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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  2016 Honda HR-V - 2016 Honda HR-V
  By HRV fan - January 4 - 4:02 pm

  I was hesitant to purchase the 2016 so close to the release of the 2017 model for fear that I would miss out on options or technology that might be made available. Im glad I didnt wait! I got an amazing price and the 2017 model has no changes!

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  Worst car ever ! Never again !overrated car - 2016 Honda Accord
  By Robin jones - January 4 - 11:57 am

  Worst experience ever. Starting from the buying procedures, do you have the car in stock ? They say yes , cool , drove 20 miles to find out the car is not available yet and it is in another facility, they told me to try the regular accord 2016 , it would be the same , ok , i did not want the HONDA CARE ! And i told them NO I AM GOOD they still tried hard to convince and the financing manager did not feel ashame to keep telling me about how good it is and it would cover more things that the 3 years manufacturer warranty would , cost is $2400 , i only said ok because i knew i have 60 days to cancell , !!! And guess what eveytime i go to the dealership to fix an issue the first thing they say , oooh this is not covered !! Really ! What is covered then ! I had problems with wheel alignment the car was pulling , took it 3 times for the same issue , oh its not pulling and COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM and bla bla bla BS , i said fine. I will do that on my own never mind , then they called and say oh the manager said he will do the alignment for you , its like they giving me a favoy! Oh nice thank you!! And guess what. That paperwork that they gave me to show the alignment was performed was fake ! I still have the car pulling !! WTH ! When i boight the car i had a $1000 saving from a different dealer , but i still paid the $1000 extra for this dealership. ! The front and back suspension noise is very aggravating , you will feel like driving a tractor on a corn field!! The gas mileage is low 22 mpg combined and now its getting worse about 15 !! They only say oh we cant do nothing about it ! Really ? Who can ? Toyota? Probably yes ! Wind noise at highway speed , mirror shaking a little at high way speed , smoke burning odor win accelerate all COULD NOT BE DETECTED!! I think there is many fake reviews and ratings about this car ! they also offer me a FREE oil change to give then A GREAT feedback on a survey they would send to me ! Really. !? How about i will pay you double the price for your oil change and you just do honest work and service ! Never seen something like this before i owned 3 different vehicles and drove 7 different ones they were all used and never had an issue like this , this honda accord was brand new , tires and rims warranty was about $800 for 5 yrs or 100k miles , did not use so far , but we called once and they say we have to fix the wheels if we have an issue with them then they will send us reimbursement!! Will never buy a honda again.

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  Nothing special, it will get you there - 2004 Honda Accord
  By My1stHonda - January 4 - 10:13 am

  I purchased this car new and have had no real problem with it. It handles well, gets decent gas mileage, and can be quite comfortable if you like a firm seat. On the downside, there is quite a bit of road noise, and wind noise. Honda should use more sound dampening material. Also, the backlight for the drivers heated seat switch died after 18 months, seat still heats up though. I still do not understand why the steering wheel controls do not light up on the steering wheel, this can be annoying when driving at night. I have the gray leather and the drivers seat has cracked after only 2 years. Seems to be a low quality leather.

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  Handy - 2008 Honda Ridgeline
  By Dad - January 4 - 12:36 am

  I have 14K on my Ridgeline RTX. Thus far the swing out tailgate latch and the rear seat vent have broken. Otherwise OK. I have towed boats and trailers with no problems. Brakes work well while towing but fuel mileage drops to 10 MPG or less. Shifts a lot even without a trailer - very annoying. I think the engine could handle it if the tranny would wait to drop out of high gear. I noticed torque steer when passing, it surprised me and made me swerve. Trunk is awesome. Drives and parks like a car. Fuel mileage is only so-so. Averaging 17-18 and 19-20 on hwy. Functionally the truck is great. Its kind of ugly and my buddies make lots of fun but its really practical and does what I need it to do.

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  Go for Touring - 2018 Honda Odyssey
  By Sunil S - January 3 - 11:44 pm

  We bought 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring as we are ready to welcome our first child! After reading the review by one of the owner that EX-L drive is noisy I compared both EXL and Touring and really agree with her that I found Touring quieter and much better drive! If you want better drive and can spend few thousands more go for Touring or all the way to Elite if you want cooling/AC for front seats. So far we are enjoying the ride and safety features (Honda Sensing) that comes with it. We faced Bluetooth, remote starter issues that were fixed by dealer. They said it was some system issue. Wish you the best in your family car hunt! I do recommend Honda Odyssey but higher trim if you want better and quieter drive!

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  Fine Honda but needs improvement! - 2004 Honda Accord
  By John Mercer - January 3 - 10:54 am

  I have owned this V6 w/navi for over 4 yrs. and it is extremely reliable, great gas mileage w/V6 and powerful. I do have suggestions for improvement for the very near future. When this model was introduced, it lacked fog lights which I installed with a Honda OEM kit. I cant live without these lights! Another very important improvement for this car and the newest models (09), would be an 8-way power seat for the front passenger. The front seats are angled or sloped downward at the back too much and make it very uncomfortable for people with back problems. An 8-way adjustment would solve this! I ended up lifting the back of the seat upwards with longer bolts and shims. Otherwise a fine car.

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  Very Improved Civic - 2007 Honda Civic
  By East Coast Driver - January 3 - 4:10 am

  The new civic is a substantial improvement over the last design. I traded in my 99 SI civic for this one and I like the new car. I once owned a 1980 Civic that was fun to drive and rode 50 miles to the gallon. This car is way bigger than that was, but also feels much more luxurious than the 99. Yeah, its not a $50,000 BMW, but I wanted a car that gets at least 35 MPG highway, so compare it to that field. The civic is much more interesting than a Corolla. The Mazda 3 is a worthy alternative, and you wont see quite so many either, but the new honda is very smooth. Honda has always been known for making quality engines, and this one very refined. Great fit and finish, dont buy any extra

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  Wife calls this her "Grapefruit" - 2001 Honda Odyssey
  By bjgreen - January 3 - 12:48 am

  It isnt quite a lemon, but the legendary Honda reliability has passed our van over - hence we call it a "grapefruit." We bought the van new in 2001 and it continues to be our primary family (of five) car. During warranty we had a leaking gasket and a defective fuel pump. After warranty weve had to replace the hinges for both sliding doors and the key cylinder ignition. So the car has left us stranded twice in 8 years. One of the plastic air conditioner knobs split (we glued it back together). The drivers side interior door handles metallic covering started to peel off and was sharp enough to cut my wifes finger. It is now wrapped in duct tape.

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  I love my Honda - 2007 Honda Accord
  By Bruce of SC - January 2 - 9:26 pm

  I have owned my Accord for 2 years and I have not had any trouble with it. The four cylinder engine performs very well. I am glad I did not get the six. The only shortcoming I have found is in the rain, a cracked window allows a lot of water to drip in. It usually ends up on the window controls.

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  2017 black edition is awesome - 2017 Honda Ridgeline
  By Peter Narreau - January 2 - 6:19 am

  Had this truck for three weeks and already taken it on a long haul trip. 26mpg was surprisingly good. We love the vehicle and at the moment I cant come up with a criticism. Our first truck and first Honda! Jan 2017 Update: As a suburban DIY and weekend warrior, I am still loving this truck. Cons Ive found are: 1. No power retractable mirrors. It would be easier to pull into the garage with this simple feature available on the Pilot. 2. The fog lights are not LED (not optional), and dont look very impressive when paired with the awesome LED headlights.