Exploring the History of Honda

We’re living in a golden age of owning a Honda. They’re at the forefront of the electric vehicle and hybrid wave, with the 2023 Accord drawing favorable praise in the press over the Toyota Prius. And in addition to being the world’s number one motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, they’ve become the eighth largest automobile manufacturer in the world overall.

Today, Billy Wood Honda takes a look back to see how we got here with a brief overview of Honda’s illustrious history. 

The Birth of Honda 

The story of Honda is one of inherent passion. Soichiro Honda, born in 1906, was seemingly interested in automobiles from the womb. He spent his early life as a mechanic, tuning cars and entering them in races.  

In 1937, Honda established a company named Tokai Seiki (roughly translated to the “Eastern Sea Precision Machine Company”). The venture encountered numerous obstacles during its early stages. In fact, the piston rings supplied by Tokai Seiki to Toyota were initially rejected due to the established company’s stringent quality control process. Soichiro Honda had to attend engineering school and visit various auto factories across Japan before finally receiving Toyota’s approval for his mass-produced piston rings in 1941.

Networking and Destruction During Wartime 

The start of World War II marked a transitional phase for Soichiro Honda. With Toyota acquiring a 40% stake in Tokai Seiki, Honda was demoted from president to managing director. Meanwhile, the company was put under the control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

During the war, Honda played a crucial role in supporting Japan by aiding other nations in automating the production of aircraft propellers for military use. Behind the scenes, Honda fostered important connections with individuals from Toyota, Nakajima Aircraft Company, and the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Turmoil struck when a Tokai Seiki plant was destroyed during a US B-29 bomber attack in 1944. Despite this, Honda managed to salvage the situation by selling what remained of his company to Toyota. Determined to rebound, he funneled that money into the Honda Technical Research Institute in 1946.

A Bicycle Built For You 

Appropriately enough for a brand that would become synonymous with their motorcycles, the Honda Technical Research Institute started out on two wheels. Specifically, they built and sold motorized bicycles, which included attachable generator engines. Thus, the Honda A-Type was born. 

In 1949, the Honda Technical Research Institute was liquidated, the Honda Motor Company rising in its place. At the same time, Soichiro Honda met Takeo Fujiawa, who would soon establish himself as the company’s chief business and marketing guru. He complimented Honda’s technical acumen so well that the two would continue working together the next 24 years, until they mutually stepped down in 1973. 

But at the start, motorcycles remained their central vision. The D-Type, also named the Dream, was introduced in 1949; just 15 years later, Honda became the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles – a title they still hold today. 

Restlessly, the company continued to diversify. Their first production automobile was the T360 mini pick-up truck, an eclectic vehicle that went on the market in the summer of 1963. Over the ensuing decades, Honda continued to expand both its product line and its dealings with other countries. They would even become the first Japanese company to launch their own luxury brand, the Acura, in 1986. 

Drive a Honda into the Future

Honda has continued to confidently navigate the trials and tribulations of the past few decades. Nonetheless, its storied history has plenty of blank pages remaining, waiting to be filled with further feats and accolades. 

You can become part of the company’s story by putting yourself behind the wheel of a new or pre-owned Honda today at Billy Wood Honda. Union County’s most reliable Honda dealership has a full inventory of dynamic vehicles, and both our Service Center and Parts Center are here to keep you on the road – regardless of where it takes us next.