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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  45000 miles later - 2005 Honda CR-V
  By Eroc69 - November 20 - 8:36 pm

  Bought my CR-V in Dec.of 04, over 45000 miles on it. Biggest complaint is the pulling to the right. Have had it in numerous times and they always say "Its in alignment, even tire wear" OK fine, I can live with it cause I put on Michelin Hydro-edge tires and they find the road groove-crown. I cant get more than 20MPG no matter how hard I try. Noisy ride but reliable. I feel pretty safe, feel safe with wife and kids in it. I just had the tranny oil changed, it was black, should be reddish. Had the rear diff. cleaned- serviced. Trans is smoother I recommend it but its no speedy Cross over Vehicle, more of a reliable all weather ride. Needed tires too at 20K

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  You have disappointed me Honda - 2011 Honda Civic
  By John - November 20 - 7:24 pm

  Let me start by saying, I love Honda.....or should I say loved Honda. My first car was a 93 Del Sol. What a blast that car was to drive. Taking your targa top off and blasting the radio, while listen to the cold air intake give your 4 banger some grumble. The love I developed for that car as I took her to 210,000 miles made me a believer in Honda. As much as that car made me love Honda is as much as this Civic has done too make me hate Honda. Now that is a bold statement so let me explain. Honda uses the cheapest and worst paint known to man kind. After two years on the road, the front of my purchased brand new with 7 miles on it Honda looked like it had been driven in multiple sand storms in Iraq. The paint on this car chips off with the slightest of ease. If you think I am crazy read reviews on 03 to 07 Honda vehicles.... apparently Honda still hasnt figured out how to fix their paint problem....or maybe they just dont care. Further more, I have a heat shield near the manifold the vibrates. I am familiar with this happening on older vehicles where shields rust off, (hell, I drove a del sol up to 210,000. Everything rusted off that car) but a 3 year old (at the time it started) vehicle should not experience this problem. Now to the ECM. A animal chewed the wires on my O2 sensor causing my check engine light to come on. (I own that this is not Hondas fault, but what comes after is) Easy fix it seemed, I bought a new O2 sensor at Autozone and changed it out, reset my codes, took it for a test drive, and low and behold the light came back on. Next I check all the fuses, painstakingly checking each circuit with a meter (thinking it blew a fuse). Everything checked out fine, so I now ordered the Bishko repair manual for the vehicle, so I could get a detailed view at the schematics for the O2 sensor circuit. Turns out there is no fuse for the O2 sensor, so when the animal chewed the wires insulation away, the open wires now touched. When I went to start the vehicle, unknown that the wires were chewed, it shorted the circuit frying the ECM! What should have been a simple O2 repair and fuse switch out, turned into a $150 used ECM install and a $100 reprogramming fee by the dealership. If I had the dealership do this it would have cost upwards of $600. Now happy me, my car is working again, except that 4 months later I hear a clanking noise coming from the serpentine belt. So I assume this is the drive belt auto tensioner. I purchase a new drive belt and tensioner. Work for a few hours removing stuck on bolts in areas I can barely get a finger into. Cuss a lot, replace it all, get it back together, start the vehicle and the clanking noise is still there. Well now I have brought you up to the present day. My next move is to check the A/C compressor, which I have to imagine is the problem now that I have ruled out the auto tensioner. Why a vehicle with 59,000 miles on it requires a new A/C compressor is beyond me. For those of you who dont know, an after market auto tensioner and belt can be had for about $75, And an A/C compressor for about $300. Take this to a mechanic and your looking at $800 + repair bill. Take it to the dealership and you will have a $1000 + bill. I bought this Honda so I wouldnt have to work on my car anymore expecting to be repair free till at least 120,000 miles. Now at 60,000 miles I feel like this car is failing apart. This vehicle has no impressive interior features, very basic. The steel wheels are too wide for the cars weight. This gives you improved cornering in the summer, but driving in the snow, this car slips all over, even with studded snow tires. I regret purchasing this car, as it has given me the same reliability of an ex-girlfriends Suzuki, which I was forever under the hood of......well maybe not quite that bad... but it has finally made me say, "maybe next time I try Toyota".

