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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  Better than my Camry - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Suzaroo - October 9 - 3:36 pm

  My husband leased this car in November, but only got to drive it home from the dealership, because I love driving it! It replaces a VW Passat wagon (which I HATED!), and now he uses the Camry instead of me. After a few days adjusting to the "feel" of the car, I have not had any problems dealing with handling, manuevering, etc. It rides like a giant car, not like a truck. With 2 young children, the DVD player is a godsend! It kept them occupied for the 5+ hour ride from Philly to Pittsburgh and back one recent weekend.

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  Great SUV! - 2006 Honda Pilot
  By Labrynth - October 9 - 6:43 am

  Pros: Space, power, storage, safety. Cons: mileage, non-optional 3rd row, non opening back glass I bought a 2006 Pilot EX 2WD almost 1.5 months ago and have put ~ 1200 miles on it. Ive done a pretty even mix of highway and city driving and a good mix with the A/C and without. When I decided I wanted to trade in my 99 Nissan Sentra I knew I wanted something that could easily haul around 2 big dogs and possibly 3. The 3 in the running ended up being the Toyota Highlander, Saturn Vue and the Pilot. To be honest after only a few miles I knew a Pilot was what I wanted. The others just didnt compare. It handles well and came with a lot of standard things other SUVs didnt have.

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  Honda Winner - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Ron - October 9 - 2:36 am

  An all around outstanding SUV. Looked at several other SUVs ranging from the domestics and so-called hi-end european models. The Pilot won hands down for my wife and myself. It has a wonderful balance of performance and luxury with an emphasis on relaibility. We also own a Honda CR-V and rely heavily upon its reliability and durability.

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  Fantastic Value - 2016 Honda Civic
  By Reed - October 8 - 11:30 am

  This is my 4th Honda! 2008 Honda Civic great car! 2015 CRV NOT a great car... Now this... I read some reviews of this car where people were comparing it to an Audi and I just did not believe it... So I went and test drove it and WOW. Ok this is not an Audi but its a massive step forward from what the Civic has been in the past. It feels very up scale when you sit in it as quality of the interior and seeing it in a parking lot reminds you of a german luxury car look. Also as far as I could tell not one part of the interior of the car had parts from any other Honda its ALL new designs! I think maybe the cabin lights are the same as the old Civic... Drive: (9/10 for a small lowish cost car) The steering is very agile and quick to respond. I love the new steering wheel its a lot thicker then any Honda I have been in. Cornering is above average you dont have a lot of feedback as to what the wheels are doing... But I dont mind this is not a race car. Suspension is vastly better then what I had in my old Civic and I like it more then my CRV. Its more sporty feeling and controlled yet soaks up bumps well enough. Noise in the cabin is much less then I expected for the price of this car by far more quiet then my old Civic and I think its even more quiet then the CRV (I did not measure just how I feel...) Performance (9/10 for a small lowish cost car) I think I saw on car and driver they say this will do 0-60 in 6.8 and if you compare that to the BMW 320 its 6.6 0-60. So for the cost of this car I think it has plenty of power. Way more fun to drive compared to the 2008 version. Now you do have to floor it to get the performance because the throttle response is tuned to more of an economy setting but that is ok. So far I am getting over 30 MPG in city driving loving that and if I need the power its there. One thing with the turbo you have a bit of a dead spot in the power band in stop and go traffic but its really not that big of a deal for me just wanted to note it. Also of all the CVT haters out there I am loving this transmission! Its so smooth and if you research it they are proven to be better overall for most people to get maximum performance at all times since it has almost infinite gears vs. a 6 speed and you get better mileage! One thing... Honda seems to have added fake shift points to this CVT BOO!!!! just let it work how its intended you dont need to fake them PLZ HONDA (Ignore the haters)!!!! Confort and space (8.9 for a small lowish cost car) I love the new seats they put in these cars and the leather feels great! Its a great balance between sporty and comfort. I think for long trips the front seats have enough room for most any one. The back seats have a lot more then the old Civic but they are still a bit small but most people would fit no problem maybe on an all day driving trip the back might be a bit small and if you were really tall the roof does come down a bit back there. I am 5.10 and did not have any issue... 6 foot would. Cargo area / trunk is improved over the old civic enough for most wanting a small car I think. I dont like how the back opens seems like its not as wide of an opening as the old civic had. I also dont like that the passthrough when the seats are down does not go completely flat. A note... I have seen some cars come with cargo compartments under the trunk floor I think that would be a nice add on... Seems like a low cost thing why not? Entertainment and other (8.0) One of the things that convinced me to buy this car was the Apple Car play built in. So far it has worked great! I love using it to navigate and getting my messages and music info right in the dashboard. (Love the digital gages(MPH and RPM)! Why is this not in all Hondas!) So for the Honda stuff I do like it better then whats in my 2015 CRV (Its about 4x as fast and a bit cleaner interface). What is odd when comparing it to the CRV is that when you do the lane watch (camera to watch the traffic in the right side of the car... Love this feature!) the CRV is so slow to activate the camera guessing the CPU in that is less powerful then whats in the Civic. So that being said with the Honda stuff its just ok nothing too fancy it gets the job done. One other thing I like is the volume control the steering wheel is touch sensitive so you can slide your thumb on the steering wheel to adjust the volume cool stuff. I do thing the sir / voice button on the steering wheel could be bigger... I use it a lot its hard to distinguish compared to the other buttons. One last down side is that I wish I had gotten the touring because the speakers in this version are not that great. If you dont like bass then these sound very good they have high highs and great mids but not much bass. I wish I could have an option for an upgraded sound system in the EX L version oh well... So over all I love this car I am very happy with my decision to get this. I will update as I get more miles put on the car...

