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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  Best Car You Can Buy Today - 2006 Honda Civic
  By Ian - April 17 - 5:46 pm

  What a great car. Its a safe, practical 4-door mid-sized sedan with incredible fuel economy. The only time you know its a hybrid is when the engine shuts down at red-lights and at the pump. Its roomy, fun to drive, and of the most cutting-edge technology available for $20k (counting tax credit). Itll teach you to drive all over again. I no longer see how fast I can get somewhere, I see how efficiently I can do it. Sounds goofy, but it is a fun game to play. Dont listen to Consumer Reports when they say the best they could get was 38 mpg. The engine gets better with break- in. My tanks are so far 37.6 (incl. del from Japan), 41.8, 42.1, 44.4 & Im confident itll get better. Go try it!

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  Great Second Car - 2016 Honda Fit
  By Charles Gardner - April 17 - 10:13 am

  It is not a touring sedan is designed for economical operation. I owned a 2012 Fit and this is a very much updated and redesigned model with lots of bells and whistles. It is a great car for the huge cargo space and great gas mileage.

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  1997 Honda Accord 4dr LX - 1997 Honda Accord
  By Robert Bloomquist - April 17 - 2:00 am

  Car is extremely reliable. I am 62" and I thought it was more suited for someone that was 59"-60". truck is roomy for this size car and it handles well in the snow. Very good car, we also own a Camry 1998 and I would pick the Honda over the Camry. I believe the Hondas construction is more sound than the Camry, the trim on the Camry seems less refined and much more chinsy.

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  mini van - maxi pleasure - 2002 Honda Odyssey
  By drdan - April 17 - 2:00 am

  Not just for the soccer mom but also for the golfing dad. comfort and storage great. Gas mileage in town could be better.All in all a very sweet car!

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  Buying an Odyssey is a Pain - 2002 Honda Odyssey
  By Tweed - April 17 - 2:00 am

  The dealership that I was negotiating with was high pressure and the sales manager even screamed at me "DONT BUY THE MPV" repeatedly. A simply "Our resale value is better would have sufficed." I had to go elsewhere even though the car was offered at MSRP. Perhaps all this isnt worth getting the most popular minivan.

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  WEe LOVE our Honda CR-V - 2003 Honda CR-V
  By Peter Martin - April 17 - 2:00 am

  I have never had a better vehicle with higher quality in my entire life!

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  Its a honda - 2003 Honda Odyssey
  By abused in maine - April 17 - 2:00 am

  This is an excellent minivan. The power and handling are excellent, although it does have a bit of torque steer when accelerating. When comparing features and price with other minivans, the honda was by far the best. Maine pot holes and salt have not hindered our Honda in the first year, nor do I expect it to be hindered in the future. Overall an excellent vehicle.

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  best car i have ever had - 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour
  By schwarzste - April 16 - 1:30 pm

  Had a 2005 accord leather v-6 which was great. Then switched to Subaru legacy to save a few bucks. Subaru was great but small, felt like I was putting the car on like a pair of pants. Decided to go back to Honda for comfort. Saw a great deal on the crosstour lease. drove it and loved it!! 375.00 nothing down with 16k a year lease. Went with 2 WD and cloth to save a few bucks. Could not be happier with the car. Actually too happy I am at 3000 miles after 2 months. Decent gas milage 21 MPH around town, got 27 driving from Philly to NY city a few weeks ago. Comfy and quite plenty of room. Only complaint is the head rest, leans too far forward. they need to fix this.

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  Fantastic Vehicle, poor radio/entertainment system - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Brad P - April 16 - 12:20 pm

  Solid! I previously owned a 2007 Pilot, and the 2016 redesign is a major improvement. Side mirror camera, push button start, remote start are a few of my favorite features that I suddenly cant live without. Theres not much more praise I can add to the many positive reviews out there. But there is one huge letdown with the 2016 Pilot -- the entertainment system. 1. Gone are the days of a simple volume control you could twist if you suddenly needed a lower or higher volume. Honda now gives you an electronic slider thats sluggish -- like petting a flat glass caterpillar repeatedly hoping the volume will eventually change. 2. Everything is hidden behind slow/sluggish menus. Need to switch from radio to CD? Touch the screen, wait a bit, touch the screen, wait a bit, etc until you find the right option. 3. The FM radio. Oh the FM radio. Honda stocks the cars "premium sound system" with an FM radio that sounds like mono-AM, and fades out to a dull muffle a few times a minute. It boggles my mind. Just google "Honda pilot 2016 fm radio quality" to find various forum discussions about this problem, and Hondas (as far as I know as of this writing) lack of an official solution. Its bizarre for Honda to build such a great car, but include such a poor quality radio. 4. Playing music off of flash drives. Great in concept, but horrible in execution. Besides having to deal with the sluggish UI and lack of a decent volume button, there is also no pause/stop. Also, when you start the car, it begins automatically playing the first track (alphabetically) off the drive. Same song, EVERY TIME you start the car. We are thinking of recording a 10 minute song of silence called "aaaaaaaaaa keep your sanity" and dropping that on the flash drive to, you know, keep our sanity. 5. Have you parked the car but want to keep listening to the end of that song or news story (you know, NPR driveway moments)? Youll basically have to keep the car running if you want to listen without major interruption. There is no way to turn the car off while keeping the audio system powered. If you turn off the engine, to resume listening you then have to power the car up in accessory mode , but with a 10-20 disruption as the entertainment system must reboot (did I mention its sluggish?).

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  A Classic in Its Own Time - 2006 Honda Civic
  By EdmundC - April 16 - 9:53 am

  This is a relatively luxurious car with almost the fuel economy of a subcompact. It has been problem free, and the build quality seems better than the `01 Civic it replaced. The extra width does add to the driving comfort. The headlights are better than the ones on a certain new GM car I recently drove. My big gripe is the poor visibility, due to the small windows and big posts. Hard to park it accurately. This car would be out of the question for someone very short. The inside of the windshield needs cleaning much more often than with any other car I have had. The drivers seat adjustments and the headrest position could be better. Not enough loudness for some MP3 players.