Honda

Honda is not shutting down its operations in Australia, in fact, the company hopes to expand its footprint in the Australian market with a brand new SUV known as the Z-RV, which debuts a number of fuel-efficient technologies in a practical SUV body. 

The company has also announced plans to a launch a series of battery-electric vehicles, which may include BEV variants of current models like the Civic and CR-V, as well as some standalone models to showcase its evolving electric vehicle technologies.

Honda was in the news in 2022 when it announced a change in how its vehicles would be sold here in Australia, with the company moving to a fixed-price business model for its vehicles sold in dealerships. 

Honda trailed a flexible pricing structure for its Australian vehicles with the aim of incentivising dealers to move new models, which has since reverted to a fixed-price sales structure to give consumers more consistency when it comes to pricing. 

The change was deemed controversial by some dealerships who did not agree with the price structure change, with a small number of dealerships retracting their franchise agreements with Honda, though these cases are isolated and there is no real problem for consumers when it comes to purchasing a new Honda vehicle here in Australia.

The question of which of Honda’s models is the best choice depends on your individual situation. If you’re looking for a practical hatchback or sedan package, the Honda Civic is no doubt the best option in the lineup, while buyers looking for a compact SUV perfect for town and city driving are best served by the Honda HR-V. 

Family buyers needing more space and practicality for their children and large cargo are best served by the Honda CR-V, which offers the most interior space and the largest boot of Honda’s current lineup. 

The best option for fuel-conscious buyers is the upcoming Honda Z-RV SUV, which will come powered by a fuel-efficient hybrid engine that uses electrical assistance to maintain power delivery while cutting down on fuel use. 

If you’re looking for a dynamic, agile and fast sports car package, then you’ll be pleased to know Honda has a sporty variant of the Civic, known as the Civic Type R that is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder producing a very impressive 235kW of power and 400Nm of torque.

Honda’s vehicles have some of the longest life expectancy numbers of any major automotive company in the world, and have earned themselves an impressive reputation when it comes to overall reliability and ease of maintenance. 

As a result, you can expect any modern Honda vehicle to match and, more than likely, exceed the industry average lifespan of a new vehicle which currently stands at between 8-to-12 years, or anywhere between 250-300,000km. 

If a Honda’s engine is properly maintained, owners can expect to see their vehicle longer than 300,000km.

Honda’s range of hatchback, sedans, compact and mid-sized SUVs are absolutely great vehicles when it comes to overall driving enjoyment, family-friendly practicality, industry-leading production and quality control measures and reliability from its range of engines. 

The latest generation Civic has become more sophisticated thanks to some major updates and remains impressively practical inside, while the HR-V is easy to drive around town for less experienced drivers, and the CR-V is one of the most popular midsize SUVs here in Australia. 

If you’re looking for more speed, Honda’s Civic Type R is a fabulous sports car to buy, while Honda’s upcoming Z-RV is another great option for those living in a town or city that are looking to cut down on their fuel bills with the help of a hybrid powertrain.

Honda’s passenger car lineup, including the CR-V, Civic and the H-RV all have impressive resale values thanks to the fact they depreciate less than a number of a its key rivals. 

This is in part due to the fact that Honda has a great reputation for the reliability and the impressive build quality of its vehicles, the ease of securing replacement parts, as well as the constant stream of demand for its most popular models like the CR-V and the Civic. 

As a result, Honda’s vehicles have comparably great resale values, and while they aren’t immune to the steep initial depreciation over the first 18-to-36 months, they are able to hold their value over the course of five and more years once the warranty coverage is over far better than some of the most famous names in the automotive sphere.

The majority of Honda’s vehicle lineup here in Australia are packaged with capped-price servicing at intervals of 10,000km, or 12-months; whichever elapses first. This means that Honda’s intervals for servicing are on the shorter side, but well within the industry average, particularly for turbocharged vehicles which require more frequent maintenance than a naturally-aspirated engine. 

Having said that, Honda’s vehicles are not known for having a reputation for their high maintenance, in fact, the company is well-known for its reliable vehicles that have lifespans far exceeding the industry average.