lighter weight, the Pioneer™ 500’s overhead-valve, semi-dry-sump design creates an engine that's not only shorter from top to bottom, but one that enhances handling by lowering the center of gravity and increasing ground clearance.

• Longitudinal Engine Mounting

The Pioneer™ 500 is built around our strong, single-cylinder, 475cc longitudinal engine. By orienting the crankshaft front to back in the chassis, we route the flow of power straight to the wheels without any right-angle detours, reducing powertrain friction and putting more grunt to the ground.

• Closed-Loop Fuel Injection

Better cold-weather and high-altitude running, effortless startups, great fuel efficiency and less pollution—that’s what the Pioneer™ 500’s “closed loop” fuel-injection system means.

• Rear Carrier Design

With its unique steel rear carrier design, the Pioneer™ 500 gives you tremendous versatility when it comes to securing loads. Special tiedown-hook securing points make it even easier. The rack’s 450-pound rating gives you plenty of carrying capacity and the available Cargo Tray and Cargo Box accessories give you even more versatility.