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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  Perfect Family Car - 2012 Honda CR-V
  By chapelthrill23 - August 19 - 12:21 pm

  I bought the CRV because I needed a family car and it has not disappointed. It is smooth, quiet, handles like a car, is spacious, and is fuel efficient. A lot of what makes it wonderful cannot be found on a spec sheet. I cross shopped more expensive cars (TSX Wagon, XC70, etc) but the packaging is what made me buy a CRV. The interior design is fantastic. Im not sure how they were able to build a small car with such a huge amount of space. It also has many details that make it work for families. The huge center console is wonderful, the conversation mirror/sun glass holder is useful, the easy fold seats are handy, the big buttons are nice, and I love that the rear floor is flat.

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  3rd Pilot, and loving it - 2012 Honda Pilot
  By audi40 - August 19 - 8:08 am

  Having owned both03 and 07 Pilot EXLs, my wife thought she wanted something "more luxurious" this time around. Took an Infiniti JX for a day-long test drive and was "luke warm" to it. Then drove an MDX which we both thought she would end up with - while she really liked the looks and handling, she didnt like that it lacked the interior space and storage of her previous Pilots (also didnt like the big swath of fake wood trim accross the dash). Last stop was to test drive a Pilot Touring model and purchased it that same day. Loved all the features in the Touring model and for 10% off MSRP, couldnt beat the value. 2 months and 1,500+ miles later, no problems and loving the new Pilot!

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  this econ model is built for MPG - 2012 Honda Civic
  By shotandabeer - August 17 - 12:52 pm

  All highway at 65 with a/c on = 42+mpg if you leave your foot off the gas and dont drive in a real hilly area. I love it. What value! Econ is fantastic for chinging shift points but you will slow down a bit on a hill - until yuo punch it or take off econ setting. I have seen 46 mpg at lower speeds on flat terrain in the summer and not using the gas pedal much. I got the "dumb" lease $189/mo. Dumb if you dont get one... for business travel. Also have a pilot and an accord - two other no brainers. Fantastic vehicles. get one!

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  Great Car - 1998 Honda Civic
  By joegti10 - August 13 - 11:37 pm

  My sister bought it a few years old with very low miles and I picked it up off of her 7 years ago with 100K. Its still going strong at 201K with regular 3k oil changes. This is a northeast car where it battles large blizzards, oppressive heat and salt. Heres what has failed and replaced in the last 100k...it was pretty much flawless for the first 100k. I beat on it a bit, lol. Exhaust system (still has orig manifold), distributor cap, radiator, rear swing arm, front brakes a few times, rear brake line, drivers side power window motor, headliner issues, few sets of tires, relay issue with blinker, rear 02 sensor, clearcoat starting to peel. Otherwise its a great car...

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  Long-term relationship! - 2005 Honda Accord
  By sullins - August 13 - 10:27 pm

  This is the first car I ever bought brand new. I wanted to wait a year or so before I posted a review and wow does time fly! Seven years later I am proud to say I still own this car and it will hit 232,000 miles on my drive to work tomorrow. This has been an incredibly reliable car. Outside of the usual maintenance such as tires, oil changes and brakes, I have replaced nothing more than batteries (think I have bought two) and light bulbs...literally. With that said, Im awful on cars. I change the oil about every 10,000 miles & have never done scheduled maintenance (dealership stuff). Still has original timing chain & clutch. As a commuter, this has been the best car I could have bought!

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  Im Sooo In Love With This Car!!! - 2012 Honda Accord
  By tammylr95 - August 12 - 6:17 pm

  I purchased an Accord EX-L V6, and I am very pleased with my decision. It really has the feel of a luxury car! It is GORGEOUS to look at! There is no road noise and the V6 kicks butt!!!

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  Great car...fun to drive! - 2012 Honda Civic
  By eca72261 - August 7 - 2:06 am

  I just put 3,000 miles on my 2012 Honda Civic HF and I must say, this car is a joy to drive and its super easy to park. Visibility is wonderful. There is plenty of legroom/headroom even when my 63" son is sitting in the passenger seat. Everything in the car fits just right (Im 59" weight 225 lbs). I use math to figure out the gas mileage (miles driven divided by gallons) and Im getting 39.573 mpg on average with my first 3,000 miles. I drive 80% hwy, 20% city. I could not be more pleased. This is a conservative car (the styling) for conservative people who want to get from point A to point B without problems. I am very happy with my purchase!!

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  Great CRZ - 2011 Honda CR-Z
  By lazycatprod - August 5 - 1:57 pm

  I recently purchased a 2011 CR-Z EX from beaverton Infinity. I was looking at new but found this one with less than 7k miles and saved a ton of money. I love this car. The styling and performance are great. The best part I am averaging over 44 MPG since purchase. I have a daily commute of over 70 miles and my fuel cost is averaging $30 a week. If your looking for a fun to drive yet economical car. You should check it out.

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  Great SUV - 2012 Honda Pilot
  By wjallen101 - August 3 - 7:22 am

  I use SUV lightly because the Pilot is built on the Odyssey platform. That said, the Pilot is great. My choice was between the Grand Cherokee and Pilot. Before the test drive I was leaning towards the Cherokee. The Cherokee was clearly "more fun" to drive. But I determined that I didnt agree with the negative reviews about the Pilot and its sluggish acceleration. The drive was still fun and acceleration more than enough. Overall, the Pilot made more sense for my family and I. The 4WD is really an AWD. But I dont do off-roading. I only wanted a SUV that we could take to the mountains under all weather conditions. Therefore the build, size, mpg, storage and tech features were perfect.

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  Good car for the value - 2005 Honda Element
  By laura_e_som - August 2 - 12:05 pm

  My husband and I purchased this car new and it has been a blessed experience thus far. It handles well, cleans up well and is holding its value well. With 96,000 miles on it, we are grateful to God, that it has had no real problems, it has needed one set of breaks and a set of tires, with another one due here pretty soon. My husband drives this car almost everyday back and forth to work and it has been very reliable. AWD does seem to help it to handle well enough in the snow, and its car we plan on keeping until it finally says no more.