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  Mileage as advertised - 2007 Honda Civic
  By bdpecci - November 20 - 7:10 pm

  I was skeptical of the mileage, but I was getting approximately 40 mpg in the coldest part of the winter and 42 mpg when the temps were in the 40s. Recently the temps were in the 50s - 70s, and Ive been getting 49 mpg. The Civic is my commuter vehicle and I drive 42 miles to work and back each day on country (45 mph) and highway (65 mph). Im in Ohio so its generally flat. I also do not accelerate rapidly.

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  Old mule never dies - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Wayne - November 19 - 7:45 am

  I have a 2005 Honda Pilot with 226,000 miles on it. Had to replace one speed sensor in all this time. Great ride, a lot of room and a great car.

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  Happy with my Fit - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Happy - November 19 - 5:46 am

  This is a great car for the size and price. It does not feel like you are in a small car while driving it. There is ample space in the front seat area. We are tall and have no problem. I love the mpg monitor even though it does run 2-3 mpg higher than calculated mpg. Most of my driving is stop and go and mpg have been ~29. USB input is great. The controls on the dash are large and easy to operate, very user friendly. The car heats up quickly in the cold. I did add the arm rest center console and it is nice. The engine does get loud when I hit the gas too hard. Overall this car is fun to drive and I am so happy I have it.

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  Great car - 2007 Honda Accord
  By Kim - November 19 - 5:16 am

  I tested several cars...Accord, Camry, Altima. I tried to test a Impala and G6, but the salesmen were not very helpful. The 07 Accord was my first test drive, and the Salesman said I would be back. And I was. best decision I mad. Ive had the car over a week now, and have driven ~800 miles. Its great on gas, comfortable, and the style is classic (with some sporty type features...mud flaps, window deflectors, and rear spoiler).

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  Good little car, but miss my SUV - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Tina B - November 18 - 9:16 pm

  The Fit is definitely a good car, but I am suffering a serious case of buyers remorse. I had an SUV before getting the Fit. Do your homework for sure. I did not get a good deal on it, which is part of my regrets. I think you can get a lot more car for the same price if you went with a Mazda 3 for example. I really wish I would have gotten that instead. Gas mileage is good, but the on-board gauge is off. When it says Im getting 37 mpg, it really is around 32. Still good, but instrument is unreliable. You have to pay extra for many features that are standard for other models. Insurance higher than on previous SUV. Check w/ your agent first.

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  Honda LX Sedan - 2009 Honda Civic
  By bbk - November 18 - 3:36 pm

  This a very nice car for the money. It has good features at this price point and more standard features than the Nissan Sentra I owned previously.

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  Economy and utility - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Bryncrrd - November 18 - 1:23 pm

  The Honda Fit was purchased for economic utility, and it serves those ends admirably. It is very well designed and, as far as I can tell at this point, very well manufactured. The interior space, when all the rear seats are folded flat, is amazing. The front seats are fr more comfortable than they look, although the upholstery seems to attract every bit of fluff in the area. Its not a vehicle that flourishes at high speeds; the engine becomes very busy and high-speed stability is not a strong point. But for the purposes cited above, I know of nothing to equal it currently available on the market.

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  I love this car! - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By kfohoro - November 18 - 8:25 am

  I rarely write reviews of anything I buy so for me to write this review really says something. I have had my Accord Hybrid EXL for 6 weeks and so far I love it. I commute 50 miles round trip per day in stop and go traffic. I absolutely hated driving but now I (almost) look forward to it! The leather interior looks great and is very comfortable. The bluetooth feature and is my favorite. The cars exterior design is very cool and sleek. The ride is extremely quiet and the gas mileage is great. I am actually surprised from other reviews that others are averaging less than advertised. From my calculations I am getting 48-49 mpg, but I do drive less aggressively than I used to and keep it on the ECO setting all of the time, so that could make a difference for some people. Before I bought this car, I did a great deal of research. Based on my needs, it is the perfect car for me. I cant say enough good things about it. If you are in the market for a hybrid I highly recommend this car.