In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- The Honda Base Station travel trailer?
- Are auto shows about to vanish?
The first question comes from a fan who was stunned (and dismayed) by the debut of the Honda Base Station travel trailer.
Q: (Via: Nathan Adlen Journalist Facebook) Is my world going crazy or is Honda building a trailer (the Honda Base Station)?!
I am so surprised with this trailer that Honda showed you guys. It’s like, totally out of left field and I didn’t expect Honda to do this. I have a older Honda Ridgeline and I love it. That’s why I like some of your new videos featuring the same one I have. I use it to tow my Keystone trailer which weighs about 2,500 pounds with all my stuff loaded. It’s a great little tow vehicle and it’s one of the most reliable cars I’ve ever owned.
So now I am looking at this trailer and thinking to myself that it would be so cool to tow! But I want to know if it is for real. Is Honda serious about this or is it something that we’ll see at shows and magazines and nothing else?
— Sharti&Ola
A: Judging by the response, and the effort put forward thus far – I think Honda is pretty serious about production.
The Base Station is a compact, lightweight, multi-use travel trailer designed around intelligent packaging and real-world usability. Weighing roughly 1,400 pounds, it’s light enough to be comfortably towed by several Honda vehicles. At the event, Honda showcased it behind a Passport TrailSport, but even a CR-V should be able to tow it without much fuss. That alone sets the Base Station apart, it’s clearly designed for people who don’t want, or need, a full-size pickup to go camping.
Honda positions the Base Station as a way to make camping more accessible, and that philosophy is baked into every element of the design. Despite being small enough to fit into a standard residential garage or parking space, the interior appears open, airy, and surprisingly spacious. Five large side windows flood the cabin with natural light, and they’re modular, capable of being removed and replaced with various accessories depending on how the trailer is being used. The roof can also be raised, creating nearly seven feet of standing room, once parked.
Details are sparce
“Base Station is a perfect example of what can happen when you let a team of researchers, designers and engineers pursue bold new ideas to create new value for our customers,” said Jane Nakagawa, vice president of the American Honda R&D Business Unit. “Just like the Motocompacto, Base Station is the product of fresh and innovative thinking. We designed it to make camping more accessible and enjoyable for families across America.”
Entry and exit are handled via a top-hinged rear tailgate that opens wide and reinforces the trailer’s utilitarian character. Honda has hinted that there may be enough room inside to carry a small motorcycle or compact ATV, though the company is being cautious about confirming whether loading ramps or powersports hauling will make it to production. Still, the idea fits neatly within Honda’s broader ecosystem of vehicles and outdoor equipment.
Sleeping accommodations are smartly executed. The Base Station can sleep up to four people, thanks to a futon-style couch that folds out into a queen-size sleeping area, along with an optional kids’ bunk. It’s a flexible layout that works equally well for a small family or a couple who wants extra space.
The prototype was outfitted with a solid list of accessories, including air conditioning, an exterior shower, and an external kitchen complete with running water and an induction cooktop. Off-grid power comes from an integrated lithium battery, inverter, and solar panels, allowing for zero-emissions camping. For longer stays, external power sources, either a campsite hookup or a Honda generator, can be connected quickly and easily.
Almost production ready
What stands out most is how cohesive the entire package feels. This doesn’t come across as a flashy design exercise or a half-baked concept. It feels genuinely engineered, very much in line with Honda’s reputation for practical innovation. While Honda has not announced production timelines, final dimensions, or pricing, the effort behind this prototype suggests they’re serious.
If Honda can bring the Base Station to market at a competitive price; especially if it undercuts similarly sized boutique trailers, it could meaningfully disrupt the small travel-trailer segment. Adding the ability to haul Honda powersports equipment would only sweeten the deal.
For now, Honda appears to be gauging public reaction before making any firm commitments. Based on what I saw, that reaction is likely to be strong. If the Base Station reaches production, it could spark renewed interest in compact, affordable travel trailers, and once again prove that Honda knows how to think beyond traditional categories.
— N
The last question comes from a fan who is worried that auto shows will soon be history.
Q:(Via: Facebook) Auto Shows are dyeing.
Geneva is cancelled, attendance for most shows have dropped and auto makers are sick of paying high prices for little return.
It stinks because I grew up with car shows being as big of a deal as a concert or going to Six Flags. But it’s all falling apart. I think we will see them all fail soon. Auto shows are going away.
— Nick. C
A: No, I don’t agree on this one.
Auto shows aren’t “going away,” but their scale and role are evolving. Simply put: they’re no longer the sole launch platform for every new vehicle. It’s now more closely linked to digital media and a more “hands-off” approach to human interaction. Some find the pricing of these shows to be problematic too.
Manufacturer participation varies year to year, depending on the agreement(s) they ink with various locations, PR agencies, and organizations. They (the automakers) need to see a better return on their investment (ROI), which is why some automakers are content with abstaining from spending money on displays. Attendance has dipped at some legacy shows, especially in the U.S. and Europe, and a few shows, like Geneva, have been cancelled and moved (to Doha).
Auto shows still directly influence buying decisions and provide valuable hands-on consumer engagement. In other words, auto shows aren’t dying, they’re being reinvented in a digital, global, and experience-driven automotive marketplace.
– N
