Compact car · 1973–present
Civic
Fun, frugal and famously durable.
191 for salefrom $6,995
Japan · since 1948
Honda
An engine company that happens to build cars.
Honda started with motorized bicycles and became the world’s largest engine maker. Its cars, especially the Civic, Accord and CR-V, are known for efficient, durable engines and practical packaging, and they are staples of the used-car market.
- Founded
- 1948
- Country
- Japan
- Headquarters
- Minato, Tokyo, Japan
- Founded by
- Soichiro Honda
- Current models
- 7
Honda models
Every model we track, sorted by how many are for sale near you.
Compact SUV · 1997–present
CR-V
Honda’s roomy, sensible, endlessly popular crossover.
168 for salefrom $8,995Midsize sedan · 1976–present
Accord
Honda’s midsize benchmark for five decades.
156 for salefrom $7,495Midsize 3-row SUV · 2003–present
Pilot
Honda’s three-row family SUV.
102 for salefrom $9,995Subcompact SUV · 2016–present
HR-V
A small crossover with a big cargo hold.
76 for salefrom $13,995Minivan · 1995–present
Odyssey
The driver’s minivan.
58 for salefrom $8,995Midsize pickup · 2006–present
Ridgeline
A unibody pickup with a trunk in the bed.
34 for salefrom $15,995
Honda history
Motorcycles first
Soichiro Honda founded Honda Motor Co. in 1948, initially fitting small engines to bicycles. The Dream and Super Cub motorcycles followed, and by the early 1960s Honda was the world’s largest motorcycle maker.
Cars and the CVCC breakthrough
Honda’s first production cars, the T360 kei truck and S500 roadster, arrived in 1963. The Civic followed in 1972, and its CVCC engine met tightening U.S. emissions standards without a catalytic converter, a major engineering coup at the time.
The Accord arrived in 1976 and in 1982 became the first Japanese car built in the United States, at Honda’s plant in Marysville, Ohio.
Racing and engineering culture
Honda has competed in Formula 1 on and off since the 1960s and supplied engines to championship-winning teams. That engineering-first culture shows up in its road cars, from VTEC variable valve timing to the original NSX supercar.
Milestones
- 1948Honda Motor Co. is founded in Hamamatsu, Japan.
- 1959American Honda Motor Co. opens in Los Angeles.
- 1963First production cars: the T360 truck and S500 roadster.
- 1972The Civic debuts.
- 1976The Accord debuts.
- 1982Marysville, Ohio begins building the Accord, a first for a Japanese automaker.
- 1986Acura launches as Honda’s premium brand.
- 1997The CR-V goes on sale in the U.S.
Classic Honda models
Discontinued icons that collectors still search for.
NSX (NA1/NA2)1990–2005
Aluminum mid-engine supercar developed with input from Ayrton Senna.
S20002000–2009
9,000-rpm roadster, now a collector favorite.
Civic Type R1997–present
Track-focused Civic, sold in the U.S. since 2017.
CRX1984–1991
Lightweight two-seat hatchback known for efficiency and handling.
Watch
Further reading
- WikipediaHondaEncyclopedic overview with production history and sources.
- WikipediaSoichiro HondaEncyclopedic overview with production history and sources.
- NHTSARecalls lookupCheck any VIN for open safety recalls before you buy.
- U.S. DOE / EPAFuel economy by model yearOfficial EPA mpg ratings and owner-reported fuel economy.
Honda FAQ
Who owns Acura?
Acura is Honda’s luxury brand, launched in North America in 1986. Acura models share engineering with Hondas.
Where are Hondas built?
Most Hondas sold in the U.S. are built in North America, at plants in Ohio, Indiana, Alabama, Ontario and Mexico. The window sticker lists final assembly location for any specific car.