Trajectory of Challenges

The 2010s

Taking on the Challenge of
a Completely Different Dimension
Weaving New Dreams with Society

Amid the ongoing global recession,
Honda established its six-region global operation structure to promote
self-reliant management in each region of the world.
The goal was to create products that meet the needs of each region.
This strategy evolved toward the realization of the 2030 Vision
and led to bold reforms of the business management structure to achieve
further growth, such as the establishment of the Monozukuri Center.

Japan in the 2010s

Japan in the 2010s

On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami occurred, causing unprecedented damage in many areas. The Japanese economy plunged into a period of low growth with no clear future. Amid a sense of stagnation, the government adopted a strategy to revive Japan and implemented economic recovery measures through monetary policy, fiscal policy, and private investment, but these measures failed to raise domestic demand. Meanwhile, environmental measures accelerated around the world. The Paris Agreement confirmed environmental conservation on a global scale, including developing countries.

N-BOX (2011)

Innovative Ideas to Change Japan’s Vehicles

N-BOX (2011)

The N-BOX took maximum advantage of the k-car standard to achieve unprecedented utility. Honda managed to create an innovative platform through its M/M (Man Maximum, Machine Minimum) philosophy. Honda’s goal was to create a new “vehicle” that could be used by all kinds of people living in Japan, from daily life to hobbies and even nursing care.

PCX (2010)

Pursuing Scooter Value as
a Global Standard

PCX (2010)

Each region of the world has its own road conditions, and its riders’ tastes differ. However, Honda believed that by thoroughly pursuing the essence of a scooter, it could create a scooter that will please everyone. The PCX was developed with this in mind. With its luxurious design, relaxed riding position, and large 14-inch tires for riding stability, the goal was “a design that can be ridden in various cities around the world.”

Miimo HRM520 (2013)

A Lawnmower with “Gentleness and
Affinity” that Blends In with
the Customer’s Lifestyle

Miimo HRM520 (2013)

With the growing demand for robotic lawnmowers, especially in Europe, Honda developed a robotic lawnmower based on three concepts: reliable, easy to use, and trustworthy. It can mow the lawn automatically by setting the day, time, and area, and its design is typically Honda, “gentle and friendly” to blend in with the daily lives of customers.

HondaJet (2015)

Thinking Out of the Box, Into the Sky

HondaJet (2015)

Honda's aircraft research since 1986 led to the successful type certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and in 2015, nearly 30 years later, paving the way for deliveries in the U.S. It featured a novel layout with engines located on top of the main wings. This unconventional idea, which achieves comfort, quietness, cruising performance, and fuel economy, takes Honda’s ethos of allowing others to imitate, but not imitating themselves, into the sky.

 (2017)

Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of
Being Loved by Everyone,
The Super Cub Series Reaches
a Cumulative Global Production of
100 Million Units

(2017)

The Super Cub series, an amazingly long-selling model that has continued from the 20th to the 21st century, reached a cumulative global production volume of 100 million units. 59 years after the first model in 1958, this astonishing record is the world’s highest production volume for a single series of motorized mobility. In conjunction with its 60th anniversary in 2018, a 100 Million Unit, 60th Anniversary model was also produced in a glamorous gold color.

2010

  • Japan Airlines files
    for protection under
    the Corporate
    Reorganization Law.
  • All lines of the
    Tohoku Shinkansen
    begin service.
  • An 8.8 magnitude
    earthquake strikes
    Chile in South
    America.

EV-neo electric scooter lease sales
commenced.

Motorcycle R&D Center Kumamoto
branch office (HGA-K) established
in the Kumamoto Factory.

Details

VFR1200F equipped with the
world’s first dual clutch
transmission (DCT) for
motorcycles introduced.

Details

Cub-type Wave110i AT equipped
with the new CVmatic automatic
transmission introduced in
Thailand.

First HondaJet mass-production
test model takes first flight.

Fit Hybrid launched.

Dissolution of Hero/Honda joint
venture in India and signing of
future technology licensing
agreement.

CB1100 series equipped with a
newly developed air-cooled engine
launched.

125cc Class-2 scooter PCX is released in Japan

125cc Class-2 scooter
PCX is released in Japan

Details
Enepo EU9iGB gas-powered generator that uses cassette gas fuel launched.

Enepo EU9iGB gas-powered
generator that uses cassette gas
fuel launched.

Details

2011

  • Great East Japan
    Earthquake and tsunami of
    magnitude 9.0 occurs.
  • Flooding damage
    spread in Thailand
    due to heavy rainfall.
  • New "eco-car subsidy"
    starts.

Thailand’s Ayutthaya Automobile
Plant (HATC) damaged by massive
flood.

Details

MotoGP RC212V Casey Stoner
wins triple crown of riders’,
constructors’, and teams’ titles

New 4-stroke outboard engine BF250 is unveiled at the Genoa International Boat Show.

New 4-stroke outboard engine
BF250 is unveiled at the Genoa
International Boat Show.

Details

Low-priced strategic small
motorcycle, Ace CB125, launched
in Nigeria.

