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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  I love this car! - 2003 Honda Civic
  By Tony - August 25 - 5:06 pm

  Extremely well built car. Manual trans scoots around. So far Ive had nothing go wrong or need to be fixed or even adjusted. I just put Michelin tires on it and it changed the ride dramatically for the better. If I had known this I would have done it when I bought the car. The OE tires were weak but didnt wear out quickly. Well, one issue is that the CD player can heat up on a hot day and cause a crackling on the audio output. To me it has been a minor issue that Ive ignored. Ive experienced this on other cars so.....What can you say about a car that has never had a single problem in over 4 years?

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  Exceptional Car - 2010 Honda Insight
  By JA - August 24 - 10:23 pm

  Car has performed flawlessly - I have averaged 48.1 mpg on combined city/hwy driving which surprised me as the car is only rated at 40 city / 43 hwy.

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  Love it! - 2003 Honda Civic
  By lilrabbi - August 24 - 9:55 pm

  This is a really great car. I have had no mechanical problems with it at all. On the highway (55 mph) my LX (not hybrid) gets 47 mpg! It is about 30 mpg around town. The only two problems Ive had? The car is VERY noisy driving down the road. In the job I just left, I would drive three 1-hr roundtrips and two 4-hr roundtrips. It killed my back. My legs would be nearly numb when I got to work.

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  Love this car! - 2000 Honda Accord
  By OBES - August 24 - 2:10 pm

  I just bought this accord as a Honda certified used car...Great car i love it! get power with the V6 the interior is awesome and overall handling is awesome! if you are going to get a certified used car get a certified honda! best warranty and the service you get at the dealerships are great! I just recently took it in for service and without me asking they went a head and gave me a loaner car until my car was finished! great experience, I am glad i went back to Honda after owning a piece of crap GM product.

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  Wonderful car - 2018 Honda CR-V
  By KarenR - August 24 - 5:52 am

  I love my new Honda CRV-EXL (but I loved my 2008 CRV too!). The CRV is easy to drive and park & the power front seats help make them very comfortable. I especially like the many new safety features including blindspot & lane departure warnings. The interior also has many new features but the ones I appreciate the most are using the phone for navigation through the display on the dashboard with voice commands and auto liftgate opening and closing. I know push button start & keyless entry have been around for a long time but this is my first experience and Im finding it very beneficial to not have my keys out all the time. As a bonus, my dog really likes the A/C vents in the back here in Florida. I couldnt be happier with my purchase and recommend the CRV to anyone looking for a car in this size range

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  best car ive owned - 1998 Honda Civic
  By lang - August 23 - 9:42 pm

  Ive owned my honda ex for about 8 years and i can honestly say that it has been the best car i have ever owned. Ive put 286,000 miles on it and yes ive had to put some money into it. eventually things wear out however, it has never "broken down" on me and i have never had to worry about it starting. The only flaw with this vehicle that i can see is that the exhaust rusts out quickly. other than that scheduled maintenance is all this baby needs to run like a top!! i have had to get frequent alignments but that could be my driving or the roads in maine or both. if i could wish for an improvement it would be a quieter ride. other than that i have no complains. handles well,mpg about 33 highway.

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  Only moderately impressed - 2005 Honda Accord
  By Hermann - August 23 - 7:20 pm

  The car has many positive features. Superb powertrain, very good build quality, excellent fuel economy, superb controls with great tactile feedback, equipped but not gaudy. The down side is the overly firm ride, steering that lacks precision and feedback. Itskind of like driving on molasses. And the seats are hard to get comfy in. Slightly over-firm cushion and hard to get centered in the seat. It is a nice looking vehicle in darker colors, it helps hide the heft of the rear end. Interior is very fuctional but not flashy.

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  So far so good - 2006 Honda Civic
  By Bonnie - August 23 - 1:40 pm

  I just bought this car a few days ago and am very pleased with it. It is fun to drive and great on gas. The navigation system is great-I couldnt find any similar models that offered it. This is my 2nd Civic and there was never even a reason for me to consider other cars. The new dash design is very cool and steering wheel controls are very convenient. The only thing I wasnt thrilled about was the drink holder - they are located in the center console and get very warm after driving for awhile. This is probably due to the electronic equipment but it will make a cold drink warm after awhile. All in all, very happy with this car and I highly recommend it!

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  Best Car - 2009 Honda Accord
  By david - August 23 - 9:10 am

  We now have had the car for 6 months and have driven it over 8000 miles and still find it to be the best car I have owned. We have not had any issues with seat comfort or brakes. The car is used for mostly short driving in town but still delivers a 23-24 mpg. We drove it to Chicago Il and back in Sept. a trip of over 600 miles each way and got 34 mpg. At no time did I find the seats uncomfortable (9hr trip). The road noise does change with pavement type, concrete being the noisiest.

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  Honda Ridgeline Worth Looking At! - 2006 Honda Ridgeline
  By kennex - August 23 - 1:50 am

  Well, Honda has done it the first time around. Sure, this trunk is not a Dodge Ram, but it never was meant to be. This is a crossover between your SUV and your F-150. For those of us that want all of the options of your favorite luxury car, but need space to haul stuff, this is the perfect fit! No doubt, this truck will win many awards including truck of the year because it is innovative and unique. How the frame was designed and the independent 4 wheel suspension is a first for a truck. Drive one and you will see why!!!