10 Most Successful Honda Models Ever Built

When one thinks of Honda, images of extremely reliable cars immediately spring to mind. While this isn’t so much the case anymore, Honda’s are still, by-and-large, relatively reliable vehicles. Outside the West, Honda’s popularity is just as widespread. It seems, then, everyone in the world knows buying a Honda is a hedge against breakdowns and a ticket for a long-lasting vehicle.

Bearing this in mind, it’s no surprise that Honda has been able to sell loads of cars over the years. In fact, the Japanese automaker was ranked the seventh-largest manufacturer by sales volume in 2023. Of course, Honda hasn’t sold as many vehicles as, say, Toyota or Ford, but they’ve done exceedingly well over the years. So, let’s take a look at 10 of Honda’s most popular models, ranked by sales.

9 Honda/Acura Legend

Units Sold: Approx. 500,000

First on our list is the Honda Legend, which was also sold as the Acura Legend in North America. The Acura Legend was the actual debut of the Acura brand in the US, as it was positioned to be Honda’s luxury marque, much like as Lexus is to Toyota. The Legend sold well throughout its 10-year run, lasting from 1985 to 1995. Throughout its time in the States as the Acura Legend, it spanned two generations.

8 Honda Brio

Units Sold: Approx. 700,000

Next, we have the Honda Brio, a city car which hasn’t been offered in the US. However, it still put up some impressive sales figures. The Brio is offered in markets such as Indonesia, India, and the Philippines. It was first introduced in 2011, and has since weathered two generations. A small, 1.2-liter engine powers the little Brio, and it puts out just enough power to get you from point A to point B around a city. However, if you’re after some serious power and handling prowess, the Brio is not for you.

7 Honda/Acura Integra

Units Sold: Approx 825,000

The Integra, offered under both Honda and Acura brands, was the sister vehicle to the Honda Civic. In the US, it was sold as an Acura, and was a unique difference from the usual upscale vehicles being offered by Acura, such as the TL or the MDX SUV. Its lifetime spanned from 1985 to 2006, although it has since been resurrected as of 2023. Overall, Honda managed to shift roughly 825,000 Integras over the course of its life, and those figures will continue to rise.

6 Honda Prelude

Units Sold: Approx. 830,000

The Honda Prelude is one of the underdogs on our list, as it doesn’t seem to get as much recognition as other popular Honda models. Regardless of its relative obscurity, it still sold very well, especially for a two-door car. From 1978 to 2001, the Prelude sat on Honda’s offering list as a sportier alternative to the likes of the Accord or the Civic. It managed to span five generations, with loads of special editions like a Prelude Si and VTi-R being offered along the way. Recently, Honda unveiled the Prelude concept, and it is set for release between 2025 and 2026.

5 Honda Odyssey

Units Sold: Approx. 3,000,000

We’re making a large jump in sales figures with our next entrant, the Honda Odyssey. Back when it was released in 1994, the minivan was in its prime. Nearly every family had one, whether they liked it or not, as it was the best family hauler on the market. SUVs hadn’t yet become the comfort cruiser we see today, so the minivan stepped up and ran with the torch. Over the course of its 30-year life – which is still ongoing – Honda has managed to sell over 3,000,000 Odysseys, an impressive amount of vehicles no one, generally, wants.

4 Honda CIty

Units Sold: Approx. 4,500,000

The Honda City is another example of a nameplate we have never got to see in the US. In essence, it’s similar to a Civic, except just a little smaller and less equipped. It was introduced in 1981 as a tiny city car, meant for tootling about the city center, and not much else. Today, after 43 years have elapsed and seven generations have come to pass, the City is still an extremely popular model in markets such as Thailand, Malaysia, and South Africa.

3 Honda Fit/Jazz

Units Sold: Approx. 5,000,000

The Honda Fit, also known as the Jazz in select markets, was Honda’s subcompact hatchback sold from 2001 to 2020 in the US market. At present, it’s still sold as the Honda Life in China. Over the course of its 19-year western life, Honda managed to shift over 5,000,000 Fits, mainly thanks to its mechanical makeup and practical and easy-to-handle drive. Not to mention, it was also heralded as quite a fun thing to drive, boasting things like a well-balanced chassis and a responsive six-speed manual transmission option near the end of its life.

2 Honda Accord

Units Sold: Approx. 14,000,000

Our penultimate entry on this list of popular Honda models is the Honda Accord, a model we’re all familiar with thanks to its sheer popularity spanning decades. First introduced in 1976, the Accord has lasted the test of time extremely well thanks to a slew of updates and upgrades throughout its life. Currently, the Accord is in its eleventh generation, something most nameplates never live to see. It’s safe to assume the Accord will live on for quite some time.

1 Honda Civic

Units Sold: Approx. 30,000,000

Our last and most popular Honda is, if you could guess, the Civic. It’s been with us since 1972, and has sat at the forefront of Honda’s offering list since. Initially, its purpose was to offer those of us in the States something much more fuel efficient than the land yachts we were driving in the 1970s. Once the first Gas Crisis hit in 1973, the Civic’s popularity exploded. Now, eleven generations later, the Civic still holds quite a large portion of the compact sedan market. Like the Accord, we can’t see it going anywhere anytime soon. At the top-end, the Civic Type R is widely regarded as the best front-wheel drive hot hatch available.