Written by Honda Motor Company
Honda Motor Company is the Japanese maker that started with motorbikes, and it is best known for the Civic, the Accord and the CR-V. It is also the world’s largest motorcycle maker. This guide covers the current Honda lineup, as well as the company’s history and ownership, its biggest achievements and its racing history.
Honda Motor Company at a Glance
Founded 24 September 1948 Grew out of a 1946 engine workshop in Hamamatsu
Founders Soichiro Honda With business partner Takeo Fujisawa
Headquarters Minato, Tokyo Japan
Listed TSE: 7267 · NYSE: HMC Tokyo and New York
Sales, year to March 2026 3.39 million cars Plus 22.1 million motorcycles
Leadership Toshihiro Mibe President and global CEO since 2021
Honda Motor Company Model Lineup
Honda Motor Company sells a different range in each region, so the list below shows its core models in 2026, grouped by type. In North America, the Civic, Accord and CR-V are also offered as hybrids, and the Prelude returned as a hybrid coupe in late 2025. However, in March 2026 Honda cancelled the 0 Series SUV and sedan, its planned in-house electric cars for North America, so the Prologue remains its only electric model there.
Cars (3)
Compact car
Honda Civic
Gas Hybrid Sedan & hatchback
The Civic has been Honda’s core car since 1972. The eleventh generation is sold as a sedan or hatchback, and it also comes as a hybrid, so 238,661 were sold in the US in 2025.
Mid-size sedan
Honda Accord
Gas Hybrid Sedan
The current Accord arrived for 2023, and more than half of those sold in the US in 2025 were hybrids. It is also built in Marysville, Ohio, where Honda first made cars in America.
Sports coupe
Honda Prelude
Hybrid Coupe New for 2026
The Prelude name returned in late 2025 on a two-door hybrid coupe with 200 hp. It also borrows chassis parts from the Civic Type R, while a new S+ Shift mode imitates gear changes.
Performance (1)
Hot hatch
Honda Civic Type R
Gas Manual Front-wheel drive
The Type R is the fastest Civic, because it gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine and a six-speed manual gearbox only. In addition, Honda has promised a refresh for the Type R during 2026.
SUVs (4)
Small SUV
Honda HR-V
Gas Front or all-wheel drive
The HR-V is Honda’s smallest SUV in North America. Since the current generation arrived for 2023, it has been built in Mexico, and 148,771 were sold in the US in 2025.
Compact SUV
Honda CR-V
Gas Hybrid Global
The CR-V is Honda’s best-seller in the US, with 403,768 sold in 2025. More than half of those were hybrids, while a hydrogen fuel-cell version is also built in small numbers.
Mid-size SUV
Honda Passport
Gas V6 Off-road
The fourth-generation Passport arrived for 2026 with a tougher look and a TrailSport off-road version. As a result, US sales rose about 70% in 2025 to 55,231.
Three-row SUV
Honda Pilot
Gas V6 8 seats
The Pilot is Honda’s largest SUV, and the current generation launched for 2023. It is built in Lincoln, Alabama, together with the Passport, Odyssey and Ridgeline.
Minivan and pickup (2)
Minivan
Honda Odyssey
Gas V6 Minivan
The Odyssey is Honda’s family minivan for North America. Although the current generation dates from 2018, US sales rose 10.2% in 2025 to 88,462.
Mid-size pickup
Honda Ridgeline
Gas V6 Pickup
Unlike most pickups, the Ridgeline uses a unibody structure instead of a separate frame, so it rides more like an SUV. It also has a lockable trunk under the bed floor.
Electric (1)
Electric SUV
Honda Prologue
Electric All-wheel drive option
The Prologue was developed with General Motors and is built by GM on its Ultium platform. Since its 2024 launch it has become Honda’s best-selling electric car, with 39,194 sold in the US in 2025.
Outside North America (2)
Kei car
Honda N-Box
Gas Japan only
The tall N-Box is a tiny kei car for Japan, and it was the country’s best-selling new car in 2025 for the fourth year in a row, with 201,354 sold.
Small car
Honda Jazz
Hybrid Europe & Asia
The fourth-generation Jazz has been sold since 2020, and it is called the Fit in Japan. In Europe it is sold as a hybrid only, while it is not offered in the US.
What Is Honda Motor Company?
