The first product of this venture was the 1981 Triumph Acclaim, which was produced for three years until it was replaced by the Rover 200 Series; both cars were based on the Honda Ballade.

The site had been used during the Second World War for aircraft production by Phillips & Powis and Short Brothers, and later by Vickers-Armstrongs-Supermarine; its selection in 1938 took into account the presence of the skilled workforce at the Swindon Works of the Great Western Railway.

[7] In September 2001, HUM opened a second car assembly plant at Swindon, adding two hundred jobs and increasing capacity to 250,000 vehicles a year.

In October 2002, HUM managing director Ken Keir stated that Honda would maintain vehicle production in the United Kingdom, irrespective of whether or not it joined the Eurozone.

In September 2006, it was announced that Honda would be recruiting an additional 700 workers for HUM, and raising production at the site by 32% to 250,000 vehicles per year.

[11][12] In February 2008, it was announced that Honda would be making an £80 million investment in new production facilities at Swindon, for the manufacture of plastic car parts and metal castings for engines.

In September 2012, Honda announced a £267 million investment programme at the Swindon site, to support the introduction of new models of the Civic and CR-V, and a new 1.6 litre diesel engine.

[21][22] In February 2019, Honda announced that the plant would close in 2021, with the loss of about 3,500 jobs in the area, and production shifting to Japan, North America and China.

[27] HUM officially ceased operations on 30 July 2021 with the final car produced, a Modern Steel Metallic Civic Sport hatchback to be exported to the USA, rolling off the line the previous day.

On display during the final day of production was a unique Civic Type R with workers' signatures on the bonnet and doors, the name 'Honda of the UK Manufacturing' over the front-left wheel arch, and a Union Jack emblazoned on the back.

[30] Honda announced in March 2021 that the site had been sold to Panattoni, an American industrial real estate developer, who would use it for a large-scale logistics operation.

It includes a public playground that commemorates Swindon's manufacturing history (trains, aircraft, cars), plus trees planted in memory of two workers who died in service.