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Driving Honda: Inside the World's Most Innovative Car Company
For decades there have been two iconic Japanese auto companies. One has been endlessly studied and written about, the other has been generally underappreciated and misunderstood. Until now.Since its birth as a motorcycle company in 1949, Honda has steadily grown into the world's fifth largest automaker and top engine manufacturer, as well as one of the most beloved, most profitable, and most consistently innovative multinational corporations. What drives the company that keeps creating and improving award-winning and bestselling models like the Civic, Accord, Odyssey, CR-V, and Pilot? Read and find out!
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First published July 31, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
September 8, 2014
Corporate hagiography.
I'm not finished reading it yet, but felt the need to vent. The superlatives in this book are endless. Everything is unique, groundbreaking, innovative, unparalleled. Honda is the world's best car company, bar none, and every setback is just a steppingstone to more success. Honda succeeds because it understands the difference between its values and its processes, whereas staid, rigid Toyota lost sight of its and got its comeuppance in millions of recalls. I love Honda's products, and have been curious to read about its idiosyncratic founder, but the book is a disappointment. It reads like a Forbes article.
I'm a researcher and engineer, and was looking forward to learning more about the engineers, but there's not that much on them so far. Lots of pivotal moments and incidents giving insights into corporate values and mottos, though. Asimo and the Hondajet have made cameos, but I'd love to hear more about them and about how Honda Research got started. Maybe there will be a little before we're done...
Soichiro's drinking and carousing and even his humiliation of his subordinates are all sanitized. I don't mean to suggest that the author is actually a hack for Honda, but it seems everything told to him by Hondaites is taken at face value. He does have a long history of reporting on the company, and I not in favor of some sort of false balance of the sort reporters always seem to strive for, but surely there's another side to this very human story?
...finished it. Doesn't get better, but it does take a tack: the last quarter of the book is an"I told you so" about globalism. Honda is relegated to only occasional mentions, receiving praise for their "global localism". It certainly seems naive when the author suggests that the US should adopt Honda's R&D policy, supporting manufacturing. Does the author realize that running a country's economy or even just R&D portfolio is different from running even a
large company?
I'm not finished reading it yet, but felt the need to vent. The superlatives in this book are endless. Everything is unique, groundbreaking, innovative, unparalleled. Honda is the world's best car company, bar none, and every setback is just a steppingstone to more success. Honda succeeds because it understands the difference between its values and its processes, whereas staid, rigid Toyota lost sight of its and got its comeuppance in millions of recalls. I love Honda's products, and have been curious to read about its idiosyncratic founder, but the book is a disappointment. It reads like a Forbes article.
I'm a researcher and engineer, and was looking forward to learning more about the engineers, but there's not that much on them so far. Lots of pivotal moments and incidents giving insights into corporate values and mottos, though. Asimo and the Hondajet have made cameos, but I'd love to hear more about them and about how Honda Research got started. Maybe there will be a little before we're done...
Soichiro's drinking and carousing and even his humiliation of his subordinates are all sanitized. I don't mean to suggest that the author is actually a hack for Honda, but it seems everything told to him by Hondaites is taken at face value. He does have a long history of reporting on the company, and I not in favor of some sort of false balance of the sort reporters always seem to strive for, but surely there's another side to this very human story?
...finished it. Doesn't get better, but it does take a tack: the last quarter of the book is an"I told you so" about globalism. Honda is relegated to only occasional mentions, receiving praise for their "global localism". It certainly seems naive when the author suggests that the US should adopt Honda's R&D policy, supporting manufacturing. Does the author realize that running a country's economy or even just R&D portfolio is different from running even a
large company?
October 7, 2025
[3.5 / 5]
Good overview of "The Honda Way" of doing things. Having worked at Honda in R&D, I can attest to quiet a few things mentioned in the book. Honda is bold, especially when it comes to exploring new products, and it is very well covered in this book (from Honda Jet to Asimov). However, I feel the Honda from 3 decades ago is VERY different from the present day Honda. It'd be very interesting to see how Honda manages to tackle the shifting global order in the coming decades.
As for the book, some part of it reads more like PR than an actual critical look at a company. Too many positives and very few points of criticism -- which is obviously not true. I found the last few chapters on macro economic view of the market quiet interesting.
Good overview of "The Honda Way" of doing things. Having worked at Honda in R&D, I can attest to quiet a few things mentioned in the book. Honda is bold, especially when it comes to exploring new products, and it is very well covered in this book (from Honda Jet to Asimov). However, I feel the Honda from 3 decades ago is VERY different from the present day Honda. It'd be very interesting to see how Honda manages to tackle the shifting global order in the coming decades.
