Honda is the largest engine maker in the world. From this core function, the company develops, manufactures, and markets a huge range of products, ranging from robots to jets to garden equipment. However, the company is most famous for its automobiles and motorcycles. In fact, the two-wheeled Honda Cub is the highest selling vehcile in history.
Honda’s Place in the World
Honda is the 37th largest company in the world (by revenue) according to the Fortune Global 500. It is also the fifth largest automobile producer in the world. Honda is traded on several Japanese exchanges, as well as exchanges in New York, London, Paris and Switzerland. Honda has a presence thoroughout the globe, and set the trend for many non-US car companies by being the first to have a manufacturing facility in the US.
History
Honda’s beginnings were quite humble. In the aftermath of World War II, Soichiro Honda answered the need for inexpensive transportation by fitting an engine to a bicycle. This successful idea created enough momentum to form the Honda Motor Corporation in 1948.
Continuing with two-wheelers, Honda produced a number of scooters and motorcycles. In 1959, Honda expanded to the US with the Cub, an immensely popular scooter design family which went on to sell 50 million units in virtually every country on the planet. Honda’s talent with motorcycles stuck, and the company has been the largest producer of motorcycles in the world since the 1970s.
Honda in the Car Market
Honda began developing cars in the early 1960s, mostly for the Japanese market. After some early failures, Honda made its mark with the Honda Civic, due to a need for efficient car engines in the wake of the 1973 energy crisis. The four seater could achieve 40 mpg on the highway, a noteable feat even for a modern vehicle.
From there, Honda's constant innovation guaranteed its place as one of the world's greatest car manufacturers. Its second North American success was gained with the Honda Accord, a larger car than the Civic, which became the best selling Japanese car in the US from 1982-1997. The company was also the first to introduce: a separate brand of luxury vehicles, the Acura; the first passenger vehicle with four-wheel steering technology, the Prelude; and the first hybrid vehicle to be sold on the market, the Insight.
Honda now offers passenger cars in every category – sedans, luxury sedans, coupes, mini-cars, multi-wagons, minivans, and SUVs. Honda is also active in the racing world, both on two and four wheels.
