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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  Good commuter car - 2010 Honda Fit
  By Chipperdog - August 5 - 10:50 am

  I bought this car for its style and fuel economy. It has not disappointed. Great all around car with excellent fuel economy. My commute is rural highway driving with stops and starts. I have never gotten worse than 36 MPG even with the air on. My best is 38.8 MPG.

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  Great! - 2008 Honda Fit
  By rog - August 4 - 3:35 pm

  This car has been nothing but great! In any given week I am commuting over 1000 miles, I live in Maine so this means in snow, ice, and summer humidity and this car sails through it all! I can seemingly fit almost anything into it, and I know it is as safe as it can be while driving my daughter around. It is far and away the best car I have ever owned.

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  I <3 my Fit - 2010 Honda Fit
  By Lit Teacher - August 2 - 1:33 pm

  For the price of this car, you cant find a better deal. We looked at Mazda 3 and Toyota Yaris when shopping, and the Honda Fit offered more for less, including the priceless reputation of reliability associated with Hondas. I was looking for an economical 4-door hatchback with plenty of room for me and my 3-yr-old, and the Fit fits the bill! Tons of interior space and between 28 and 35 mpg for me so far (no road trips yet). Also, I found the driver seat/positioning to be quite comfortable after simply adjusting the telescopic/tilt steering wheel - this coming from a female with chronic lower back pain.

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  Poor Mpg - 2010 Honda Fit
  By Joan - July 30 - 6:13 pm

  I dont know what I am doing wrong but I cannot get more than 24-25 mpg no matter how I drive. This is frustrating. Otherwise love the way it drives, especially holds the road. I appreciate the lumbar support on drivers seat.

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  The Gold Standard of Subcompacts - 2010 Honda Fit
  By Accordguy0325 - July 27 - 11:33 pm

  Having downsized from an Accord to a 2010 Fit Sport automatic and I wasnt sure what to expect at first. After a short time, I am pleasantly surprised by this car and amazed at how much room there is on the inside considering how small it is on the outside. The interior is very well put together with numerous storage areas and thoughtful touches. I find my Fit sport to be pretty comfortable for such a small car, with plenty of leg room and head room. The seats themselves are very supportive and well bolstered and the interior is versatile. The ride and handling is sporty while being comfortable overall. Power is good for the size of the Fit, and mpg is excellent! You cant go wrong !

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  Great for tall people - 2008 Honda Fit
  By fitfitfit - July 26 - 9:37 am

  We are a family of four who have had our Fit for 2.5 years. People are continually surprised that my husband, at 67", can even get into such a small- looking car. He even fits in the back seats, which seems to be true for most Hondas, but not other makes. The Fit also has ample headroom. It is fun to drive, easy to park ANYWHERE, gets great gas mileage, and has a highly versatile interior. We also love the 6 speaker sound system.

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  Update from one year ago - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Warren - July 23 - 3:17 am

  These past 2 weeks we took a trip from North Haven, Ct. to the exact same location 2 weeks in a row. I filled up when we left and refilled after the return trip both times. This is the first time that we took exclusive all highway driving , up to now it has always been a combination of city/highway. The first week we used 2.44 gallons, traveled 114 miles and achieved 46.7 mpg. The second we used 2.31 gallons and traveled 114.4 miles for 49.5 mpg. We very carefully watch the mpg. slide bar and apparently it pays off. We have been achieving combined city/highway 33-37mpg. since we have owned our Fit base automatic for the past 16 months. -Warren.

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  Good cheap car - 2010 Honda Fit
  By dhjohnso - July 19 - 12:31 pm

  I wanted a reliable 2nd car for low cost. I was willing to sacrifice "luxury" for lower cost. The FIT fills the bill.

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  Biggest Little Car Youll Ever Own! - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Meredith Lahmann - July 16 - 10:45 am

  I purchased my Fit after 16 and a half happy years with my Civic. I had tested several other cars but fell in love with the Fit. The interior is huge with amble leg room, seats that adjust comfortable with good lumbar support. The back seats are amazing with seats going up for to haul tall items or down for an enormous storage when needed. Unlike my Civic, the back seats are very comfortable. It is a small car so acceleration might not be that of a high performance sport car, but perfectly adequate for town or highway. I am a gentle driver and get 35-37 around town and an amazing 40-43 on the highway. It is sporty to drive with wonderful visibility. I just love this car!

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  Never Honda again - 2010 Honda Fit
  By no_honda_eve2 - July 12 - 12:27 am

  After I bought this car I found numerous customer reviews reporting uncomfortable head restraints and seats. I cannot drive my brand new Honda Fit for more than 15 minutes without feeling pain in the neck and back. Head restraints push too much forward and hurt your neck and it seems to be a problem for many of Honda models for 2009 and later.