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What Does Honda Mean? Everything You Need to Know About Honda Automobiles

As an enthusiast of the Honda automobile series, some of the few questions you’ve probably asked yourself are: What does Honda mean? Who makes Honda cars? When was Honda founded?

Of course, many of us recognize the Honda company as one of the early players in the automotive manufacturing industry. But how much knowledge do you know about them?

That’s what this blog teaches. It covers the essential details about the Honda-producing brand.

Read on to understand the name “Honda” and appreciate the different Honda car models we have.

Let’s get started!

Contents

What Does Honda Mean?

The word “Honda” is of Japanese origin and means “original rice paddy.” Some English dictionaries also give it a different meaning as a type of knotted metal.

However, these definitions are of little significance to the company’s image in the automobile industry. Hence, the same question again: What does Honda mean?

Answer: It’s named after the founder! Don’t be surprised. The founder of the Ford manufacturing company did the same too.

Born in 1906, Soichiro Honda was the man that founded the Honda automotive company and named it after himself.

Not a wrong choice, considering how much the name has grown into a household name. It’s short, easy to pronounce and remember.

Who Makes Honda Cars?

As an old and experienced automotive brand, Honda is an international company with more than one manufacturing location.

Therefore, determining the original Honda maker can be pretty tricky. Some people might say it’s the Honda Motor Co., Ltd that Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa started.

However, they produced only motorcycles as at then. The first Honda car only came after establishing the American Honda Motor Company Inc.

Since the first Honda N600 model was sold in the United States, the American Honda company has been making Honda cars.

They have also produced more series asides from the initial Honda N600 model.

When Was Honda Founded?

The Honda Motor Co. Ltd. was founded in 1948 by co-founders; Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa.

But they had no officially engineered automotive product until 1949. Honda referred to the new product as the “Dream D-type” motorcycle.

In California, Honda’s first non-Japanese subsidiary, American Honda Motor Co. Ltd., started on June 11, 1959.

They began with only motorcycles but later became the locomotive behind the first N600 automobiles sold in America.

Today, the Honda brand is more prominent and builds vehicles at different locations.

Where is Honda From?

Let’s take a brief study of the founder’s automotive career. Before he founded Honda in Hamamatsu, Japan, Soichiro had always had a special interest in automobiles.

He was a mechanic at Art Shokai and helped with tuning racing cars before games.

He later got funding to start his own Piston Ring company but had production quality issues.

Toyota was one of those that closed a contract with him over quality concerns.

He later attended engineering college, dropped out, and mastered the art of producing up to standard.

He later had to sell the piston ring company to Toyota because of the war aftermath.

The money was invested in the Honda Technical Research Institute, later liquidated to fund the Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

That was when he employed Takeo, who became a co-founder till they both stepped down in 1973.

By then, the indigenous Japanese company was already established and was the largest producer of motorcycles. This video explains it better.

Where are Honda Cars Manufactured?

Since mass production started in Japan, some individuals assume that the Honda cars are manufactured there alone.

That’s not true. The Honda Motor Co. Ltd has now become more prominent and produces in different locations.

Nevertheless, most of the currently manufactured models are made in the United States and Mexico as well.

For the United States, the largest manufacturing plants are across some states such as Ohio, Alabama, Indiana, South & North California.

What Country Makes Honda?

As seen in the previous section, Honda is more than just a leading automotive brand in Japan.

It is made in different countries, although much of the production is done in the United States.

Besides, Honda has a long history with Americans, mainly contributing a laudable quota to the job market.

A more significant percentage of Honda vehicles used in the U.S are made-in-America products.

Honda also has about 14 R&D facilities in the United States which explains how committed the brand is to supporting production in the country.

Other assembly and manufacturing locations are China, Canada, and some parts of Europe.

When Did Honda Start Making Cars?

Although it was established in 1948, Honda Motor Co. Ltd did not start cars production until 1969, when it sold the first Honda N600 in the United States.

Other Honda models came in later years, such as the first Honda Accord in 1976. Since then, the Honda Accord has gone to be the best-selling passenger automobile in America.

Subsequent models after the Honda Accord were the Accord Sedan in 1979 and Honda Insight in 1999.

We now have more Honda models like the Honda CR-V, Honda HR-V, Honda Pilot, Honda Avancier, Honda Passport, Honda Crosstour, Honda Element, Honda BR-V, Honda Odyssey, Honda N-One, Honda StepWGN, Honda City, and so on.

The list goes on, and there are probably some of these models you haven’t heard of before. It’s not surprising, given the size of the company.

Popular Honda cars

Having seen how long the list of Honda cars can be, what are the popular and standout picks? We will be picking our popular Honda cars based on the best-selling metrics for the year.

