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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  Great Car! - 2012 Honda Civic
  By scguy2013 - October 11 - 2:28 am

  Just purchased the car today, first of great car and all the reviews from those other guys are wrong, I did not hear any excessive wind noise. Interior is great! The two tier dash worked for Honda and the color changes and the I-Mid, really stand out for the "wow" factor for me. Rides great, so far fuel economy is wonderful. The slanted hood will take some getting used to, my previous car was a 96 Acura, so the hood was long and could judge your distance better.

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  Pretty decent llittle car. - 2008 Honda Accord
  By Mujhunter - October 10 - 11:43 pm

  I have had the car for nearly six months now and overall I am pretty satisfied with my purchase. The two door coupe is very comfortable and roomy and draws plenty of attention. The seats are decent, the interior design is excellent IMO as well as the exterior design, and thus far it has been extremely reliable. The build quality could be a tad bit better (less wind noise), but its not horrible. I looked at a ton of cars before this purchase many of which were entry level luxury sedans costing 5-10k dollars more and could not justify buying any of them over the accord. You get a lot of car loaded with options for the money. I paid 26k for mine before tt&l.

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  Best in class - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By GM-owner - October 10 - 8:10 pm

  This is a great SUV. It has a lot of room, good power, handles well for an SUV and has very good build quality. It has more room than a Trailblazer and gets the same gas mileage as a Suzuki Grand Vitara. I get 20 MPG in mixed driving and I got about 16 MPG with my old Trailblazer.

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  Good car so far - 2008 Honda Accord
  By sydney - October 10 - 2:26 pm

  Overall very good car so far. Had it for a few days and no complaints. I had qualms about the exterior but its growing on me. I was thinking about getting the 2009 acura tsx but opted for the 08 accord because it was more roomier, family friendly, used regular fuel, and cost several thousand less. Biggest plus I think is the roominess of the interior and the trunk. Fits a full sized stroller with plenty of room left.

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  So far so good - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By So far so good - October 10 - 1:58 pm

  Good mid size SUV. Honda reliability with nice interior features. The ride is adequate and better than most SUVs I have driven. This is expected from an elevated ride with this much weight. Excellent horse power and turning radius. The gas mileage is a bit lower than I would like but I compromised as I wanted an SUV.

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  My 1998 Honda totaled. - 1998 Honda Civic
  By David J. Measer - October 10 - 1:06 pm

  In Sept. 2005 a van ran a red light into the passenger door of my Honda. I had 44000 miles on it and consistently got between 30 and 34 miles per gallon. Im in the process of trying to find a replacement

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  Honda Accord Scores - 2008 Honda Accord
  By Larry S. - October 10 - 12:13 pm

  The 2008 Accord EX-L V6 is refined styling both inside and out. The first thing I noticed is the firm leather seats and busy dashboard. I managed to program in some XM stations on the ride home from the dealership. Pick up is great from stop or merging on the highway at 60 mph. Navigation is not intuitive but does accept voice prompts. I have had to spend some time reading through the navigation owners manual to help get a handle on it. To my great surprise the automatic mileage calculator has me at 24 mpg in town. The Accord has a very european feel on the inside which reminds me of the BMW 3 series. Extra perks such as tire pressure monitoring and heated seats are great.

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  Update, ~3850 miles - 2007 Honda Civic
  By JMB - October 10 - 5:00 am

  My first review still stands: all-around amazing car. Now I just have a couple nitpicks: The visors are rather poorly designed. The driver-side has already broken (presumably occurred after the plastic softened in the heat of a summer day). I have a hairline crack on the inner driver-side door release, which prevents it from returning flush with the housing much of the time.

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  We Like It - 2007 Honda Odyssey
  By mlucas2007ody - October 9 - 8:23 pm

  good highway mileage 24-25.5, love the XM stereo with subwoofer, handles good even in rainstorm, fun to drive, sunroof is nice even when open, city mileage 13-18 (keep your foot out of it for the 18), great acceleration including highway speeds, van loves to go fast 70-80 no problem, good visibility thru glass and mirrors, comfortable in rear seats, front seat a little hard, steering wheel needs to extend out a little further for tall drivers, kids like the TV and game hookups, overall package we love it.

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  Could be better! - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Jim Collis - October 9 - 7:57 pm

  I purchased the Honda because of the fine reviews that I read on the internet but I was disappointed after I was able to put a few hundred miles on it. First of all, the gas mileage is HORRIBLE and not better than my Expedition. I only average 13 m.p.g. with mostly highway driving. Honda acknowledged the problem and hopefully they will address it. Next, the road noise is VERY high while on the highway. I keep thinking that a window is open somewhere. Also, after 70 m.p.h., the front wheel starts to shake. I took it to the dealer and they could not find the problem yet. The Pilot also seems unstable at highway speeds and drivers should be careful not to make sudden lane changes.