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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  New 2009 Fit Sport - 2009 Honda Fit
  By rpw - August 18 - 1:00 am

  Just got my new 2009 Fit Sport. So far so good. Fun to drive, great MPG. Some cheap looking stuff inside car.

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  2009 Base - 2009 Honda Fit
  By cruiserbruiser - August 16 - 5:07 pm

  Perhaps the best engineered mass production SC on the planet, however, it has its not for everyone. I wanted a small, safe, comfortable, fuel efficient, utility vehicle. The Fit fills the bill, but safety is a relative term and no amount of engineering can overcome the physics of mass X velocity. I wont be using the Fit on long trips w/ my grandchildren in the back until the large SUV is off the roads.

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  Love performance and space - 2008 Honda Fit
  By rterry - August 15 - 2:35 am

  I bought it used - 1 year old - and have had for almost a year. Just love it. Great handling. Bought it because I can put grandmas wheelchair behind the drivers seat without having to lift the chair. But come to find out it holds more than our Honda station wagon. Great headroom. Zips up the mountains. If there is a high wind, you can definitely feel it. Just slow down. Only had routine maintenance done. No problems at all.

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  Great Car!! - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Art - August 14 - 9:31 am

  I just own the car for about a week and I love the way it drives and handles. What a great idea to offer navigation on a car for less than 20K. The only problem is the suspension is a little stiff and does not ride as smooth as my daughters 2007 Corolla. No problems so far. For you do-it- yourselfers the oil filter is in the front, air filter is accessible but Honda does not tell you where the cabin filter is hiding. In the owners manual is say take it to the dealer. Not me I will find it eventually.

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  Fit to drive - 2009 Honda Fit
  By ProfBAM - August 13 - 5:43 am

  We built a new home and went from 2.3 mi to 23 mi commute, about 18 miles on 2-lane state highway. After much research, I settled on the Fit to replace my 10 yr old F150 for the drive. After 2,500 miles, avg. 34.3 MPG (about 4 less than given by the trip odometer!). Handles well, ride is great but a little noisy, good cargo and passenger room, dash and controls are excellent. Smooth downshift and accelerate out of turns.

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  Really happy with purchase - 2009 Honda Fit
  By austen - August 11 - 10:00 pm

  I have owned my fit for 2 weeks and it is a really awesome car. Im getting no less than 34 mpg, its very peppy, it has bold looks, its very functional with vast cargo space. I researched like crazy before I bought it and i wouldnt have picked any other car. Its resale value should i ever sell it is the highest in its class. The only thing I would have done differently is gotten a different color. Black is cool but theres not enough color in the world so maybe I would have gotten blue instead.

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  Great little ride - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Steve R. - August 10 - 7:48 pm

  I used this site repeatedly when deciding on which car to buy, so I feel obliged to give my opinion on a car that I contemplated for 2 years. After 3,500mi I havent been disappointed. I am a 63" caterer. The car provides more usable space than my wifes Toyota Sienna. Great stereo. Turns on a dime. My first tank of gas gave me 38 mpg. Since then it has ranged from 32 to 38. I love the navigation and instrument panel. The only complaint I have is that the front end is a bit low and you need to be careful not to scrape the bottom when backing off a steep incline onto level ground. Otherwise its been the perfect vehicle for urban/suburban driving.

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  The Fit Is Fab!! Fun!! - 2009 Honda Fit
  By toscabella - August 10 - 5:58 pm

  The Fit is a wonderful car. The design is fantastic. I purchased with a stick shift/manual and the drive with the stick shift versus the automatic is like night and day! Test driving with stick is what sold me on buying the Fit ultimately, instead if buying the Toytoa Matrix. My only gripes: 1) the pick -up is a little sluggish, 2) the interior has an incredible dashboard and over-all design, HOWEVER there is no "CARPET" just some strange black felty substance and they put FABRIC on the armrest portion of the doors. I also would like the option of a sunroof. Get all your accessories on EBAY and save a fortune! MY red sporty Fit is lulitma!!! Really FUN TO DRIVE IT IS TRUE!!

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  Love my Fit - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Connie Gray - August 10 - 2:36 pm

  This is the perfect car for my needs - gas mileage plus interior space and flexibility. Very fun to drive

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  Perfect, save the drivers seat - 2009 Honda Fit
  By YatYas1833 - August 10 - 12:56 am

  This vehicle is wonderful. I traded in my 96 explorer sport (thanks cash for clunkers) for the fit and its been great so far. I do have 2 problems with the fit so far however. The drivers seat needs to be able to adjust up and down in front to help out the taller folks. Second the center console for the manual trans should be figured out so I dont have to install it my self. Otherwise I am extremely happy.