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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  great at first glance - 2003 Honda Element
  By 2kids - September 25 - 2:00 am

  I couldnt wait for this car to come out,Anything that quirky looking is a must have. Unfortunatly it doesnt live up to the most versital vehicle claim. 1.In order to open the back door the front must be open. not very convienient for grabbing something from the back seat or loading kids, 2. The back windows dont roll down, 3.The sun roof is over the cargo area, and 4. When the rear seats are folded up they cover the side windows.. not to mention 21 mpg( I had a 1977 honda wagon that got 36 mpg ). On the plus side ,there is tons of leg room and it is every bit Honda quality.

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  New 2004 Hybrid - 2005 Honda Civic
  By Sandy - September 23 - 7:13 pm

  Purchased my Honda for the fuel economy because with my husbands job and our rural location we travel quite a bit. I average 45-48 miles per gallon. I love it, it also handles well, and the body style is much better than the Toyota Prius. Thankful that I had the foresight to purchase the vehicle during the high gas prices.

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  Livable - 2015 Honda Accord
  By James C - September 23 - 5:32 am

  I purchased this car 7 months ago in the summer. When I first purchased it I thought it would be a dream to drive. I did not even test drive it because I had gotten a loaner car from the service center some months ago and found it to be a great car. Here are the things I did not notice. First off, the CVT. On paper, its great (fuel economy and good performance). I have grown used to it and I barely notice it anymore. However, if the temperature is below 40 degrees (which it frequently is in CT during the winter) you will notice immediately that it sounds as if you are driving a lawn mower. To get any reasonable amount of movement the transmission and the engine work together to make it almost impossible to get to thirty mph in a reasonable amount of time. You will find yourself going to 4000 rpm just to move from a stop. Luckily for me that stops after the engine warms up a bit. And another thing about the transmission. If you need power fast, for whatever emergency purpose the engine gets confused. When you floor it, you will feel acceleration and hear the engine, but about 4 second later the transmission changes its mind about something and you feel a powerful jolt of power. The interior is nicely made and pleasant. The bluetooth audio feature and pandora feature are amazing. I have an iPhone 5s and the car cant seem to use the text message feature with my phone for whatever reason. The FM/AM radio sucks. You could be in the center of NYC and be getting a static signal. The speakers and sound system overall is good when you use bluetooth audio or AUX. You can tell that it struggles when you raise the volume however. Road noise. Goodness, sometimes I check my mirrors to see if a freight train is coming around the corner because of the obnoxious noises I can hear from the inside of the car on the highway. One good thing I will acknowledge is highway control. In windy conditions or rainy whatever it may be, you will never get blown around. The car will stay planted. Fuel mileage. I was originally amazing at the MPG I got when I first got the car, 40MPG on the highway back from the dealer. Then I got home. I live in the winding, hilly dangerous roads of southwestern CT. When this car sees a hill, you can kiss your MPG away. I average 22 Mpg around my town. I am not a particularly fast driver either. The car will get you up that hill (and with speed if youd like) but Ive seen an MPG rating of 33 on the highway flip to 13 as I come into my town. Use this car on a flat surface. Snow driving. I will admit, I like to have fun in the snow with my cars but this car doesnt. A rear wheel drive car will eat up corners in the snow but this car just says no and stays planted. No matter how hard you throw it into the corner at any speed (within reason) with any amount of snow on the ground, the tires keep pulling you to safety. Heartbreaking, but I suppose necessary. Today I was forced to drive home from work in a blizzard with four inches of snow on untreated roads. At first I panicked, but the car got me home safely. I even stopped for milk. Speaking of traction, there are some circumstances where I will be surprised the car cant seem to get traction. From a stop making a sharp left turn in the rain, I can find sometimes that a wheel will spin and traction control will engage. Speaking of traction control, the car makes a noise when you start to drive. So imagine, you start the car and drive away and then when you reach 10 mph you hear a "DUNGGGG" under the car. No idea what it is, no lose in power. No error lights...nothing. Then winter came and I was trying to spin the car out in a parking lot and I noticed that when the traction control comes on it makes that same noise continuously till the traction control is no longer needed. A continuous "DUNNGGGGGGGGGG". The last problem Ive found is in the headlights. They are pretty bright for a Honda, gotta be honest. A sisters 2009 CR-V had the worst headlights ever and I was worried I would be cursed with blindness while driving at night like her. I was idling in a parking lot waiting for my friend in the grocery store one summer night and I noticed every time the compressor for the air conditioning came on the lights would dim slightly and then get brighter. At first I figured, "well that couldnt be an actual problem, a compressor uses a lot of energy probably". Then in the winter when the compressor wasnt coming on and it kept happening I started to get angry. I looked at the brake lights as it idled and even those dim with the headlights at random intervals. I dont know if this was designed this way by Honda or if the headlights are just simply using so much power that it taxes the alternator too much. Im not sure what it is but it is infuriating. Im looking into getting the touring LED headlights installed simply because of how much it irritates me. Uncomfortable seats, cant get comfortable. I cant see half the speedometer most of the time.

