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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  Owned 15 Years and Still Love It - 1993 Honda Accord
  By mnmpeterson - January 20 - 6:14 pm

  I bought my Accord in 1993 and thought I would keep it 10 years max. Nearly 15 years and over 140K miles later I have no plans on replacing it any time soon. This has been the best vehicle Ive ever owned. Its required relatively few repairs although it started to show its age a few years ago needing new clutch, radiator, etc. But you I would expect to replace that kind of stuff on a car this old. The only problems Ive had is with the cruise control that has acted strange from day one. Also the temperature control gets stuck after staying in the same position all summer. Too bad the new Accords seats are too stiff and uncomfortable or I might have bought another one.

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  Seat Belts and Honda Saved My Family - 2005 Honda CR-V
  By helspers - January 20 - 3:29 pm

  My wife and kids got into an accident where my CR-V was declared "totaled." A 2003 MDX swerved in front my CR-V and was T-boned. My family walked away with some bruised shoulders and hips, but nothing more. The safety personnel at the crash site repeatedly stated that the Honda did was it was built to do (e.g., crumple zone, and the engine dropped). Thank you Honda for a superbly built automobile.

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  Favorite one so far - 2003 Honda Accord
  By julie - January 20 - 7:39 am

  This has been my favorite vehicle so far. It is fun to drive and looks great. The interior is designed with the passengers comfort in mind and is very aesthetically pleasing. The car had better options that my Lexus RX300 and a better finish and quality. Living in NY the only problem is in the snow, but I added snow tires and they made a big difference. The handling is tight and the ride is fun and comfortable. I drive 105 miles a day and the V6 has been a lot of fun. The only thing I would have asked for: bluetooth, but I know this is now an option on the newer models. Why I no longer own it? I am buying a 2008 4 Cyl for better gas mileage and I wanted a 4 dr.

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  Nice car; with some problems, though. - 2016 Honda CR-V
  By ECM - January 19 - 9:22 pm

  Bought 9 months ago; its been a good car so far. Theres some niggles, though; I wont sell it any time soon but I likely wont get another, either. Pros: 1. Well made, with thoughtful comfort features (other than the info/entertainment system). 2. Can be zippy off the line with enough gas pedal, not really a sporty vehicle though. I like the CVT. 3. Great gas mileage on secondary highways - I commute 70 miles on 35-55 mph roads every day, I get a consistent 36-37 MPG. *BUT* see cons below.... 4. Nice to drive. Hard to quantify, but its become the favorite car for everyone in the household, beating out the previous number one, a turbo Jetta. 5. The right lane camera is nice, now that Ive had it I want it on my other cars. 6. With real snow tires mounted, it could go ANYWHERE in the winter - here in NH, thats saying something. Cons: 1. Info/Entertainment/Bluetooth system. Good sound, but otherwise poorly thought out; have to pay too much attention to it while trying to drive to get it to work at all. Voice recognition works about as well as it does in my 2011 Odyssey - ie, not at all. Ive given up on the phone menus; I dial from my phone, its easier and less distracting - Google Voice actually works. 2. Honda iLink is only useful for iPhone, not Android; I realize iPhone has 60% of the North American market, but what about the other 40%? 3. You CAN attach an iPhone to the screen, but only if you buy a $150 cord. 4. Poor shoulder-check visibility. Good thing theres a right lane camera, but needs one on the left, too. 5. And the biggest problem, IMO: Freeway mileage sucks - I get 27 MPG on 75 MPH freeways (compared to 37 mpg on 50 MPH roads). My Odyssey, a vehicle twice as big, gets exactly the same. The engine may not be quite big enough for the vehicle at these speeds, the aerodynamics may be optimized for city driving, the AWD may introduce too much drag at freeway speeds - just guesses, though. Conclusion: - Good grocery-getter vehicle, especially if you are and AM radio type; you dont cotton to that consarned "technology" stuff, and "Blue Tooth" is something that happens after you get into a fist fight. - Not a long-distance highway cruiser; look elsewhere. The poor mileage suggests the car is working too hard at normal interstate speeds. - Honda needs to hire some human interface engineers and completely re-vamp the entertainment system interface.

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  2001 Honda Odyssey - still going strong - 2001 Honda Odyssey
  By ResIspaLoq - January 19 - 1:43 pm

  This minivan has always been fun to drive. The way this car was designed, with its tight wheelbase and good road feel made me think that Honda wanted to capture the Accord drivers and had to offer a performance car with the highest safety ratings. It was relatively expensive at the time, but if Im going to drive my kids and other peoples kids everywhere, I wanted to the safest car. At the time, we spent a lot of time driving to activities and vacations. Honda did have a transmission recall, and did the whole replacement for free. We also liked the fact that you could convert the rear seat, which is not something other vans were capable of doing at the time.

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  Quality over aesthetics - 2008 Honda Pilot
  By welshguy - January 19 - 12:12 pm

  With 4 months and 3,000 miles now logged I feel I can offer some insight. With the Honda nameplate you obviously are getting a quality vehicle. Im planning on getting 10 years/110,000 miles out of it and then handing down to my son in elementary school for college use. I did lots of research beforehand and wanted the optional 3rd row w/out having a huge vehicle. Bingo! My colleagues piled in for a trip with the 6 1" guy choosing to sit in the way back. He said he was comfortable...but he didnt look it. They all commented on how much bigger it looked and felt inside than what they thought it would be. I upgraded from a Jeep Gr. Cherokee, and this is hands-down far superior.

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  Fun, Good Power, lacking some features - 2007 Honda Accord
  By S. Paul - January 19 - 7:00 am

  Just got my 07 EX-L 2.4L Graphite Pearl. Very comfortable seats, leather is good quality. A bit sluggish out of the gate normal w/4 cyl. On fwy passes with ease and seems to be in its groove around 2500+rpms. There are 3 things lacking. 1) fog lights should be standard on all EX-Ls. 2)Moonroof should fully open without having to hold the button down 3)Door locks should automatically lock when shifted in into drive and auto unlock when shifted into park. All of these features though can be added to the car later if you really need them. The fog lights are readily available and also electronic after market modules for both the automatic door locks and moonroof.

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  2003 ODY - 2002 Honda Odyssey
  By MarkinNewark - January 19 - 2:00 am

  This is our second Odyssey. These are the only two vehicles we have owned where I have agreed to pay full MSRP. That grinds on me from time to time. First ODY was a 1999 and the engine power between the 99 and the 03 is amazing. 50 more horses..Kudos to the Honda engineers. Simply put, we love this van. Resale value much higher than other vans.

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  Great car - 1999 Honda Accord
  By Anuj - January 19 - 2:00 am

  Hondas are truly great cars....

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  OWNERS OPINION - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By MIKE GREGORY - January 19 - 2:00 am

  PERFECT CAR FOR ME ,HOWEVER TH WORST RADIO SYSTEM I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 57 YRS ON EARTH