Overview & Reviews

Why are Honda vehicles so highly regarded by American drivers? Certainly, their excellent reputation for reliability and quality is a major factor. But it also has to do with the overall driving and owning experience. Read any Honda review and you'll likely notice common themes such as thoughtful design, a friendly nature, better-than-average fuel economy and attention to safety.

Japan-based Honda Motor Company was founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda. The company got its start making motorbikes. Japan had been rendered cash poor and fuel-starved after World War II, and its citizens were hurting for an inexpensive, fuel-efficient mode of transportation. Honda's first motorcycles mated engines with bicycles to create a motorbike that was cheap to make and operate.

Honda's bikes quickly evolved into vehicles far more sophisticated than small engines stuck into bicycle frames. The manufacturer's 1949 D-Type could reach speeds of up to 50 mph, and offered front and rear suspension. The 1950s saw the launch of the successful Juno scooter, built to steal market share from the Vespa knockoffs that were popular in Japan at that time. In the latter part of that decade, Honda introduced the ultra-successful C100 Super Cub. The motorbike was remarkably easy to operate and featured a crossbar-free frame that made it popular with women. It went on to become the first Honda motorbike sold in the U.S. via then-new American Honda Co. in 1959.

By the early 1960s, Honda had built its first automobiles for the Japanese home market and entered Formula One racing. But it wasn't until 1970 that it exported its first car, the diminutive N600, to the U.S. The automaker initially had a hard time sparking interest among American buyers, but that all changed in 1973 with the introduction of the Civic. The car was larger than Honda's previous models even though it was still very petite compared to compact American cars. The Civic's high fuel efficiency (an important selling point given that decade's energy crisis) and affordability made it Honda's first American success story. By 1976, the Civic had been joined by the Accord, which quickly became a favorite with U.S. consumers as well.

By the 1980s, Honda's success and its reputation as a maker of well-built reliable cars and motorcycles continued to grow. It began building Accords in the U.S. in 1982 and by 1989 had earned the distinction of making America's most popular car. This was also the decade in which Honda created the Acura brand as a way to sell more upscale and luxurious vehicles. Throughout this decade and into the 1990s, the Civic and Accord were huge sellers and considered class benchmarks. Also during this time, Honda continued to innovate through such technologies as variable valve timing, aluminum body construction and improved safety features.

Today, Honda's lineup runs the gamut. Included are fuel-sipping hybrids, a spacious minivan, reliable family sedans, practical SUVs and even a pickup. Although the latest Civic and Accord aren't quite the benchmarks they once were for their respective classes, Honda's brand as a whole continues to be one of the most well respected in the industry, with millions of loyal and satisfied customers.

User Reviews:

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  Great SUV - 2008 Honda Pilot
  By mike - February 4 - 12:16 am

  Had a 2004 Pilot loved it and bought the 2wd 2008. Great car and love the Hondas reliability.Gas mileage on the 2wd seems much better than my 2004. Live in Ohio and 2wd doesnt seem much different than my 2004 awd. Love the XM feature on the radio, no more looking for stations on trips.

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  Sweet Ride - 2006 Honda Civic
  By Sweet Ride - February 3 - 10:03 pm

  Bought this car for my wife and she loves it. I drove it and I love it. Dash makes you feel like you are in a mid to large car. Gets great gas mileage as long as you dont floor it after every stop (35 mpg city). Have 4000 miles on it and still doesnt need oil change. It has an Oil Life % meter and it tells you when the oil needs changed (mine still has 40% life left). Get lots of looks while driving around and had at least 5 people ask about it while filling up on gas. Not much to add on the EX model except tinted windows and the KARR security system feature. The money I save on gas in this car (compared to last car) pays half my car payment.

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  EVERYTHING THE ACURA MDX SHOULD HAVE BEEN - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Tim Blake - February 3 - 6:29 pm

  The Honda Pilot Elite is amazing and absolutely nothing like the old pilot. At first I was disappointed when I saw the new 16 pilot on a lot this summer, but it was an ex. Anything that remotely looks like a Chevy makes me ill. I acquired a silver pilot elite with a black, which is actually dark charcole interior, and absolutely love it! The tech and fit and finish were well worth the 50K out the door price. Acura owners.......Everything the Acura MDX should have been and much more room to boot. Okay the nasty reports of the 9 speed transmission are highly accurate at low speeds In town and on slow rolling hills it is hideous......but wait there is a simple fix at the push of a button......no ones talking about it......the ECO button engauged cures the issue 100%!!! And transmission purs like a kitten even on rolling hills. Did Honda do this so we drive in Eco mode????? This car in not like a gutless ford engine where you saw these Eco buttons start....this is a 280 horse engine and definitely responds to the pedal in any mode! So who care what mode you are in!? I DO NOT run Eco mode on the highway! In my opinion you will find normal mode is better, cruise works better and gas mileage is phenomenal anyway on a 9 speed tranny. Gas mileage is amazing and it blows away all other cars in its class. I kid you not! I had a 2011 FWD pilot touring and averaged 14 to 15 mpg in my small town with a little bit of highway. My 2016 AWD pilot Elite is 20.3 MPG. WOW! Highway only was almost 30! Honda did make some changes that frustrated me a bit on the dash........but GOD the depressing reviews.....get a life people......you get use to the changes in a couple of weeks and have a car that feels and drives like a sports car, stears itself, and has a dozen safety features that WILL certainly prevent so many accidents we expirence today. THANK YOU HONDA ENGINEERS! Again all the folks comparing this to the old pilot WHICH I LOVED SO MUCH........drive a 2016 Elite for a week and you will see the Pilot is in a whole new class of luxury and performance! There is NO way I would go back!

