The History of Honda: From Motorcycles To Civics

Honda is one of the most well-known car companies due to its extremely popular Honda Civic model.

This model is loved for various reasons, including the fact that car insurance for a Honda Civic can be relatively inexpensive. 

And as more proof of the Civic’s popularity, Honda sold 263,787 Civic models in the U.S. in 2021. 

Since its creation in 1948, Honda as a company has had a long history. Let’s take a look at how the famous Honda brand came to be.

1946: Honda’s Start in Japan

In 1946, Honda founder Soichiro Honda had big plans after the war. He took over a factory in Hamamatsu, Japan, that had been destroyed by bombings during the war. 

In this building, he created the Honda Technical Research Institute. 

In the beginning, Soichiro Honda attempted to mass-produce frosted glass windows and woven bamboo roof panels. The production of these did not work out for him.

However, he was still determined, so he shifted his focus to creating two-stroke motors that ran on turpentine. 

He attaches these motors to bikes that workers in a factory had created. It was with these motorcycles that Soichoro found success. 

They were in high demand and sold out quickly. 

1948: The Establishment of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

In 1948, the company was established as the Honda Motor Company we know today. 

The next year, Soichiro Honda and his new co-founder, Takeo Fujisawa, introduced their first originally designed motorcycle, the “Dream” D-Type motorcycle. 

This motorcycle was steel-framed and had front and rear suspension. It could drive up to 50 miles per hour.

1959 to 1968: America’s First Honda Storefront

On June 11, 1959, Honda opened their first overseas branch in Los Angeles, California. This storefront had only six employees.

The LA store started selling three small motorcycle models in September: the Bentley, Honda Dream, and Super Cub (Honda 50). 

The Cub, a Vespa clone manufactured in the late 50s, was the first Honda product sold in the United States.

It took less than a decade for Honda to make their mark in the motorcycle manufacturing industry. By 1968, they had already sold one million motorcycles in the U.S.

1969 to 1973: Further Innovation

Honda further innovated the motorcycle industry when they produced the 4-cylinder Honda CB750. It was considered to be “the bike that changed everything.”

 

This same year, the very first Honda automobile was sold in America in the form of the Honda N600.

When the first energy crisis hit in 1973, Honda produced the fuel-efficient Civic Hatchback.

1974: Honda’s Environmental Milestones

After creating the U.S. Clean Air Act in the 1970s, Honda engineers adopted the phrase “Blue skies for our children” to inspire them to meet new emission standards. 

This led to a groundbreaking invention: the Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion (CVCC) engine. 

This engine was used inside the Honda Civic and did not use a catalytic converter, making it the first vehicle to meet the strict standards of the Clean Air Act.

1976 to 1979: The Birth of the Honda Accord

The first model of the Honda Accord was released in 1976 as a hatchback, followed by the Accord Sedan in 1979. 

From its launch to today, the Accord has been the best-selling passenger car in America, selling over 12.5 million.

In 1977, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) debuted a list of the most fuel-efficient cars. 

The cars on this list had a 40 miles per gallon EPA rating, and the Honda Civic with the CVCC engine topped the list.

1982: Manufacturing in North America

When Honda started to produce the Accord at its Honda of America Mfg., Inc. factory, it made them the first Japanese automaker to produce cars in the U.S.

1986 to 1990: The First Luxury Nameplate From Japan

Honda’s brand new Acura became the first luxury nameplate from a Japanese automaker. 

The vehicle has won four consecutive JD Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) awards.

In 1990, they released the newest Acura model: the NSX. It is the first production car with an all-aluminum monocoque body. 

This newest model became an instant classic and is still loved by car hobbyists today.

1999: North America’s First Hybrid Vehicle

Honda set some milestones once again when they released the Honda Insight in December 1999. 

It’s the first hybrid vehicle to become available in North America. It is the most fuel-efficient, non-plugin hybrid vehicle for the next 17 years.

2002: The First Fuel Cell Vehicle

When the Honda FCX was released in 2002, the U.S. EPA certified it as the world’s first fuel cell vehicle. 

Fuel cell cars are electric vehicles that are powered by a fuel cell and sometimes a small battery. These cars run on hydrogen.

2006: Awarded by American Automotive Journalists

The 2006 models of the Honda Civic and Honda Ridgeline Truck won the North American Car and Truck of Year awards, respectively.

2008: Innovating the Fuel Cell Once Again

The 2009 FXC Clarity fuel cell vehicle had a more compacted fuel cell stack, meaning it became the first fuel cell sedan that could hold four people in the vehicle comfortably.

2014: Honda Acura Production Milestones

On March 20, 2014, the 10-millionth Honda Accord to be manufactured in America was produced at the Marysville Auto Plant. 

This was the 20-millionth Honda and Acura vehicle to be produced in the United States.

2016: The Clarity Fuel Cell

Honda proved its continued dedication to creating a sustainable automobile future when it released the Clarity Fuel Cell in late 2016. 

The hydrogen-powered vehicle claimed to travel up to 366 miles on one single fuel tank and only emit water vapor.

Honda’s Future Plans

Honda continues eco-friendly plans for the future. In 2020, they announced a goal of lowering CO2 emissions by 30%, and they say they are still working towards the goal today.

They aim to have ¾ of all vehicles they sell globally be electrified in some form, whether it’s hybrids, battery-electric, or fuel cell, by 2030.

From motorcycles to Civics, Honda has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1946. 

All eyes will be on Honda as the world transitions into a more environmentally sustainable fuel economy. 

Luke Williams writes and researches for the car insurance comparison site, QuoteInspector.com. His passions include insurance and studying the history of Japanese-made vehicles.