Over 1.5 million people buy cars made by Honda and its luxury brand Acura every year, and the company’s market share is growing over time. In 2015, Honda’s sales hit record highs, even asoverall car sales were down for the year. Since 2002, Honda brand sales have risen by over 30 percent in the US. Today, one in every 11 cars sold in the US is a Honda.
The
auto journalists have heaped praise on Honda models for many years. Kelley Blue Book has named Honda the
Best Overall Brand for three years in a row. Car and Driver has crowned the Honda Accord one of its 10 Best cars
for 30 of the last 32 years – a record for any nameplate. Six of eight
Honda models are the number one vehicle in their class according to US News & World Report’s car rankings.
Robbie
Payne has sold Hondas since 1990; prior to that, he sold Toyota for several
years. He calls Honda “the highest quality of all cars”.
A
recent round of redesigns means that Honda will have the freshest (newest designed) lineup for the period of 2016-2019, making the current time a great
time to buy a Honda. Honda has significantly updated or redesigned five
models – the Accord, Civic, CR-V, Fit, and Pilot for 2015 or 2016, as well as
introducing a sixth model, the HR-V. The new models have earned great reviews.
For example, the 2016 Honda Civic is the North American Car of the Year, a very
prestigious award given by a panel of around 50 automotive journalists. All but
the HR-V have received Edmunds.com’s “A” rating – only about a quarter of
non-luxury cars receive an A rating.
Reliability
One of
Honda’s biggest selling points is reliability. Honda’s reputation for
reliability began in the 1970s. At that time, they emphasized reliability and
mechanical simplicity, factors which won them customers from the then-dominant
American carmakers. Over the years, Hondas were top performers in reliability
surveys, which further cemented their reputation. Hondas are still very
reliable cars to this day.
According to a recent Consumer
Reports survey, Honda, along with Toyota, has the best long-term reliability ofthe major carmakers. Honda’s three best-selling models (Civic, Accord, and
CR-V) were listed on Consumer Reports’ list of “10 Best Cars to Get to 200,000 Miles and Beyond” (8). A Polk/IHS Automotive study conducted in 2013 found that
three out of four Hondas sold in the last 25 years are still on the road.
Ballie
Hart, 19, and Doug Lewis, 44, both drive older model Hondas – Ballie has a 2003
Accord coupe, and Doug has a 2003 Accord V6 sedan. Ballie received the Accord
as a hand-me-down from her dad, and it now has nearly 200,000 miles on it. She
has reported no major problems with her Accord. Doug, who has 183,000 miles,
bought his Accord new in December 2002. The only problem he has recorded during
that time has been a minor leak in the air conditioner hose. He did research in
Consumer Reports before buying the Accord, and says it has “held up really,
really well over the years.”
Driving experience
Hondas
have long been considered to have a “sportier”, more engaging driving
experience than many of their competitors, while still maintaining a
comfortable ride. Car and Driver, a car publication which emphasizes “fun to
drive” qualities, calls the Accord “engaging”, says the Civic “exemplifies
automotive excellence and underscores Honda’s commitment to blending fun with
efficiency and practicality”, and says the Odyssey “has charmed our staff for years."
Doug Lewis says that his 2003
Accord has good handling and “really good pickup” from its V6 engine, and also
cited its excellent cruise control system. He also stated that even after 13
years of use, the car still provides a very smooth ride. His wife Rhonda, who
owns a 2014 Odyssey minivan, says that it doesn’t feel cumbersome to drive
despite its large dimensions. She said that the van drove much like the Accord.
Traci Humphrey, who drives a 2013 CR-Z two-seater, said that her car was “fun
to drive” and also appreciated the 35 miles per gallon.
Safety
Hondas
are known as safe vehicles, with their crash test results typically being
stellar. Robbie Payne called safety the “biggest strength” of Hondas. The 2016
Honda Accord, Civic, CR-V, and Pilot won the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety’s prestigious Top Safety Pick Plus award; in addition, the Odyssey won
the Top Safety Pick award. Top Safety Pick means that the vehicle is a top
performer in frontal, “small-overlap” frontal, side-impact, rear-impact, and
rollover crash tests. Top Safety Pick Plus means that the vehicle contains
state-of-the-art technologies accident avoidance technologies such as
autobrake, which uses radar sensors to automatically brake the car if it senses
that a crash is likely.
Traci
Humphrey owes her life to the state-of-the-art safety built into Honda
vehicles. Three years ago, she was in a 2008 Accord sedan when it was T-boned
directly in the driver’s door by a Chevrolet Impala traveling at around 40 mph.
She was able to walk away with only two bruises and no other injuries. The
strong structure, side airbags, and seat belt saved her life.
Beginning
with 94 percent of 2013 and all 2015 models, all Hondas have a backup camera
standard. Backup cameras increase visibility when reversing and can help
prevent tragic accidents if a child is directly behind the car. Honda committed
to standard backup cameras years before the government announced in 2014 that
backup cameras would be a required feature for all 2018 cars.
In Conclusion…
Honda
is a car company with a wide range of top-quality models. While Honda isn’t the
only manufacturer that builds a good car, they are definitely an option worth
considering for almost anyone looking for a new car.
