Honda may remain one of the world’s top carmakers, but not every driver is happy with where the brand is headed.
Once known for producing fun-to-drive, affordable cars with strong reliability, the company now faces criticism from some longtime fans who feel it has shifted focus toward larger SUVs, hybrids, and mainstream appeal.
While the brand continues to see strong sales and global growth, the conversation among enthusiasts paints a more complicated picture of Honda’s reputation today.
Has Honda Lost the Plot?
In a recent video, auto enthusiast Vell (@.vellojello) argues that Honda has “been dying for a while now” when it comes to appealing to its core fanbase.
“It’s not that anything is necessarily wrong with Honda completely,” Vell says. “It’s just that they don’t really seem to care about enthusiasts anymore.”
Vell pointed to the company’s shift toward practicality and mass-market appeal—family sedans, four-doors, hybrids—over compact two-door coupes with VTEC engines that once defined the brand’s reputation among performance fans.
“Honda has been more about economy and four-door vehicles for a while now, which is why the Integra, we’ve never gotten a two-door variant, and we never will,” he said. “They don’t even have VTEC anymore, and that already turns off a lot of enthusiasts.”
VTEC stands for Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control, a system Honda developed to improve engine efficiency. VTEC is what gives Hondas that get up and go that they’re much beloved for.
Vell noted that Honda isn’t alone in its pivot to mass market vehicles. Mitsubishi, for example, turned the once-sporty Eclipse into a crossover. The reason, he explained, is simple: enthusiast-focused cars don’t sell in the numbers that mainstream vehicles do.
“These businesses want money,” he said. “We enthusiasts don’t generate them enough revenue for them to continue making cars for the loud minority.”
That doesn’t mean Honda has abandoned sportiness altogether. Vell praises the Civic Si, Civic Type R, and the Integra Type S as strong offerings. But he says what’s missing is the “small, compact two-door coupe with VTEC that we love.”
Honda has teased a revival of the Prelude, but early signs suggest it could arrive as a hybrid or fully electric vehicle, Vell said—something he believes won’t resonate with many longtime fans.
“The hybrid is fine depending, but especially not an electric,” he says.
Still, he’s open to seeing what the final release looks like.
“Maybe there will be a manual version. I’m not sure, but I’m open to new things,” he says.
For now, Vell says the reality is less about Honda ignoring enthusiasts and more about market forces. While diehard fans may long for the coupes of the past, he said, sales figures suggest otherwise.
“If they got discontinued and they’re not getting brought back, it wasn’t enough,” he says.
People agreed.
“It’s all companies bro but that’s the beauty in buying older cars instead of new ones,” a person wrote in response to Vell’s post.
“idk how the Eclipse went from a 90s beauty to a soccer mom car,” another noted.
“Every industry doesn’t service their enthusiasts well, it feels anymore. It’s just the tide of the market of quick flashy branding with buzzwords to keep the boring 95% of people entertained,” a third said.
How are Honda Sales?
Honda may be facing pushback from some longtime fans, but the company’s sales numbers are on the rise.
In June, Honda and Acura together sold 114,486 vehicles in the U.S., up about 1.5% from last year. For the second quarter, sales rose nearly 9%, and they’re up more than 7% so far in 2025, according to a recent Honda report.
Honda’s bestsellers included the CR-V, HR-V, Pilot, and Passport SUVs, all of which had strong months. The Civic hybrid also had its best June ever, and overall sales of Honda’s hybrid and electric vehicles hit new records.
Motor1 reached out to Vell for comment via TikTok direct message and comment. We’ll be sure to update this if he responds.
@.vellojello Honda is dying #vellerton #vell #vellojello ♬ original sound - VELL
