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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  Hondas are not all theyre cracked up to - 2005 Honda Civic
  By never again - April 12 - 4:43 am

  I bought my 2005 civic ex coupe because I needed something that was fuel efficient which this one was not. From the time that I bought it I only managed to get 23 miles to the gallon in town, and on cold days it had trouble starting. The interior build quality was junk - push any where on the dash and the whole thing flexes, took to the dealer they could not explain the poor fuel economy or cold start issue, and by the way i only ran chevron premium in it. In the end i traded it in. I definitely do not recommend honda to anybody!!!

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  Avoid the 2016 Touring at all costs. - 2016 Honda Civic
  By Preston Hitchens - April 7 - 3:51 pm

  The problem with this car is in the center, software driven console. I have had to learn how to pull the fuse in my Civic, because every 30 days there is a problem. I have had my car since January, and I have had it to the dealer twice, and I have reset the radio twice. The car is sitting in my driveway right now with a rattle in the subwoofer and an audio deck that wont turn off. I have had the cars software updated in accordance with the issued TSB, no relief. Dealer just has the stupid look on their face every time I take it back. I am actually thinking about selling the car--it only has 2,000 miles on it. The aggravation is not worth it. The Adaptive Cruise Control works, but is somewhat slow to respond. The rain sensing wipers work in name only. In general the worst car I have ever owned. I cant imagine keeping this for five years. Disappointing at best.

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  BEWARE!! Accord 2016 has VIBRATION + moreproblems! - 2016 Honda Accord
  By Harry Jarman - March 13 - 12:07 pm

  This car has serious vibration problems. At start up the engine vibrates and causes the steering wheel to shake .you have to put it into neutral to stop the vibration. The local dealer knows of the vibration problem on CRV but refuses to hear that there is a problem on the accord. The agents at America Honda never picks up the phone and are not helpful very negative, cannot send any written information .They said take it to another dealership.I am doing that. The seats are very uncomfortable after a long drive and the steering feels stiff on the freeway.The air conditioner and heating system are very poor works only at very high setting. I am smelling foul air from the air Conditioner system and this is not covered by warranty.The car is noisy on the freeway-wind noise. I bought the car for its excellent reviews! and customer service!. My previous car has no such problems. I am now questioning the reviews. I feel I have a lemon because no one reports this vibration problems etc. Do test drive for a long distance and check the car before you buy. On mine the vibration problem started 2 weeks after purchase. America Honda are very reluctant to provide any information or concrete help. The + gas mileage is good ,acceleration good.

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  Wont Buy Honda next time - 1998 Honda Civic
  By MW2005 - March 11 - 12:30 pm

  First of all, I purchased the vehicle when its mileage was @ 21,000. Within the first year (and at the same "fix it" visit), I had to REPLACE the Exhaust Manifold (had a crack in it) and had the A/Trans. worked on. In 2002, I experienced probs w/the Electrical System. Ive purchased at least 4 car batteries since I bought the financial burden! Once again, my car hesitates/shutters, fails to start sometimes, AND appears to have a serious power drain somewhere. Last month I had the batterys charge checked (b/c my car had stalled at a stop sign!) and was told the battery was fine but that my Alternator needed to be looked at (AGAIN!). Also, I get TERRIBLE gas mileage - like 16 mpg.

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  The Honeymoon is Over - 2008 Honda Accord
  By Disappointed - March 8 - 7:23 pm

  My first new car in years, I had researched this car online for months! The test drive was great and I loved the car until I drove it out of town (trip lasted 2 hours) and developed back pain. Thought I was just getting old but it never improved and I was amazed to see all the other drivers who had the same problem. Ive already been through 2 set of wiper blades after 6 months and had the weatherstripping around the back doors replaced once. And my headlights blink too! Im very sad - I loved my daughters Civic and the dealer service is fantastic, but even good service cant help the uncomfortable seats.

