Overview & Reviews

Introduced in the mid 2000s just as gas prices were beginning to race skyward, the Honda Fit immediately became a hit with frugal car shoppers. A subcompact four-door hatchback, the Honda Fit has earned praise for its world-class engineering and design, and it has definitely found its niche with consumers, particularly with the second-generation model. With either generation, you'll find crisp handling, an adaptable interior, high-quality fit and finish and a relatively low price. An all-new third-generation Fit is also on its way. For small-car shoppers, the Honda Fit represents an almost ideal package.

Current Honda Fit
The Honda Fit is available in two main trim levels: base and Sport. Both come with a fuel-efficient 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 117 horsepower and 106 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, with a five-speed automatic transmission being optional. Paddle shifters are included with the automatic for the Sport version. Fuel economy is respectably good with either transmission.

On the base Fit, air-conditioning, cruise control, keyless entry a tilt-and-telescoping steering column and a four-speaker audio system with a CD player, auxiliary audio jack and iPod/USB audio interface are standard. The Honda Fit Sport gains bigger wheels, sportier exterior trim details and a six-speaker audio system. Fit Sports can also be optioned with a touchscreen navigation system that includes Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity and voice controls.

The Fit is Honda's smallest automotive product, but it nearly matches the total passenger space of the larger Civic sedan. To help achieve this, Honda has installed a compact rear suspension design and placed the fuel tank underneath the passenger seat. Another key advantage for the Fit is its innovative, highly versatile rear seating arrangement. The "Magic Seat" has seatbacks that fold flat and seat cushions that can be flipped upward, creating a tall load area right behind the front seats -- sort of like a crew cab pickup's rear seats. Maximum cargo capacity is an impressive 57 cubic feet.

In reviews, we've found the Honda Fit to be a pleasure to drive for a frugal subcompact. The car has a solid feel to it, countering the perception of vehicles in this class as tinny econoboxes. Generally speaking, the Honda Fit continues the model's tradition of providing serious bang for the buck, and its combination of driving dynamics, polish and big-time practicality distinguish it from the competition.

Used Honda Fit Models
The current second-generation Honda Fit debuted for the 2009 model year. No notable changes occurred until 2012, when it received minor styling updates, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, added sound insulation and an upgraded Bluetooth system with streaming audio capabilities.

The first-generation Honda Fit was available for just two years: 2007 and 2008. It came in two trim levels with no factory options available. The base version adhered to a minimalist philosophy, though it still came standard with air-conditioning and a CD player. The uplevel Sport trim was snazzier and, predictably, we favored it. It featured larger, 15-inch alloy wheels, stickier tires, exterior styling pieces, keyless entry, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a premium MP3-compatible audio system with an auxiliary audio jack.

The Fit stuck to the Honda playbook when it came to interior controls, which were intelligently designed and utilized high-quality materials. For a subcompact, the first-generation Honda Fit was surprisingly roomy and versatile. Chalk much of that up to the car's specialized second-row, 60/40-split seat design. The rear seats could be placed into four different configurations, depending on passenger or cargo needs. Folding the rear seat flat provided a surprising 41.9 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

Both trim levels were front-wheel drive and were equipped with a 1.5-liter, 109-hp four-cylinder engine. A five-speed manual transmission was standard, and a five-speed automatic was optional. Fit Sports with the automatic also had steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles.

We found the first-generation Honda Fit to possess an enviable driving-fun-to-thrift ratio. Cornering and acceleration were crisp. The subcompact could achieve 0-60-mph sprints in fewer than 10 seconds with either transmission. Fuel economy was commendable, and safety was good. The whole thing was almost perfect. Almost. The main downside was that although the car seemed less tinny than other cars in its class, at highway speeds the engine made its presence known. The lack of a telescoping steering wheel could also be an annoyance for taller drivers. But on balance the first-generation Honda Fit provided about as much fun, satisfaction and value as you could find in a small economy car.

User Reviews:

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  Heck of a deal - 2007 Honda Fit
  By New owner - May 9 - 8:43 am

  Just got it, but is incredibly fun to drive, and the price is right. Where else can you get a fully loaded "sport" model at this price point. Only thing is in this area, their is about an eight week waiting list to purchase one. I had to travel an hour and an half round trip to pick one up.

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  Almost a perfect fit... - 2007 Honda Fit
  By djk - May 9 - 6:46 am

  I bought this used with 9000 miles on it, still has a new car smell. Overall, this is a well-thought-out, practical yet fun car. It is versatile and safe too. I came from a V-6, but do not miss it at all. This 4cyl does the job nicely.

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  My FIT is GO! - 2007 Honda Fit
  By mathprof - May 3 - 4:20 am

  So far, the Fit is GO! I live in a rural area, and even when carrying 4 other teenage boys to the skatepark up a good hill, no problem!

