Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Company History
Honda History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1948 in Hamamatsu, Japan
When was Honda founded?
Honda was founded in 1948 in Hamamatsu, Japan by Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa, making it 78 years old.
- Founded
- 1948
- Founding place
- Hamamatsu, Japan
- Founders
- Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa
- Headquarters today
- Tokyo, Japan
- Milestones documented
- 11 (1948–2026)
- Current CEO
- Toshihiro Mibe
- Acquisitions
- 5
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1948 | Honda Motor Founded |
| 1959 | American Honda Opens |
| 1963 | Honda Enters Automobiles |
| 1972 | Civic Launch |
| 1986 | Acquired Montesa |
| 1986 | Acura Brand Launched |
| 2000 | ASIMO Unveiled |
| 2015 | Takahiro Hachigo becomes CEO |
| 2015 | First HondaJet Delivered |
| 2021 | Toshihiro Mibe Becomes CEO |
| 2026 | FY2026 Loss and EV Reset |
- Where was Honda founded?
- Honda was founded in Hamamatsu, Japan in 1948. wikidata.org
- Who founded Honda?
- Honda was founded by Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa.
- When did Honda start?
- Honda was founded in 1948.
- How old is Honda?
- Honda is 78 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
In 1946 Soichiro Honda, a self-taught mechanic, founded the Honda Technical Research Institute in Hamamatsu and began fitting surplus small engines onto bicycles to give postwar Japan cheap transport. When the supply of engines ran out he designed his own. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was incorporated on September 24, 1948, and the following year Takeo Fujisawa joined to run sales and finance, a partnership that let Honda grow from motorbikes into cars, racing and global manufacturing.
Founders
Soichiro Honda
Soichiro Honda founded the company in 1946. Originally a mechanic who manufactured piston rings for Toyota, he realized that post-war Japan desperately needed cheap, reliable transportation. He famously began by attaching surplus military generator engines to bicycles, eventually designing entirely new, highly efficient motorcycle engines that would conquer the global market. Soichiro Honda was born in 1906 in Shizuoka. Honda was born on November 17, 1906 and died on August 5, 1991. He oversaw the company's growth from a wooden shack making bicycle motors into a multinational maker of cars and motorcycles.
Takeo Fujisawa
Takeo Fujisawa co-founded Honda in 1949, serving as the absolute perfect business counterpart to Soichiro Honda's engineering obsession. While Honda stayed in the factory designing engines, Fujisawa built the massive, highly aggressive dealer networks and orchestrated the legendary 'You meet the nicest people on a Honda' marketing campaign that completely changed the global perception of motorcycles. Takeo Fujisawa was born in 1910. Fujisawa was born on November 10, 1910 and died on December 30, 1988. He ran the financial side of the company while Soichiro Honda handled engineering and product development.
Key Milestones
Honda Motor Founded
Soichiro Honda establishes Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Japan.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAmerican Honda Opens
Honda enters the US market, initially building awareness through motorcycles.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgHonda Enters Automobiles
Honda expands from motorcycles and engines into automobile production.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCivic Launch
The Civic becomes a defining global nameplate for Honda's fuel-efficient automobile strategy.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquired Montesa
Honda Motor Co. acquired Montesa. Honda took control of the Spanish motorcycle maker Montesa, creating Montesa Honda to build trial and off-road motorcycles in Europe.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcura Brand Launched
Honda launched the Acura luxury brand in the United States in 1986.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgTakahiro Hachigo becomes CEO
Takahiro Hachigo became CEO of Honda Motor Co. in 2015. Hachigo trimmed excess capacity and refocused Honda on hybrids, motorcycles and its core models, which improved profitability before the EV investment cycle began.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFirst HondaJet Delivered
Honda delivered the first HondaJet business aircraft in December 2015.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgToshihiro Mibe Becomes CEO
Mibe becomes CEO as Honda increases focus on electrification, software, and new mobility.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFY2026 Loss and EV Reset
Honda reports ~$146 billion (JPY 21.797 trillion) in sales revenue and a ~$2.84 billion (JPY 423.9 billion) loss attributable to owners after EV write-downs, then posts a record ~$3.56 billion (JPY 530.7 billion) Q1 FY2027 operating profit in August.
Source: global.hondaMajor Acquisitions
Montesa
1986Honda took control of the Spanish motorcycle maker Montesa, creating Montesa Honda to build trial and off-road motorcycles in Europe.
Astemo, Ltd.
2026Consolidating to 61% stake for SDV goals.
Keihin Corporation
2020Merged into Astemo.
Showa Corporation
2020Merged into Astemo.
Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd.
2020Merged into Astemo.
Keep researching Honda
Honda Company History FAQ
When was Honda Motor Co., Ltd. officially incorporated?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was officially incorporated on September 24, 1948, in Hamamatsu, Japan, by Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa, succeeding the Honda Technical Research Institute to mass-produce motorized bicycles and motorcycles for postwar reconstruction.
When did Honda introduce the well-known Super Cub motorcycle?
Honda introduced the Super Cub C100 motorcycle in August 1958. Featuring an easy-to-ride step-through frame, automatic centrifugal clutch, and an ultra-reliable four-stroke engine, the Super Cub became the bestselling motor vehicle in global history, surpassing 100 million units produced.
When did Honda enter Formula 1 racing and when was its first Grand Prix victory?
Honda entered Formula 1 racing in 1964 with the RA271, just one year after launching its first commercial automobile. In October 1965, Richie Ginther drove the Honda RA272 to victory at the Mexican Grand Prix, marking the first-ever Formula 1 Grand Prix win for a Japanese automobile manufacturer.
How did the launch of the Honda Civic in 1972 transform the global automotive industry?
Honda launched the Civic in 1972, powered by its breakthrough Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion (CVCC) engine in 1973. The CVCC engine was the first in the world to meet the strict US Clean Air Act emissions standards without requiring an expensive catalytic converter, catapulting Honda into global automotive prominence.
When did Honda establish automotive manufacturing in the United States?
In November 1982, Honda became the first Japanese automaker to manufacture automobiles in the United States, producing its first American-made Accord at its Marysville, Ohio assembly plant, establishing an extensive North American manufacturing footprint.
When was the Acura luxury division launched in North America?
Honda launched the Acura brand in North America on March 27, 1986, with the Legend luxury sedan and Integra sports coupe, becoming the very first Japanese automaker to establish a dedicated luxury automotive brand, preceding Toyota's Lexus and Nissan's Infiniti.
What was the historical impact of the humanoid robot ASIMO, introduced in 2000?
In November 2000, Honda unveiled ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative MObility), a groundbreaking bipedal humanoid robot capable of walking, running, navigating stairs, and interacting with humans. ASIMO served as an ambassador for Honda's robotics, AI, and autonomous mobility research.
What major corporate transformations marked Honda's 75th anniversary in 2023?
Honda marked its 75th anniversary in 2023 while preparing a large EV program that included an EV hub in Ohio and the 0 Series. That plan was reversed in 2026, when Honda cancelled three North American EVs and scrapped its 2030 and 2040 EV targets.
How did Honda start?
Honda was founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda, a brilliant, self-taught mechanic. In the devastation of post-WWII Japan, transportation was impossible. Honda bought a batch of surplus two-stroke radio generator engines from the Imperial Army and strapped them to bicycles. They became incredibly popular, laying the foundation for the absolute largest motorcycle company on Earth.
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