As for the book, some part of it reads more like PR than an actual critical look at a company. Too many positives and very few points of criticism -- which is obviously not true. I found the last few chapters on macro economic view of the market quiet interesting.
May 23, 2016
It is interesting to read book about a company that I had worked for. The philosophies, principles and even some antidotes are so familiar (I've dealt with one of the suppliers mentioned in the book, and spent a week at another supplier to manage their production schedule). So I'm likely biased when I say this is a pretty good book on a great company that is rarely written about.
But the book is even more biased in that it focuses too much on the positives and didn't spend much time to reflect on the missteps. It would be nice to talk more about why Honda failed to capitalize the lead in having the first Japanese luxury division and first hybrid car in US, oh and the 2012 Civic Debacle...
But the book is even more biased in that it focuses too much on the positives and didn't spend much time to reflect on the missteps. It would be nice to talk more about why Honda failed to capitalize the lead in having the first Japanese luxury division and first hybrid car in US, oh and the 2012 Civic Debacle...
August 4, 2022
The books goes deep into the culture of Honda and what made it what it is right now, a mix with Japanese culture and local to each factory made Honda among the innovators in the car industry and the biggest combustion engine manufacturer in the world.
December 21, 2018
So this is the first book I have read about the Honda Way of doing things. There were some things that interested me, some things that educated me, and some things that I greatly angered me.
First off is Honda's approach. Their approach to production and development is, in the author's terms, not as structured as other Japanese companies. They proactively use innovation verses kaizen to solve problems. Their approach to design, in my opinion, very closely mirror's Steve Jobs approach during his time at Apple. Build a unique product and tell the market what they want. Honda's entry into the light truck arena is a very good example of this. They offered many non-traditional items in their truck such as a different tailgate and a trunk under the bed. I found this interesting yet this is in a good part of why I am anti-Apple. I don't want to be told what I want in a product, at least not to that degree. I like options that I decide on, not ones that are made for me.
The last couple chapters of the book talk about the International Market and how much of a challenge it has been to bring a new product to market in China. I was blind to the issues that occurred in the early 2000s between Japan and China. People were getting killed in China for the simple fact they were driving a car with a Japanese name. Honda's approach to counter this shows how creative the company is at solving problems.
As interested as I was in the sections mentioned above, I was equally angered with the author's udder ignorance of Lean and Six Sigma. First, he starts by inaccurately describing how Six Sigma is a derivative of lean. Lean is the act of applying Toyota Principles to your entire organization. Six Sigma is about understanding a problem so deeply that you can see the causes of variation and learn to control them. The fact that they are used to drive improvements in organizations are the only things they have in common. Second, he blames Lean and Six Sigma for the failing creativity of 3M over the course of several years. Lean is about maximizing value. It only stifles creativity when it is improperly applied. A plant requires light and water to grow if you give it too much of either you will kill it. In 3M if creativity adds value to R&D, then a truly lean organization will respect that value, not trivialize it and not try to monetize it. If the author had done research he would have concluded that the person and they rolled lean was to blame, not lean itself. That would be like blaming the hose for drowning a plant, not the farmer who left the water on too long.
I am interested in learning more about Honda's Way, but not by this author. His obvious lack of understanding regarding the true purpose of lean and how truly lean companies use it as a competitive advantage makes me question his ability to present an accurate picture of the company. I understand his position on trying to separate Honda from other "motor manufactures" but stating inaccuracies as fact don't bode well with me and I cannot trust any other "facts" in this book.
First off is Honda's approach. Their approach to production and development is, in the author's terms, not as structured as other Japanese companies. They proactively use innovation verses kaizen to solve problems. Their approach to design, in my opinion, very closely mirror's Steve Jobs approach during his time at Apple. Build a unique product and tell the market what they want. Honda's entry into the light truck arena is a very good example of this. They offered many non-traditional items in their truck such as a different tailgate and a trunk under the bed. I found this interesting yet this is in a good part of why I am anti-Apple. I don't want to be told what I want in a product, at least not to that degree. I like options that I decide on, not ones that are made for me.
The last couple chapters of the book talk about the International Market and how much of a challenge it has been to bring a new product to market in China. I was blind to the issues that occurred in the early 2000s between Japan and China. People were getting killed in China for the simple fact they were driving a car with a Japanese name. Honda's approach to counter this shows how creative the company is at solving problems.
