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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  Last year of Japanese Mfg shows - 2006 Honda CR-V
  By Don - August 10 - 6:37 pm

  This is the smallest SUV with AWD I would consider since we are not small people. It is also the first four cylinder Ive had for about 20 years. We dumped a V-8 Durango for this little gem, and it does the job. Plenty of power even with the 5 speed auto, but I wish we would have gotten a stick. The D3 setting (only uses lower 3 gears) works well in the hills. It revs quite a bit when you get on it, but climbs well. Not enough leg room for me to drive or ride in front for more than about an hour with the seats all the way back. Very maneuverable though! 2006 was the last year these were made in Japan, and the build quality is there. No rattles, runs smooth and quiet.

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  my 2004 - 2004 Honda Civic
  By gpband - August 10 - 2:00 am

  The 2004 Honda Civic is suppose to be a really great buy but I have had so many problems with mine. The front strut went out on my car, the rear defroster and my cv boots are now popping. This is all within a four month period and Honda sites everything as my fault eventhough it sits all the time. I am afraid that is will just fall apart on me. The car does have decent pickup but it doesnt have a traction control system which it really needs. I think they should put an ESP program on it similar to VWs and Toyotas have. My 14 year saab is more realible than this new civic.

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  Disappointed! - 2009 Honda Accord
  By G3 - August 9 - 7:00 am

  Where to start: 1)Have had the car into the dealership three times for squeaking breaks, told nothing can be done, issue with pads at Honda 2)Road noise is horrible, coming from rear wheel wells, told there are vents? 3) When I lose reception on the satellite radio I have to turn the car off, then on again to get the signal back 4)The vehicle rattles a lot. This is my third Honda, I had a 97 Prelude and a 03 Odyssey, no problems, but this one has been a big disappointment! Looked at the BMW 335i and Infiniti G37, thought I was saving money, instead I got a lot of headaches!

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  Love my Honda - 2011 Honda Civic
  By Brittany Robinson - August 8 - 11:13 pm

  Being a Honda lover, due to my first vehicle being Honda, of course my second choice in a vehicle would still be a Honda Civic. I owned a 99 Honda Prelude prior and was spoiled by all the features that the vehicle was equipped with such as the power windows, moon roof, and how well the vehicle handled as well as how much fun it was to drive, so when I searched for a new car I had those ideas in mind which landed me purchasing a 2011 Honda Civic EX Coupe. The Civic coupe is a durable and safe vehicle given its size and handles well. I often times forget how easily the car accelerates, given how smooth the ride is, that often times the speedometer gets away from me. Every vehicle on the market does have pros and cons however. When purchasing the civic upon the initial test drive some pros that stood out were the size of the vehicle, the awesome gas mileage, and how well the car would hold its value over time. The negatives I found were the trunk space, the road noise, and upon later realization the seat design. The size of the vehicle was instantly appealing to me because being an average height female I wanted something that was compact and easy to maneuver as well as park. In tight spaces the civic does wonderfully and can zoom in and out of traffic with no problems. In small, tight parking lots the civic also excels due to the vehicle being able to fit comfortably and easily into most parking spaces with no problems. When it comes to the gas mileage I wasn’t surprised because the vehicle gets 26 miles per gallon in the city areas and 34 miles per gallon on the highway. This made me extremely happy when purchasing the vehicle because I tend to do a lot of traveling around the holidays, as well as during the summer months, and not having to worry about stopping for gas as often on a trip is a huge plus in my opinion. Being that I own the automatic version of the vehicle it handles well in stop and go traffic as well as keeps up on the highway with traffic flow. As I was searching for a vehicle and pricing out my options I wanted something that was going to hold it’s value over time in case after a few years I wanted to get rid of the vehicle and trade it in for something else. When I stumbled upon the civic, after already having prior knowledge of the resale values on Honda in general given that my family has owned numerous, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the car depreciated. Currently my Civic is worth 10, 900 when it is rated as being in good or average condition according to Kelley Blue Book (Kelley). The depreciation value was an important aspect for me when purchasing a vehicle because I did not want to buy something that I wouldn’t be able to get a good price on later. After seeing all the pros that I wanted into the vehicle I started noticing some cons as well because as we all know perfection in vehicles simply put does not exist. The first thing that stuck out to me was the trunk space. I normally do not need a lot of space when going to and from but when it comes to thinking about taking trips and needing that space it could become an issue. Once I had purchased the car and started using it for everyday things I realized that the space wasn’t ideal but it was nowhere near as small as it could be given the vehicle’s size. It is perfect for running errands but for vacations, or moving, the trunk space is terrible. Not only is the trunk space not ideal but the vehicle I also noticed does have a bit of road noise when driving which wasn’t too noticeable upon the test drive but after owning the vehicle it is something that can be bothersome when the vehicle is silent on the inside. Once you fiddle with the radio or MP3 connections and turn the sound up, or have the A/C running the road noise tends to fade into the background. Honda definitely did not think about this attribute when producing the vehicle and in future models could use some insulation so as to where the noise lessens enough to where it is not as noticeable. Last but not lease the seat design in the vehicle is the worst feature to me because from looks it would seem like a pretty comfortable seat for commuting in as far as seats go, but after taking my vehicle on numerous long distance, over three hours away, trips my lower back gets into quite a bit of pain and causes me having to pull over. Honda needs to work on the seat design by either adding more cushion to the seats or bringing in the lumbar support that some of the Accords have. The design is great for normal commuting back and forth to work or running errands but terrible for long distance driving. Through my pre-purchase research I found that no one vehicle is going to be perfect but that there are numerous that have more pros than cons to them. For me that car was the 2011 Honda Civic EX coupe. The trunk space may be horrible, the seats are the worst, and the road noise may not give it a five star