Honda Motor Company is a Japanese maker of cars, motorcycles and power equipment, and it is headquartered in Tokyo. It began in October 1946, when Soichiro Honda set up a small workshop in Hamamatsu that fitted engines to bicycles. He then incorporated Honda Motor Co. on 24 September 1948, while Takeo Fujisawa joined soon after to run the business side.
At first Honda made only motorcycles, especially the Super Cub of 1958, and by 1964 it was the world’s largest motorcycle maker. Its first cars, the T360 mini truck and the S500 roadster, followed in 1963. Later, the Civic and the Accord made Honda a major brand in America, so in 1982 it became the first Japanese car maker to build cars in the US.
Today Honda Motor Company sells cars under the Honda and Acura names, and it also builds the HondaJet business plane. In the year to March 2026 it sold 3.39 million cars as well as 22.1 million motorcycles. However, merger talks with Nissan ended in February 2025, and in 2026 Honda took heavy losses on electric cars, so it is now focusing on hybrids.
Honda Motor Company History
Honda Motor Company grew from a small engine workshop into a global maker of motorcycles, cars and even jets in less than 80 years.
- 1946 Soichiro Honda opens the Honda Technical Research Institute in Hamamatsu, where he fits engines to bicycles.
- 1948 Honda Motor Co. is then incorporated on 24 September.
- 1949 The Dream D-Type becomes the first complete Honda motorcycle, while Takeo Fujisawa joins the company.
- 1958 The Super Cub goes on sale and soon becomes a worldwide hit.
- 1959 American Honda is founded in Los Angeles as Honda’s first overseas company.
- 1963 Honda finally starts making cars, beginning with the T360 mini truck and the S500 roadster.
- 1965 Richie Ginther wins the Mexican Grand Prix, so Honda takes its first Formula 1 victory.
- 1972 The Civic is launched and, with its CVCC engine, soon meets strict US clean-air rules.
- 1976 The first Accord goes on sale as a hatchback.
- 1982 Accord production begins in Marysville, Ohio, the first by a Japanese car maker in America.
- 1986 Honda then launches Acura, the first luxury brand from a Japanese car maker.
- 1990 The aluminum-bodied NSX supercar goes on sale.
- 1999 The Insight becomes the first hybrid car sold in North America.
- 2021 Max Verstappen wins the Formula 1 title with Honda power before Honda steps back from F1.
- 2025 Merger talks with Nissan end in February, only weeks after they began.
- 2026 Honda cancels its 0 Series electric cars, while it returns to F1 as Aston Martin’s engine partner.
Iconic Honda Models
These six cars shaped the reputation of Honda Motor Company, from its first sports car to the first hybrid in America.
1963–1964
Honda S500
First sports car Roadster
The S500 was one of Honda’s first two cars. Its small, high-revving engine also showed the motorcycle know-how that Honda brought to cars.
1972–1979
Honda Civic (first generation)
CVCC engine Fuel saver
The first Civic arrived just before the 1973 oil crisis, so its small size and low fuel use made it a success in America. In addition, its CVCC engine met clean-air rules without a catalytic converter.
1976–1981
Honda Accord (first generation)
Hatchback Built in Ohio from 1982
The first Accord was a roomy hatchback, and soon a sedan joined it. It then became the first Japanese car built in the US when Ohio production started in 1982.
1990–2005
Honda NSX (first generation)
Aluminum body Mid-engine
The NSX was the first mass-produced car with an all-aluminum body. It was also sold as the Acura NSX in North America, and it proved that a supercar could be easy to drive every day.
1999–2009
Honda S2000
Roadster High-revving
The S2000 celebrated Honda’s 50th anniversary, and its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine revved to 9,000 rpm in early cars. Today it is a favorite with collectors.
1999–2006
Honda Insight (first generation)
First US hybrid Two seats
When it arrived in December 1999, this light, aluminum two-seater became the first hybrid car sold in North America, some months before the Toyota Prius reached the US.
Who Owns Honda Motor Company?
Honda Motor Company is a public company listed in Tokyo and New York, and no single shareholder controls it. It owns the Acura brand and Honda Aircraft Company, while it also runs joint ventures in China and elsewhere. When AutoGathering has a page for a brand, its name below links to that page.