As interested as I was in the sections mentioned above, I was equally angered with the author's udder ignorance of Lean and Six Sigma. First, he starts by inaccurately describing how Six Sigma is a derivative of lean. Lean is the act of applying Toyota Principles to your entire organization. Six Sigma is about understanding a problem so deeply that you can see the causes of variation and learn to control them. The fact that they are used to drive improvements in organizations are the only things they have in common. Second, he blames Lean and Six Sigma for the failing creativity of 3M over the course of several years. Lean is about maximizing value. It only stifles creativity when it is improperly applied. A plant requires light and water to grow if you give it too much of either you will kill it. In 3M if creativity adds value to R&D, then a truly lean organization will respect that value, not trivialize it and not try to monetize it. If the author had done research he would have concluded that the person and they rolled lean was to blame, not lean itself. That would be like blaming the hose for drowning a plant, not the farmer who left the water on too long.
I am interested in learning more about Honda's Way, but not by this author. His obvious lack of understanding regarding the true purpose of lean and how truly lean companies use it as a competitive advantage makes me question his ability to present an accurate picture of the company. I understand his position on trying to separate Honda from other "motor manufactures" but stating inaccuracies as fact don't bode well with me and I cannot trust any other "facts" in this book.
April 19, 2020
Will keep it as a great reference book on my shelf.
Chapter 1: Yoshino-san troubleshooting a tiller during HMA groundbreaking ceremony.
Chapter 2: A great historical chapter on Honda from his early twenties to his death.
Starting his own company, meeting up with Fujisawa, expanding as a motorcycle company, racing prowess, automotive beginnings and building the most environmentally friendly engine when the clean air act was announced. I loved how he took a GM V8 Chevy Impala and put a CVCC head on it to pass the emissions test!
Chapter 3: Embrace Paradox
At the core of company philosophy is Waigaya, the process to be able to discuss different opinions without rank or title. Truly is one of the benefits of Honda.
The other item I noted for myself if the distinction between A00, A0, and A’s
Chapter 4: The 3 reality principle (Genba, genbutsu, genjitsu)
Chapter 5: Respect Individualism. Comes from respect for the individual. Very much alive in the company today.
Chapter 6: A uniquely Honda factory. Some good details on the HMA plant project strategy and the flexibility for multi model production
Chapter 7: Honda’s innovative machine. Learnt the concept of the S-curve (Sigmoid) of development. I’m pretty sure I have come across the concept before.... but has been re-established in my mind. Whether it be products, systems, procedures, people.... we need to be thinking about the next curve.
Put A couple of Charles Handy’s books on my want to read list.
Chapter 8: an uncommon supply chain. Perhaps outdated now that other US OEMs all do similar supplier relationship management, but certainly introduces a different two way relationship. I like that it also explained some of the negative views that can come from the suppliers (big brother, protectionist, over involved), but deliver better performance and results.
Chapter 9: the local multinational. One of my favorite aspects of Honda. Although an multinational company, it truly tries to become a local company wherever it goes. Doesn’t press too much too down and lets the company philosophies and the local culture weave its way together.
Chapter 10: The Manufacturing Manifesto. Loved this chapter as it highlights the monozukuri part of the Honda culture, very much driven by Soichiro Honda himself. Also enjoy the last couple pages indicating the humble/with humility was that Honda-san left the company.
Chapter 1: Yoshino-san troubleshooting a tiller during HMA groundbreaking ceremony.
Chapter 2: A great historical chapter on Honda from his early twenties to his death.
Starting his own company, meeting up with Fujisawa, expanding as a motorcycle company, racing prowess, automotive beginnings and building the most environmentally friendly engine when the clean air act was announced. I loved how he took a GM V8 Chevy Impala and put a CVCC head on it to pass the emissions test!
Chapter 3: Embrace Paradox
At the core of company philosophy is Waigaya, the process to be able to discuss different opinions without rank or title. Truly is one of the benefits of Honda.
The other item I noted for myself if the distinction between A00, A0, and A’s
Chapter 4: The 3 reality principle (Genba, genbutsu, genjitsu)
Chapter 5: Respect Individualism. Comes from respect for the individual. Very much alive in the company today.
Chapter 6: A uniquely Honda factory. Some good details on the HMA plant project strategy and the flexibility for multi model production
Chapter 7: Honda’s innovative machine. Learnt the concept of the S-curve (Sigmoid) of development. I’m pretty sure I have come across the concept before.... but has been re-established in my mind. Whether it be products, systems, procedures, people.... we need to be thinking about the next curve.
Put A couple of Charles Handy’s books on my want to read list.
Chapter 8: an uncommon supply chain. Perhaps outdated now that other US OEMs all do similar supplier relationship management, but certainly introduces a different two way relationship. I like that it also explained some of the negative views that can come from the suppliers (big brother, protectionist, over involved), but deliver better performance and results.
