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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  Shake, rattle and roll - 2003 Honda Accord
  By fed_up_with_Honda - January 2 - 4:46 pm

  Good design, good technology. Very poor build quality, reminiscent of 70s GM. Too many rattles to list (dash, seatbelt adjuster, exhaust, etc). A/C clunks every time it cycles on. Brake pads worn out at 30000 miles (under warranty). I had similar problems in a 95 Civic. Since manufacture moved to North America, QA has gone way down. (Sorry, but its the truth). I have owned many Hondas over the years (even motorcycles). But no more. Will no longer pay steep premium price for such poor quality. Will trade in on a Ford or GM. I expect the same quality problems, but will spend far less money.

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  DX-VP VP=very primitive - 2009 Honda Civic
  By first newcar - January 1 - 9:43 am

  First new car Ive ever bought. I had driven multiple cars, and did not realize this did not have keyless entry, no arm rest, not even floor mats until I was driving it home. I was furious. I brought it back. But they wanted an additional $4000 for the keyless entry and armrest. We were hoping to get the cash for clunkers, but they decided they couldnt do it because the computer system was overloaded. Then we were supposed to get 3.9% financing, but despite our exclnt credit we didnt qualify? We were at the dealership for five hours waiting for the car to be readied. During the test drive the salesman pointed out the adjustable steering wheel, but didnt mention all it lacked. Very unhappy.

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  Dont read if you want to buy Accord - 2004 Honda Accord
  By Marek - December 19 - 10:00 am

  Died 6 days after purchase - loose connectors caused engine to malfunction + valves not correctly set in factory. Squeaks near moonroof. Other than that it is a great car - fun to drive, great gearbox, superb acceleration. It would be nice to have power passenger seat + auto dimming mirror (Honda is to cheap to include that). It would also be nice to make trunk fit better especially around lamps. It would be very nice to make a car that does not squeak for at least 2-3 months after purchase... XM radio should be optional - useless in Atlanta (no traffic reports!)

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  MY CONDENSER WENT OUT ALREADY!!!! - 2003 Honda Accord
  By marco roman - December 19 - 2:00 am

  BECAREFUL WHICH HONDA DEALERSHIP U GO TO, I WENT TO MILLER HONDA IN VAN NUYS CALIFORNIA, AND RIGHT AFTER I SIGNED THE CONTRACT THIS GUY WALKED IN THERE TALKING ABOUT SUING THEM BECAUSE THE SALES PERSON TOLD HIM HE COULD PLAY DVDS ON THE NAVIGATION SYST. SCREEN, THIS IS SO TRUE BECAUSE THE SALESPERSON THAT HELPED ME, TOLD ME I CAN PUT A SUNROOF ON MY LX LATER ON, WHICH IS A LIE. VERY BAD SERVICE,MY CONDENSER WENT OUT ITS ALL IN THE OPEN, SO IT GETS HIT BY A LOT OF SMALL OBJECTS IT COST OVER $600.DOLLARS TO FIX!!!!I CALLLED THE CORPORATE OFFICE AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WERENT RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. SO MUCH FOR OWNING A HONDA VERY DISAPOINTED

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  So So - 2008 Honda Accord
  By nstrane - December 17 - 11:10 pm

  I did a lot of research before the purchase of my 2008 Accord EX-L. I looked at other cars like the infiniti G35 and 3-series. The Accord has some strengths 1) fuel economy 2) pickup 3) space 4) reliability. However, there are a couple of things that kill it for me 1) terrible driver seat comfort, kills my back 2) lack luster interior design, my Acadia has much better comfort 3) the VCM drives me crazy because the constant change in cylinder use is perceptible enough to be an annoyance. I will be trading this car in for a BMW 3-series in the spring.

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  Is it a lemon - 2006 Honda Civic
  By sacmike - December 17 - 10:20 am

  I am getting about 27/31 on the fuel economy, the spring on the seat belt retract device causes the seat belt to fly into the door panel cause small marks. The drivers door does not close unless it is slammed. the body panels on the drivers side dont line up like they should. Is this because it was built in america i wonder. The passenger airbag light comes on half the time. When the brake is applied and you hit a bump or going over rough terrain the brake pedal feels really wear, like something broke off or is loose. I think getting the air deflector for the sunroof is a must.

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  Extreme Road Noise - 2004 Honda CR-V
  By Rae - December 13 - 10:00 am

  The SUV handles well and doesnt eat gas, but is extremely noisey. The road noise is over baring and even drowns out the radio. It rides lower than other small SUVs. You can feel every bump. Also it rides a lot lower than other small SUVs. I am very sorry I bought it.