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  Very reliable but could use more power - 2005 Honda Civic
  By Eurotraveler - September 23 - 3:10 am

  Ok 6000 miles later here is my take on this coming from a Celica and a Civic Si. I definitely had to get use to less pep for starters the interior buid is ok but still missing something (dash is a little too dull + very mass production feel). Gas mileage is decent 30 miles per gallon. Rear spolier option for around $500 adds some appeal. Ok enough about the bad... The good is resale value, reliability, low APR financing, value priced and the fact that you dont have to choose from a billion options. Like with the Toyota where every thing on the car is extra. Honda does a great job by grouping their upgrades in packages - DX, LX, and EX. Overall a good buy but could be better

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  CR-V a mixed blessing - 2006 Honda CR-V
  By jb - September 22 - 2:06 pm

  Runs great on highway and in mountains. has low frequency level noise at 45 and 60 MPH. Started vibrating at stops now too. oil filter position guarantees spillage into frame. road noise higher than expected IPOD option pretty quirky easy to go 12 hour travel day with this

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  Way better Than NISSAN - 2016 Honda Accord
  By Herb Nyman - September 22 - 9:07 am

  Shop for price

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  Honda CR-V - 2006 Honda CR-V
  By Railcarmechanic - September 22 - 9:04 am

  I have taken many trips with my CR-V. It is comfortable to drive whether you are the driver or a passenger. I average 24 MPG, combined driving, with a high of 29 MPG on a long road trip. Other than normal maintenance, I have had no problems with my CR-V.

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  Quite good for a sporty car - 2003 Honda Accord
  By JR - September 21 - 3:00 am

  In a nutshell, I sold my 03 RSX type S and got the Accord instead. More comfort, power and its not a kids car. Handling is good for what it is. Power is very good. Auto shifts crisp but get the transmission recall done if you have not done so. VERY IMPORTANT.

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  Great little car - 1999 Honda Civic
  By KOby - September 20 - 11:54 am

  I bought it new in 99 and it continues to get the job done with only a few minor repairs along the way. It is not powerful but with a manual transmission it can get out of its own way. The lacks of power is made up for with MPGs. It is sporty for an economy car, looks good inside & out, and is well built-- it doesnt feel cheap. The folding rear seat makes it suprisingly useful, I can put my mountain bike in the back and even Home Depot trips. Its good in the snow with low torque & FWD- decent all season tires have gotten me through several bad NJ winters Drawbacks: wind & road noise, reverse hard to engage, weak A/C, takes forever to warm up in the cold, unsupportive seats

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  Gas Guzzler - Excessive Wind Noise - 2007 Honda Odyssey
  By LOU CAPIZZO - September 19 - 5:20 pm

  We turned in our 2004 Odyssey LX expecting to get better performance from the re-designed 2007 LX. *It turned out to be one of the worst vehicles Ive ever owned over the last 43 years behind the wheel!It seems like we visit the gas stations every time we take it out! And as you can see,we only travel an average of 7500 miles per year!I would estimate the true MPG to be around 10 MPG CITY and about 18 MPG highway! Pathetic! I should have opted to keep the 2004 LX! Another factor to stay with the Odyssey was the convenience of the side door windows that can be opened. We hardly use them because of the excessive pounding, thumping wind noise that occurs when youre going over 15 MPH!