Chapter 9: the local multinational. One of my favorite aspects of Honda. Although an multinational company, it truly tries to become a local company wherever it goes. Doesn’t press too much too down and lets the company philosophies and the local culture weave its way together.
Chapter 10: The Manufacturing Manifesto. Loved this chapter as it highlights the monozukuri part of the Honda culture, very much driven by Soichiro Honda himself. Also enjoy the last couple pages indicating the humble/with humility was that Honda-san left the company.
January 4, 2016
Really liked this book. Even though I have followed the auto industry a little over the years, I had no idea how different Honda is as a car company, or the importance of its various innovations.
The author slipped a lot of personal ideas into the book as well, especially about globalization and other trade issues; these removed the book from its thesis a little bit. Also, the conclusion left much to be desired: it was about two paragraphs long, with very little to tie up the loose ends.
Overall though, this was a great read.
The author slipped a lot of personal ideas into the book as well, especially about globalization and other trade issues; these removed the book from its thesis a little bit. Also, the conclusion left much to be desired: it was about two paragraphs long, with very little to tie up the loose ends.
Overall though, this was a great read.
October 30, 2014
I admit, this is not my normal read, however IT WAS GREAT! I had no idea what an interesting company Honda is and it is written in a style that is completely engrossing. I stayed up too late many times because I just wanted to read a little bit more. Who knew that a non-fiction book about a car company could be a page turner! This book also made me question my plan to replace my current Honda with a Toyota.
November 3, 2016
Very informative and enlightening. I was aware that Honda marched to the beat of a different drummer, but I didn't know just how different they are than any other company I have read or am familiar with. CEO's and chief executives could learn quite bit on running a successful, forward looking, cutting edge company.
August 2, 2017
The book is highly insightful and detailed on Honda’s culture (autonomy …), history of the founder and the business, and its approach to businesses (localization, tight control on supply chain to the third or fourth level down). There are also a number of small stories to illustrate those points. The book is a great read for anyone interested in business and/or manufacturing, not just car businesses.
However, the book feels overly biased, even for a Honda’s fan like myself. Almost all (6) of my family’s motorbikes and mine are Honda with the exception of the last one (Triumph). The last one also reaffirms my belief that Honda’s superior reliability. The book seems to suggest Honda could do no wrong despite the author has told many failures such as the burned piston in its racing debut. However, in each of those failures, Honda will always bounce back. Or the Honda’s way seems to be the right way.
However, the book feels overly biased, even for a Honda’s fan like myself. Almost all (6) of my family’s motorbikes and mine are Honda with the exception of the last one (Triumph). The last one also reaffirms my belief that Honda’s superior reliability. The book seems to suggest Honda could do no wrong despite the author has told many failures such as the burned piston in its racing debut. However, in each of those failures, Honda will always bounce back. Or the Honda’s way seems to be the right way.
May 10, 2024
I really enjoyed listening to this book because it detailed a lot about the history of the Honda Motor Company from the very start where it was started by a man named Soichiro Honda with a dream of creating motorcycles and automobiles and how it has evolved into a massive motor company existing in all parts of the world. I enjoyed the perspective of the author because he was a Toyota employee for some time and had many friends in the Honda company who were able to give him information about what it was like working at Honda and how they design and refine their projects before releasing them. I also like the way the book was spaced out because it did go through a somewhat chronological order of events, but it also didn't dwell to heavily on subjects for too long. Overall I liked the book enough to where I think it would be a good book to listen to if your interested in working for or trying to start your own company.
March 26, 2020
This was a really good book. A very full and in-depth look at Honda's history and business practices. Tons and tons of great details, and very good descriptive writing.
As others have mentioned, though, this book was *insanely* biased. And look, I really like Honda (and full disclosure, I get my paycheck through a business related to them). I think they're a great company, I really and truly do. But this book took it too far. Nothing is as perfect as this book makes the company out to be. I think a more balanced book would've made a better impression on me. Rothfeder pushes the Honda hype so hard in this book that it made his actual facts less believable because I no longer trusted him to mention *anything* that would throw even the slightest shade on Honda's yard.
Still though, I enjoyed the book and got great value out of it.
As others have mentioned, though, this book was *insanely* biased. And look, I really like Honda (and full disclosure, I get my paycheck through a business related to them). I think they're a great company, I really and truly do. But this book took it too far. Nothing is as perfect as this book makes the company out to be. I think a more balanced book would've made a better impression on me. Rothfeder pushes the Honda hype so hard in this book that it made his actual facts less believable because I no longer trusted him to mention *anything* that would throw even the slightest shade on Honda's yard.
Still though, I enjoyed the book and got great value out of it.