Shareholders Public shareholders TSE: 7267 · NYSE: HMC
This page Honda Motor Company Minato, Tokyo · Honda and Acura brands
100% Acura Luxury brand, launched in 1986
100% Honda Aircraft Company Maker of the HondaJet, based in North Carolina
50% GAC Honda and Dongfeng Honda Joint ventures that build Hondas in China
50% Sony Honda Mobility Electric car venture with Sony; its Afeela 1 was cancelled in 2026
Partners and stakes
Honda also works with other companies on engines, batteries and electric cars, so several of its models are built with partners.
- General Motors (builds the Prologue and the Acura ZDX)
- Aston Martin (Formula 1 engine partner since 2026)
- LG Energy Solution (L-H Battery Company plant in Ohio)
- Sony (Sony Honda Mobility)
- GAC Group and Dongfeng (joint ventures in China)
In addition, Honda makes power equipment such as generators, lawn mowers and outboard boat engines, and it calls itself the world’s largest maker of gas engines.
Former partners and ventures
- Rover (1979–1994) Honda shared models with the British maker and owned 20% of Rover Group until BMW bought it in 1994.
- Honda F1 team (2006–2008) Honda’s own Formula 1 team was sold at the end of 2008 and then won the 2009 title as Brawn GP.
- GM affordable electric cars (2022–2023) A plan to build low-cost electric cars with General Motors was dropped in 2023.
- Nissan merger talks (December 2024 – February 2025) Honda and Nissan agreed to discuss a merger, but the talks ended within two months.
Honda Motor Company Accomplishments
The record of Honda Motor Company rests on engines, efficiency and reliability, as well as on a racing program that has won in Formula 1 and at Indianapolis.
22.1 million
Motorcycles sold in a year
Honda sold 22.1 million motorcycles in the year to March 2026, so it remains the world’s largest motorcycle maker.
100 million
Super Cubs built
The Super Cub passed 100 million in 2017, which makes it the best-selling motor vehicle in history.
1982
First Japanese car maker in the US
Honda began building the Accord in Marysville, Ohio, long before most of its Japanese rivals built cars in America.
CVCC
Clean engine without a catalyst
In the 1970s, the Civic CVCC met strict US emissions rules without needing a catalytic converter.
1986
First Japanese luxury brand
Acura arrived three years before Lexus and Infiniti, and it opened the US luxury market to Japanese makers.
403,768
CR-Vs sold in the US in 2025
The CR-V was one of America’s best-selling vehicles, while more than half of those sold were hybrids.
4 years
Best-selling car in Japan
The N-Box was Japan’s top-selling new car every year from 2022 to 2025.
6
F1 drivers’ titles with Honda power
Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Max Verstappen won them between 1987 and 2021, and Honda engines also took six constructors’ titles.
17
Indianapolis 500 wins
Honda engines have won the Indianapolis 500 17 times, most recently with Felix Rosenqvist in 2026.
Honda Racing History
Honda Motor Company has raced since its early motorcycle days, because Soichiro Honda believed racing made better cars. Its racing arm, Honda Racing Corporation, supplies engines in Formula 1 and IndyCar, and Honda also owns Suzuka Circuit, home of the Japanese Grand Prix, as well as Mobility Resort Motegi. In America, its biggest wins came at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In addition, Honda is one of the most successful makers in motorcycle Grand Prix racing.
Formula 1, 1983–1992
Williams-Honda and McLaren-Honda
6 constructors’ titles 5 drivers’ titles
Honda turbo engines powered Williams to the constructors’ titles in 1986 and 1987, as well as Nelson Piquet to the 1987 drivers’ title. Then McLaren-Honda won four constructors’ titles in a row from 1988, while Ayrton Senna (1988, 1990, 1991) and Alain Prost (1989) won the drivers’ crown.
Formula 1, 2015–today
Red Bull-Honda and Aston Martin
2021 drivers’ title Works partner from 2026
Honda returned to F1 in 2015 with McLaren, and then it moved to Red Bull. As a result, Max Verstappen won his first world title with Honda power in 2021. Since 2026, Honda has been the works engine partner of the Aston Martin team.
American open-wheel racing
Honda in IndyCar
17 Indy 500 wins 22 drivers’ titles
Honda has supplied IndyCar engines since the 1990s, and Honda-powered drivers have won 22 American open-wheel titles. Alex Palou won his fifth title in 2026, while Felix Rosenqvist won that year’s Indianapolis 500 in the closest finish in the race’s history.
