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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  Its OK - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By JR111 - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Nice but overrated,I Paid $28,700. for this truck, I think it is overpriced

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  DONE BUY THIS CAR YET! - 2016 Honda Civic
  By steve russo - March 1 - 8:48 am

  I purchased this car three weeks ago and was initially very impressed , you get a lot of car for the money. Day one the blue tooth kicks me out after 54 seconds. So the next day back to dealer who sets up phone again, and 54 seconds later the phone is dropped. I have an older phone not a smart phone but it works great in our 2016 BMW and 2011 lexus. Third trip to dealer told my phone was old, but my wife i phone 6 only lasts 2 minutes. This a known problem with the civics, finally the tech guy looked at the car and said there are problems. Three weeks and under 300 miles and the radio system needs to be replaced. Skip this car for now , no loner no free oil changes just a headache.

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  Interior comfort questionable - 2005 Honda Odyssey
  By John - March 1 - 7:13 am

  As a tall male, the driver seat has a # of problems. The power seat will not go low enough for good site,if seat set back to provide leg room, cant reach the steering wheel unless you lower the steering wheel and then you cant see the speedometer. The side lumbar seat cushion is so narrow that you must be extremely small of hips or you are sitting in the seat well and on the sides of the seat. Very uncomfortable for trips of more than 3 hours. Outside temperature gauge is toggled with the odometer so you can either see your total mileage or outside temperature, but not both. For some strange reason you have two( 2) trip odometers in case you cant figure out how far it is on the return trip

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  Honda Civic Problems - 2008 Honda Civic
  By Mo - February 29 - 4:53 pm

  I downsized from a 06 Audi A4 to a Civic. This car has been nothing but problems. When I bought the car, part of the bumper was scratched and the dealer fixed it. Then my struts were making a creaking noises within weeks of buying the car, the dealer replaced the struts. I complained a couple of times about the air smelling horrible when the A/C was on and they couldnt fix it (they couldnt smell it). The car started to make a ticking noise within the past week and took it into a dealer close to my work. With 31k on the car, the dealer is telling me that I have burned out the clutch and I have to pay $500 for a new clutch! This is a junk car and would not recommend this car.

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  Brakes, Squeaks, and remote battery - 2008 Honda Accord
  By Ricky - February 27 - 8:26 pm

  Rear pads replaced at 30,0000 miles and I am easy on brakes. Remote battery dies in one year. Car rattles but Honda dealer cant find it. Very uncomfortable seat; metal bar in seat ripped through padding and fabric. Not up to Hondas reputation.

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  Good car with major flaw - 2015 Honda Accord
  By Jim M. - February 24 - 4:08 pm

  This is my 4th Honda always loved Honda and the current generation is good car but ruined by subpar suspension.Honda really dropped the ball on this putting such a poor suspension in such a nice car is a special kind of stupid obviously motivated by bottom line.Honda s/b ashamed offering a car with such a serious issue.

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  2015 CR-V Vibration/Shudder Issues - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By alta_56 - February 21 - 3:56 am

  This is our familys 6th Honda. I am quite sure that if Honda does not come up with a fix for this terrible vibration issue it will be our last ! All, I repeat all the new "So called SUVs of the year" have this problem. At idle around 500 to 600 rpms. Then again at 1100 rpms. And again at 2200 rpms ! The rpm range that you use to run around town. On the highway it seems to do well. Please , when you test drive one make sure the vehicle is warmed up and take a service tech with you. Do not just drive around the block ! Go out for 20 minutes. Also , this wonderful new CVT makes a high pitched whining noise as you are descending a steep hill. We are very disappointed with this purchase.

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  4cyl Accord Coupe LX - just OK - 2004 Honda Accord
  By accord_just_OK - February 15 - 12:13 am

  Bought the car new in 04. The a/c compressor turns on w/a nasty clunk (which makes a noise similar to a bad tranny). The doors and other interior parts rattle. The weather-stripping gets caught in the window when it goes down and makes a loud squeaking sound. Switching the hvac fan direction (blowing on feet to defrost, etc) makes a crackling/grinding noise. Of course the dealer says that theres nothing wrong the car. Called Honda and complained. Never heard a thing except that they sent me a survey to fill out, which I did and still never got a response.

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  worst transmission in history? - 2016 Honda CR-V
  By FD - February 14 - 1:12 am

  This is a nice car in every way but one: the CVT. If you never push the gas pedal down more than halfway, youll probably love it. In that "easy driving" mode, the CVT is well behaved and unobtrusive. But god help you if you ever expect more. The CVT is always in the wrong gear ratio: too high off the line and way too low when trying to accelerate at higher speeds. Its fiddly, constantly seeking up and down the rev range in response to the slightest movement of the throttle. I can be cruising down the road at 40 mph, push the pedal to the floor, count to three and return the pedal to its normal position; the cars speed wont change a single mph. Instead, the CVT winds the engine up to the redline without generating any forward momentum at all and then winds itself back down when the throttle is released. Its just pathetically unpredictable and irritatingly unresponsive when you need it most. Ive had this car for 12 months and love its many features, but that transmission is absolute garbage.

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  Front Seats Make it Un-Buyable - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Case - February 9 - 8:23 pm

  Just came back from driving a 2016 Pilot and I feel completely dejected and defeated. After a ton of research and considerations regarding a new 3-row vehicle I put the 2016 Pilot at the top of the list but now have to settle for less [Santa Fe or Sorento] because of the Hondas front seats. And BTW, where the hell is Edmunds on this issue? No mention at all, truly no credibility for them at this point. The front seats of the pilot are quite literally like a childs car seat, yes even in the Elite level trim. If all you need the armrest for is resting the tip of your elbow to sip tea then you should be fine. If you expect to use it to shift your weight, alternate body positions, get comfortable for a long-haul, you know ANY of the things you do to find and maintain a comfortable position, then forget it. The armrest is a fold-down plank thats [again literally] closer in size to a ruler than to a center console armrest. And on top of that its flimsy and wobbly in exactly the same way that the fold-down armrests on our childrens car seats are. And yes, Im sorry to be so freaking dramatic but I do mean this literally - they are child sized and child grade weight/feel/strength. Its truly shocking that Hondas effort to "upgrade" the interior design and materials quality but make such an egregious catastrophic fail on the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT element of an interior - the front seats ability to keep the driver comfortable. Truly stunning. Unless and until this is resolved [aftermarket retrofit?] the new Honda Pilot is, wait for it, literally un-buyable. PS - Equally stunning is that the Edmunds review doesnt inform us about this. For something that Honda deserves to be completely eviscerated for, theres not even a mention of it. Considering how often minor issues are amplified into concerns/cons, Edmunds silence on the Pilots shameful and distressingly abominable front seats leaves no doubt that something shady is going on.