  • Honda Accord: from the early manufacture dates until now, the Honda Accord has maintained its popularity and efficient fuel consumption mileage. The hybrid models are even more lovely with high horsepower specifications.
  • Honda Civic: designed as a hatchback or sedan, the latest 2024 Civic Sedan is a great pick. With fascinating interior and exterior views, the technology-packed model is a dream car to purchase.
  • Honda CR-V: listed among the top 5 best sellers of the year 2024, the Honda CR-V is another Honda automobile worth the hype. The gas models have excellent towing capacities and horsepower.
  • Honda Pilot: the Pilot is the next automobile on our list of popular Honda cars. Top of what makes many people like it is the 8-seater capacity. It’s also a 4-wheel drive and is suitable for long vacations with family and friends.

American Honda motor company incorporated

A Honda Motor Company Limited subsidiary, the American Honda Motor Company Inc, was founded in 1959.

The primary responsibilities of the establishment are the marketing and distribution of Honda automobiles and its other power sports and power equipment products in North America.

Although the start-up was strange since the idea of subsidiary companies was not expected.

The branch has steadily grown over the years and expanded the number of factories in North America.

The specialty of Honda Meaning

Honda Hatchbacks: these are the Honda Vamos and Honda Jazz models.

The particular focus is on the Honda Vamos model with a relatively minor design than typical vehicles.

However, the Vamos has proved itself to be worthy of withstanding different road conditions.

The rear seats are the removable type that accommodates more specific loading demands.

Honda SUVs: the Honda SUVs have a rugged body design expected to fit rough driving conditions.

Hence, they are primarily 4-wheel-drives and include the Honda CR-V, Honda Pilot, Honda Crosstour, Honda Element, Honda BR-V, and Honda Avancier. The Honda Pilot is the trendy option because of the sizeable 8-seater space with extra space for heavy loads.

Honda MPVs: they are called MPVs because of their large but mini-bus size. An example is the Honda Mobilio, with an incredible 7-seater capacity.

The Honda Capa is another MPV with a more mini style. It’s no longer in production, but it’s certainly a budget-friendly automobile to consider if made available again.

The Honda stream also looks like a mix of MPV and SUV body design to provide the best in terms of comfort.

Crossover Honda: the HR-V is the highlight of this Honda specialty. With about four different HR-V series, the 1999-2006 model is still getting the demand it deserves.

The design is a rugged and portable one with a fancy body style.

Honda Van models: as the name implies, these Honda models are van-like shaped.

The automobiles under this category are the Honda Odyssey, Honda StepWGN, and Honda N-One. The Odyssey is known for its spacious interior with easy access to the third row.

Latest safety techs like the Blind Spot Monitor sensors are available too.

The outstanding feature for the StepWGN is the provision of only one door on the driver’s side, indicating that passengers must safely alight from the other side.

Honda Sedan Body Type: talk about unique body designs, and you would be describing the Honda Sedan’s model look alike.

These include the Honda City, Honda Civic, Honda CR-Z, Honda Accord, Honda Airwave, and even the old Honda Ascot models.

Some of these vehicles are different because the manufacturer combined the sporting and rugged look like the Civic.

Honda Sports Car: this is the perfect dream motor. That’s what the Honda NSX represents. If you love fancy rides with a remarkable driving experience, then this is it.

The streamlined body shape is incredibly significant and contributes to its smooth and fast performance.

Concept Designs Honda: sometimes regarded as being on a world of their own, the Concept Designs Honda models are beyond fascinating.

The list of automobiles in this category includes the classy Honda FC Sport, Honda OSM, and Honda HS.

They all have uniquely thought designs for those who like something that’s a bit out of the box.

Other Honda motors in the same category are the Urban EV concept and EV-N. They look very different from conventional designs but provide excellent performance as well.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best Honda car to buy?

Any Honda car that looks great to you is a great option to buy. But if you are looking for a vehicle with a broad range of excellent features, the Honda CR-V might be what you need.

The revised 2020 model is fantastic and offers value in terms of engine performance. It is also spacious and has the latest tech modifications.

Are Honda cars better than Toyota?

Both are lovely automobile alternatives. Therefore, selecting a better brand would depend on a host of factors like the price, durability, safety features, and resale value.

Based on price, many Toyota vehicles are more affordable when compared to similar Honda alternatives.

However, they are identical in terms of the other factors, and personal preferences become the ultimate decision yardstick.

What is the most popular Honda automobile?

As an old and experienced brand, Honda motor models are pretty popular in the automobile market.

Yet, some Honda options are outstandingly great picks depending on your budget and what you like. They are Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Honda Odyssey, and the Honda Pilot.

Honda Accord and Civic: Which is better?

Jointly classified under the Honda Sedan’s group, the Honda Accord and Honda Civic are similar in size, features, and price.

They have almost the exact engine specifications and passenger capacities too. Except for the Hatchback Civics’, the Accord might be said to have slightly larger cargo space.

Altogether, the preferred model between the two models should be the vehicle that best suits your lifestyle.

The Last Say

Without any doubt, Honda Motor Co. Ltd is one of the leading automobile manufacturers in the world. Their different car models are an attestation to this fact.

They have a vehicle designed for almost any personal need you might think. This article pretty much covers all you need to know about them.

When next you are asked what does Honda mean, the information from this article should certainly help you out.