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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  wish i never bought it - 2009 Honda Accord
  By bwb - June 9 - 2:10 pm

  i bought this honda after all the hype about the need to "get out of american made cars". i had a buick lacrosse that i loved but the gas mileage was beginning to get to me. gas was $4.00 per gallon at the time. i was actually looking for a small suv but my husband talked me out of that. i hate driving this car. rough ride, unbelievable road noise (my dealership told me to turn the radio up! hah!). the seats are the worse!! leather--but the most uncomfortable i have ever owned. long trips are miserable. have taken 2 now and the passenger seat is horrible. my girlfriend sat in the back seat--said it was ok but sure was noisy. i truly wish i had never bought this car.

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  New 2013 Honda Accord Sport Sedan - 2013 Honda Accord
  By rockamatic - June 7 - 12:52 pm

  Theres a few minor issues I have with this new car. The drivers side rear-view mirror has this silly feature where it bends the image. So when youre on the highway and a car is coming up in the lane to your left, it appears that theyre turning into you. The first time I saw this I swerved and nearly drove off the road. The other thing is that the glove compartment door is very shiny. It reflects the light from the window, so you see constant flashing out of your right eye. Also your head is too close to A-pillar. Another thing, the newly designed car went way up in price. There are many comparable models such as the Kia Optima and the Hyundai Sonatoa, or even a Civic is a pretty nice ca

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  Very dissappointed! - 2003 Honda Accord
  By MarkS321 - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Had the car for a month and it has been in the shop for three weeks! Issues with stalling and rough idle! Why me!

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  Honda Infotainment System Like 2016 Flip Phone - 2016 Honda Odyssey
  By Craig - June 6 - 11:46 pm

  If car manufacturers are going to bombard interiors with standard electronics, the performance of infotainment systems will be a large part of my review. As such, the Honda Infotainment system in my 2016 Odyssey seems to be 5-6 years behind what I would expect in a new vehicle today. There is a wonderful wide screen on the dash and a touch screen lower down. When you test drive you are thinking, wow! that is pretty cool. But, you can only try so much of the Infotainment system on a test drive. So, after purchase when you sync your phone to your new van and realize, wait!....no Android Auto availability! It is available in other 2016 Honda offerings, but missing in the 2016 Odyssey. So the cool wide screen display on the dash is kind of worthless other than showing the Pandora song that is playing, or your trip computer information. So...overall the electronics are flashy but near worthless. Overall, the controls of the Odyssey Infotainment are clunky, slow to respond, and require far too much "eyes off the road" time. This is my second Odyssey, so other things Ive noticed are.....this van has much more road noise than my 2008 Odyssey. Dealer on the test drive suggested to turn up the radio....LOL. Also, the body quarter-panels and hood on this appear to be plastic or some other non-metal material and probably contributes to the added road noise. Cabin body panels are still metal. Overall, though, it still has good interior utility, decent interior materials (far better than the Sienna which I looked very closely at.) I like the drive and seat comfort of my 2016 Odyssey compared to my 2008. Overall, Im not disappointed in my purchase....it is still a great family mover. Im just disappointed/disenchanted that the electronics are so prevalent in the dash, but seriously lacking in useful functionality.

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  Rough Ride for passengers - 2003 Honda Element
  By Richard Russell - June 1 - 2:00 am

  Nothing but complaints from rear passengers. On windy days hard to handle steering. Only one arm rest for driver. Have to unbuckle to let out passengers in rear.

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  First ride impressions - 2016 Honda HR-V
  By Mark - May 31 - 12:56 am

  I really think this a decently well equipped vehicle. I seem to be different and unique to everyone else. This is Honda and as a Honda product it is well built. I get disappointed with vehicle options across the board and with all manufacturers. First, I absolutely despise black interior. Gray seats is an option but the door trim, carpeting , and trim panels are all black. I work in the construction trade. With the mud on my boots and dirt on clothing I hate black. It shows everything. Another disappointment is the Ex-L with Nav trim level. I wish an EX-L trim was available like on the C-RV. Factory Nav is a very pricey option. I have a smart phone. The factory system has screen mirroring and Bluetooth. I see no justifiable reason what so ever I should upwards of $1000 for a Nav system when a phone offers the features for free. In the bigger more expensive C-RV Honda takes this into consideration and offers Nav as a stand alone option in the EX-L trim. I live a area that gets alot of snow, but I drive about 45,000mi/yr. I wanted just FWD because of the 3MPG better highway fuel economy. I have used dedicated winter tires on all of my vehicles for many years. So far, I have held off on my purchase of an H-RV, as I can purchase a FWD C-RV EX-L w/o Nav for only a couple thousand more with current local incentives and market pricing.

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  Honda equals poor quality & reliability - 2002 Honda Odyssey
  By Disgusted in Seattle - May 28 - 2:00 am

  After putting up with various electrical anomalies, excessive road noise, and other issues, our Odyssey experienced sudden and total transmission failure at 37,000 miles. The dealer initially speculated that mice might have been dining on the wiring, not wanting to admit the chronic product defect plaguing these and other models since 1999. It is easy to see why Honda only warranties for 36,000 miles. We just traded it in on a Toyota taking a huge monetary loss in the process. After this experience will never, ever consider another Honda. And we run 6-8 cars typically buying a new one at least every other year.

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  Not Honda Quailty! - 2002 Honda CR-V
  By haasymon - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I owned one of these beasts of burdens,it was a horrible vechicle.First of all first day i had it pulled to the right,never could get it corrected.Pig on gas.Stalled on me while driving it on busy city street with my newborn baby son with me,the main computer had to be reprogrammed.Hard to handle in windy conditions,ever have a caes of white knucles.Aswell as 2 other recalls ,all this in less than one year.I owned a 93 Civic Si which went 300000 miles problem free other than regular maitence,Hondas quailty has slipped .Abs brakes aswell were terrible,its like they chattered and jumpy in wet or snowy weather!

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  disappointment - 2005 Honda Odyssey
  By mary - May 21 - 3:10 am

  My children encouraged me to purchase a Honda. After driving voyagers and caravans for almost twenty years,I was looking forward to moving up to a town and country, instead purchased the touring model of the Odyssey. The car was in the shop for over ten days, two trips to the dealership, two wasted days of my time, to fix an engine light on the dash. The touring model is supposed to have adjustable armrests, not so, and the dealer said it is within parameters. The interior finish is ok but not what I expected from Honda. Would I buy this car again? No, it is not worth 35,000.

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  My thoughts - 2006 Honda Ridgeline
  By Robert - May 19 - 11:13 am

  I have just over 8000 miles on the truck already. The motor is too small. It shifts a lot trying to keep up. I feel it would get better mileage with a bigger motor. Other than that it is a great truck, we use the trunk alot. In short, it needs more horsepower.