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:

• 

  Some disappointment - 2006 Honda Odyssey
  By Verla - May 24 - 2:48 pm

  I was disappointed to find out Honda took away the rear quarter vent windows, are now stationary. Also, the floor is not level, theres a good 3-5" slope from the tailgate down toward the front of the vehicle, making use for camping and dog shows very difficult. Im VERY disappointed in the mpg. I typically get better mpg than the window sticker but get way below the mpg of my friends Toyota Siennas.

• 

  Back to Honda - 2013 Honda Accord
  By suwish - May 24 - 11:10 am

  My last car was 2007 BMW 335i Coupe so I was worried about getting bored with a normal car. Not so with the Accord Sports 4D or the Coupe with paddle shifter. The 4 cyl is plenty powerful, quiet, great handling, & fantastic gas mileage. I got the Coupe LX-S which is the base model yet it came with bluetooth, auto temp control, back up camera, cruise. Missed my remote access but thats it. Back to lower maintenance cost, less gas, & feeling smart about getting good value. Got it at $22,393 with sticker at $24,990. Damn good car for the money.

• 

  Excellent (for a van).... - 2004 Honda Odyssey
  By ldc1956 - May 24 - 8:37 am

  We bought one of the last of these built prior to model styling change. Towards the end Honda offered DVD with cloth seating (EX RES) before, DVD was only available with leather. The Odyssey was one of the few models which would allow us to fit four car seats (4 kids under 4 yrs.) while enabling access for an adult to buckle 3rd row passengers without removing 2nd row car seats and occupants. Weve taken to turning off the interior light with the dash master switch because weve run the battery down several times when we didnt know one of the kids had switched on their overhead light. Other than the transmission lubrication recall, weve gone 22K miles with no repairs, just regular maint.

• 

  Go Green With Confidence In A Hybrid! - 2008 Honda Civic
  By SuzieQNC - May 24 - 8:23 am

  I love my 2008 Civic Hybrid! Great gas mileage 46 with combo hwy and city driving! Great handling! Good pickup - way better than the 2007 Camry I owned/endured for 6 months before getting rid of it and buying the Hybrid! The Civic Hybrid is quiet and well built. The gas engine shuts down when stopped to save gas! A major plus for traffic jams or a slow crawl in to work! Interior is spacious - only a few inches smaller than the 2007 Camry! Backseat is fairly roomy - not huge, but certainly adequate. Interior styling is nice - two tiered dash with digital mph readout, mpg calculator, outside temp, etc.

• 

  Honda Odyssey - 2006 Honda Odyssey
  By Joyce - May 24 - 6:13 am

  I am a first time Honda owner. This vehicle far surpasses all the other vehicles I have owned in my lifetime. The color is perfect, Desert Sand Metallic, the ease in driving is wonderful, as far as the cars performance I expect to have nothing but good things to say about it since I have only owned it for two days. I love the way the car handles and everything is in easy reach for the driver. Visibility is superb as is the sound system. I would heartily recommend this vehicle to any prospective buyer.

• 

  Excellent Van - 2006 Honda Odyssey
  By hartk84 - May 24 - 5:40 am

  The craftsmanship and attention to detail is awesome. Honda and Toyota are light years ahead of anything the US automobile companies are putting out. So far no complaints I will check back in a year to let you all know how things are going.

• 

  Odyssey 2005 - 2005 Honda Odyssey
  By Pazbien - May 23 - 10:16 pm

  Ever Since I purchased my odyssey 2005 I cant live without it. Excellent Handling, user-friendly features, smooth ride, excellent exterior design.

• 

  Honda rules! - 2008 Honda Civic
  By Jack in NorCal - May 23 - 7:46 pm

  This is my third Honda, and my first Civic. My last two were accords, both bought new. I just sold my 91, with 326k on the odometer, for $1,800! Looked and ran almost as good as new. You take good care of a Honda and itll return the favor. This Civic is an awesome little car, roomy, zippy, comfortable. The gas mileage is fantastic. I have a heavy foot and its hot where I live in the summer. I usually set the cruise control at 75, drive 50 miles a day, 5 days a week, with the A/C on, and Ive been averaging 34 mpg! The build quality is typical Honda, tight panel gaps, no creaks or rattles. Overall, I have zero complaints. Honda has done it again!

• 

  New Honda Loyalist - 2008 Honda Accord
  By RRoss95350 - May 23 - 5:36 pm

  I am a first time Honda owner, but I think that this will definitely not be my last. There are other vehicles out there that offer more economy, or power, or more comfort (usually at a much higher price point). But the Accord seems to be a perfect meld of all these facets, without sacrificing anything in the process. It has a great power to economy ratio, the leather seating and interior controls are functional, easy to use and comfortable. Trunk space is more than adequate, and the new exterior styling is just what this car needed to really pop. I purchased the EX-L Coupe 2.4L and at 30 miles per gallon, my wallet thanks me as well!