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  bad news - 1990 Honda Civic
  By guy - February 28 - 3:08 am

  I bought this car 8 months ago for $1500, and it had 105,000 miles on it. Ever since then, it has broken down every 2 months. First it needed a new ignition coil. $350. Then a new axle. $350. Now the entire clutch assembly needs replacing, a new clutch pedal manifold, and it needs a new distributor (coming to about $2000). Also it has a gigantic hole in the muffler, which is very loud. clutch way too close to the floor, making it far from fun to drive. Loud motor all around, with mediocre-to-less than average pick-up. The driver seat has a big rip in it, exposing foam. Leaks a little oil. This car has been a nightmare. I guess its a lemon, based on the other reviews here being so good

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  Just ok, maybe. - 2017 Honda CR V
  By Hank - February 16 - 8:30 pm

  This car would probably be fine for me for short, (less than 15 min. trips). The drivers seat becomes very hard after sitting on it for any length of time. Wife drove down to Montgomery, Ala. this wkend and averaged 31.7 mpg @ 75 mph. I guess this is ok for an awd, although it would be nice if that 1.5 turbo was a little less thirsty. This seems to be a quality built vehicle, and it does drive quite nice. The front seats however, are terrible. I also am unimpressed with the audio sound. Honda should have a high-end system in the ex-l. In summary, Im glad this is my wife car and not mine.

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  I used to love Honda! But now ... - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Johnson - February 16 - 5:57 am

  I am continually frustrated with my new Honda Pilot, and want to share a brief glimpse into my experience in case it can help someone else… Electronics: -imagine computers in the 90s … -imagine IT department back then ... turn it on/off, and if that doesnt fix it, "thats the way its supposed to work" -I have twice gone to dealer with a typed list 2-3 pages long of all the issues. Yes, most are just annoying things, like feeling a $5 radio from Walmart wouldnt have the same intermittent reception issues, or that the navigation on my phone (pick any app!) is 10x better, or that I sometimes have to turn the Pilot off/on to adjust the temperature controls, or that sometimes things just randomly stop working for a while (and then magically work again … and then not …), etc. -the dealer people are nice and mean well, and yes they have had some updates that seemed to fix much of the issues, but not all, and other issues come back after awhile -SERIOUS: situations where Pilot could have caused an accident 1) while turning onto a busy street, my vehicle 100% on its own, went into neutral and the engine revved all the way up, then a second later it was back in Drive, and fortunately the accelerator was not all the way on its own 2) car slammed on the brakes, 100% on its own (and I mean slammed, screeching tires, everything in the car going flying), stopping me ~30’ from where a car had been slowly turning off the road into a parking lot. The thought of self braking is great, but even if the turning car had stopped, worst case a small corner would have been sticking in the road and I would have slowed down/around, or even had plenty of time/room to stop. Other examples: -cup holders in front are made for Big Gulps, so every other drink container bounces around, so my whole middle console is covered with coffee/other stains -front storage is just one monster tub (old Pilots had compartments that let you organize space) -rear seats do not lean back 1/3 as much as in previous Pilots (so kids cant sleep as easily) -stainless steel running boards have rusting screws/or other fastener behind them that are constantly leaking rust out; and because “elbow grease” can remove the leaking rust from the stainless steel, its not a warranty issue (we just need to apply “elbow grease” after it rains every time) -maintenance plan is basically bring it in, and we’ll let you know what’s needed -engine always sounds like its short a few quarts of oil -at random times (independent of outside humidity or dryness) all of the windows will fog up, and I need to blast the defroster -and a laundry list of other annoyances Are there a lot of good to great things about the new Pilot – Yes, absolutely. But I have never had a vehicle that had so many issues and annoyances. I previously owned an older Honda Pilot and LOVED it! Had I known what the new Pilot is like, I would have rather kept my old model and put $40K into it!! I have looked into the lemon laws, but all of the problem above are generally intermittent, and can be rationalized away as subjective opinion (“that’s the way its supposed to work”) For what its worth!

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  Hondas reputation will go down the tube - 2007 Honda Pilot
  By unhappy camper - February 13 - 12:20 pm

  This car STINKS. The worst thing about it is gas consumption. I get from 8 to 11 MPG even though the sticker advertized 17 to 22 MPG. The car rattles, the body is weak.

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  No more Oddssey for me - 2004 Honda Odyssey
  By Jimania - February 12 - 2:00 am

  Leased this van on my birthday 2003 for 4 years period of time. The first thing that catch my attention is the fuel efficiency, 17 mpg. The second thing is the sound system, the quality is pathetic. I should get a Chevy Suburban instead.