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:

• 

  rich mans trap - 2006 Honda Ridgeline
  By rich man trap - August 6 - 5:33 pm

  Piece of crap. Not good for anything other than saying you own a truck. All dash lights gone out or going out at 50000 miles. Radio light out at 60000 miles. Odometer light on dash blinks on and off. Every trip to dealer ship for oil change recommends a 400$ service. Pushed me rite into a Toyota Tacoma. Never will I own another honda. Better have deep pockets. Pos!

• 

  75.9 mpg?? - 2015 Honda Fit
  By Vicky McQuarrie - August 6 - 9:24 am

  OK, that was my hook but we really did get that result one Sunday going down hill. However, our overall gas mileage on this car in my opinion is amazing at 37.5 mpg average city highway driving. My Husband and I commute to work everyday about 50 miles one way, so we needed something that was going to give us good gas mileage and at a good price. We purchased this car in May and it has been a love affair from day one! On our way into work in the mornings our average mpg is about 45, in the afternoon not quite as good, more traffic and the air is blasting with temperatures here soaring at 110, our mpg on our afternoon trips has been around 36. I have heard that the numbers that they display on the car when your at the dealership are obtained by driving 55 mph in the controlled test environment, ours however, are from driving 75mph, maybe a little more on our way in, but these are real numbers by real people driving. May I say we couldnt be happier with our decision to purchase this car!

• 

  Great vehicle but discovering some flaws - 2014 Honda Pilot
  By Shree - August 5 - 7:49 pm

  The size and Honda reliability are what drew me to the Pilot. Ive owned it a little over a year and Im still pleased but have a few issues. The drivers side sun visor is drooping and after some research it appears this is common with numerous Honda models. The MPGs are about 19 not what Honda rated. Theres a clip on the back of the middle seat that pops off. Not thinking its good for whatever reason it was put there if it pops out when someone is in the seat. Otherwise, the size, storage, features and drivability of the SUV are great. I enjoy driving it!

• 

  A great vehicle in every way - 2013 Honda Pilot
  By Scott Hansen - August 5 - 5:55 pm

  My wife and I never buy new cars and the cars we have we keep for 10 or 15 years. The last car that my wife had was a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer and we had it 10 years and it was time to get a new vehicle. Two years ago we purchased a used Honda Civic and are very happy with it so when it came time to research vehicles we knew the Pilot would be one of them. We test drove three different SUVs. We tried the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe and the Toyota Highlander. We did not like the Santa Fe at all. The ride was not nice and despite raves from the reviewers, the interior seemed to be made out of cheep materials. The road we drove on was under construction and we felt every bump and hole we hit. The third row seating area was cramped, and that is being generous. The Toyota Highlander was next and we liked that car. It drove well, it looked nice, it was large and roomy but they tended to be more expensive and with less equipment than the Pilot. When we drove the Pilot I knew right away we found our next car. We drove one that had 17,000 miles on it and it had all the comforts we were used to and a bit more. The seats are very comfortable, there is plenty of second row seating leg room, and the third seat actually looks like it may be comfortable for adults. We liked the way it handled and how intuitive the controls were. I went to work and researched used Pilots and I honed in on three of them, on in Fargo, one where we live in the Twin Cities and one in Wausau, WI. The Fargo one and the Wausau one are about 3 1/2 hours from our house. I hate dealing with car dealerships but because I did the research I knew I was going to pay a fair price. When it came to numbers I wanted a towing lighting system installed as well as winter mats and a cargo area mat. The place in Fargo and I talked and then the place in Wausau and I talked. I was able to get a lower price from the Wausau place even though I was told this was the lowest they could go. They responded well when there was another valid offer on the table. I ended up going with the Wausau one because the vehicle they had was a Certified Honda which meant an extra years warranty. I then paid $795 to kick that out to the year 2020 or 100,000 miles, and with the low number of miles we drive I know I will be covered for five full years. Even with the warranty I ended up paying less than I would have at the Fargo dealer but the Fargo dealer was going to deliver it to my doorstep and I had to pick up the Wausau one. I then went online and found this forum. I was nervous when I read all about the vibration problems when the car goes into ECO mode. Since I did not test drive the exact vehicle I was buying, I thought it could be trouble. I also thought about this when I bought the extended Honda warranty. My wife and I have had the car now for about a month. So far there has been zero problems with vibrations. The car is a dream. It is built well and it gets better gas mileage than our old Mountaineer. It is more comfortable to drive and there is nothing better than getting that new car feeling even if it is a used car. My wife loves it too and is very happy with our choice. We are going to start saving our pennies so we can buy our next car with cash in about 10 years and most likely it will be a Honda or Toyota.

