Rightly so, Honda has earned itself a reputation for churning out some quality products across a raft of different sectors. But in a history that spans more than 75 years, not everything can have been a hit, can it?
To find out, we turned to you and asked what are some of the worst things Honda has ever made. Across its bikes, cars and components, you came back with a Ridgeline-load of suggestions. Here are some of the worst offenders.
“Transmissions, specifically the B7WA in the 2001-2003 TL and the M6HA used in the 1997-2001 Prelude. Even the 2004-2006 BDGA in the TL for that year range was garbage.”
Some chastised me for including the Prelude as a miss, but then others came charging in to shout about its gearbox. I guess we may never know who was write or wrong.
Suggested by: Ryan Gardiner (Facebook)
“9th Generation Civic
“Lets trash our reputation of building a quality car, let the cost-cutting accountants run wild like at a GM chainsaw party, put our engineers on a plane project, and ruin the reputation of the most valued nameplate. Then to also slap an Acura badge on it.
“For Chrysler, it would have been an epic success. For Honda, it was their worst car they ever produced.
“And then LOOK at it. All of the appeal of being on the receiving end of a break up text from their new beau.”
On sale between 2011 and 2017, the ninth generation Civic is a bit of a dud thanks to its fairly bland looks.
Suggested by: futuredoc
“Interesting topic and seems like the author has an ax to grind with the Japanese-based company. Off the top of my head is the second gen Insight, it shifted towards a Prius competitor and lost a lot of cutting edge identity that made the first gen so interesting.
“Yeah, I get that they had to appeal to a broader market but, in hindsight, I wish it was more an engineers car than a bean counter’s.”
No axe to grind here. Well, except the one I use when out hunting for some sweet, sweet page views.
Suggested by: Paulo Acoba (Facebook)
“I’ll admit it – I duckduckgoed to find something truly stupid.
“The Road Fox: basically a mobility scooter that thinks it’s a chopper – just the thing for your senile grandpa in Florida who is convinced he’s Peter Fonda on the Captain America bike. Introduced in ‘84, kaput by ‘85.”
Initially launched as the Gyro, a mode of personal mobility sold in Japan, the Road Fox is what happens when you strip away all that extra plastic packaging and safety structures to reveal a pure, simple driving machine.
Suggested by: the1969dodgechargerguy
“Honda Crosstour. A car no on asked for. Worse MPGs than the accord and smaller cargo than a CRV it was a union that yielded the worst, not the best of its parents. Utterly useless. If I recall correctly it was the debut of this monster that heralded the end of the Element.”
By far the most popular suggestion today was the Honda Crosstour. I’ve never seen this bizarre crossover SUV before in my life, and I’d like to go through the rest of my life without looking at one again.
Suggested by: Martin Daley (Facebook)
“Clearly, it’s Asimo.
“Look – when our robot overlords finally take over, the scraps of human refuse clinging to life in the sewers and catacombs of our crumbling cities will look to Asimo as the impetus of all of it.
“Its ‘ah shucks, I mean you no harm’ demeanor. It’s cheery appearance. Its quirky little dances and poses. It’s softening us all up for the impending revolution. Playing on our fragile human emotions. Making us think that ‘maybe we should make more of these. Millions even’. Mark my wor —— .”
That’s a pretty bleak view of a ‘bot that could just climb stairs and run a bit. Still, our impending doom is coming one way or another.
Suggested by: z2221344
“The decision to stop making the Element and the Fit.”
Honda made its decision to kill off the wonderful little Fit in 2020. The world has still not recovered from this awful move.
Suggested by: David Schmetterer (Facebook)
“To be honest I’d have to say the Natural Gas Civic which wasn’t available with any comfort options. Basically a fleet vehicle made to appease someone but not be appealing to the normal person. Purposely built to fail.”
When it launched in 1998, the Civic GX was the only factory fresh car to be powered by compressed natural gas here in the U.S.
Suggested by: @flyingvengeance (Twitter)
“A notable misstep in 1986-1987 was the TLR200. It’s really cool, and I want one, but it was all compromise. It wasn’t a good street bike. It wasn’t a good trials bike. And they tried to sell it in a country where few people know what the hell trials is.
“As far as buyers were concerned, it was just a slow, uncomfortable (and kinda funny-looking) dual sport.”
Huh, something bad that you think is “really cool” and definitely “want,” you sound like the perfect Jalopnik writer.
Suggested by: smalleyxb122
“Hands down their jet skis. So many expensive common failure points on the Turbo models and the non turbo are just slow.”
Maybe Honda’s jet ski business would have done better if all its execs hadn’t been riding them around the factory all day?
Suggested by: Jon Niedenthal (Facebook)
“Easily the Element. I know some people loved it, but this is a hill I’d fight... the Element is the ugliest vehicle I’ve ever seen. It makes a Pontiac Aztek look good.
“And that is my point: Both of those vehicles were very practical. Both were beaten by an ugly stick so many times you couldn’t keep up count. Yet the Element was a success because of the H badge. That’s it... the only real difference. If you swapped badges on these vehicles, the Element would have been the butt of everyone’s jokes.”
I wholeheartedly agree with this suggestion from kcyclone. The Element is an ugly car that should be stopped at all costs.
Suggested by: kcyclone
“The RA302 – something bad enough that a 60's F1 driver would deem it a deathtrap and refuse to drive it is very terrible indeed.”
Raced during the 1968 Formula 1 season, the RA302 entered just one grand prix. During the race, its magnesium chassis proved deadly in a crash for driver Joseph Schlesser.
Suggested by: maymar
“Honda Logo. A stupid attempt to make a sub 10k€ car in Europe.”
No, not the neat little ‘H’ Honda puts on the front of all its cars, this. It’s an awful little city car that was released in Europe and looked about as fun as walking across Death Valley.
Suggested by: Marcus Eisenhut (Facebook)
“The hydrogen fuel cell FCX Clarity comes to mind. Not that it was a bad design or vehicle, but it was a bet on a hydrogen future that never came to fruition.
“2nd place for me goes to the Accord Crosstour. I actually really liked these and almost bought one, but the general public didn’t care for their look (like a regular Accord that got stung in the ass by a thousand bald-faced hornets and was all swelled up).
“3rd place goes to the 1993-1997 Passport which was simply a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo.”
I remember reading about the Clarity in an old issue of Top Gear magazine and being convinced that we’d all be driving around in hydrogen cars sooner or later. That day is not here yet.
Suggested by: skwimjim
“The CR-Z. Such a cool looking sports car writing checks the power plant couldn’t cash. It could have been a great revival of the CR-X, but they blew it.”
A car whose looks were definitely writing checks its performance couldn’t cash. I agree that it’s one of the coolest looking little sports cars to come from Honda, if only it was a little better though!
Suggested by: Ian Yeh (Facebook)
“The ATC.
“A rolling death machine.”
The Honda ATC was a range of small, three-wheeled off roaders that was produced until 1987. The orange one here (far right) is pictured alongside similar crafts from Yamaha and Suzuki.
Suggested by: @N701Gv (Twitter)
“It may be a stretch but I’m going with: Honda’s reputation.
“Over the decades, Honda has built a reputation of clever engineering and reliable products. The problem with that reputation is that any slight misstep is seen as sacrilegious. Every manufacturer has its duds. Perhaps it’s a compliment to Honda to be chosen for this question, since many other car makers would provide a nearly endless list of responses.”
A scathing review of the reputation Honda has built for itself over the years. What do you think?
Suggested by: mnfred