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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  Not typical, but annoying as... heck - 2009 Honda Fit
  By cdninsw - January 26 - 11:14 am

  First off, big Honda fan. Just got bad car. 2 months old took it in for "ting" in motor. Service found loose exhaust valve on #4 cyl, broken exhst valve spring on #3 cyl, Vtec system not working (dead solenoid), passngr side motor mount installed backwards. 17 days in shop, top half of motor was replaced (cylinder heads, valve train & solendiod), motor mount re-installed. Lot of issues for new car. Told Honda we wanted "out", corporate said no, its fixed. It goes in this week for spazdic rear wiper (rear swipes randomly when front wiper on and rear wiper OFF). Had lots of Hondas, these issues arent typical. This may be the best running Fit on the road right now but will trade in ASAP.

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  Like our New Fit - 2010 Honda Fit
  By Honda_fit_owner - January 20 - 1:17 pm

  Pleasantly surprised when we test drove the Fit. The sports model is kind of zippy and I like it. We got the Black berry color. Like the Ipod linking, Aux socket. Do hear a lot of road noise just like in a Civic. Steering is soft and handling is really great. Easy to park and love the great cargo space and I can put my kids car seat using 2 different kind of latches. This car came with no option before market. we had to buy all season floor mat on ebay and installing it is a pain. you will need to tear the floor mat a little bit to install it. common Honda dont be so cheap. At least provide a place holder for hooks or put hooks protected by external cover.

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  A Very Big little Car - 2010 Honda Fit
  By midrum - January 14 - 11:24 pm

  I bought the Fit based on the reviews (many of them raves) in the car mags. It was a tough step down from my 280 h.p. SUV to this slick looking little econobox. The test drive was good enough. Although it didnt really tell me much other than the Fit didnt have any pick up compared to what I was used to. It did feel solid though and it was very quiet with a really good a/c unit. Over the past few months it has proven to be super solid, often feeling like a much bigger car. But when it gets to 5K RPM it s a whole new thing. Its really fast and agile. Super fun to drive and always self assured. The paddle shifters add to the feeling of connectedness. Plus a killer stereo to boot.

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  love my fit - 2008 Honda Fit
  By michelle - January 12 - 1:17 pm

  We just bought our vivid blue Pearl fit. It is just beautiful. We love everything about it from the blue lights on the dash to the great gas sipping. We will buy hondas from now on.

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  fit for the economy - 2008 Honda Fit
  By mandmfarms - January 10 - 1:42 pm

  We just bought our fit and we love it. Its a beautiful vivid blue Pearl. I would recommend thehonda fit to anyone who wants to get great gas mileage. It has loads of room. This is our first Honda car but it wont be our last. It has a bumpy ride and you feel every bump.

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  GREAT HONDA FIT - 2010 Honda Fit
  By Bicycles1980 - January 7 - 11:59 am

  I purchased my 2010 Honda Fit in Black, ($18k), with underbody rust/salt protection & noise reduction. I have only had the car a few days, but already I love how easy it is to drive. Its small and can fit anywhere! Because its BASIC, I had to buy my own mats, but you can always add more stuff to it later. I will add a console, small rear top spoiler & nicer rims.

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  Excellent Fit - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Barry - December 29 - 12:39 pm

  Best balance of comfort, performance, economy, utility and trouble free driving in this price range. The styling is Jazzy-Functional. Seats are supportive and comfortable for a 6 hour drive. With the A/T, highway noise is low at 70 mph (2500 rpm). Only gets noisy above 3000 rpm, which is apparently where the M/T cruises at 70 mph. Fun to drive quickly in the twisties- just keep it in S (1st-3rd) or use the paddle shifters and keep the rpm up. Only down-side is that it gets twitchy in 30 knot cross winds. This is my 5th Honda/Acura-none kept less than 8 years. That says a lot about overall satisfaction level.

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  Spend Your Money Elsewhere - 2007 Honda Fit
  By fit2006 - December 29 - 10:15 am

  Purchased Honda Fit 8/2006. LOCK: After 2 years, the drivers lock stopped working. Honda did not stand by the lock. Passenger lock also failing. BRAKES: Passenger brake caliper stuck causing the pad to wear down on that side only. Honda fixed it and promised it wouldnt happen again. This time, slider sticking, brake pad on passenger worn again! VISIBILITY: The side curtain airbags cause two very large blind spots for people my size (under 53"). HANDLING: The car has a high center of gravity. Wind causes the car to dance a bit on the highway. BODY INTEGRITY: Any kind of minor collision causes this car to crumple and the bumper to come off! The car is very boring.

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  Fun car, with annoyances - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Alexa - December 26 - 8:11 pm

  I was spoiled by my Toyota Echo - 40+ mpg. The Fit cant touch it. Its mpg readout claims 34 mpg, but it lies. Very inaccurate, and since Honda does such a good job on everything else, I cant help thinking it is intentional. I get 29 mpg. Other annoyances - no cubbyholes for sunglasses, car reg & ins, phone charger, etc. BLACK upholstery (hate it, but only option for 09 Sport) collects tons of hair from my blond, long-haired dog. On the other hand, I feel safe, with crush-zone front and lots of airbags. Fit is peppy, has great easy-to-read, well-lit gauges, good sound system, cruise control. It hauls lots of stuff easily.

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  90K miles and counting - 2007 Honda Fit
  By volksheime - December 21 - 11:32 pm

  Ive put 90K mile on my fit since 4/06. Average 38.5mpg in summer, 33.5 in winter 90% highway. Cargo room is unbelievably useful and well designed - I put a water heater, car engine, tv boxes etc you do not need a truck. Sporty and fun to drive - nice dash instrumentation broke 2 windshields b/c of stress cracks, rattle in the dash started, wore factory tires out in 30K, tires rubbed and wore through the loose plastic fenderwell, rims have curbrash, drivers seat is tolerable but not the best, need a center armrest. Power steering acts up when cold out and American Honda wont replace it for free ($800 fix) even though there is a bulletin. I love my car for what it is.