INDY® JAPAN THE FINAL held at
Twin Ring Motegi, ending IndyCar
Japan round.

Details
N-BOX k-car launched.

N-BOX k-car launched.

Details

2012

  • Renewable energy
    feed-in tariffs begin.
  • Completion and
    opening of
    Tokyo Sky Tree.

Kumamoto Factory strengthens
mid and large FUN model and DEB
collaboration structure in line with
evolution of motorcycle
development processes.

Business operation renamed from
“General-purpose” to
“General-purpose power products”

MotoGP RC213V (1000 cc, V4)
debuts, winning teams’ and manufacturers’ titles.

Details
New mid-concept series NC700X, NC700S, and Integra launched, first to feature second-generation dual-clutch transmission.

New mid-concept series NC700X,
NC700S, and Integra launched,
first to feature second-generation
dual-clutch transmission.

Details

Super Cub 50 and 110, with a new
frame structure for the first time
since its launch in 1958, launched
(produced by Sundiro Honda
Motorcycle Co., Ltd. in China)

Flood-damaged HATC resumes
production four months after
recovery begins.

Full-scale operation of new
motorcycle plant for global models
begins in Thailand with CB500
series production.

PCX150 launched.

SH-AWD, i-DCD, and i-MMD sports
hybrid systems for automobiles
introduced*26

Details
N-ONE k-car launched.

N-ONE k-car launched.

2013

  • Bank of Japan’s
    "Extraordinary
    Monetary Easing"
    aimed at overcoming
    deflation.
  • World’s first clinical
    study of iPS cells
    (induced pluripotent
    stem cells) begins.
  • First PM2.5 alert
    forecast for
    Fukuoka City.

Saitama Factory’s Yorii Plant for
complete automobiles begins
operations.

Honda Motorcycle Kenya (HMK),
a motorcycle business company,
established in Kenya.

Details

Marc Marquez wins MotoGP title
as youngest rider in history (wins
triple crown of riders’, teams’,
and constructors’ titles)

Third generation Fit and Fit Hybrid
(i-DCD) launched.

Accord Hybrid and Accord Plug-in
Hybrid launched.

N-WGN k-car launched.

N-WGN k-car launched.

Honda Energy do Brasil Ltda.
(HEN), a wind power generation
company, established in Brazil.

Details

Honda Automobile Western Africa
(HAWA), an automobile subsidiary,
established in Nigeria.

Miimo automatic lawnmower launched in Europe.

Miimo automatic lawnmower
launched in Europe.

Details
 Vezel launched.

Vezel launched.

2014

  • First consumption
    tax hike in 17 years,
    from 5% to 8%.
  • Hearing Held in U.S.
    Senate Over Takata
    Airbag Recall.

Regional Operations (Japan)
established.

Details

Fit and Vezel i-DCD recall due to
DCT unit control.

MotoGP Marc Marquez wins triple
crown (riders’, teams’, and
constructors’ titles) for second
consecutive year.

NC series motorcycles launched
with displacement increased to
750 cc.

Super Cub design approved for
registration as a three-dimensional
trademark in Japan, a first for a
vehicle*27

Cumulative global motorcycle
production reaches 300 million
units.

Civic Tourer, developed exclusively
for Europe, launched.

Honda Sun Hiji Plant’s data
business building completed.

Details

Fully revamped PCX and PCX150
scooters launched.

2015

  • Revised Electricity
    Business Act passed,
    deregulation of all
    electricity sales.
  • Takata agrees to a
    consent order from
    the National Highway
    Traffic Safety
    Administration
    (NHTSA) to pay fines
    for the airbag issue.
  • The Paris Agreement,
    an international
    framework for global
    warming
    countermeasures,
    is adopted.

Takanobu Ito retires, and Takahiro
Hachigo becomes Honda’s eighth
president.

Details
 RC213V-S, a road-going version of Honda’s MotoGP racing bike, went on sale in Europe, U.S., Australia, and Japan; applications for order were opened.

RC213V-S, a road-going version of
Honda’s MotoGP racing bike, went
on sale in Europe, U.S., Australia,
and Japan; applications for order
were opened.

Details

Honda enters Formula 1 World
Championship as McLaren Honda.

Details
 Civic Type R launched.

Civic Type R launched.

HondaJet received type certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and began deliveries in the U.S.

HondaJet received type
certification from the U.S. Federal
Aviation Administration and began
deliveries in the U.S.

Details

2016

  • The Kumamoto
    earthquake of
    magnitude 7.3 occurs.
  • Revised Public Office
    Election Law goes
    into effect, lowering
    the minimum voting
    age to 18.
  • Bank of Japan
    decides to introduce
    negative interest
    rates for the first
    time.

Prachinburi automobile plant in
Thailand*28 begins operations.

Marc Marquez wins MotoGP riders’
and constructors’ titles.

Odyssey Hybrid launched.

 NSX launched.

NSX launched.

New fuel cell vehicle Clarity FUEL
CELL launched.

CRF1000L Africa Twin launched.

CRF1000L Africa Twin launched.

Details

Comame F220 compact tiller, is
redesigned for the first time in
15 years and launched.