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  Best Vehicle So Far - 2005 Honda Odyssey
  By Marejoe - October 8 - 6:43 am

  Fun and easy to drive. Comfortable and makes all family members happy, with heated seats and dvd, plus plenty of room for 3 kids, and plenty of cargo space for a family of 5s road trip.

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  Its a great looking, great value, all around fun. - 2016 Honda HR-V
  By Bob - October 8 - 1:31 am

  I would Test drive a few models before purchasing.

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  EXCELLENT FUN - 2004 Honda S2000
  By SHARK - October 7 - 10:00 am

  JUST AN AMAZING CAR TO DRIVE--THE PICK UP OUT OF 2ND OR 3RD GEAR IS AWESOME. POWER ON HIGH END. COMFORT IS GREAT, CONSIDERING I AM A LARGER GUY...GREAT HANDLING TOO...

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  Its all good! - 2004 Honda Accord
  By Silver Beauty - October 7 - 10:00 am

  Forget about the Camry. Forget about the "Psssssssst." This stylish Accord has sleek lines, curves, and a redefined rear-end. Top it off with the NAVI and XM and youre all set. The NAVI encompasses state-of-the-art technology in an easy-to-use format. The TL is nice, but do you really want to shell out the extra bucks? With almost 30MPG on a 240-HP V6, this car is fuel efficient, yet loaded with power.

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  Best Accord so far- - 2004 Honda Accord
  By NJDiver - October 7 - 10:00 am

  This is my 5th Honda Accord since 89 -Great mileage (27 city with only 500 miles on the car), safety features including side curtian bags standard this year with leather. Lots of room in the back seats, great ride and all the things that makes it a relaxing, safe car to spend the day in. I looked and drove the Acura TSX, Volvo S40 and S60, Maxima, Passat and this is by far the better value and has more room and features at a lower price and the Accord doesnt require premium gas like the other cars I test drove. All my Hondas have been very reliable and my 94 EX Accord with 143,000 miles is now my sons and trouble free with just normal oil, brakes etc.

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  Excellent Car! - 2007 Honda Accord
  By Happy Honda Owner - October 6 - 9:26 pm

  I have owned my 4-cylinder EX-L w/Nav since July 07, and I have been very happy with it. I hope this new car will be as trouble-free and reliable as my two previous Hondas. The fit and finish of this car is excellent - no cheap-feeling or cheesy-looking materials. The leather feels durable and supple. The instrument panel is easy to see and all of the controls are within easy reach and are easy to operate. The car has plenty of get-up- and go - no problem getting up to freeway speed or accelerating to pass cars. The ride on both the street and the freeway are very smooth and solid. Great fuel economy: 33 mpg highway.