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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  2008 Honda Fit Sport - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Craig - February 15 - 12:24 pm

  Overall good car. Great 5sp manual transmission, good handling, lots of room for size and Ive been getting 30mpg (winter) to 40 mpg (summer). Biggest complaint so far is the dashboard rattles. Brought into dealership once and they fix a rattle, but another quickly emerged on uneven pavement

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  Honda Fit 2007 - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Napo Barto - February 14 - 7:53 am

  This is but the best car from Hondas. Love the paddle, it is just fun driving this car. Mileage I got is a lot better than epas rating. Great Little Car. Will keep mind for a long time. Thnx Honda, keep the good work.

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  Blackberry Pearl Fit Sport - 2010 Honda Fit
  By Ed + Sharon - February 13 - 3:59 pm

  We got our fit a week ago and we love it! Great gas mileage,Very solid no rattles, Great in snow

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  Compare price & needs to price & wants - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Tammii - February 10 - 11:15 am

  We traded in a F150 for 2 fits, so of course the gas mileage is better. Its a good car, floor mats, cruise control, tinted windows, ipod connection all thrown in by dealer. Price wise is good. We pay the same payments for two fits as we did for the F150. Gas mileage good in the beginning, but dropped off majorly after 6 months of driving,in both cars. Tires are an issue. Almost as if they are out of balance, but after taking it to dealer, I was told the tires just need to warm up. Never heard of such a thing. Getting a second opinion on that one. Good car. Depends on what you want and how much you want to spend.

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  snow handling - 2007 Honda Fit
  By vinny - February 9 - 6:57 pm

  I purchased a certified 2007 honda fit with 19,000 miles.I was very pleased with this car till it snowed. The dealer had put on 4 new tires--whatever they were they are horrible....maybe the car is just too light.I thought my vw jetta was bad in the snow but the fit is ridiculous. I cant get out of my driveway even after Ive shoveled it out.I got stuck on a level alleyway pulling out to a level street! After the road was plowed the remaining snow was throwing me all around even though the larger car in front of me was ripping right along.Now Im scared to venture out with even the lightest snowfall.I ll have to do more research next car purchase time.

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  Honda Fit 2008 - 2008 Honda Fit
  By kgsull - February 9 - 8:45 am

  Even though Im not crazy about the looks, I do enjoy driving the car...for me its comfortable, accelerates well, and gets very good mileage. Recently the battery wouldnt start, and after reading other forums regarding this issue, I see that there are many, many people with even more mileage and less that have had either the same problem (battery not charging), or battery dieing within less than 2 years! That is why I gave it a low reliability rating. The battery is not replaceable either (no one seems to make a similar size so one is stuck with the poor quality battery).

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  Rough and tough - 2009 Honda Fit
  By oldgrover - February 6 - 4:29 pm

  I think Honda forgot to put springs & shocks in my Fit! The ride is brutal on Minnesotas beat up roads. Hondas build quality is apparent, any other car that rides this rough would have broken in half or at least creak, groan & squeak after 15000 miles. My other complaints are the awkward placement of the cup holders. Being a righty, the cup holder on the left side of the dash is inconvenient. The mouse fur interior fabric traps hair and lint that is difficult to remove. I also wonder how long the cardboard carpeting will hold up.

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  Great Car - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Dave - February 4 - 9:35 am

  Traded in a Jeep on a cash for clunkers deal. I wanted the most efficient and reliable car I could get. I think that I may have found it. Great mileage, fun to drive and comfortable. Great car for around town driving. Have taken a few 400 mile road trips and it can cruise all day long. Keep in mind that it is a small car and dont try to overload it and all will be fine. A great car for the money.

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  Nice but... - 2010 Honda Fit
  By trebor67 - February 1 - 11:59 pm

  I just got the Sport FIT with Auto. Great car, has ample speed and ability to pass (with use of paddle shifters). I had a Civic back in 1997 that could not pass on the highway, this is better, not great, but acceptable. Overall the FIT is fun and functional. As I have lived with it for a few weeks, starting to see things I would change. Too much black plastic which is really hard to keep clean and it just looks cheap. Dark gray mixed with the black would make a huge difference to the interior. Road noise is loud at times, and more insulation could help. The Cargo floor seems to be cardboard covered with thin carpet. Could be hard plastic instead. More lighting for dark cargo area.

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  it fits...mostly - 2009 Honda Fit
  By vili - February 1 - 6:50 am

  As an owner of 15 or so Hondas, from CRVs to S-2000s, I feel qualified to evaluate the Honda Fit. For the price, a bargain. Fun to drive, extremely maneuverable, very good mileage. Comfy seat, excellent outward visibility. Best manualshift quality ever. On the down side...the way the interior is configured affects the suspension design so there is little rear suspension travel which leads to a bumpy, sometimes shocking rear suspension whams. I would not recommend the car, at least the Sport model to anyone who normally travels on dirt or low quality roads. That said I love the car and am amazed at the eagerness of the engine, especially on the freeway.