Talk Honda With Other Owners
Honda owners have plenty to share, whether it is a high-mileage Accord or a modified Civic. Soon, AutoGathering will connect this page to a Honda community space where owners and enthusiasts can compare models, share maintenance tips and plan meetups.
- Hybrid ownership
- Reliability and high mileage
- Maintenance and repairs
- Civic and Type R builds
- Classic Honda restoration
- Honda meets and events
- Buying used
- Parts and tuning
Honda Motor Company FAQ
Who founded Honda Motor Company?
Soichiro Honda founded Honda Motor Company. He opened a small engine workshop in Hamamatsu in 1946 and then incorporated Honda Motor Co. on 24 September 1948. In addition, Takeo Fujisawa, who joined in 1949, ran sales and finance, so he is often called the co-founder.
Who owns Honda?
Honda Motor Company is a public company listed in Tokyo and New York. Its shares are held mainly by banks, insurers and investment funds, and no single owner controls it.
What brands does Honda own?
Honda Motor Company owns the luxury car brand Acura and Honda Aircraft Company, which builds the HondaJet. It also makes motorcycles and power equipment under the Honda name, while it builds cars in China through joint ventures with GAC and Dongfeng.
Where are Honda cars made?
Most Hondas sold in the US are built in North America, especially in Ohio, Indiana, Alabama, Ontario in Canada and Mexico. However, some models, such as the Prelude and the Civic Type R, come from Japan, while the electric Prologue is built by General Motors in Mexico.
What is Honda’s best-selling car?
In the US it is the CR-V, which sold 403,768 in 2025. In Japan, however, the tiny N-Box kei car has been the best-selling new car for four years in a row.
Did Honda and Nissan merge?
No. Honda and Nissan agreed in December 2024 to discuss a merger, but they ended the talks in February 2025, so the two companies remain separate.
Is Honda going electric?
Only slowly. In March 2026, Honda Motor Company cancelled its 0 Series electric SUV and sedan because of big losses, and it now plans 15 new hybrid models by around 2030. Meanwhile, it still sells the electric Prologue, and a small 0 Alpha electric car is planned for India and Japan.
Is Honda in Formula 1?
Yes. After leaving at the end of 2021, Honda came back in 2026 as the works engine partner of the Aston Martin team. It had earlier won six drivers’ titles as an engine supplier, including Max Verstappen’s first in 2021.
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Photo credits
- Header image: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2022 Honda Civic Touring sedan in Lunar…: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2023 Honda Accord LX sedan, front left…: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Red 2025 Honda Prelude hybrid coupe at…: Aos.1905, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2024 Honda Civic Type R hatchback, front…: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2023 Honda HR-V EX-L in Nordic Forest…: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid Sport at a…: HJUdall, CC0, cropped and resized.
- 2026 Honda Passport RTL SUV, front right…: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport AWD SUV, front…: deathpallie325, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2021 Honda Odyssey EX-L minivan, front view: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2022 Honda Ridgeline Touring pickup in Sonic…: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2024 Honda Prologue Touring electric SUV, front…: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Blue third-generation Honda N-Box kei car: Tokumeigakarinoaoshima, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Fourth-generation Honda Jazz e:HEV hybrid hatchback: Charles from Port Chester, New York, CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized.
- 1963 Honda S500 roadster at the Toyota…: Mytho88, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized.
- First-generation Honda Civic CVCC at the Honda…: Kzaral[1], CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized.
- 1978 Honda Accord hatchback photographed in New…: OSX, Public domain, cropped and resized.
- Red first-generation Honda NSX (NA1) coupe: ed g2s • talk, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized.
- Silver 2005 Honda S2000 roadster: Rich Niewiroski Jr., CC BY 2.5, cropped and resized.
- Red first-generation Honda Insight hybrid in Whitehorse,…: Mike from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and resized.
- Ayrton Senna's 1988 McLaren-Honda MP4/4 at the…: Nic Redhead, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and resized.
- Red Bull-Honda RB16B from the 2021 season…: Hullian111, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Alex Palou in his Honda-powered IndyCar at…: Ben Goyette , CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.