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  2016 Honda Fit EX - 2016 Honda Fit
  By Randy Buss - May 1 - 8:20 am

  My review to the 2016 Honda Fit EX will be in comparison to the 2009 Subaru we own, and other vehicles weve had. We purchased the Honda Fit EX three weeks ago and overall we cannot say enough to how pleased we are with it. Weve been averaging a combined 38MPG, with highway driving right around 42MPG. The ride is ust a bit firmer compared to the Subaru, but definitely not objectionable. The seats are very comfortable (Far more comfortable than the Subaru), and the interior quality is very good. The road noise is surprisingly quieter compared to the Subaru, and the wind noise is virtually undetectable even at highway speeds of up to 65mph (great job Honda). Weve been very pleased with the interior trim and build quality. The electronics/entertainment is very satisfactory. Exterior visibility is comparable to other vehicles, with an advantage to rear visibility when looking back and to the right in order to switch lanes (never rely on electronics or mirror). The back up camera and lane watch camera are definitely nice features to have and it takes a bit of adaptation to become accustom to them, but not a requirement because of the nice large side mirrors and rear visibility. Acceleration is more than adequate for rapid acceleration onto highways, and weve not been disappointed at all. Over all, were so pleased by the performance of the Honda Fit EX that were selling our Subaru in order to purchase another Honda Fit EX. Minor Cons: The intermittent wipers have no variable setting (it is what it is and you cant adjust it, but its adequate). The long distance illumination is very good with high beams, however, because the fog lights and low beam lights turn off, it causes the immediate road surfaces to become rather dimly lit. Im planning on easily fixing this issue by adding an additional set of LED driving lights to come on only when the high beam lights are on. (Low beam illumination is excellent) The audio system is very good quality, but it lacks a little on the low end bass. (Not bad, just not quite enough bass). Engine noise does become apparent when accelerating hard, but not much more than other cars do. Furthermore, once up to speed, the engine noise is not at all any worse than other cars. Major Cons: Absolutely nothing so far. Additional notes to be aware of if youre in the market. The "2015" Honda Fit models were made in Mexico and had a series of quality issues due to an inexperienced work force. However, the "2016" Honda Fit models are now made in Japan, and the build quality is noticeably better than any other locations. If youre in the market for a Honda or already own one, look at the first digit of the VIN# to know where it was made. 1 = USA 2 = Canada 3 = Mexico J = Japan

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  FIT YOU?? - 2007 Honda Fit
  By nate - April 30 - 6:30 am

  I bought my fit because I was working in AZ and living in CA. With the current cost of gas I needed something with good gas mileage. I can travel from Redlands CA to Lake havasu AZ and only use 5gallons of gas doing 70mph the whole way!!! The car handdles really good up in the mountains, and on the freeways. I feel that it is a little under-powered going up and down the hill but then again its only a 4cyl. Im glad that I bought my FIT I wont sale it for anything. Its priced well and will save you a lot of money at the pump for sure.

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  Great mini-car! - 2009 Honda Fit
  By LSLHF4L - April 17 - 10:53 pm

  Purchased the Fit 1 month ago today. Have since traveled 1500 fun loving miles. It has taken awhile to get used to some quirks (rear suspension, higher center of gravity), but am glad went with decision to buy. Its hard to believe the Fit is Hondas new "entry level" - there are many items standard which were upgrades, or not available, on prior car (2000 Civic LX). Looking forward to many years of ownership.

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  Very happy - 2007 Honda Fit
  By redandy - April 15 - 1:30 am

  Ratings are in the context of an economy car. Extremely fun to drive (90% of Cooper level fun), but you get the utility of a much larger car. Gas milage is very good, but not great (~32 mpg city in winter). Im hoping for the high thirtes on the freeway in the summer. I test drove vs. Yaris and Versa, and MUCH preferred this over either. If you value comfort over handling and can live with less gas milage, you may want to consider the Versa - its a bit cushier but much less fun to drive IMO. Cost is a bit higher than the others, but ABS, airbags, etc are all standard here. If comparably equipped, the competitors lose their pricing advantage..

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  A great fun car - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Norman - April 14 - 3:43 pm

  This is a fun car to drive and it is very easy on gas

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  Great Little (big) Car - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Jim Davis - April 13 - 7:50 am

  We bought the Fit Sport to use as a short to moderate distance economy driver and it has served very well but it took a while to warm up to the ride (very stiff). The handling is very good though and there is an amazing amount of usable space considering the vehicle dimensions. Power is adequate (with the automatic) but by no means sporty. The transmission works well and I appreciate the paddle shifter option (keeps the transmission from shifting up and down so much in hilly country when using cruise control). Front seat comfort good, visibility is outstanding. Controls are easy to use and gauges easy to read. Great city car & adequate cruiser (wind moves it around a lot on the highway).

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  Didnt think it would be this good - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Tim - April 11 - 6:13 am

  Had our Fit Sport a month now with no issues and we are getting 38.5mpg. Much better than posted. It is fun to drive, pretty peppy and everybody likes the way it looks. It is roomy and really great visibility.