The Honda Motor Company is probably better known for its motorcycle production than for its cars, that being the industry with which it began. Established in Japan by Soichiro Honda in 1947, the company produced its first vehicle the following year.
By 1960 Honda had begun working on cars and took less than a decade to establish itself around the world, thanks in part to its participation in Formula One. The brand also soon became the largest motorcycle producer in the world, remaining so to this day.
In 1972 the release of the Civic allowed Honda to break into the American market and the model became successful worldwide. Now in its eighth generation, the Civic was named the 2006 North American Car of the Year, while the EX version was the 2005 International Car of the Year.
As a leading motorcycle producer Honda has had great success in racing, winning 24 Motocross World Championships and proving to be a dominant force in the Isle of Man TT for many years. For a time during the 1960s Honda was a Formula One constructor, though the brand’s participation continues today as other constructors use Honda engines.
Engine manufacture is another key aspect of the Honda Motor Company, being the largest in the world in this field also. Many major developments have come from Honda, including the CVCC engine, which drastically reduced polluting emissions in 1975 and the VTEC variable valve timing system in 1989.
EuroNCAP Safety Ratings for Honda cars
The European New Car Assessment Programme produces reports on the safety of vehicles based on the results of several crash tests. As well as measuring how the car will hold up in a crash the risk to a pedestrian struck by the car is assessed. The star ratings (maximum 5) of key Honda models are shown below.
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