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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  Chrysler T & C Limited reigns supreme - 2005 Honda Odyssey
  By I Miss my T & C - March 20 - 12:03 am

  I shouldve bought another T & C Limited. It would have been 3K less and would have include DVD and NAV. The Touring has a lot of nice features, but they missed important things when you buy this level of vehicle (i.e. Memory seats SHOULD include radio settings and mirrors that change with the driver!) T&C LTD does. Our van has been in the shop for a total of 2 weeks with 2 different problems. The brakes were replaced at 5k miles and they still sound awful. It has a noise when I accelerate that the dealer cant find. The stereo was not well thought out...the seek is a stretch for the driver, not on the steering wheel. People who LOVE this van never owned a T&C LTD! Still needs work!

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  Great Car Some Frills - 1990 Honda Civic
  By HondaFanatic - March 19 - 2:00 am

  This car was exactly what I expected, and more. My disappointment lies only with the engine. Its 92HP engine makes me hesitate before passing (the car is very responsive, but weak). The car has great handling, and seats very the front passengers very well. Other than the engine, however, I have to complain about the height. The car sits so low that not only his an interesting experience getting out of the car, but it tends to scrape across the bottom when traveling over speed bumps. Dont get me wrong, though, after seeing friends with other compact cars (even newer cavaliers seem less luxurious), this car simply blows them all away

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  Its a blast - 2006 Honda Civic
  By JBONE - March 18 - 6:43 pm

  So I was not really looking to get a Civic until I drove the new Si. I have had classic Chevys over the years and they have all been over 300 hp. I know the the SI is not 300 but it still has guts for a 4 banger. The handling of this car is great right off the lot. I have yet to change anything to do with the suspension and I dont belive that I will. I did put 18" wheels on it with better tires. It made a pretty big difference.

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  CNG Honda- feels good to drive - 2007 Honda Civic
  By aerodog - March 18 - 2:43 pm

  Cannot choose which I like more, driving by the gas stations with $5 per gal displayed, or looking at the exhaust pipe after 10,000 miles and it looks totally new! The "feel good" factor is strong..stronger than when I drove the Honda Insight, and far more comfortable too! The Civic body styling is light years ahead of the older Civic along with the functionality too. Only one complaint to those who are 510" or taller. That emergency brake hits you just below the right knee and after longer drives is a total pain! Think Im going to remove it, then all is very, very nice. Range is a little short, but my daily drives are not that far. In short, the US should get on the ball and CNG more.

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  nice car, but overrated - 2000 Honda Civic
  By rubykeeler - March 17 - 2:00 am

  the civic is a nice car for a new driver or someone on on a budget. i only had one minor, easily fixed problem. the other cars drove away with nary and scratch and mine was trashed and had problems ever since. i just ended up selling the damn thing for a nice new acura rsx that had the luxury of power windows. also, the gas mileage is overrated. i commute to college on an all highway route, and never topped more than 280 miles per tank. i get more than that with my rsx. plus...whenever the gas got low, it would take a few more seconds to start the engine. lastly, right after the warranty expired, the cd player went to bust.

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  In shop 5 times in 6 weeks - 2003 Honda Civic
  By js - March 17 - 2:00 am

  The review title says it all. Ive owned the car 6 weeks and it has been in the shop 5 times. The build quality is *not* what I associate with the Honda name. This car has quite a few rattles. Also some of the carpet on the side of the trunk has already come off where a screw was missed. These are minor inconconveniences, but once again not the quality I expect from Honda.

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  In shop 5 times in 6 weeks - 2003 Honda Civic
  By JS - March 17 - 2:00 am

  The review title says it all. Ive owned the car 6 weeks and it has been in the shop 5 times. The build quality is *not* what I associate with the Honda name. This car has quite a few rattles. Also some of the carpet on the side of the trunk has already come off where a screw was missed. These are minor inconconveniences, but once again not the quality I expect from Honda.

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  Great value for money - 2000 Honda Passport
  By abhi - March 16 - 11:18 am

  It is a great suv for city use. Very useful for moving and groceries with a large trunk. only problem is the heat from the engine gets to your legs during summer. steering is cool and stereo from honda is very good.scary on steep turns.

