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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  Awesome Car - 2000 Honda Civic
  By double0sol - January 30 - 9:10 am

  This car has always been there for me when I needed it the most. It was always running never broke down, very very few problems and I loved hearing that v-tec scream!

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  Love the van, hate the MPG. - 2005 Honda Odyssey
  By Steve, KY - January 30 - 8:16 am

  First 3K miles have been fairly uneventful. Van rides and drives like a dream with plenty of pickup and a resonabley quiet cabin. The overall fit and finish seems to be quite good and all controls logically placed. Did encounter a flat tire at 2K (non-PAC) and no michelin dealer in town (Louisville, KY) carried the replacement, dealer had to order and it took five days. The biggest disappointment has been with the gas mileage. Neither my wife or I have gotten over 19MPG. We got as low as 13 in the city. Overall weve been averaging about 15-18 MPG. Well below what is stating as the range. The dealer has asked me to provide receipts with documented mileage to help track the issue.

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  Great car - 2006 Honda Accord
  By life_is2 - January 29 - 11:13 pm

  Great car with great safety features, not to mention the great fuel economy. Very quiet ride with very good handling. I am averaging about 25 miles to the gallon with mixed highway/city driving. I only have 500 miles so far so the engine isnt broke in yet which should yield better gas mileage. I cannot express enough on how well the engine pulls.

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  Great value - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Amanda Irsch - January 29 - 9:31 pm

  Having owned Audis and Mercedes vehicles prior, this car is one impressive package. From the premium wheels to the LED headlights, the exterior is sharp and modern. The electronics really are second to none, offering literally everything you would expect from a loaded luxury vehicle. The kids love their captains chairs and the included wireless headsets are key for long road trips, allowing us to listen to music on the front whistle the kids enjoy a movie in the back. The countless media options allow us to play digital movies right from our iphones / iPads vs having to bring along blue ray discs. Cargo storage is not great but more than sufficient when the third row is folded down. Anyone w kids car seats will need the captains chairs because otherwise there is no way for a passenger to access the third row unless they enter via the trunk which is awkward. Great car for the price, tough to beat.

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  Another Near-Flawless Honda - 2002 Honda CR-V
  By Chris - January 29 - 11:53 am

  Got married and moved to the country so needed to get rid of BMW convertible and get something practical. As a consolation, picked the five-speed manual which increased the fun factor. This is my fifth Honda/Acura product and they never disappoint. Five practically flawless years.

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  Car is awesome - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By JD - January 29 - 5:53 am

  It is rock solid on the road and easy to drive: tons of power, good handling, quiet, and comfortable. The infotainment system is good enough I think, dont let some over-the-top negative reviews deter you. I do think they should add Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and sure a volume knob would be good. But you use the steering wheel controls most of the time anyway.

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  Entertainment user interface and transmission - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Paul Pelleiter - January 28 - 9:41 pm

  Ive owned 10 Honda/Acura cars. I am very loyal to the brand because dependability is important to me and so far my experience with Honda has been fantastic. Ive pretty much done only scheduled maintenance in over a million miles of driving collectively on all my Honda cars. Honda and Acuras have always been very smooth and have a feeling of harmony." That is, everything works together well to provide an excellent driving experience. However, I am seriously considering another brand for my next car for two main reasons. First, the interface for the entertainment system is junk. It is unusable by the driver while driving. Try manipulating a touch screen, the is not always responsive, while staying in your lane or being on a rough road. its impossible. Also, the voice command is garbage. It almost never works. It does not understand what is said. Ive even had it ask me to choose the number of a song. I choose the number - it plays that number - but it is a different song than the one displayed. I can only guess that the system has incorrectly indexed the iPod songs. The multi-controller wheel in the previous generation Pilot is a dramatically better interface. Having a cool looking all touch interface means nothing if it is unusable. The second issue is the 9 speed transmission. One day it can be excellent the next day it is horrible. The shifts can be all wrong making it impossible to drive smoothly, especially around town in stop and go traffic. The transmission surges when applying the brakes. It is very disconcerting to have the car speed up when you step on the brakes. This happens because the transmission often downshift and accelerates the car, or up-shifts and reduces transmission braking when you step on the brakes. Its hard to believe Honda actually drove this transmission and used these radio controls before increasing the car. If they did, they must have known of these issues yet released the car anyway. My faith in Honda engineering is severely shaken. The new Hyundais are starting to look appealing.

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  Most reliable car Ive owned - 2003 Honda CR-V
  By joepsu - January 28 - 4:18 pm

  Owned the CR-V for 4 years now. Long commutes to work and the car is extremely reliable. Not the fastest acceleration, but the manual tranny helps keep up the pace. Only 1-2 problems so far. Alternator went at 95k and I couldnt replace it myself (close quarters to remove bolts). The TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) malfunctioned causing stalls and rough idle at 100k. This is a common problem shared with the Acura RSX and Civic (same part) and to my surprise Honda dosent sell this part (normally $50) seperately but wants you to buy a whole new throttle body ($750+). Replaced with an aftermarket TPS for $75. Otherwise a great vehicle!

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  Overall pretty nice - 2008 Honda Accord
  By BPW - January 28 - 3:33 pm

  Originally intended to buy an Altima but after that dealership was lame went to drive the Accord and I was sold. Its a nice, basic car and Im pleased with the vehicle over all. Rides well and the features are nice. The only complaint I would have was that w/ my 6cyl Passport I was getting 21 mpg like clockwork and w/ this 4cyl Accord Im getting 25.5 Something doesnt seem right with that. However, overall Im happy with the car.

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  Element is a good little car - 2007 Honda Element
  By DWoodman - January 28 - 3:25 pm

  I was drawn to the Element by the interior flexibility and suicide doors and it doesnt look like a mini-van. My previous car, however was a Subaru Forester and I think Honda could take some lessons from Subaru on building AWD drive trains. This car has torque steer on hard acceleration and there is a lot of wheel spin on wet pavement. Once you get the element going, its a hoot to drive. I am interested, though, to see how this car will perform in snow (a little worried). The ABS works well which will be good for snow driving. I miss not having the headlights turn off when I turn the ignition off, although, the warning bell has kept me out of trouble so far. I could do without sunroof