2017

  • Ministry of Land,
    Infrastructure,
    Transport and
    Tourism announces
    revised safety
    standards, expanding
    the scope of seat
    belt alerts to all
    seats (new models
    required to install
    seat belt alerts
    starting in September
    2020).
  • British government
    officially announces
    its intention to leave
    the European Union.

Honda Power Products Japan
(HPJ) established.

Details

Ace110, a new compact motorcycle
suitable for business use in
Nigeria, launched.

Ends partnership with McLaren F1
and decides to supply F1 power
units to Scuderia Toro Rosso
starting with the 2018 season.

Honda celebrates 60th anniversary of the Super Cub series and 100 million units produced worldwide; launches fully remodeled Super Cub series

Honda celebrates 60th
anniversary of the Super
Cub series and 100 million
units produced worldwide;
launches fully remodeled
Super Cub series

Details

HondaJet achieves the most
deliveries in its category in the
first half of 2017.

GM and Honda establish the
industry’s first joint venture to
produce fuel cell systems.

MotoGP Marc Marquez wins his
second consecutive title, and
constructors’ and teams’ titles for
another triple crown.

CBR1000RR Fireblade (SC77) fully
revamped and released.

LiB-AID E500 portable energy storage device launched.

LiB-AID E500 portable energy
storage device launched.

Details

Civic and second generation
N-BOX launched.

2018

  • Torrential rains in
    western Japan cause
    widespread river
    flooding and
    landslides.
  • Ministry of Land,
    Infrastructure,
    Transport and
    Tourism introduces a
    certification system
    for the development
    of automatic driving
    systems.
  • Trans-Pacific
    Partnership
    Agreement (TPP)
    begins.

Honda Dream and Honda
Commuter*29 motorcycle sales
channels launched.

Details

MotoGP Marc Marquez wins fifth
title in three consecutive years
and third consecutive Triple Crown.

HondaJet Elite announced.

New generation CB series
CB1000R launched.

PCX HYBRID launched, and leasing
of PCX ELECTRIC begins.

Details

Super Cub C125 launched.

HondaJet achieves the highest
number of deliveries in its
category for the full year of 2017.

Clarity PHEV plug-in hybrid model
launched.

Agreement reached to supply F1
power units to Red Bull Racing
starting in the 2019 season.

Large premium tourer Gold Wing, revamped for the first time in 17 years, launched.

Large premium tourer Gold Wing,
revamped for the first time in
17 years, launched.

N-VAN launched.

2019

  • Emperor Naruhito
    accedes to the throne
    and changes the era
    name to “Reiwa”.
  • Consumption tax is
    raised from 8% to
    10%.
  • Ministry of Land,
    Infrastructure,
    Transport and
    Tourism certifies 67
    models of collision
    damage reduction
    brakes for the first
    time.

Motorcycle Operations and
Motorcycle R&D Center combined
into Monozukuri Center.

Details

World’s first BS6-compliant Activa
125 motorcycle with tumble flow
enhancement technology launched
in India.

F1 Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen takes first win at the Austrian Grand Prix since returning in 2015.

F1 Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen
takes first win at the Austrian
Grand Prix since returning in 2015.

Details

HondaJet achieves the highest
number of deliveries in its
category for the second
consecutive year.

Announced that Honda of the UK
Manufacturing (HUM) will cease
complete vehicle manufacturing
in 2021.

Details

MotoGP Marc Marquez wins sixth
title in four consecutive years.

CRF1100L Africa Twin fully
revamped with displacement increased to 1100 cc.

Benly e: series of electric
motorcycles for business use
announced.

HondaGO, a project to revitalize
the motorcycle market,
implemented.

Details
  • 26Honda introduced three hybrid systems: the one-motor SPORT HYBRID Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive, the two-motor SPORT HYBRID Intelligent Multi Mode Drive/Plug-in, and the three-motor SPORT HYBRID SH-AWD (SPORT HYBRID Super Handling-All Wheel Drive).
  • 27As a result of maintaining a consistent design concept for more than 50 years since 1958, while making functional improvements, customers have come to recognize the Super Cub as a Honda product just by looking at the design, leading to the recognition by the Japan Patent Office and resulting in registration as a three-dimensional trademark.
  • 28Based on the concept of “optimizing human work and advanced technology to deliver quality products to the market,” the Prachinburi plant employed the latest, highly efficient production technology available at Honda at the time. These new technologies include the Assembly Revolution Cell (ARC) line, a fluidized cell production system line integrated into the main assembly line for complete vehicles, a world first for the mass production of complete automobiles.
  • 29At the time, Honda had five motorcycle sales channels, reorganized into two; Honda Dream and Honda Commuter. Honda Dream dealers handle the full lineup of Honda motorcycles, mainly sport models, offering lifestyle suggestions and high-grade services.
    Honda Commuter dealers focus on commuter models under 250 cc, offering convenient products and reliable service closely related to daily life. Through the reorganization of its motorcycle sales channels, Honda aims to build a sales network that can precisely meet the needs of customers for both sport and commuter models.
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.75 Years of History 1948-2023