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Next to Toyota, Honda’s Japanese cars are some of the most highly-regarded pieces of automotive technology in the world today. The company shares in the same reputation for superior vehicle quality, reliability, safety, and fuel efficiency. How did Honda come to be known as the trusted auto manufacturer it is today? Let’s take a look at the company’s history and the development of its automotive technology, which benefits millions of people today. After the Second World War, the Japanese people were struggling to get their lives and businesses back on track. Part of daily life then was going to work, and the citizens were in dire need of an inexpensive and preferably fuel-efficient mode of transportation. The Japanese also take pride in being always on time, so they needed something that can easily weave in and out of traffic and fit in the narrowest of streets. They saw that the best machine that will meet their needs is a combination of a bicycle and a motorcycle, and the motorbike was born. Soichiro Honda saw this need, and in 1948 he founded the Honda Motor Company. The company started making motorbikes that were cheap to make and maintain. At first their machines were modified bikes fitted with motorcycle engines; eventually they were able to develop more sophisticated machines that could reach up to 50 miles per hour. Honda came to be known as one of the best producers of motorbikes. Honda’s Japanese cars venture started in the early Sixties. The company built its first autos for the Japanese Domestic Market and even entered the prestigious Formula One racing. The company exported the N600 to the United States in 1970—its first stab at the international market—and failed. Honda wasn’t one to give up though, and kept on trying, until the company got its break in 1973 with the introduction of the Civic. With its high fuel efficiency and affordability, it was a hit, especially at a time when the United States was undergoing an energy crisis. The Accord followed in 1976, and it received the same warm welcome, quickly becoming a favorite among Americans as well. The company continued to manufacture its reliable and fuel-efficient cars as the years went by, expanding their operations overseas. Honda built manufacturing plants in the US, making Accords starting from 1982. The Eighties also saw the birth of Honda’s luxury brand Acura. Vehicles in the Acura line are considered upscale and luxury models, targeting those in the upper classes of the social strata. Honda’s Japanese cars were equipped with the latest in technology. Innovations such as variable valve timing, advanced safety features, and ergonomic body design became synonymous with Honda cars. The company’s designers and engineers do their best to make every model both stylish and functional, without compromising fuel economy and passenger (and even pedestrian) safety. The Civic and the Acura remain the most popular, trademark sedans in the Honda lineup, which now includes family sedans, a minivan, a pickup, SUVs, and hybrids. Honda’s Japanese cars are without a doubt some of the best in the world, and it will do you good to consider the brand on your next vehicle purchase.
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