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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  I love my car - 2007 Honda CR-V
  By ellen downing - February 24 - 11:43 am

  Had the 2006 crv traded it in for the 2007 i love my car it handles awesomely and it looks great dont want to stop driving it

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  Little Green Box - 2004 Honda Element
  By Green Box Driver - February 24 - 10:00 am

  OK folks. Try parking this box next to the Civic and holy moly! The Element is a pleasure to drive. Those who love it will love it and those who dont well... I just want to get in my little green box and go go go. Oh everyone, factory floor mats are for sale.

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  The Ride of the Future - 2004 Honda Element
  By loyd - February 24 - 10:00 am

  Honda has outdone itself by putting everything a consumer could possibly want within arms reach in the Honda Element EX. Styling and sophistication create a fun to drive vehicle with plenty of get-up-and-go when you need it. One merely needs to ride inside to realize this isnt a "box on wheels". Smart car. Smart money. Lots of fun.

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  Excellent Sedan - 2009 Honda Accord
  By NewHondaFan - February 24 - 9:50 am

  My wife and I love the car. The standard safety features are excellent. We first planned on getting a LX, but chose an EX instead for its upgraded engine and moonroof, both of which are worth the extra money. Having owned a Camry in the past, we are extremely pleased with Accords driving performance and how we feel the road. Dont worry about the road noise or seat comfort (lack of). We also looked at Altima, Camry, and Prius, but we thought Accord had the best overall value. Go and test-drive for yourself.

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  Sold On Honda - 2001 Honda Civic
  By Krzyldy - February 24 - 4:30 am

  With commuting 75 miles each way, every day to work in bumper to bumper or 80mph to stop in a hurry traffic,2 major inclining sets of hills on the way, this is the car! Comfortable, roomy,sharp handling,efficient with gas and repairs.RETAINS ITS VALUE! I have a 96 civic LX with over 200K and still going with only replacing the battery and tires. First civic was a 79 and got 800K out of it! GO HONDA!!!

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  2017 Accord Hybrid Meets Expectations - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Tom Lombard - February 24 - 4:14 am

  I’ve had my EX-L for a week and it has lived up to its rave reviews. Its technological advances make a plug-in hybrid moot or obsolete, especially the improved hybrid drive system. It is succinctly superior to the two Civic Hybrids we have been driving since 2006. This car is well made, comfortable, nicely appointed, fairly quiet, responsive and overall pleasant to drive. I never thought I’d buy another Honda because its dealers are so difficult to deal with on warranty claims, but this car is worth that risk. The safety features including Lane Departure and Collision mitigation are welcomed by two seniors whose driving skills are diminishing. This car makes driving safer for us, plus it has many convenient features like automatic locking, resetting trip odometer on fill-ups, extensive voice control, smartphone integration, etc. (which are more or less found in comparable new cars, but nonetheless pretty cool). Mileage is true to its estimate with 46-48 easily obtained and you can get 50 if you are careful, especially in city driving. My only criticisms are no driver’s side blind spot indicator and the collision mitigation does not bring the car to a complete stop in an emergency. Having said all these nice things about the 2017 Accord Hybrid, we still preferred the updated Toyota Prius Touring model because of higher mpg, more safety features, quieter driving with better handling, and $4500 lower price, but we disqualified that car because the rear window was small and obstructed by a spoiler. UPDATE 2/18/2017. After 16,000 miles of Wisconsin driving, my review is the same. I can also offer some explanation for the lower than expected mpg reported by some reviewers. The two primary reasons drivers dont get 45-52 mpg are bad driving habits and winterized gasoline. This car, like other hybrids, is sensitive to fast starting and late braking, which will significantly reduce mpg. Using the visual cues on the dash for maintaining high driving efficiency helps a lot. Winterized gasoline has 10-15% less energy, so you will get a significant dropoff with any car. Other facets of winter driving have a lesser but noticeable effect, like wet and icy roads and greater battery usage for heating. Still, these factors also apply to non-hybrids, so you are still much better off with this car and so is the environment.

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  2008 Honda Civic EX - 2008 Honda Civic
  By BT - February 23 - 5:13 pm

  Fun car to drive. Easy to handle. Good vision. Like the dash and controls. Dont know real gas mileage yet. Radio is great. Navigation is superior to add-on versions. Hits the road very well for a vehicle this size. Value for what we paid is good.

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  It was Love at First Sight!!! - 2006 Honda Civic
  By Patricia - February 23 - 4:30 pm

  This car has everything. Reliability, comfort and safety. I looked at the VW jetta and i felt the drivin performance on the civic was much better. The illumination on the dashboard is amazing. Everything about the car is perfect. I would recommend this car to anyone.

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  1994 civic cx - 1994 Honda Civic
  By webster - February 22 - 12:23 pm

  i bought this car for $1400, i was looking for a cx, in red, a 5 speed, and only a hatchback. took me almost 4 years to find exactly what i wanted. 165,000 miles on it, burns a little oil but runs great. cant believe how much people are paying for repairs. ive replaced the radiator, used $25, fuel pump replaced new $40, turned out it was the fuel pump relay, $30. took less than 5 minutes to replace. want consistent 40+ mpg? get good radial tires and run tire pressure around 38 psi, and learn to drive. this car has plenty of power for the 1.5 liter 8 valve motor. run it with super unleaded, big difference, a few cents more but im getting as high 46 mpg and actually got 51 mpg on a recent trip. open a book people, learn to fix your own car, very easy to repair. i dont need ABS, or cruise control, seats are comfy but i dont weigh 250 pounds or move like a sloth. cupholders too small, dump the big gulp and get a bottle of water. of course the interior may break, its plastic, and it gets brittle, its almost 25 years old. parts to replace or repair are so cheap, it just make sense to buy a civic.

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  Great Sport - 2017 Honda Accord
  By Steve - February 21 - 5:02 am

  Great car for a great price