2015 Honda Pioneer 500

Overview

Compact. Fun. Affordable. The All-New 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 no side-by-side can? The new Pioneer 500 can get you there and back again, and you’ll have fun doing it.

2015 Honda Pioneer 500 Key Features:

All About The Pioneer 500

Want to know about all the features of this all-new SxS? This video will take you through the Pioneer 500’s unique features and capabilities.

Compact, Yet Capable

With the new Honda Pioneer 500, you and a passenger can get there, whether it’s a narrow, 50-inch trail or the remote regions of the ranch. And with our steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters, you’ll enjoy the drive.

Powerful 500-Class Engine

Coupled with an efficient five-speed transmission, the Pioneer 500’s engine features electronic fuel injection for effortless cold-weather and high-altitude operation. It’s specially tuned for low-rpm torque, too.

Better, Not Bigger

The Pioneer 500’s overall size and responsive handling make it fun to drive. Best of all, since it’s a Honda it’s also durable, reliable, and offers superior engineering. There’s nothing like it on the trails.

Genuine Honda Accessories

Made with the same exacting standards as every Honda part, build your 2015 Pioneer 500 with high-quality Honda Genuine Accessories to make it as unique as you are.

2015 Honda Pioneer 500 Features and Benefits:

The Biggest Difference Is The Honda
The new Pioneer 500 is a groundbreaking concept, combining a narrow stance with two-up side-by-side carrying capacity. As innovative as that is, it’s only the beginning: The fuel-injected 500-class engine mates with a five-speed beltless transmission, which offers reliability and true compression braking.

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.

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

Open Front Differential
The front differential’s open design makes steering easier and more precise, even in four-wheel drive.

Fun, Sporty Ride
With 5.9 inches of travel at the front wheels and 5.9 inches of ground clearance, the new Pioneer 500 can negotiate tough trails with ease. And the Pioneer 500’s suspension is tuned for a fun, sporty ride too.

Paddle Shifter
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.

TraxLok 4WD
Our rock-solid system lets you choose 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.

Single Operation Door/Net
The Pioneer 500 comes standard with doors, and the occupant net is directly attached—just unlock and open the door, and the net automatically swings aside making entry and exit easier.

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

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

All-new Rear Carrier Design
With the 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. And the rack’s 450-pound rating gives you plenty of carrying capacity, too.

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—a first in the industry.

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.

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.

Independent Rear Suspension (IRS)
The Pioneer 500’s fully independent rear suspension means you get a smooth ride and great traction, especially over rough terrain.

1000-Pound Towing Capacity
The Pioneer 500 has a heavy-duty receiver-style hitch and 1000-pound towing capacity.

Locked Rear Axle
With the IRS rear end and a locked-axle design, the Pioneer 500 gives you great traction and a smooth ride.

Specifications

Quotes:

“All in all, Honda has a winner with the 2015 Pioneer 500. It’s not the monster we all are waiting to see from a Japanese manufacturer, but instead a very practical workhorse with plenty of fun factored in. This machine, at this price should do very well and were sure they are going to be the perfect ride for many new entrants to UTVS and well as an excellent choice for those looking for something that is a little smaller for trail riding.” ----- 4wheeldirt

“Honda’s latest Side-by-Side creation is the Pioneer 500. It’s mildly powered 475cc four-stroke engine comes to life on the trail with the help of fuel injection and an automatic transmission that drives the excitement out of box. We had a full day of testing in the Pioneer 500 and quite possibly the most intriguing part of the machine was the paddle shifters, which we’ll get to after covering the basics.” ----- atv.com