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  happy transition - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By thinks2fast - August 8 - 10:00 am

  Have recently left BMW (3 series) and am satisfied with the performance, comfort and handling. actually considering the type of vehicle, Im impressed. Toyota was my #2 choice, 3rd row seating and Honda performance tipped the scale.

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  Great, but need improvement - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By W0W - August 8 - 10:00 am

  I am not an owner yet, but did some research on the Pilot. Good value for the money in its class, but need improvements. We need a bigger vehicle for our baby, and home improvement project for our new house. Maybe, we wait another year to see if Honda improves the Pilots. In my opinion, Hondas been playing game with demands vs. supplies. Honda makes profit at least $3000 per high demand vehicle (Odyssey, Pilot, MDX, 3.2 TL) not fair for customers. My 99 Accord has oil leak from transmission at 50K mile. This is NOT typical for a Honda. Should I buy a Honda again? I know Honda and Toyota have very good resale values.

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  The Straight Scoop - 2003 Honda Odyssey
  By Busy Dad - August 8 - 9:52 am

  Know what you are buying! This model has many positive features such as roomy, comfy, functional interior, good gas mileage compared to SUVs, and sufficient power to keep most everyone satisfied. However, it also has high incident rates for transmission failure, rear brakes noises, interior noise and various electrical issues with clocks and lights. Every vehicle has its weaknesses and this one is no exception. Some may get lucky and avoid any major problems. We have not been so lucky and have spent more than $7,000 on maintenance and repairs in the 18 months we have owned it. Dont assume the Honda nameplate means anything. You may get a quality vehicle, or you may end up with a lemon.

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  Honda Civic EX - 2006 Honda Civic
  By pjclaire - August 6 - 6:56 am

  As a prior honda owner (2000 Civic DX, 2002 Civic EX) I couldnt wait for the next generation honda. I purchased early. The design and function of the vehicle took some time to become accustomed to but my first three months of ownership caused some concern. I received a recall for the passenger side airbag. In my prior Honda experience, never a recall. Gas mileage was and still is a dissapointment. My 2000 and 2002 came "out of the box" with an average of 35 MPG. With any luck the most I acheived to date is 31 MPG. With all the hype about improvements, I was expecting much more than 31 MPG. Let me note that my style of driving has not changed. My next purchase may NOT be a honda.

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  Great for the Money - 2006 Honda Pilot
  By tmqn - August 5 - 9:31 am

  This is my wifes SUV replaced an Oddy (bad trans, bad cat converter at 112K). Have nearly 40K miles in 1.5 years back/forth to a lake house we have. Also do a lot of antiquing/hauling. Looked at everything before buying, and very happy with purchase. I see the suggested improvements on the review boards, but we have had no real issues and its the best deal for the money, hands-down. Little noisy on the highway, really does better with high test gas, but overall we really like the overall quality and reliability (with my wife on the road alone a lot). BTW: we get about 22/18 mpg.

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  Time will tell - 2008 Honda Civic
  By CB - August 5 - 6:33 am

  Had 2 weeks. Front seats uncomfortable, loud road noise, choppy sound on highway. Had MT for 12 years don!t know what!s normal for AT. Driveway has very slight slant, when I park car and I put it in park and let go of brake the car rolls back more than I like before stopping, dont know if all automatics roll that much or if mine has an issue. Very low bassy type sound when holding at steady speeds. 37+ mpg mixed right now (2 tanks). Only on high idle when intermittent wipers activate the idle slightly raises momentarily. Tranny shifts great but sometimes when just about completely stopped get weird feeling. Maybe just starts downshift as come to a stop. Maybe not tranny, hard to explain