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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  Just passed 90k miles - 2010 Honda Insight
  By supermiles - January 5 - 7:33 pm

  Bought new in 2010, after losing my Camry to a head on collision. Have about 91k miles on it now. I love the car for what it is. Never any mechanical problems, I put tons of stuff in the hatch. Would buy another...if they still made them when I finish with this one. Never less than 40 mpg, never better than 45...but I run it pretty hard

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  Excellent Value Proposition - 2015 Honda Accord
  By ned231 - January 5 - 6:00 pm

  I have owned my 2015 EXL/Navi for several days now, not long enough to make a full evaluation, but plenty long enough to assure sedan shoppers that they must include the Accord in their shopping endeavors. I am a longstanding Acura/Honda fan, so the new Accord was near the top of my list, but I have to say they really hit this out of the park. My prior vehicle was a 2008 Accord with the old body style, and this is a huge improvement. Very quiet, very solid around corners - a wonderful blend of solid performance and value. Visibility is excellent. If you are shopping for a sedan you MUST drive this car. And the 4 cylinder will be plenty of responsiveness for most buyers.

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  Great Car - 2014 Honda Accord
  By srijal - January 5 - 3:53 pm

  Got a great deal on the car. Ive owned honda civic, toyota camry and acura rsx in the past and this is one of the best cars Ive owned so far. Im very light driver (take train to work) so Ive just put over 8,000 miles in last 10 months and its has been great. Electronic Stability Control worked great while driving during snow storm. So far so good.

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  Maybe I bought a Honda, expecting an Acura? - 2014 Honda Accord
  By josh2014 - January 5 - 2:25 pm

  I bought my 2014 Accord Coupe in the beginning of November and got a great deal on it. I went looking to buy a black 4-Door with black interior. Left with a white 2-Door and Tan Interior. Seen it and absolutely loved it. And I still do. It has almost 5,000 miles on it now. I regret buying a 2-door but, thats my fault. I had problems with the brakes sticking when I first got it, and Im going in Friday to have the "shimmy" checked out, that Ive had in it sense day 1. This is a great car with great mpg, but I feel the build quality isnt that great compared to my old 2005 Maxima that I had. Already have several rattles, and the electric steering now makes a quiet tick when turning left.

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  Honda accord 2015 ex - 2013 Honda Accord
  By kingkeesh - January 4 - 6:49 pm

  Car is not good. I regret buying it. It gets 18mpg per city and 33 on highway. The seats are not comfortable. Only bought the car because it said It got 27 mpg in city. Cvt Transmission is not good at all it struggles at low speeds and high speeds if you let go of the pedal speed drops down exponentially. Econ mode doesnt do anything. Back up camera is great but there is only one angle not multi angle. I have 3k miles on it. I am stuck with the care for at least 5 years. I should of got Chevy Malibu 2015 or Toyota 2015 hybrid.

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  2008 Civic Coupe LX - 2008 Honda Civic
  By kmat1 - January 4 - 6:03 pm

  I have owned this car for five years now and there are a few complaints. Just like others have stated, the drivers side visor is broken. Ive also seen this defect in other 2008 civic coupes. The rear tires are cupped. This happened within a year of owning the car with only 30,000 miles on it. Two years ago, the automatic locks started to work intermittently. Most of the time I have to manually unlock the doors, and reach over to unlock passenger side. The dashboard is digital and the gas gauge works sometimes, but most of the time its flickering on and off. The A/C works intermittently. When its very hot outside, its guaranteed not to work. Lastly, car vibrates in reverse & park.

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  A real reviewer - 2014 Honda CR-V
  By golfcart2 - January 4 - 5:44 pm

  We bought this car based on the great reviews. After owning this car for almost 4 months, I now suspect that most of the reviews are written by the dealers. This car is a huge disappointment. It drives like a golf car. A little bit of wind on the highway, and you better be holding on to the steering wheel with both hands as the car blows all over the road. Just drove it today in about 2 inches of snow and actually got stuck coming out of a driveway - unbelievable. The rear visibility is awful and the back up camera is useless. The interior is cheaply made. And the exterior rear of this car has so much cheap black plastic around the window - it is really quite ugly.

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  Reliable, Fun, Fuel Efficient, Cheap, VTEC yo - 2009 Honda Civic
  By shadetreegiant - January 3 - 11:08 pm

  I own a 2009 Honda Civic EX Sedan (automatic transmission). The 1.8 Liter VTEC engine is the centerpiece of this car. The VTEC allows this engine to have two "personalities". While cruising on the highway, the engine is composed and fuel efficient. If you step on the gas pedal a little more aggressively, the VTEC solenoid kicks in and uses a second set of cam lobes that makes the engine more powerful. So, it is literally a two-faced engine that can be both fun or economical. The transmission will stay smooth as long as you change the fluid on schedule (every 30k miles). The rest of the car is also well designed, but you need to remember that the Civic is still an economy car.

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  A Good College Car - 2008 Honda Civic
  By andrew_kaber08 - January 3 - 3:19 pm

  My 2008 Civic Si Coupe was a great car but it was just a college car. It was fast, quick on its feet, had an amazing audio system, and popular with the teenage and young-twenties crowd, but it always felt unrefined. The engine provides a surprising bit of power, but only high in the rpms, and had no down-low power. Driving it in stop-and-go traffic was a chore due to very low torque, but once you got in the 6,000 to 8,000 rpm range, it FLEW. This car is an amazing college vehicle, especially with the standard sunroof and subwoofer, but its just unrefined. Lots of wind noise, road bumps, and interior quality hiccups (such as a ticking CD-player) prevent it from being a "professional" car.

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  VCM Issue - 2013 Honda Pilot
  By mostmiles - January 2 - 1:55 pm

  From the day I drove the car off the lot, I have had concerns about vibration noises and hesitation in the engine. I am just about up with my warranty period and have complained about these issues every time I go for service. The dealer maintains there are no bulletins that address this issue however, I have noted on other sites that there are complaints about this issue. Other than that, I love the car - especially the extra space for transporting lots of stuff. I also appreciate Hondas pricing structure - unlike Toyotas which is difficult to figure out.