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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  You can pull a boat with one of these. - 2005 Honda Element
  By Carl Redding - July 13 - 5:09 pm

  Have owned since new, 10 years. Last year I put a trailer hitch on and started pulling my 17 fiberglass fishing skiff with it. Boat, motor and trailer weigh 1600 lbs and it tows and stops well. Easy to launch and retrieve boat.

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  bad paint - 2007 Honda Civic
  By Jessica Jarvis - July 12 - 3:06 pm

  i love the way the car runs, very reliable. research the paint color you are buying because there are some that have had problems cracking. Nighthawk black pearl is the color of my car and the hood and front bumpers look aweful. They are cracked more than any car that i have seen this age, and i have taken good care of the car. interior is decent. exterior gets 0 stars, the paint stinks.

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  Finally have some color in my parking area. :) - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By Judy Knox - July 11 - 7:46 pm

  Its not just the color thats great (Got the Copper) but the car is, IMHO, outstanding so far. Have only owned it since June 27 so have only come across a couple of things I dont care for. Have to agree with the other poster that the console compartment is extremely small compared to my Acura RDX which had 2 compartments - one in the dash area and one between the seats in front. Other than that, I dont find any door noise or road noise going on yet. I was concerned about how quiet it would be when the windows were up. In my Acura, there was virtually no road noise. My CR-V is, far as I can tell, is just as quiet. LOVE the MPG!!! Acura - 18 mpg (maybe) in a good week.....CR-V (so far )25 mpg which is 85% city driving. Dont care for the rear view mirrors automatic dimming during night driving. My Acura allowed me to adjust it to whatever "visibility" I wanted, which usually meant Id use the day driving mode most of the time, at night, as I liked seeing lights, whether bright or not. At least I had the choice and control. Other than those 2 things, so far Im a happy camper with my CR-V Touring. The safety features are outstanding!!! The safer the better. Got a great warranty with Honda of Riverside - 8 yr bumper to bumper - no deductible and loaner car while its in the shop. What with all the electronics guiding the cars these days, an 8 yr warranty, at my age, is a must have. Dont want to have to come up with $600 to cover a $6 part in a few years. :) Cost $2500 more but brought the finance charge down from 2.99% to 1.9% and since this is the last car Ill own, it was well worth the extra money. For me, this car is just the right fit!!! Not too small, not too large. And another plus - Ill only have to fill up my gas tank about every 2 months. :)

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  335K and Counting - 2000 Honda Civic
  By Frank Ruelas - July 11 - 2:47 pm

  Changing the oil every 3,000 miles without fail and doing other maintenance has kept my Civic running beautifully. I drive 100 miles round trip every day to work. Enough said...getting 40 MPG.

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  Sales Rep car - 2014 Honda Pilot
  By Mark - July 10 - 10:01 pm

  Transmission seems weak, shifts goofy. Wandered around when new, Honda said the ball joints needed to seat. Blows around in the wind. Like the rear camera. Front seats are small. MPG is okay. Never over 24. Seats stained from spilled water?

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  Like my wifes 2007 better - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By TK - July 9 - 10:41 pm

  Ive been driving Hondas for 15 years. Came back from a short stint with a Subaru Outback, because Ive really enjoyed driving my wifes 2007 CRV. Let me tell you, Honda really took a good thing and tried to fix it. The overall space and cargo has decreased by inches, but noticeably so. Its terribly dangerous to control climate, radio, or do anything else on the electronic display while one is driving. The vibrations when driving are maddening. We can fit 2 car seats and one person in the back of the 2007, but in the 2015, the 2 car seats make it impossible for a 3rd person to sit, due to seat belt positioning. Oh yeah, I drive all country roads 40-50 mph with barely any stop lights and I am lucky to get in the high 24 MPG. Sometimes I break to 25 MPG. In this day and age on a 4 cylinder??!?!? Give me a break! Oh yeah, the backup cam does not compensate for all the blind spots either. Sometimes the driver door takes 3 tries to shut. Although the touring looks sharp and the engine is really dependable and its a Honda, Ill probably keep this car until 50K and then dump it. Too many idiosyncracies and life is too short...

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  Bad vibrations - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By Chris D - July 9 - 10:55 am

  Bought a 2015 CR-V new less than a week ago. For the first few days it was a perfect car, then it started vibrating horribly at idle when in drive. Apparently this a known issue (just search the internet, Honda even has a video about it) that the "reputable" car rating websites chose to ignore when giving the car five star ratings. Dont be tricked into buying this car.

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  Nice CRV but has the shakes - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By Jose - July 8 - 2:39 pm

  Dont buy it before the shakes/vibration is fixed

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  Shakes and No Fries ? - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By Mario - July 8 - 1:06 pm

  Dont buy it. It shakes while stopped at the red light or stop and go traffic

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  Somethings you wont know until you own one. - 2012 Honda Civic
  By genegenre - July 6 - 1:29 pm

  I am writing a review here because I have a 2012 and, aside from a few tech mods and bits of shiny trim, they havent changed much since 12. I use my Civic NG for auto parts delivery. It has 190,000+ miles on it. So far the only two things to go wrong are the wheel bearings beginning at 60k. I had kept my tire psi at 44! Since having them changed at 103k, I havent begun to feel any wear as I have deflated the tires back to about 34psi. I tried to change the front fuel filter and damaged the housing. Cost was around $600. The + side is that you really only need to change the filters about every 50k miles. Dealer charges $80 for labor for the front (I do rear). My mechanic charges $15 labor.