• 

  A great used car or just a lot of problems? - 2006 Honda Civic
  By cowsgonemadd3@gmail.com - August 5 - 5:11 pm

  I normally would not post a car review. I think my experience with my Honda has made me change my mind. Most consider Honda to be reliable. Over 3 Hondas I have found almost the opposite. Lets start off with the great things about the car. I get 28 to 29mpg consistently. For the speed the car has, I consider this good. As of 2015, there are cars that get better and are a lot faster though. Reports from actual owners say the EPA is off though. I can only speak for my car and say the fuel mileage is good. The seats, they are great. Best seats I have sat in short of luxury cars. I prefer cloth seats over backside burning leather in the summer months. The car is almost 10 years old and they have held up great. The head room is great and so is the front leg room. I am 6 3" and I can even get in the back but its cramped. Its quite a peppy car, 0 to 60 time in like 6.7 seconds. Not too bad for a 4 cylinder made now, many years ago. The bad: Honda reliability is once again(as I said I have owned 3 Hondas) just not what its made out to be. Honda had an issue with 3rd gear not working right. They finally did a recall and my car went in for the recall. Years later, 3rd gear pops out at times and has to be put in with force. No, its not the syncors. It works most of the time but can still be a problem at times. Road noise is unreasonable in this car. Mine is worse than some because of the low profile tires but it is still not good. It rides very rough. Its one of the biggest reasons I plan to get rid of the car. While it hugs the road and you feel safe, you also feel every hole in the road and its like riding on a horse and buggy to work. The back tires get eaten away on the inside. Honda did a recall for this after a class action lawsuit was filed. I had mine fixed by Honda but to this day the inside of the tires still wear faster than the rest of the tire. It has helped but did not fully fix the problem. Alignments help but it does not seem to stay in alignment long. The timing chain failed at 145k miles. I had to pay 1500 bucks plus towing fees to get a "never maintenance" issue fixed. The rear view mirror is falling apart from the inside and has areas that no longer work. Now for the biggest problem, the paint. Honda did a TSB on paint for certain colors. My color was one of them they did not offer to fix but just the hood area. I now have almost no paint on my roof and the paint on the side pillars is starting to come off. I also see areas on the trunk that look like they are starting to fail. I called Honda of America only to be told my car was too old and too high mileage. I told them how it was failing in the same areas and way in which the recalled colors were and all I got was that it was not a recall but a TSB. They would not even offer to help pay for the over 1000 dollars in paint repairs this car now needs. They said over 800 for just the roof. Might be well over 1000 now that the paint is failing in other areas. Honda knows they had faulty paint. My car now unless fixed, will have very little of that wonderful Honda re-sell value. The paint is nothing new for Honda, my 2004 accord had paint falling off of it when I sold it. I like the car but not enough to recommend it to anyone unless you get it cheap.

• 

  Bumpy, rough ride - 2015 Honda Accord
  By Unhappy Owner - August 4 - 10:21 pm

  I have driven Accords/Acura TL since 1985. I like many things about this car, but I regret the purchase and will trade it in after a few years. Positives are power, little engine noise, and technology. I especially like the right sided camera. The downer is the terrible bumpy, rough ride. The slightest irregularities in the road are transmitted (? magnified) to the driver and passenger in a very unpleasant manner. This is not "good road feel". The car came with Goodyear tires, 17 inch wheels. The bumpy ride gives me the sensation that the tires are overinflated (they are not) or that the suspension is faulty). This is a fatal flaw for me in an otherwise excellent car. I cannot give the car 4 stars overall or for value when I do not like it and regret the purchase. My other Honda/Acura cars have been great, and I am not going to recommend another car. I just hope they fix this problem quickly.

• 

  Best car - 2005 Honda Accord
  By Paul - August 4 - 8:06 pm

  This car is definitely one Id buy all over again. I have hardly put any money into it since buying it 5.5 years ago. It had 95,000 miles when I bought it and now has over 180,000 miles on it. Other than several suspension work, its had zero maintenance. Worth your money! 35 mpg helps too! (On trips)

• 

  You cant go wrong with Honda - 2015 Honda Civic
  By Anir Bhat - August 4 - 3:31 pm

  I drove several other brands in this category but kept coming back to Honda Civic. Mazda 3 was sporty and fun to drive but was noisy and had poor visibility due to small windows. Hyundai Elantra seemed unrefined but was cheaper. Honda Civic does a great job across the board. Acceleration is not bad. The car is smooth and quiet. Steering is soft and precise. Lots of features are standard. I love the two tier dash and Navi Assist. Interior is spacious and looks good. Excellent visibility all around. If you are looking for a work horse for long commute with smooth quiet and comfortable ride this is the car you want to consider. Yes excellent MPG that nobody else can beat.

• 

  One of the best cars I have ever owned. - 2011 Honda Insight
  By Chris P - August 4 - 8:38 am

  The Insight is hands down one of the best cars I have ever owned. I own and operate a small courier business and drive over 40,000 miles a year and this car never stops impressing me. Even at 148,000 miles this car has never asked for anything except basic maintenence and one set of front brakes. The ride and handeling are very good for the cost of the vehicle and the drivers seat is exceedingly comfortable even for long trips. It is a basic car in terms of luxury but it has a lot of nice features that overall make it comfortable, and the handeling and overall driving experience is impressive for a vehicle Im this price range. I always get better mpg than the car is rated for without really trying. You get a lot for your money with this vehicle.

• 

  2015 Honda Accord EX 4 drs V4 - 2015 Honda Accord
  By Honda buyer - August 4 - 6:07 am

  Just got the car with OTD $24,000. Impressed with this car. But Honda still has a lot of road noise.