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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  Regret buying a Fit - 2008 Honda Fit
  By 1111girl - November 17 - 5:12 pm

  Ive had my automatic Fit Sport for about 1 1/2 years and would not recommend it. Gas mileage is only about 28 in city. A/C bogs down engine power and cant cool consistently in heat of AZ summer - goes warm, cold, warm, cold. Inner upholstery is a lint magnet. Biggest peeve - Car is noisy and rattly over-all, with a major rattle inside the dash. Had this from the beginning, service cant seem to fix it. Visibility is poor with huge blind spots on front sides and very hard to see when backing up, especially if you are short like me. Tires go low on air, alignment goes out easily, engine making a high- pitched sound, service says they "cant hear it." Same for rubbing sound when turning left.

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  Good Car Overall - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Jack - November 7 - 12:43 am

  This is our second car. We purchased it last week. Here are initial thoughts. As a second car intended for local driving, or as a city car, it is a good choice. The car handles well in turns and grips the road. The driver visibility is excellent, and the stylish interior appears to be of good quality (time will tell). We live in Pennsylvania with some steep slopes; the automatic transmission shifts gears going up hills. On occasion, the engine winds. Since it is a brand new car, Im tentative about putting too much stress on the engine. The gas mileage is very good but not exceptional. One might expect more from such a light weight car.

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  A little too basic. . . - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Nancy M. - October 31 - 6:13 pm

  Ive been driving my basic Honda Fit for a couple of months now, and while it is great fun to drive and thrills me when I fill it up with gas for under $25, I have gotten slightly frustrated with not having a "magic button" for the door locks. Additionally, the gray/black interior makes it very difficult to see inside at night, especially when the inside light goes off immediately when you turn off the ignition. In the high side, it has great cargo space with the back seats folded down, and the sound system is adequate. My last vehicle was a small pickup so I am really impressed with the fuel economy and the ease of handling. Wish I had bought the Sport model now.

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  So far, so good - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Happy so far - October 14 - 3:36 pm

  I bought my Fit 90 days ago. So far, so good. Its fun to drive and is pretty comfortable. Clearly a step up in the sub compact market. Downers are no arm rests, and small fuel tank. 2 more gallons would make the range awesome. But for now I still have to pull in to fuel more often than I would like. (but it only costs $20 so I dont complain much) If the longevity is up to Honda standards and crash ratings come in high then this will be a very big winner for Honda. No regrets except I cant keep my teenage son out of it.

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  The Fit fits. - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Kristin - October 9 - 5:03 pm

  I have had my Fit for 3 months now, its my first new car and I love it. It fits so easily into tight parking spots, can turn in incredibly small areas and has plenty of room on the inside! However, I am only getting about 20-22 mpg.. WAY less than was advertised and the front lower spoiler that comes standard on the sport is too low. It scrapes whenever I have to go in or out of a driveway unless I am creeping very slowly, which doesnt work if I am entering or crossing traffic. But all in all I love my Fit, it is much superior to my 98 Saturn that I was driving. I would suggest this car to anyone who enjoys driving and often find themselves with a car full of people

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  Great Purchase - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Finnie - September 20 - 2:52 pm

  We bought the Fit due to the great gas mileage and the design of the folding back sit. It works great! It is a very versatile car. The back holds a lot more than it appears to be able to hold. The gas mileage is between 27 with mostly city driving to 41 with all highway driving. It has a good average of 30 to 32 MPG combo. The only thing I wish it would redesign is that the gas tank hold more than 10.8 gal. It seems to go through gas faster that way. A 12 to 13 would be great. I average about 280 to 400 miles per fill up. This car is a great buy. Plus another added feature is it shows percent of oil life so it takes the guess work out of when to change the oil. AC works great too.

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  Slightly dissapointed - 2008 Honda Fit
  By chin - September 9 - 1:17 pm

  Got the fit sport 5 speed.after 2000 miles, the average MPG is around 33. strictly highway around 37.expected more from such a small car.(coming from a 02 Chevy Prizm) I drive the speed limit, slow starts and all the tricks on the book. 109hp feels weaker than 105 hp on a 96 geo prizm. engine screams at 70 mph.(over 3500 rpm) the good: perfect transmission, one of the best Ive seen. fun to drive.responsive engine.quality interior for the price.Honda reliability (hopefully)

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  great car , bad mpg - 2008 Honda Fit
  By harry - September 1 - 1:11 pm

  I am electrician and service eastern n.c. I keep record of all gas used. In 3 mo 13,000 miles and 400 gal = 32.5 mpg thats 95% hwy. I have gotten in one tank 27 mpg to 43 mpg in another tank. Most tanks average 30-32 hwy driving on the flatside of Raleigh nc to nc coast. My best hwy mpg has been driving Raleigh nc west to winston- salem nc. I have had it to dealer 4 times and they say computer said everything is working properly. I got the car for the high mpg. gas prices are my enemy. I owed a 91 civic and got 37 mpg. Wish I still had it.

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  2008 Honda Fit - 2008 Honda Fit
  By chris - August 29 - 2:30 pm

  Just got my car last month. Ive put 1000 miles on it so far and I am rather pleased. the only item i have regrets with is not having cruise control. i am getting 30-32 mpg which is double what my previous car was getting. I only wish i could have waited to take a look at the 2009 fit.

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  design needs help - 2008 Honda Fit
  By needs design improve - August 23 - 3:57 pm

  The AC is weak and cannot overcome the black interior in the sun. A light gray interior needs to be standard. The seats need help, I have a strong back and never have back ache, but the seats on the Fit are bad on trips over 50 miles. Seats are also too hard. Rear visibility is blocked by the rear seat head rests. Tire noise is excessive. The "smart key" costs a fortune for less anti-theft benefit than a cheap "Club", and returns an insurance reduction of only $8 a year(10% off the theft portion), about a tenth the replacement key cost. HOLD TIGHT On the positive the engine performance is adequate. The car is quite, tires excluded. The headroom is excellent, and leg room is great.