Honda Pilot TV - Event Date: 03 Jul 2016

I towed a 172 with a 4WD 2010 Pilot for over a year with reasonable success. I specifically chose the 172 to keep the weight down since I was planning to travel the Rockies. The 172/Pilot combination worked fine at lower altitudes and reasonably flat terrain, but it was marginal in the mountains. The combination of mountain grades and altitude tax small engines. Your 182G is at least 600# heavier than the 172 and that will further degrade performance. That said, if you don't plan Rocky Mountain excursions and/or can take your time climbing the hills it should work OK. If you're satisfied with the Jeep it's probably comparable. However, this assumes the Pilot will be 4WD. The 4WD model has much greater towing capacity and a transmission cooler. Don't even consider a 2WD (front wheel drive) Pilot. 

I'm wondering what is involved with the tow package you're considering for the Pilot. My 4WD 2010 Pilot came stock with the transmission cooler, hitch, and HD alternator. The only thing Honda left off was the short cable and 7 pin Bargman connector. If you present Pilot is not 4WD I'd reconsider.

Do the math on the differential and gear ratios for the Pilot and Jeep. Honda has a 4.375 differential which is pretty high for SUVs. They compensate with transmission ratios, but it means 4th and 5th are both overdrives and you tow in 3rd. One problem I did have with the Pilot was the low ratio 1.888 reverse gear. The Pilot was unable to back the 172 up even a slight incline. Honda really blew it there! A strong argument for high ratio reverse gears (low speed) and two speed transfer cases. 

For comparison on your mountain pass speeds, I tow with a '12 Tahoe, and 172, which i think is the lightest Rpod as mentioned, and I still struggle to get up to 65 (or 55.. sometimes even 45) on the big passes out here. Vail eastbound and Monarch are a couple of the more brutal ones I've had the pleasure of towing up, they are just looooonnnngggg and pushing up over 10/11k pretty much sucks the power out of anything (particularly w/o a Turbo).