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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  Luv my Element - 2003 Honda Element
  By MikeT - June 20 - 10:00 am

  A fun and versatile little SUV.

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  LX model - 2001 Honda Odyssey
  By Tony G. - June 19 - 1:14 pm

  My van has a few over 100,000 miles and I have not had a serious problem with it yet. The only bad thing has been the manual sliding doors. They stick all the time and they freeze in cold weather. I saw someone mentioned that the transmission shifts late in cold weather and the dealer said it was a feature. It actually is a feature it shifts late with less pedal push so the engine can warm up faster.

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  Somewhat disappointing - 2005 Honda Civic
  By disaptd8 - June 18 - 8:03 pm

  Purchased new 05 Civic LX. Exterior is fine, looks good, drives good, the tranny is smooth, (a little slow) but smooth. Good braking, solid little car. Decent room for a small car, interior layout, nice, good seats. But, the interior pops like a bowl of Rice Krispies and its very, VERY annoying. Test drove Corolla, did same thing on test drive and I didnt purchase because of the popping. (Civic didnt do this on test drive) Had 02 Camry did same thing. Looks like Japan is going the way of GM with the rattling interior. Why cant auto makers make vehicles that dont snap, crackle & pop when you drive? Honda gets a "D" for the interior build of this Civic. Thank goodness for a good stereo!

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  Great Work Car - 2004 Honda Element
  By A Smith - June 15 - 11:03 pm

  I use my Element because I sell industrial maintenance products. It is the ideal salesmans car. But the gas mileage is terrible, very disappointing

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  Too NOISY - 2002 Honda CR-V
  By sfuji1 - June 15 - 10:00 am

  If you want a quiet drive - forget it. The interior is so nosy that I almost have to turn the volume up on the radio full blast. Also no back support in the seat and small 10 gallon gas tank. For you long commuters, the car is very uncomfortable, LOUD on highway, and if you commute more than 40 miles each way you will need to fill your tank every other day. Buyers beware -- when test driving, dealers may have replaced with more expensive tires to cushion and muffle the sound. I am currently looking for another SUV.

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  Awesome Family Vehicle - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By Soren - June 15 - 10:00 am

  I work in the automotive industry and have therefore had plenty of opportunity to test drive almost all suvs available on the market thoroughly. The Pilot is hands down the number one suv as far as comfort, usefullness and value. It is very roomy, rides extremely well, has great power, and unlike its domestic rivals it is, like any other Honda product, reliable!

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  Skip the Navigation - 2016 Honda Odyssey
  By Imupset - June 14 - 11:07 pm

  We paid way too much money for a navigation system that does not work properly. It adds extra miles to our car. We can be a few blocks from home, and it thinks we are 3 miles away. THis has happened in other states we travel too - not just ours. It is not user friendly - it has a knob and you can take 10 minutes or more trying to find where you are going if you can even find it. Some local places i search for, and the navigation directs me to other cities or Canada. I have tried working with the dealer and want my money back for the system. The Representative claims after my last visit, this is how it is supposed to work and there is nothing they can do because it is not broken. There are free apps on our phones that work much better. It has never rerouted us due to traffic, and many times you cant change anything unless you pull over and stop the car. If i purchased this through a store, i could return it. We are still pursuing matter because we are very disappointed Honda is not standing behind this. What if it was an emergency and we had to find a hospital? It can take 10 minutes just trying to work the system, and how do we know it would take the fastest route? We live in Southern CA and it does not even recognize freeways that have been here 10-20 years or more. The settings have been checked at 2 dealerships, they installed a new system and nothing changes. We are so disappointed that we paid a large amount of money for a product that they are not standing behind. We were told they can fix it if something was wrong, but they didnt make it. They are selling it - they should stand behind it. We feel totally let down and that Honda is not standing behind this. Save your money and use the free apps on your phone. We are still pursuing the matters and will continue to not recommend this product. Even the sales reps dont use it - we should have taken that as a sign not to get it. We just thought it would be nice and convenient, and now it could be a hazard to us - especially in an emergency. When they finally contacted me, the Honda Rep said they would give me my next update for free and hopefully one of these years it would work. I said no. I want my money back and did not agree to this free upgrade. It has been replaced and there are no updates and it just doesnt work.

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  2016 CRV Touring, Nice ride and it has a CD player - 2016 Honda CR-V
  By L. Hurt - June 14 - 11:26 am

  It is more roomy than several that i looked at, including RAV4. The navagation is more complicated in the 2016 than the 2017 CRV. The 2016 CRV has a CD player which I definitely wanted and many of the newer models do not. It has a quality sound when you shut the doors. Im not sure if I will use all the tech features but many seem to be helpful to have. It just may take me a while to learn how to use them safely.

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  Style great but poor quality - 2008 Honda Accord
  By Fran - June 14 - 5:16 am

  Love the styling and handling of my Accord but the road noise is certainly more than the Toyota Camry is used to own. The biggest problem with this car is the brakes. At 18,500 miles I had to replace the rear brakes (half my miles are long distance so this should not have happened). Turns out in 2008 Honda went to a smaller rear brake system and therefore they wear out sooner. I complained to Honda of America and they refunded 50% of my brake replacement cost. They also asked for the old brake pads back to check the problem.

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  Tall drivers beware ! - 2005 Honda CR-V
  By rollodo - June 13 - 2:30 pm

  After about a week of driving the car my right leg began to ache where the thigh and hip come together and it eventually became excruciating. I am tall, about 6 3" and noticed that my thighs were not resting on the seat cushion like they do in every other car I have owned or driven. Instead, they are sticking slightly off of the seat so my leg weight is on the pedals and hip joint. The problem is the seat cushion is nearly flat and not distinctly sloped backward as in other cars - a very poor ergonomic design by Honda. I have to drive the car with a folded towel under my leg to support it.