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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  Poor mileage, but good handling - 2007 Honda Fit
  By David - September 19 - 10:01 pm

  Cute car, good throttle response. Very weak engine on just rolling hills - always downshifting. Car would be hell to drive in mountainous terrain. Have no idea why Honda did not and does not swap this 1.5L for the Civic 1.8L. Increase HP from 109 to 140 with better gas mileage, engine would still fit. No brainer from my perspective. Have 3000 miles over the first month, and have been getting 28- 30 in 50/50 city/highway driving. Terrible, should be getting at least 34 and on straight highway at least 37 MPG. Message boards do seem to vary a lot on the mileage reports. Honda, why cant a 2600 pound car get 35+ for mileage when my 2003 Civic averages 33mpg city and 36mpg highway.

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  Power vs. Fuel Economy - 2005 Honda Accord
  By RobertFL - September 17 - 1:04 pm

  I have owned the car for a few months now and have had no real problems with the vehicle. Those who are hesitant about the fuel milage, think of it: its a V6 Hybrid, not a 4cyl hybrid. If I wanted to get from point A to point A and 1/2, I would have purchased a 4cyl. For a V6, you cannot beat the fuel mileage. I have a lead foot and average 26 in the city. I get 35 on the highway at 85mph assuming I drive 150 miles. The electric motor only assists the car, not takes over the place of the engine. The engine stops when the car stops and does the A/C compressor. If you shift to a low gear then put it back in place, your car will stay running. I personally like the car. Tons of power.

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  Vibration - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By mike952 - September 17 - 1:11 am

  This is my third CRV and I have always been pleased. My new 2015 CRV vibrates and Honda knows about the problem, but has no idea what to do about it. Honda will not guarantee it will not have any long term effect. So I have a new $30,000 car with a problem that Honda cannot fix, sadly disappointed with Honda. My local dealer has been excellent despite not knowing what to do.

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  Almost - 2007 Honda Civic
  By cz75 - September 16 - 3:40 pm

  Probably the nicest Honda product Ive owned, but you can feel that there was more cost-cutting here than in the past, as while there are more features, the car doesnt seem as sturdy as previous models. Also, there are some glitches like a notchy, recalcitrant third gear and the strange surge from drive-by-wire when cold and the car isnt as smooth to shift as past Hondas Ive owned.

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  Im in my Element - 2004 Honda Element
  By cmmathison - September 16 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle fits my lifestyle perfectly. With kid, dog, beach, camping, it is functional, easy to keep clean and easy to get in and out of. I didnt want the typical SUV and definately didnt want a mini-van. The Element provides the function without the soccer mom look. I took it to a family reunion shortly after getting my new Element and EVERYONE wanted to get inside of it and take a look. It was a hit!

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  Fun Family Car - 2004 Honda Pilot
  By Piloter1 - September 16 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive, Kids like bein the middle and way-back. Plenty of room to pack for long trips. Gas milage is the one drawback -- but true for SUV class in all. Pilot is better than most SUVs

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  A fantastic car!!! - 2001 Honda Civic
  By cas11 - September 16 - 10:00 am

  A great car overall! Would buy again in a heartbeat! Up to 44 MPG on highway.

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  good SUV but watch out - 2004 Honda CR-V
  By coles - September 16 - 10:00 am

  I purchase the CRV for the all wheel drive and to take to work. Ive own Honda Vehicles my whole life. Check your oil after its change there have been 27 cases so far where the truck catches fire,after an oil change and Honda has not issued a recall yet so BE CAREFUL Im taking mine back to the dealer ship to confront this issue face to face.

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  Love my new Accord - 2017 Honda Accord
  By TimO - September 13 - 7:56 am

  I recently purchased this car and have driven it for about 3 weeks. The V6 has a ton of power when needed but gas mileage could be better. The drive is very smooth with minimal road noise. The engine sounds great with a nice purr and the V6 is rarely challenged with shifting or acceleration. The leather seating is very soft and comfortable, I hope it holds up over time. Most of the dash is covered in a leather like material but more importantly I can lay my phone down on the dash without worry that it will fly off while turning or hard breaking. When I made my purchase, I was shopping for Lexus, Acura, Hyundai, and Camry. I chose the Honda based on value and quality over the other vehicles. Ive driven Hyundai Sonatas for over 10 years and have been very pleased with the brand. My wife has owned 2 Hondas and both have held the resale value extremely well, something I cannot say for the Hyundai. The car is not perfect and here is my take on some of the technology. The entertainment boot time is way to slow. Not sure why the skimped on the processor but it seems to take over a minute to boot on start up. Even booting up to the FM station takes a long time and there is noticeable lag when switching radio stations. The Bluetooth connection has been flawless with my iPhone and works very quickly. I’ve taken several calls in the car on BT and all the conversations have been clear. Apple car play is a nice feature but the phone needs to be plugged in. It would be a nice alternative to adding the navigation depending on how much you need that feature. I have the built in nav and have tried both. The Apple carplay nav cannot use the sound system will navigating, it can play off iTunes or Apple Apps while navigating but you won’t be able to listen to the radio while using Apple maps, or at least I can’t figure how to do so. My favorite features of the car include the keyless entry, push button start, remote start, back up camera, and adaptive cruise control. The lane watch is okay not really a major improvement over turning your head or using your driving awareness and senses. The camera will blur up when it rains, same for back up camera. Adaptive cruise control is excellent and very easy to use. The lane keeping assistant and breaking warning are great additions for safety and I am glad to have them. Overall I am very pleased with my purchase. It’s a Honda, it’s well built, it will last a while, and it will re-sale well. You really can’t go wrong with this car.

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  Its a Ford, not Honda. - 1998 Honda Accord
  By P. - September 13 - 2:53 am

  I purchased new. For 9 years and 85K miles, I have had the following problems that were not covered by Honda: 1. CD player died at ~ 40K miles 2. Changed alternator at ~ 60K miles 3. Engine did not start on hot days. Stranded several times. Honda dealers could not fix this problem. An online article helped me to solve it by changing the main relay. 4. Not great fuel efficiency for Honda. I found out this is the problem with my car, 20 mpg highway and 15 mpg city.