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  Rocky start, but good now - 2006 Honda Accord
  By CrazyG - February 3 - 4:00 pm

  The folks in marysville ohio forgot to torque the front suspension properly when building the car. It took the dealer a couple tries to fix this. Car drives great, acceleration is quick, first tank of gas yielded 34.5 mpg (engine is still breaking in). I am very pleased with fuel economy. Manual trans is the way to go. My wife has a 4cyl auto accord and the manual accelerates stronger. Handles and brakes well. Love the value of the se model. Well balanced car in terms of acceleration/mpg. Highly recommend replacing rear speakers with boston acoustics from crutchfield.

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  CRV SE - 2016 Honda CR-V
  By Joe Davidson - February 3 - 12:18 pm

  Great SUV for your money!

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  Goodbye trusty friend - 1991 Honda Accord
  By darren - February 3 - 11:19 am

  I loved this car. Purchased used w/140k on it 6 years ago. Sold it this week, with 225k. The interior STILL LOOKS NEW. The ride was like a cruise-missle-on-rails. Handling would put most sports cars to shame. Would go fast if you pushed it. Had to get used to the auto trannys whiplash shifting. Very versatile/useful for small family. Comfy on long hauls. Experienced 400-600$ in repairs annually, INCLUDING TIRES but that can be expected if you drive old cars. Did have to replace motor at 215k- suspected that damage due to faulty oil maintenance before I owned it finally caught up with it.Old engine consumed 2+qts between changes. Now needs less than 1qt. The car has gone on to its 4th happy owner.

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  Improvements to previous generation are spot on - 2017 Honda Ridgeline
  By A.Kuffner - February 3 - 9:06 am

  I previously owned the 2007 version of this truck. When I purchased that truck in 2012 I paid 19K and I sold it for 10K (4 years later) after putting 65K miles on it. That is an amazingly low annual cost. I had absolutely no issues with the previous version. Needless to say, I put a lot of miles on my car and I wanted better gas mileage and something I knew would last me a long time so I looked at the new version. I also loved the versatility of the Ridgeline and the very good road manners. The improvements are perfect. I absolutely love the option to turn off a few cylinders and go into "eco" mode. I even got 30 MPG wile taking a road trip! My average over the first 2200 miles has been a very respectable 23 MPG. I love the technology and all the bells and whistles, which is why I opted for the Black Edition. So far, I have appreciated the lane departure and front collision warning, but I am still getting used to the beeping when I get close to things. One benefit of the beeping is that when someone walks in front of your car while you are stopped but looking the other way, you hear it! My kids have loved the Apple Carplay and completely taken over the music which sounds incredible in this truck. They also love the truck-bed audio system and controlling it from their phone through bluetooth. I thought I would miss the CD player, but I discovered that I can put a bunch of mp3 files on a memory stick and it will play it. My biggest compliment to this new version is the ride comfort and quality. Clearly Honda made very significant improvements to the sound dampening because it is very quiet in the cabin even at freeway speeds. Everything feels quicker and more nimble. The engine has lots of power especially when eco mode is off. I have not towed anything yet with this new one, but I did completely fill the bed and the interior and while the suspension felt a little softer, it was still very secure. The previous version was very solid towing (it felt like a full sized SUV towing) The headlights are amazing, I can see things clearly at night. I was also so amazed when the brights turned off automatically when I was driving on a country road at night and there was an oncoming car. Yes, the controls for the touchscreen take a little while to get used to, but I actually appreciated that some of the features and settings were limited to when I was not driving so as to not distract the driver. Now that I am used to them I appreciate them, but I do think a physical lever or button for sound would be nice beyond the steering wheel controls. I really like the red accents and lighting but in all honesty, I was disappointed that in this top of the line black edition the red lighting was only in the front seat-wells and door handles and there were none for the back seats. The interior has good quality and soft materials. I did notice that the access to the back seats through the doors is a little less on this new model. Not a big deal but getting bigger things into the back seat is a little more challenging. I really like the new exterior styling, very sleek. While not an overly rugged looking truck, it appeals to me because it looks sophisticated and at home in the city which is where I do the majority of my driving. I do not consider myself an off-roader but I did take this new truck out on the beach and tested out the "sand mode" and it performed with flying colors. My previous version was simply stunning in the snow so I expect the same with this generation. No deals to be had at the dealership, at least not yet while demand is high and inventory is low. I had to drive an hour and a half away to find a dealership with this one in stock. Overall, I believe that Honda took the best parts of the Ridgeline (ride quality, performance, versatility, features) and improved each one significantly. They also fixed my biggest complaint with the previous version (16 mpg average in mixed driving). I also fit the demographic Honda was targeting very well: mostly city driver, rarely tows/hauls/offroads but wants the versatility only a truck can provide while also wanting the comfort of an SUV. Bingo!

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  Great Car - 2008 Honda CR-V
  By Kevin - February 3 - 8:00 am

  Great car for the money. Gets decent mileage (22 mpg city) driving relatively short distances in the city and does well in the snow. I have had no problems yet, but have noticed that it does not have the same feel of quality that my Accord did (i.e. the doors close with a bang, not the "thunk" or perfection).

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  Great choice! - 2007 Honda Civic
  By Hybrid - February 3 - 7:33 am

  Get in this car and drive it like any other car. You only notice its a hybrid when you check out the mpg --- 45! As fun to drive as much more expensive cars.

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  CR-V - 2009 Honda CR-V
  By Ken from Tampa - February 3 - 6:56 am

  We test drove the 2008 CR-V and then we test drove the 2009 CR-V, same model and packages. The new 2009 CR-V was more responsive and handled much better and was very comfortable . Even though we we told that nothing really change from the 2008 model we felt a positive different. The deal was good and the car was excellent