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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  Honda Coupe - 2003 Honda Accord
  By gil sanchez - July 10 - 10:00 am

  Excellent get up and go with the 240 horse v-6. Much less enterior noise than previous models. Handles well and a comfortable ride all around. Smooth, clean edges and easy to maintain (wash, wax, etc.) Has a surprisingly adequate trunk space and very roomy front cabin. Back is a little tight in the coupe but looks sharp with leather interior. Excellent sound system and 6-disc CD. The gold decal package on the black pearl model lookjs very classy. So far, very happy with this automobile.

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  Overall Happiness - 2006 Honda Civic
  By Michele - July 10 - 8:13 am

  Overall, I am very pleased. I was afraid it would not be roomy enough, but I was pleasantly surprised! Much more room than I thought. Only negative thing is you cannot see the front of your car. Makes it hard to pull into garage , but I will adjust! Many more positives! The reputation of HONDA, also is a great plus ~ the maintenance of the vehicle is easy also! Plan on keeping it for many years!!

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  Great Car - 2005 Honda Accord
  By Momma Watson - July 9 - 8:16 pm

  I am a mom of two small children. This is a great car for gas mileage, hauling my kids to birthday parties, etc. and I have been a Honda owner since 1994 so I am a firm believer in Hondas. They have never let me down, been very dependable, almost NO maintance at all. But this car has a 4 cylinder engine and it is not a very "fun" car to drive. But it is a great car and we have had no trouble with it at all. Highly recommend.

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  Nothing but trouble - GONE FROM BAD TO WORSE - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Rajkumar Swamy - July 9 - 4:49 pm

  It is for 2+ YRS own this car. recently found out that it does not have a SPARE tire and has been nothing but trouble all this time and still facing issues. 1. In the first 60 days, twice the vehicle abruptly stopped on the road with multiple error messages related to battery overheating and engine overheating. On both occasions, the dealership could not offer much resolution. In an oil change exercise, the software was patched and the issue went away. 2. The gas mileage: Occasionally my vehicle has given me 43+ mileage in the first 6 months and started dropping to 40 miles. However, since my oil change and a couple of filter change service the mileage has dropped to 35-36 miles/gallon. Have discussed with dealership with very little resolution 3. ACC(Adaptive Cruise Control) & FCW(Forward Collision Warning): On multiple occasions, in the last 12 months both these features use to malfunction based on ‘Radar obstruction’ and in the last 10 days they have stopped working including the disabling of regular cruise control operations. This has made my long drive to work a manual exhausting effort. The dealership that inspected has advised of expensive diagnostics and recalibration which I am not sure if I truly should pay for. Overall, though I love Honda and owned a Civic for 16 years that ran trouble free for ~200K miles would highly discourage anyone looking to buy a Honda Hybrid car based on above experience.

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  This Car Is Great!! - 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour
  By blackhawk - July 9 - 5:33 am

  Without a doubt Honda got it right this time. The car drives great, and the interior is very comfortable, plenty of leg room in the back. All of my co-workers love the exterior appearance. Ive only ownED this car for about a week and Im totally satisfied!

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  New Si is fun! - 2005 Honda Civic
  By Matthew - July 8 - 11:23 pm

  I wanted a vehicle I could move some band equipment around in but still be sporty and great on gas...SI is fantastic! Very quick, suspension is sporty, steering is tight and leaves you feeling like you are driving a race car not an economy car. My only complaints are it is a little high priced for other vehicles in its class and the Honda Factory Performance kit is very cool but way overpriced...

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  Overall a big plus with a few nits - 2008 Honda Accord
  By Ed C. - July 8 - 11:23 pm

  Reading the reviews has me puzzled; either people love the car or hate it. Honda always made cars that were more sporty than American cars and Camry. Had a 1994 Honda Accord with almost 120,000 miles on it and will miss it. Overall the car is great: more room, more power, just as sporty as always (firm seats/ride).

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  A good buy - 1997 Honda Civic
  By 986man - July 8 - 11:11 pm

  I bought this car late 2000 as my first car. It had about 69,000 miles and I have since run that up to almost 127,000. The cost of planned maintenance is low, tires are inexpensive, and oil changes at 4,000 mile intervals dont seem to matter. I have only had two unplanned maintenance issues: the ignition coil failed and the car shutdown. This was due to old spark plugs that I had not changed at the needed interval (my fault). Second, a CV joint cracked, although this was probably from normal wear and tear. Bottom line, very few unplanned issues over a LONG life :). Good reliabilty! The car (127 hp, auto trans) is not fast, but it handles well.

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  AVOID - Transmission Fails - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Christopher Mason - July 8 - 10:03 pm

  Bought a 2005 Pilot with 150k on the engine. Ran great and girlfriend loved it (her car) until the transmission just went out. This is a know issue and I really wish Id caught it before dumping $10k plus over $1k for new tires and breaks. Car didnt last a year. Bought Honda because like most we thought they ran forever. Never again.

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  not for elderly passengers - 2005 Honda Element
  By hawaiigirl - July 8 - 5:36 am

  I truely love to drive this car and its great for just 2 and the dog holds everything, but taking elderly passengers in the back seat can be challenging. They have a hard time getting up and in and getting out. With the front door open, there is no frame for them to hold on to and you need a lot of side space to open the back door. I have a sun roof which can be too bright for those in the back seat while traveling since there is no ceiling panel to close it off. Thinking about tinting it darker. Unless you are a basketball player, you need a ladder to wash this car.