Honda VIN decoder: the three-character model code and what it tells you
Honda and Acura WMIs by plant
The first three characters name the maker and, for North American builds, the plant company. 1HG is a Honda car from Honda of America in Ohio, 19U an Acura car from the same company, and 5J6 and 5J8 Honda and Acura SUVs from Ohio. 19X and 7FA mark Honda cars and SUVs from Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, and 5FN is an SUV from Honda Manufacturing of Alabama.
Canadian builds start 2HG for cars and 2HK for SUVs, and Mexican ones 3HG and 3CZ. Japanese-built cars start JHM for Honda and JH4 for Acura. The Prologue EV breaks the pattern: General Motors builds it in Mexico, and its VIN starts 3GP.
Honda VIN decoder basics: the model code in positions 4 to 6
Honda packs the model and engine into a three-character code. FE1 is a 2022 to 2024 Civic sedan with the 1.5-liter turbo, and FE2 the same body with the 2.0-liter engine. RS3 and RS4 are the 2023-on CR-V with the 1.5-liter turbo in front-wheel and four-wheel drive, and RS5 and RS6 the CR-V Hybrid in the same two layouts. CY1 is the 2023-on Accord 1.5 turbo and CY2 the Accord Hybrid.
Because the engine lives in the model code, a single character tells you less than on other brands. FE1 covers both the ordinary Civic 1.5 turbo and the Civic Si, so you need position 8 to separate them.
Positions 7 and 8: body, gearbox and grade
Position 7 combines body style with transmission type. On 2010-on Honda cars, E is a four-door sedan with a manual gearbox and F the same sedan with an automatic. On SUVs, H is a five-door with an automatic, with the weight class depending on the model.
Position 8 carries the grade together with the airbag set, and the value is specific to each model. On a 2022 to 2026 Civic sedan and a 2023 to 2026 CR-V, 2 marks the LX. Trim matters for parts, because wheels, lamps and seats can change between grades.
Model year and the Honda plant letter
Position 9 is the check digit and position 10 the model year: P is 2023, R 2024, S 2025 and T 2026. Position 11 is the plant. A is Marysville, Ohio, which builds the Accord and the Acura Integra, and L is East Liberty, Ohio, home of the CR-V and the Acura MDX. E is Greensburg, Indiana (Civic and CR-V), B is Lincoln, Alabama (Pilot, Odyssey, Passport and Ridgeline), H is Alliston, Ontario, and M is Celaya, Mexico.
In Japan, S is Suzuka and X is Yorii. C marks Sayama, which stopped building cars in 2022, so a C on a recent VIN is worth a second look.
European Hondas and Japanese frame numbers
Hondas built at Swindon in the UK start SHH for cars and SHS for SUVs, and carry U in position 11. Swindon closed in 2021, as did the Gebze plant in Turkey (W). European-market Hondas follow the international VIN standard, which does not require a check digit or a model-year character, so decode them in the catalog rather than with a US table.
Japanese home-market Hondas often carry a frame number instead of a VIN: the model code, then a serial. The third-generation Fit uses codes GK3 to GK7 and GH7, and the fourth generation GR1 to GR6. See VIN vs chassis number for where the frame number sits on an import.
Decoding a Honda VIN in the catalog
The free VIN decoder reads the maker, country and model year. The Honda catalog on VINsearch reads the full VIN or frame number, confirms the model code, grade and transmission, and lists the genuine parts for that car with current numbers and supersessions. It covers Acura in the same login, and the overlap between the two brands is the subject of are Acura parts the same as Honda.
Recall status, wiring diagrams and radio or key codes come from Honda’s dealer and service channels, not from the parts catalog. Coverage is on the Honda catalog page.
Frequently asked questions
Which character of a Honda VIN is the engine?
None on its own. Honda encodes the engine inside the three-character model code in positions 4 to 6. FE1 is a Civic with the 1.5-liter turbo, FE2 the Civic with the 2.0-liter engine.
What does 1HG mean at the start of a Honda VIN?
It marks a Honda passenger car built by Honda of America in Ohio. 19X and 7FA mark Indiana-built Honda cars and SUVs, and 2HG a Honda car from Canada.
How do I tell which plant built my Honda?
Read position 11. A is Marysville, L is East Liberty, E is Greensburg, B is Lincoln, Alabama, H is Alliston, Ontario, M is Celaya, Mexico, and S is Suzuka, Japan.
Can I decode a Japanese import Honda without a VIN?
Yes. Enter the frame number, which is the model code and a serial, in the Honda catalog. It resolves the car the same way a VIN does.