The Honda Fit: A Test Drive
April 24, 2008
Lake St. Louis
With fuel prices well over $3 per gallon, and expected to climb even higher, many drivers are looking toward a new car with better fuel economy. The Honda Fit fits this need.
The Fit made it’s debut in the US in 2007, but has been on the streets of Japan and Europe since 2001. The sporty hatchback design has the quality expected of a Honda. The look and feel of the car is similar to other cars in the Honda line-up.
A starting price of about $14,400 makes this a good choice for those on a budget. But don’t expect too much of the little car.
Powered by a 1.5 liter, four cylinder, it produces just 109 horsepower and 105 lb.-ft. of torque. While the Fit has less power than the bigger Civic, it has a brisk acceleration that allows it to easily enter a highway.
The engine delivered the power to the tires with an 5 speed automatic transmission. The automatic has a mode with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters for those who want the sportiness of a manual. A manual is also available, but the fuel savings over the automatic is small.
With a rating as high as 28 mpg in the city and 34 on the highways, the Fit is a fuel sipper when compared to some of the other small hatchbacks on the market. It also is rated as a Low Emissions Vehicle.
The test drive was on some roads that were wet, and some dry. On both surfaces, the braking was stable. The steering and suspension made maneuvering the car with confidence simple. The MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension keep the car stable.
Having read some information and owner comments before driving the car, I expected a harsh, noisy ride. The ride was not any more bumpy or harsh than other cars in the price range. Of course, the small size and the cost limit the smoothness of the ride. Don’t buy the Fit if you expect the ride of a Luxury car. As for the road and engine noise, it was not nearly as loud and distracting as some users have stated.
The interior is comfortable, but the driver’s seat seemed a little low, but this will benefit a taller occupant. The rear seat gave the impression of being set outboard more than most cars, but this made the ride for back seat passengers more enjoyable as they could see around the front seat to view the road instead of the person in front’s head.
The addition of a center arm rest in the front is a definite need. The small console between the front seats was far too low and made the ride less comfortable.
The rear seats fold down to increase cargo space, and can even fold nearly flat to the floor. A simple push of a button folds each side of the rear seat down. With the seats down, the Fit is listed at nearly 42 cubic feet of space for cargo. This is accomplished with the fuel tank moved below the front seats.
The crash testing put the Fit well into the better-than-average groupings. Side curtain airbags in tandem with the front airbags add to the safety. Standard ABS brakes are included. The crash rating of five stars for front and front seat side impact are the top ratings available. The rear seats side impact rating was three stars.
The Fit comes in seven color choices: Nighthawk Black, Tidewater Blue Metallic, Silver Metallic, Blackberry Pearl, Vivid Blue Pearl, Milano Red, and Blaze Orange Metallic.
If you like cars with black interior, this is the car for you. The only color choice for seating is black fabric.
One drawback to the Fit is shared by all Honda vehicles. The Fit is unable to run on the cleaner burning E85 fuels. The Honda website gives the official stance that E85 fuel is a concept fuel. No Honda built products are E85 compatible.
Overall, purchasing a Fit should be a great choice for reliability, fuel economy and value.
Copyright 2008 Neighbors About Town