13 Facts You Never Knew About Honda Motor Company [Video]

Honda Motor Company has made outstanding strides in its lifetime, from a little private workshop to what many recognize today – a multi-million dollar corporation. Honda is all about manufacturing safe, dependable, durable, long-lasting vehicles. Honda abides by the adage of ensuring “safety for everyone” with every vehicle they create. As the motto indicates, Honda’s leadership is focused on its safety performance.

If you’re in the market to purchase a vehicle, what are some interesting Honda facts that could sway you to make a purchase with the automobile maker?

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Who Is Honda Named After?

The company’s name derives from its founder Soichiro Honda (1906-1991). Honda was a Japanese inventor and entrepreneur who worked on developing and producing cars, motorcycles and mopeds. He was a legend in the automobile industry, taking his company to the top.

What Does Honda Mean In Japanese?

Honda is a surname and means “original rice paddy.” It’s not significant in any way to the company, but the name works because of its simplicity and brand recognition.

Who Is The Owner Of Honda Car Company?

The owner of Honda Motor Company is Soichiro Honda, who began his career in the automotive industry while working at a bicycle repair shop for his dad. Due to his keen enthusiasm for automobile mechanics, he worked as a race car mechanic at the Art Shokai garage.

Which Country Does Honda Belong To?

Honda Motor Company, Ltd. is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It’s the country’s leading manufacturer of motorcycles and a huge manufacturer of automobiles. There are dozens of assembly factories throughout the world, including but not limited to: the U.S., Europe, China, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Argentina and Vietnam.

Is Honda An American Company?

Honda Motor Company Ltd. was established in Japan as a public multi-national conglomerate automobile manufacturer. In 1959, the company introduced its first overseas subsidiary – American Honda Motor Co, Inc., and its sales activities began in September 1959. The first U.S. manufacturing plant opened in 1979 in Marysville, Ohio.

Honda has 12 manufacturing plants throughout the U.S., building its products.

What Is Honda Famous For?

Honda is well-known for being the largest manufacturer of motorcycles since 1959. However, it’s grown beyond that status to become a widely-known motorcycle and vehicle manufacturer. The company also manufactures various engines, marine equipment and special equipment. Honda is focused on enhancing its superior ecological safety culture.

Why Is Honda So Successful?

There is a multitude of reasons for Honda’s success – it’s well-known for producing safe, affordable, dependable and eco-friendly cars, trucks, vans, SUVs and motorcycles.

How Did Honda Get Its Start?

Soichiro Honda was a distinguished Japanese race car driver engineer. He feverishly and enthusiastically worked to found a motor corporation, using his knowledge of development, manufacture and repair of motorcycles and bicycles. His journey first led to the founding of the Honda Technical Research Institute. After two years, the company began manufacturing power units itself and was renamed Honda Motor Company.

By 1964, it became one of the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturers.

When Did Honda Produce Its First Motorcycle?

Honda’s first complete motorcycle – meaning engine and frame – was the 1949 D-Type, which was outfitted with a 98cc two-stroke motor. The motorcycle was manufactured at the Hamamatsu-city, Shizuoka Noguchi plant.

An employee, seeing its final assembly, said, “It’s like a dream.” The bike’s adopted name was “Dream” and eventually became known as the Model D. This is where the well-known slogan “The Power of Dreams” comes from with Honda.

What Is The Luxury Brand Of Honda?

Honda’s luxury vehicle brand is Acura. The company was the first automobile manufacturer in Japan to offer a dedicated luxury brand. In 1986, Acura was released to North American consumers. Honda was in competition in getting its luxury brand out before Toyota and Nissan (who were also developing a line of luxury cars – the Lexus and Infiniti).

Acura is marketed as high-performance luxury vehicles and is one of the U.S. market’s most popular luxury brands.

Where Is Honda Manufactured In The U.S.?

Honda is regarded as having one of the most prevalent and diverse manufacturing footprints in the U.S., compared to other internationally-owned companies. The company has been manufacturing vehicles in the U.S. for over 40 years and currently has 12 major manufacturing facilities with over 20,000 employees.

Manufacturing plants are located In Greensboro and Swepsonville, N.C., Timmonsville, S.C., Greensburg, Ind., Lincoln, Ala., and East Liberty and Marysville, Ohio. Four U.S. plants manufacture genuine Honda parts. They are located in Anna and Russells Point, Ohio, Burlington, N.C. and Tallapoosa, Ga.

The first vehicle of a foreign manufacturer to be produced in the U.S. was the Honda Accord, released in 1982 from the Marysville, Ohio plant.

Are Any Hondas Manufactured In Japan?

Although Hondas has manufacturing plants throughout the world – U.S., Mexico and Canada – some cars are still produced in Japan.

What Does Honda Manufacture Besides Cars?

Honda is the world’s largest engine manufacturer (14 million engines built annually), but the company is more known for its cars and bikes. Honda also produces ATVs, watercrafts, mountain bikes, solar cells and lawn equipment. The company’s researchers have also ventured into robot development known as ASIMO and have developed a private jet aircraft.