November 6, 2021
Talking about inside the Honda Company, the philosophy behind it and how the company run the business.
The key of Honda success is:
- Continuous improvement
- Taking decision through real life observation
- Open to any discussion and embracing paradox
- The flexibility of its assembling plant
- Localization. Honda has several R&D lab in various countries and each lab developing the most suitable product for its area
- Their willingness to help their suppliers and building a strong relationship for the good of both parties.
The key of Honda success is:
- Continuous improvement
- Taking decision through real life observation
- Open to any discussion and embracing paradox
- The flexibility of its assembling plant
- Localization. Honda has several R&D lab in various countries and each lab developing the most suitable product for its area
- Their willingness to help their suppliers and building a strong relationship for the good of both parties.
July 11, 2023
I spent a good deal of my 60-year career in manufacturing and always wished for an environment like Honda's. During the 80's US quality push, before Reagan trashed the manufacturing economy, there was a lot of talk about a flat corporate structure, but not much action. So many of the US companies I worked for and those my employers competed against are either gone or have been absorbed by Japanese, Korean, Chinese, or other Asian companies. That didn't hurt the execs who killed those companies, but it put a lot of skilled, hard-working US workers out of their jobs and careers.
February 13, 2019
Enjoyable book overall, but as other reviewers have noted, the author clearly has a bias for the company, which in itself isn't necessarily a negative, but he certainly could have addressed the shortcomings of the company. The historical background of the founder was fun to learn about. The book is largely about how the company is successful because it embraces a few key management principles at every level of the corporation, it could have been shorter and made this same point. The author does present many anecdotes that he gathered from extensive research interviewing dozens of employees. The author's passion and enthusiasm for the company certainly come through as genuine.
June 5, 2019
Soichiro Honda is a true OG!
When the US government put CO2 emission regulations on cars in the 70s GM complained and wanted to sue the government but Honda made their engines run cleaner and they pass the regulation standards easily with the CVCC motor. Then Honda shipped over a station wagon, put in the CVCC engine in it, sent it back and it pass the mission standards. “We hired 50 engineers, GM hired 50 lawyers” -Soichiro Honda
When the US government put CO2 emission regulations on cars in the 70s GM complained and wanted to sue the government but Honda made their engines run cleaner and they pass the regulation standards easily with the CVCC motor. Then Honda shipped over a station wagon, put in the CVCC engine in it, sent it back and it pass the mission standards. “We hired 50 engineers, GM hired 50 lawyers” -Soichiro Honda
July 2, 2019
Although I have found Honda drivers to be in general the most dangerous and clueless drivers out there, this book shows that the company is way ahead of all others in innovation and a successful "localization" strategy. Very fascinating and well-written, and also includes an articulate attack on the stupidities of globalization as practiced by most multi-national corporations, and why Honda's practices work much better.
March 11, 2018
A lot of Honda rah rah fanboy writing was tough to read. It was important to me to learn why Honda was different than Toyota, and in a way, this book did help describe it. The focus on localization, rather than a strong central office / hierarchy was part of it. Going to the spot, seeing the actual situation is also key.
May 11, 2021
Must read for senior executives and CEO's. A great book on management I have read in a while. No wise ass suggestions but simple strategies for businesses to grow, thrive and be a leader in their segment. Congratulate the author for undertaking this research on a brilliant company.
January 26, 2022
This book will gave you insight about Honda's out-of-the-box ideas in building a multibillion value company.
For you who interested in learning about organisation culture, specially in manufacturing companies, this book is very suitable for learning.
For you who interested in learning about organisation culture, specially in manufacturing companies, this book is very suitable for learning.
October 7, 2017
Definitely a lot of cool Honda stories and info. Veered off into broader globalization impacts towards the end, which while interesting wasn’t necessarily what I was reading it for.
May 5, 2018
A good reference and beautiful story telling of an innovative company.
November 25, 2018
Enjoyed the history and philosophy of Honda and its manufacturing processes.
December 13, 2018
An interesting insight into one of my favorite auto manufacturers.
December 14, 2020
Legacy are not made just like that and this book is a perfect example
July 31, 2022
A solid history of Honda, plus in-depth look at management style and general production strategies. Many interviews and stories add to the more general info.
August 26, 2022
Author gets a lot of pretty basic facts wrong or misunderstands their context. Also devotes a chapter to his call for lowered corporate taxes in the US.
July 18, 2023
A good book about the raise of a Japanese car company.
September 27, 2023
Absolutely loved the book. Well researched, well articulated and well written. It was a pleasure reading the book.
May 8, 2025
Good book about the management philosophy and principles of Honda.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews