Honda's reputation

Copycat · 13th May 2006, 07:16

Honda seems to have had a reputation for being the older people's choice in the UK.
Did you think that? Or do you still think that is the case?
What led to this? Weren't the cars exciting enough?

Interestingly Honda hasn't had the same kind of senior-drivers-pick-status in Finland. I think Mazda and Nissan fit much better into that category.
Propably because they haven't really sold too many of their sportier versions over the years here.

Honda has obviously made decisions to shake that reputation off but have they succeeded?
Is the new Civic the only Honda model you might consider buying?
The Accord has certainly become prettier and more competitive in it's own segment. It'll be interesting to see what the future holds for Honda's other models.
I think that out of all the Japanese car manufacturers Honda is the one that is now starting to compete with BMWs and Mercs and indeed with Toyota's Lexus.

Fedorov · 13th May 2006, 13:17

This is my first ever move away from having Ford's all my life, I'd have kept my Mondeo if I'd not seen this new Civic, nothing to compare to it as far as I'm concerned, looks, shape, features... great!

Wouldn't have considered any other Honda car no.

More young people will surely go for this new Civic than older I'd have thought and yes I agree with your last statement about competing with the others.

elfa7 · 13th May 2006, 13:28

Yes I agree. I'm like you Fedorov. I've had lots of different Fords.

Had a break with the Mk V Golf, then I saw the new Civic on the internet,

and was sold. 1800 miles now, not missed a beat.

Topcat · 13th May 2006, 13:41

I have had Fords too, I loved my Focus and if they hadn't changed the shape I would have probably just bought another. When I saw the picture of the Civic I couldn't wait to test drive it.

Have to say though after all the problems I had with the Civic I have missed my good old Focus!!

I think the new Civic is definately aimed at younger people - time will tell. I rarely see any on the road and when I have done its always been a "younger" driver.

Nick · 13th May 2006, 15:50

the old civic attracted either young (as in teens) or old. the new civic is attracting all those in the middle now. however i have seen an old couple in the new civic.

there are many good honda cars, eg. integra, s2000, accord, the VTI's. if i could get insured on, i would import an integra type r.

is this the first jap car you guys have owned?

as for the problems, i think this first batch of cars have been a very bad batch.

Fedorov · 13th May 2006, 18:01

First Jap car for me coming from all Ford's yes.

Hopefully my 6 day old Civic is one of the "good" batch

Kpow99 · 13th May 2006, 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fedorov

First Jap car for me coming from all Ford's yes.

Hopefully my 6 day old Civic is one of the "good" batch

Don't worry, not many problems seen on th 2.2EX around here, and mines been near on perfect.

Pottsy · 13th May 2006, 21:19

It's an interesting one this - why do some of the range get the old fart reputation?

Is the S2000 for oldies? Er, no. Is the CTR? No, it's the fantasy machine for all 17-22 year olds.

The Accord is worthy, but still a bit old fashioned and messy in the interior. The 2 SUV's are OK, but have the same 70's Japanese orange cheapo dash problem.

Now we come to the problem, the Accord estate has pretty dubious stying (see below). You have to be over 87 to not notice the issues. The Jazz is dull but worthy, and the Civic (pre 06) is just so dull looking and so drab inside, compared to "modern" cars, that you would have to be very un-modern to not be concerned by this.

Of course, those who liked (say) the Golf4 because of its modern funky blue dash, now love the new Civic. And so it will be bought not by people looking for a "worthy" car, but by those who appreciate something modern, hi-tech and new. If Honda continue this revamp throughout the range, the old image will be left behind with the old Civics.

And now, the above mentioned saloon car with a cardboard box dropped on the back....

Nick · 14th May 2006, 02:22

agreed, accord estate is quite ugly. Jazz is too tall, although the sport version of the jazz does look decent. they should do a new shape accord soon i would imagine. what i dont understand is why they dont bring the integra range to the UK (not just the type R).

Kpow99 · 14th May 2006, 02:25

There is only one for me now

Copycat · 15th May 2006, 05:33

I've owned an old Vauxhall and a Suzuki swift. Now driving a Peugeot 206. So quite a varied bunch there. Supposedly will stick with Honda from now on.
At least if they keep making beautiful cars like these.

rja1980 · 15th May 2006, 22:28

I've had a Hyundai, a Fiat and two Hondas.

My Honda Jazz was the first car I actually chose with both heart and head. I had always admired some Hondas and a few other brands cars but I've never actually been a fanboy of any brand as a whole. I came across a Jazz at a local dealer-held motorshow and I was impressed by the interior quality. When I drove one I loved the slick gearchange and smooth engine. Although the Jazz was marketed at my age group (I was 22 at the time) I hardly ever saw anyone under the age of 50 driving one, except for the occasional thirty-something suburban mother. Completely at odds with brochures which carried pictures of trendy twenty-somethings and their Jazzes! Incidentally, I see my Jazz has been sold by the dealer to no other than an older gentleman!

Of course, the sporty Hondas like Civic Type-R, S2000, etc, seemed to escape the oldie image.

Although my Civic is my second Honda I still looked at other cars with equal impartiality before I signed the cheque, like the Mk5 Golf, new shape Volvo S40 and BMW 1-series, which have the characteristics of quality, good handling and sensible running costs that I look for in a car, rather than a superficial image or brand loyalty.

TheRef · 16th May 2006, 12:32

Mostly Fords' for me in the past Escorts and Fiestas. This is my 2nd Honda in a row the first was the Civic Type R which was absolutely fantastic. So good that I just had to have another Honda.

I had the Type R for 3 years and did 77000 in it must have used about 3-4 sets of tyres and I hate to think how much I spent on feul.
I recon I'm saving about £150 per month on feul bills with the diesel.

TheRef · 16th May 2006, 12:37

Mostly Fords' for me in the past Escorts and Fiestas. This is my 2nd Honda in a row the first was the Civic Type R which was absolutely fantastic. So good that I just had to have another Honda.

I had the Type R for 3 years and did 77000 in it must have used about 3-4 sets of tyres and I hate to think how much I spent on feul.
I recon I'm saving about £150 per month on feul bills with the diesel.

Copycat · 17th May 2006, 04:44

I've always thought of Hondas as reliable cars, but never could really justify the price tag. Until now that is..

Cheltenhamshire · 7th June 2006, 07:39

I traded my Merc Sport Coupe for the Civic....for lots of reasons. Better quality, better dealer experience...more reliability...the fact the car handles better, costs less to run and is cool are bonuses!!!

I have Alfa 147 prior to that....the Honda is my favourite new car of all so far!

13th May 2006, 07:16	#1 (permalink)
Copycat Galaxy class starship Rocketship door handle Join Date: 5th May 2006 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 1,050 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Honda's reputation Honda seems to have had a reputation for being the older people's choice in the UK. Did you think that? Or do you still think that is the case? What led to this? Weren't the cars exciting enough? Interestingly Honda hasn't had the same kind of senior-drivers-pick-status in Finland. I think Mazda and Nissan fit much better into that category. Propably because they haven't really sold too many of their sportier versions over the years here. Honda has obviously made decisions to shake that reputation off but have they succeeded? Is the new Civic the only Honda model you might consider buying? The Accord has certainly become prettier and more competitive in it's own segment. It'll be interesting to see what the future holds for Honda's other models. I think that out of all the Japanese car manufacturers Honda is the one that is now starting to compete with BMWs and Mercs and indeed with Toyota's Lexus.

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This thread is about: Honda's reputation, it's in General Discussion at the Honda Civic forum Civinfo; Honda seems to have had a reputation for being the older people's choice in the UK. Did you think that? Or do you still think ...

13th May 2006, 13:17	#2 (permalink)
Fedorov Supporter Magic Rear Seat Join Date: 15th April 2006 Posts: 783 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	This is my first ever move away from having Ford's all my life, I'd have kept my Mondeo if I'd not seen this new Civic, nothing to compare to it as far as I'm concerned, looks, shape, features... great! Wouldn't have considered any other Honda car no. More young people will surely go for this new Civic than older I'd have thought and yes I agree with your last statement about competing with the others.

13th May 2006, 13:28	#3 (permalink)
elfa7 Supporter Rocketship door handle Join Date: 8th May 2006 Location: Cheshire Posts: 1,703 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Yes I agree. I'm like you Fedorov. I've had lots of different Fords. Had a break with the Mk V Golf, then I saw the new Civic on the internet, and was sold. 1800 miles now, not missed a beat.

13th May 2006, 13:41	#4 (permalink)
Topcat Supporter Civinfo guru Join Date: 11th May 2006 Location: Middlesex Posts: 2,743 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	I have had Fords too, I loved my Focus and if they hadn't changed the shape I would have probably just bought another. When I saw the picture of the Civic I couldn't wait to test drive it. Have to say though after all the problems I had with the Civic I have missed my good old Focus!! I think the new Civic is definately aimed at younger people - time will tell. I rarely see any on the road and when I have done its always been a "younger" driver.

13th May 2006, 15:50	#5 (permalink)
Nick Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 9th May 2006 Location: London Posts: 230 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	the old civic attracted either young (as in teens) or old. the new civic is attracting all those in the middle now. however i have seen an old couple in the new civic. there are many good honda cars, eg. integra, s2000, accord, the VTI's. if i could get insured on, i would import an integra type r. is this the first jap car you guys have owned? as for the problems, i think this first batch of cars have been a very bad batch.

13th May 2006, 18:01	#6 (permalink)
Fedorov Supporter Magic Rear Seat Join Date: 15th April 2006 Posts: 783 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	First Jap car for me coming from all Ford's yes. Hopefully my 6 day old Civic is one of the "good" batch

14th May 2006, 02:22	#9 (permalink)
Nick Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 9th May 2006 Location: London Posts: 230 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	agreed, accord estate is quite ugly. Jazz is too tall, although the sport version of the jazz does look decent. they should do a new shape accord soon i would imagine. what i dont understand is why they dont bring the integra range to the UK (not just the type R).

14th May 2006, 02:25	#10 (permalink)
Kpow99 Explosive Mind Unleashed Magic Rear Seat Join Date: 5th May 2006 Location: London Posts: 535 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	There is only one for me now

15th May 2006, 05:33	#11 (permalink)
Copycat Galaxy class starship Rocketship door handle Join Date: 5th May 2006 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 1,050 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I've owned an old Vauxhall and a Suzuki swift. Now driving a Peugeot 206. So quite a varied bunch there. Supposedly will stick with Honda from now on. At least if they keep making beautiful cars like these.

15th May 2006, 22:28	#12 (permalink)
rja1980 Valve Cap Join Date: 9th May 2006 Location: East Sussex Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I've had a Hyundai, a Fiat and two Hondas. My Honda Jazz was the first car I actually chose with both heart and head. I had always admired some Hondas and a few other brands cars but I've never actually been a fanboy of any brand as a whole. I came across a Jazz at a local dealer-held motorshow and I was impressed by the interior quality. When I drove one I loved the slick gearchange and smooth engine. Although the Jazz was marketed at my age group (I was 22 at the time) I hardly ever saw anyone under the age of 50 driving one, except for the occasional thirty-something suburban mother. Completely at odds with brochures which carried pictures of trendy twenty-somethings and their Jazzes! Incidentally, I see my Jazz has been sold by the dealer to no other than an older gentleman! Of course, the sporty Hondas like Civic Type-R, S2000, etc, seemed to escape the oldie image. Although my Civic is my second Honda I still looked at other cars with equal impartiality before I signed the cheque, like the Mk5 Golf, new shape Volvo S40 and BMW 1-series, which have the characteristics of quality, good handling and sensible running costs that I look for in a car, rather than a superficial image or brand loyalty.

16th May 2006, 12:32	#13 (permalink)
TheRef Supporter Valve Cap Join Date: 11th April 2006 Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Mostly Fords' for me in the past Escorts and Fiestas. This is my 2nd Honda in a row the first was the Civic Type R which was absolutely fantastic. So good that I just had to have another Honda. I had the Type R for 3 years and did 77000 in it must have used about 3-4 sets of tyres and I hate to think how much I spent on feul. I recon I'm saving about £150 per month on feul bills with the diesel.

16th May 2006, 12:37	#14 (permalink)
TheRef Supporter Valve Cap Join Date: 11th April 2006 Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Mostly Fords' for me in the past Escorts and Fiestas. This is my 2nd Honda in a row the first was the Civic Type R which was absolutely fantastic. So good that I just had to have another Honda. I had the Type R for 3 years and did 77000 in it must have used about 3-4 sets of tyres and I hate to think how much I spent on feul. I recon I'm saving about £150 per month on feul bills with the diesel.

17th May 2006, 04:44	#15 (permalink)
Copycat Galaxy class starship Rocketship door handle Join Date: 5th May 2006 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 1,050 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I've always thought of Hondas as reliable cars, but never could really justify the price tag. Until now that is..

7th June 2006, 07:39	#16 (permalink)
Cheltenhamshire Locking Wheelnut Join Date: 6th June 2006 Posts: 114 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I traded my Merc Sport Coupe for the Civic....for lots of reasons. Better quality, better dealer experience...more reliability...the fact the car handles better, costs less to run and is cool are bonuses!!! I have Alfa 147 prior to that....the Honda is my favourite new car of all so far!