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  So far, so good - 2017 Honda Accord
  By Jason Green - March 14 - 4:17 pm

  Ive owned this vehicle for one month now, and so far it seems to be a good investment. Driving is easy, and acceleration is very smooth: engine RPMs barely get above 3k when accelerating from a stop light, and the car gets up to speed easily with very little struggle (compared to my previous 2013 hybrid that red lined while accelerating to 45 mph). The interior is very quiet and comfortable with good visibility. Love the Honda sensing with the camera on the passenger side - very helpful when passing vehicles on the highway or making sure youre parking close enough to the curb. I wish I had a camera on the drivers side as well! Adaptive cruise control works great - the furthest distance setting provides a very comfortable 3-second following range which is a bit far in some driving situations. The closest distance setting is also comfortable, giving about a one-second following distance. Love the lane keeping system - when off, it gives you a visual warning when you are departing your lane; when on, it helps to gently guide you to the center of your lane - the car almost drives by itself! And the lane departure is a gentle reminder - some cars I test drove nagged at you when you started to leave your lane, and it could be quite distracting. It has pretty good smartphone integration - if I plug my Android phone into the USB port, I can use Google navigation thats on my phone (and it automatically shows up on the console screen) - that saved me a few hundred bucks since I didnt have to buy the trim with navigation (and Google maps is generally more user-friendly than most car navigation systems). I also have access to music on my phone and Amazon music. You can also use Pandora or other streaming services or use Hondas "A-Ha" music app. I can get phone calls through the car speakers, but I havent figured out how to get text messages read to me (possibly a limitation of my phone and not the car). Android Auto will also read my emails to me once the vehicle is parked. Overall, very good technology and integration that Ive only just begun to explore. Other notes: - Fold down rear seats are only operable from the trunk, and you cant access the trunk from the back seat. This provides the opportunity to securely lock the trunk so the valet driver cant get in without the key. You can also lock out the glove compartment so you need the physical key to get in. - Rear seat room is comfortable, even for a 63" adult. - This trim level has two center dashboard screens - the upper screen cycles between music info, trip info, or an uploaded photo & clock. You also have the option to combine music info and trip info on the same screen. The lower display is a touch-screen where you can control music, cell phone, Android Auto features (e.g. navigation) and trip info (trip mph and duration, including previous trips) - seems a bit redundant though to have the same trip or music info displayed on both the upper and lower screens. - Below the bottom touch screen are simple, easy to operate dual-zone climate controls that keep the passenger compartment very comfortable. - Car has a number of driving modes. The transmission itself has "Drive" and "S" (which I assume means "Sport," but its not defined in the owners manual as a "Sport" mode). "S" gives you a little more power for faster starts, probably at the expense of fuel economy at highway speeds. "S" is also used for models with paddle shifters, for towing, for increased engine braking, or in hilly terrain. Drive, I assume, gives you the advertised 185 hp and 181 ft-lbs torque. You also have an "Econ" button: Econ mode restricts both the climate system and engine power to maximize fuel economy. The A/C doesnt blow as hard, and it takes a bit longer to cool the vehicle on warm days. I suppose you could drive in Sport mode with Econ activated, but it seems like it would be counter productive. I generally leave the car in drive with Econ mode activated, and it seems to do fine, even on the hottest summer days. Ive had no problem with acceleration or speed while in Econ mode, though Ive noticed that with cruise control on, the vehicle slows a bit when going up hills, and it doesnt return to the ordered speed as aggressively. I suppose if you want something a little more responsive, either dont use Econ mode, drive with the transmission in "Sport," or buy the V-6 or sport model. With about 900 miles on the car, Im getting around 38 combined mpg (its advertised as having 27/36 mpg & 30 mpg combined). Most of my driving is on the highway. Overall, a very good mid-size sedan. While it doesnt have all the luxury features that are out there, it is very well equipped, and very well made. And if buying a domestic vehicle is on your agenda, my previous Ford was built in Mexico, but this Honda was built in Ohio. I probably put more groceries on tables in America with this car purchase than with my "domestic" Ford.

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  2001 Honda Insight - 2001 Honda Insight
  By floatee - March 13 - 2:00 am

  Great gas mileage, but not as high as advertised (I have a 58 mpg average right now). Mileage drops significantly in winter. Road handling diminishes in rain/snow/ice/wind conditions. Storage is poor, but that is obvious before buying. I have a 40 mile round trip commute in Chicago-area traffic and have taken it on a few longer trips (500+ miles) too.