How did the Honda brand start?
Initially a motorcycle manufacturer, Soichiro Honda established Honda in 1948, a time when Japan was in the throes of post-war disaster. The brand has been the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles since 1959, but at the same time, is the eighth largest manufacturer of automobiles as of 2015. There are several famous Honda models that have remained popular for decades, but there are also some new ones with only two or three generations.
What are the different types of Honda four-wheel vehicles?
- Sedans like the Civic Sedan, Accord Sedan, and Legend Sedan
- Coupes such as the Civic Coupe, Accord Coupe, Insight, and Prelude
- Crossovers and SUVs such as the CR-V, HR-V, Pilot and Passport
- Hatchbacks like the Fit, Civic Hatchback, and Civic Type R
- Minivans and trucks such as the Stream, FR-V, Odyssey, and Ridgeline
- Hybrid cars like the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, CR-Z, and NSX
What are some of Honda's flagship models?
- Honda Civic - The Civic brought Honda out of trouble, when they were struggling in the early 1970's to the extent of almost pulling out of the automobile business altogether. The appeal of the Civic then was the economical fuel consumption and reliability, and this is still a major pull to buyers today. It has now underwent ten generations of tweaks and changes.
- Honda Accord - The Accord was launched in 1976, and was initially meant to be a larger companion model to the Civic. It is not really a model per say, more like a series of cars under a common nameplate. There are Accords in the sedan, coupe, wagon, hatchback, and crossover designs, and the range is now in its tenth generation.
- Honda Legend and Acura - The Legend launched in 1985 and was the basis for the Acura, which is Honda's flagship luxury sedan. The Legend and Acura targeted the wealthier segments of society, with more premium features than the Civic or Accord. In the decades since, the Legend has spanned five generations, while the Acura Legend, RL, RLX have between one to two generations.
Are there convertibles in the Honda brand?
Yes, there are. The Honda S2000 was a convertible produced from 1999 to 2009, and was afterward discontinued. The S2000 came out in two generations, with the second generation having a larger engine in the North American market, as well as a reduced redline and fuel cut-off. Currently, the only convertible in the Honda brand that is still in production is the Honda S660, a very small two-seater sports car that only sells in the Japanese market.