• 

  Good at being adequate - 2016 Honda HR-V
  By Patrick - May 23 - 5:12 pm

  I purchased a 2016 Honda HR-V LX AWD as my familys secondary vehicle which I occasionally use for work. I had previously owned a Jeep Renegade that I absolutely loved and my wife had a 2015 Subaru Crosstrek. (we traded in both our Renegade and a Subaru Crosstrek for a Jeep Grand Cherokee as we wanted something bigger and I had a company car at the time - then I switched jobs and lost the company car, so we needed something ASAP). My primary reason for getting the HR-V vs. the Renegade or Crosstrek was that for an equally equipped Crosstrek, I was looking at about $25,000, and for an equally equipped Renegade about $27,000. The HR-V came in at $22,500 sticker price. I liked the styling of the HR-Vs I had seen on the road, went by the Honda Dealership and got a great deal on a left-over 2016. I am now about 3,000 miles into owning the vehicle and my experience has been ... adequate. There is nothing overly exciting about the HR-V. It isnt a bad looking vehicle, but it isnt an eye catcher. It just kind of is what it is. I enjoy the handling of the HR-V, it is great for tight parking lots, around town and city traffic driving. There is a zippy, go-cart feel to the HR-V, reminiscent of driving around my old 1987 Honda Prelude I had in college. It is also surprisingly solid on the highway and has a solid, upright seating position that feels surprisingly like a real SUV (vs. complaints I always had with my wifes Crosstrek which felt unsecure on the highway and I felt like I was sitting on the floor). I have never had an issue with acceleration. I constantly see complaints about acceleration in other peoples reviews. Ok, if youre looking for a sports car, this isnt it. But one thing I feel everyone overlooks is that if you want better acceleration, there is a "sport mode" you can put the HR-V in which gives you just that at the expense of some MPG. The cargo / storage versatility of the vehicle is its high point as there is a lot of cargo space when the seats are down. The "Magic Seats" are a cool car showroom gimmick but I honestly have never used them nor do I see a need to. I have not yet had the opportunity to drive in bad winter conditions. Ok, now to the negatives: The MPG is not at all what I had hoped for. The Renegade I had averaged about 26 MPG mixed use, and my wifes Crosstrek averaged about 31. I am in 3000 miles right around 26 with 90% highway driving, sport mode off and eco mode on. I will get 30-31 on a straight highway trip, but I am not impressed considering the Renegade got that, and in the Crosstrek we would be at 40+ mpg with straight highway driving. I did not have either of those vehicles long enough to "break them in" either (both had around 10,000 miles when we traded them in, and I was getting that kind of gas mileage from the start). So I would say the HR-V falls short in terms of MPG. Also, the back seat is just plain awful. Yes, there is good leg room and head room (awesome actually), but the seat design is uncomfortable. The head reads fold down into the seat to provide the driver with better rear views. If you have someone sit in the back seat, you have to pull the head rests up. The seat back is still very low with the head rest providing most of your upper back support. It has a jump seat feel to it .. it might work for kids, but as a 510, 200 lb. adult, I found it to be very uncomfortable. Another complaint is that there are cheap materials throughout the vehicle. The deck of the cargo area is practically felted cardboard. I purchased the OEM cargo trey/liner which was not any better. The carpeted floor mats the vehicle came with are cheap so I purchased weather tech mats. My number 1 complaint is that with the LX non-leather version I have, the door sills are upholstered with fabric instead of a wipe able surface. This means that if it is raining and you open the door, it gets soaked. Since its fabric, it holds the moisture. I had to exit my vehicle in a parking lot downpour and the door became completely soaked. I am concerned how this will hold up over time. I also feel that Honda could have done better with the ground clearance. I bought a crossover AWD vehicle to handle NE Ohio snowstorms, beach driving, and the occasional camp road or muddy event parking field. With 6.7" ground clearance there is no chance for beach driving. Yes, I knew this going into buying the vehicle ... but considering the HR-Vs competitors all have 8+" of ground clearance, I feel like they missed the mark. I have scraped the underside of the nose on some parking space curbs - in my opinion that shouldnt happen with a crossover. Hopefully with the next generation HR-V, Honda will have made these small little tweaks which would turn an adequate crossover into a great one. By then, Ill probably have traded it in for a Renegade or Crosstrek.