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  upgrade from the civic hybrid - 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By steve - December 13 - 5:14 am

  Once my civic hit 99k I decided it was time to upgrade comfort, power and size. When I saw the mileage ratings of 45/50 and read the reviews I was hooked. I purchased the car about 6 months ago and have driven 21K miles. AVG mpg since the start is 38.5. OK, I realize I drive a little faster than most (75 avg on hwy) and I also realize that I purchased the car in the dead of winter (which I am told will adversely affect mileage), but 10mpg under??. The ride is great, the comfort is great and overall I am happy with the vehicle. Is the car worth the extra money to upgrade to the hybrid?, not unless you keep it for 500,000 plus miles. Also I am having a couple of issues. 1 - There are about 25 paint chip marks on the very front of the hood, I never had this with any vehicle I have purchased (this is my 12th new purchase). 2 - There is a knocking sound on the passenger side when starting out or stopping that has been there from day 1, it almost sounds like a spring popping. I mentioned it when I was in for an oil change at the dealer but was told a mechanic was not available. So, I just made an appointment a week from now so we will see.

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  Its ok - 2004 Honda Accord
  By MH - December 4 - 11:20 pm

  I guess for the price (I paid $22K), the LX Accord is a good deal. I traded in my 01 VW Passat for the Accord and have regretted it EVERY DAY since! The car seems poorly made, the entire inside of the car rattles; we have yet to figure out what is causing the rattling after checking the glove compartment, visors and the storage area under the radio. Oh, by the way, the radio reception is TERRIBLE, the worst. I always listen to CDs as I can never get a clear radio station. The stock speakers are terrible. Also, the road noise inside the car is AWFUL. I do like the interior though, and I feel safe in this car, and most importantly, I feel like my 3 yr old son is safe.

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  I would save your money and shop other brands - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By Jordan - December 2 - 10:08 pm

  Simply put, I would save your money and aggressively shop other makes & models. I really tried to fall in love with this car for over a year but Honda missed the target by many hundreds of miles! First and foremost, it has the dreaded vibration issue that Honda has now quietly admitted to and issued a TSB to dealers - only it moves the vibration from lower speeds to higher ones so the problem isnt really fixed. But I cant dock them for that because I was aware of this going into the purchase. I have owned this car for well over a year and I have found the build quality to keep progressively getting worse. Every time I drive this car I notice a new squeak, rattle or vibration. It has been taken into the dealership many times for things such as brake shoes makes noise when changing directions, on occasion the starter will make a grinding noise on start up, the AC in this car barely cools the car in the summer, the drivers master window switch needed replacing because the auto up/down feature would not work intermittently, the fan speed will not work on the highest setting at random, and finally the interior sounds like it is falling apart during normal driving because the interior materials seem to be so cheap. Now when I mentioned these things to the dealership I was advised "this is all normal" - go figure! My favorite though, and I havent mentioned this to the dealership yet because Im watching this myself - the oil reading on the dipstick keeps getting progressively lower each time i check it. In other words I have reason to believe it may be burning oil. Every time I unscrew the oil fill cap, it is always white and milky underneath - it is as if coolant is mixing with the oil. Im only suspecting this because the coolant overflow tank was almost empty until the dealer filled it during an oil change. This is my conclusion and advice to you: In theory, this car is phenomenal! Good looks, great gas mileage (yeah bull sh** Honda), plenty of storage space and AWD - in theory. In reality, you as the consumer should run far away from this car and realize that what Honda is doing is standing behind a well known reputation for quality and reliability while mass producing garbage and selling it off to consumers. Honda needed to quickly update the CR-V in 2015 to be competitive which other CUVs on the market. Unfortunately they rushed the CR-V through the design phase and onto production so now the consumer who buys this product is left to work out the design flaws and bugs that Honda should have addressed before producing this vehicle. My parents owned a 2005 Honda Pilot (excellent vehicle) with almost 200K when it was traded for a 2015 Honda Pilot (very well made vehicle) - so we are a Honda family! When I was shopping for my next vehicle it was a toss-up between a Ford Explorer (Had a 1996 at the time that I loved!) or the 2015 Honda CR-V. I went with the Honda because I figured I would have no issues with reliability and you could get a top-level Touring for around 30k - more car for your money. I regret that purchase decision each time I get behind the wheel or see a 2015/2016 Ford Explorer zoom by me. Im not saying Honda as a whole company is bad, but this 2015 CR-V (and Im assuming the 2016 as well) are absolute garbage and I would highly suggest you shop other makes and models because there are much better options out there.