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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  The No problem car with some style - 2005 Honda Accord
  By Foreign guy in USA - June 15 - 1:00 pm

  I have had this car - 2.4L 4 cyl 5 spd manual- for 8 months now and over 9000 miles on it. It drives super smooth, nice gear box, no problems yet on any front except the reverse gear being hard to throw into the first 5 months - but now its behaving fine. Excellent interior space utilization by honda. 30 MPG with aggressive driving on city+highway. best acceleration when you keep revs at 3000-4500 rpm. Second gear acceleration is sluggish. Third and 4th gears are the best and you would not really feel the need for the fifth gear. Smooth cruising. this car certainly has the best acceleration you can get from a 4 cyl 160 HP engine. A great, economic all round car for anyone. Strongly recommend

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  The Green Shortbus - 2007 Honda Element
  By Shrt_Bus - June 14 - 5:29 pm

  I have really enjoyed this vehicle. Its fun to drive and I am averaging just under 21 mpg mostly city about 25 highway. Cargo space is great, smooth ride. Definitely recommend changing the tires to something more SUV style. I put BFG Long Trail and rides and handles much better. Truly recommend this vehicle to all.

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  Honda next generation - 2016 Honda Civic
  By Emperors civic - June 14 - 2:54 am

  Good car for the money...but still need to work out a few kinks

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  Horrible Gas Milage - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By Jeanny Collazo - June 14 - 2:00 am

  This is a great family SUV with a lot of safety features. Weve had it for 3 weeks and we love it. It has Exactly the same engine,transmission, chasis, steering and suspension of the more expensive Acura MDX. However I have been keeping track of the gas mileage and it is terrible. We just got, driving in the city 183.4 miles on 16.8 gallons for a MPG average of 10.9. The car only has 403 miles so I am hoping that it takes a few more miles for the engine to break in and gas mileage to improve. We have not driven the car over 55 miles as we were told by the dealership not to exceed 55 mph in the first 700 miles.

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  Transmission leaks - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By humbled - June 14 - 2:00 am

  My brother recently bought a Pilot. After a week he found about a quart of transmission fluid on his garage floor. After taking it back twice, the dealer advised that he may have a porous transmission casing which is causing the transmission fluid to seep out. He is getting his transmission replaced. The dealer has been working hard to please him.

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  Might start, might not start - 2010 Honda Accord
  By No more Hondas - June 13 - 5:43 am

  We bought this car new and it has done well until recently. It has 71,000 miles on it, looks like new, has been well maintained and garage kept. Over the last 4 months the battery has been too weak to crank it on 5-6 occasions. Most times the car has set less than 8 hours when this happens, and nothing was left on. This only happens about every 2-3 weeks and otherwise it starts great. This has been in warm Alabama weather while being driven about 25 miles daily. I have done parasitic drain tests, replaced the AC clutch relay that Honda wont admit has caused many costly AC failures. I have done mechanic work for many years but this happens so rarely its very hard to diagnose. Anyone thinking of Hondas legendary reliability might want to read about how many problems Honda owners are experiencing.

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  For the money, a solid, tight, and comfortable car - 2016 Honda CR-V
  By G Ford - June 13 - 12:59 am

  Pros: - The doors close reliably with a nice thunk. - Steering is tight and comfortable at high and low speed. Visibility is excellent (I also like the two-part drivers side mirror). - Gas mileage is good so far, and acceleration has been there when I wanted it. MPG feedback has been very helpful in increasing average gas mileage. I like how the car can reset MPG statistics automatically when you refill with gas. - I LOVE the keyless systems: being able to touch either front door handle (with the fob in your pocket) to automatically unlock the door(s), and being able to start the car with the push of a button (no need to fumble for keys). Cons: - Tire road noise is a bit loud on the highway. But engine noise is low. - There is not quite as much room for stuff in the front cabin as we were used to in our Odyssey minivan, or Subaru Outback. Not a big deal, but noticeable. - The CD player is hidden behind the display screen, which has a motor that angles it out revealing the CD player slot... it works, and has not broken yet, but looks like it could be prone to breaking easily. - The touch-screen based controls for the audio system and phone are odd at times... they work, but I just feel as though they could have been made more intuitive in places. - Why do they have two screens in the dash? Its great to have the clock and compass heading on the top one, but I cant help but feel that it could display more information than it does. The lower touch-screen gets a lot of attention for audio station selection, MPG monitoring, etc. but the menus behave in ways that feel awkward in a number of situations (as a Windows/Android user). - The rear-view camera is great for safety reasons, but note that it is not reliable for driving in reverse: I have to turn my head or use mirrors to ensure I am backing at an appropriate distance from cars/objects on either side, but I do like having the camera to judge when my rear bumper is at the right spot (when to stop). - Had no choice about $399 security marking system add-on. Price listed below includes sales tax, delivery, security markings, and all fees. We did NOT receive a reasonable trade-in value on our old car. We chose a different dealer for our next car.

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  2006 Honda Ridgeline - 2006 Honda Ridgeline
  By ccobb - June 12 - 1:03 am

  Having had minivans in the past, I have found that it holds three big people in the back seat with room to spare. I love the way it looks. It handles wonderful and is great for moving teenagers out of the house. I did get 23 mpg on the highway with it totally full.

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  Fix these things... - 2005 Honda Odyssey
  By bill - June 10 - 10:33 am

  I like most things about the odyssey except the build quality wasnt up to todays standards. Door gaps too big and doors not aligned well. Wind noise from sliding doors noticeable at highway speeds. My main peeve is the road noise. It drowns out the radio and conversation on roads with a slightly rough surface. Only on super smooth asphalt highways is it nice and quiet. This should be fixed ages ago, since GM, Ford have never had a road noise problem. Mine is a 2003, incidently, and maybe the new van is better, but reports still mention road noise. Gear shifter blocks dash switch. Steering wheel blocks left side switches from view.

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  Pros and Cons - 2014 Honda CR-V
  By Veronica Krautheim - June 9 - 7:32 pm

  Pros: Its great to sit up high in traffic so I can see well ahead. The electric seats are very easy to adjust. The car has good power and responds quickly. The back-up monitor is well placed, is easy to see and understand, and helps me keep track of anything behind the car. Steering wheel adjusts in so many ways that I feel very comfortable driving. I like the car, but I miss my previous car. I bought this car so I could tow it behind my RV. I couldnt tow my previous car 4-wheels down behind the RV. All of the following Cons are based on differences between this car and my previous car (a Prius). Cons: The steering wheel gets in the way of viewing the speedometer, dials, and problem indicators, so I have to take my eyes off the road and bend my head to see how fast Im going or to make sure there are no problem indicators lit up. The speedometer is not digital, so I have to guesstimate my speed. The ride is rougher than my previous car, and feels bouncier. With my previous car, I never needed to use a key. I could just touch the drivers door handle and the car would unlock as long as I had the key in my pocket or purse, and the car had a push-button start. Now, I must have my key in my hand to open the door and to start the car (which means digging in my purse to find the key). Just a slight inconvenience, but difficult to deal with after 7 years of the previous car.