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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  Fits with Me - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Dan H. - August 9 - 10:58 pm

  When I was looking for a small compact car, the Fit kept coming on my radar. However, I wasnt that interested because I thought the exterior look of the car was too futuristic and mini-vanish. I preferred the look of the Subaru Impreza and Hyundai Accent. After looking at similar cars in its class, it seemed to stand out on things important to me safety, reliability, and gas mileage. I gave in and accepted that it might not be the best looking car. I am extremely impressed with the gas mileage and interior space/comfort the car provides. I am a very calm driver and am averaging well over 40mpg on the highway. Im only at 450 miles, but everything is great so far.

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  Decent Car - 2009 Honda Fit
  By CasualFitOwner - August 9 - 7:44 am

  Sufficient room inside for a sub-compact. Good fit for 3 adults, tight fit for 4. Decent fuel economy: 36 mpg avg on suburban/highway driving. Auto trans on Sport lacks power once it engages 5th gear. To get some power, I had to frequently force downshift using paddle shifter or pushing down on gas. You have to semi-floor it to match the speed with other cars from standing start. Ride quality is way too bone-jarring-BOUNCY on concrete surface highway, but okay on asphalt surface. I almost got sick first time I took it out on the concrete highway. Using "S" mode, its fun to drive. It handles curves and corners great, but the paddle shifter sometimes makes harsh shift to next gear up/down.

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  2009 Honda fit manual tranny - 2009 Honda Fit
  By leahcim2009 - August 7 - 12:24 pm

  I have had this car for about three weeks and love the car. I currently own a 2008 civic and was thinking of getting another one but the versatility of the fit was its best selling point. Good gas mileage as well as the ability to fold the seats about 10 different ways has made it easy to haul cargo. Suggestions do not buy any accessories at the dealer as you can find online for much less.

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  Fantastic - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Tom - August 7 - 4:56 am

  I own my own shop and my son who is 14 wanted to "do up " a Honda, so we bought a used Civic with 190,000 miles and added bolt ons.The performance increase was outstanding and gas mileage did not suffer thus I decided to buy a new Honda due to gas prices. I never heard of the Fit but my son did some research. Well we bought the Fit and I must say that around town im getting 34mpg, the vehicle is worth every penny and the comfort level is superb. This vehicle is worth thousands more so get yours while they are still resonable.I rate it 10 out of 10

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  9 months later - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Igor - August 5 - 11:43 am

  I currently own this car for 9 months, about 7K miles on it. We bought it for my wife so she picked the color tidewater blue (see so many of those around my area now). Its always a competition who gets the keys first! Its very spirited car for a small engine that can hold on its own on a free way. I had to bring it to the shop once because of loose plastic under dashboard that was causing rattle. It handled well two of us and about 400Lb load of mulch and soil bags. Gas meter is off by much - when I had it 36mpg on it manual calculation at a pump showed actual 29mpg so I guess official numbers (27city/33hgw) are correct. Comparing to diesel cars it is not that much. Parking is a breeze!

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  What a feeling honda :) ! - 2008 Honda Fit
  By rlee - August 5 - 11:43 am

  I recently bought this car as a replacement for my Toyota Highlander. The Highlander is a great SUV but it was killing me on gas. I wanted a commute car with storage capacity and I was impressed by the storage space and the fit finish and power to the car. I could have waiting for the 2008 fit but it didnt have any "must have" features. I bought this car on 5/3/08 and so far its a great ride.

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  Fun little Car - 2009 Honda Fit
  By butterfly - August 4 - 6:51 am

  Just got my new 2009 Automatic Honda Fit Sport a couple days ago. First day battery died, but went back to dealer and they charged it. So far it seems very spacious for a small compact car. The front bucket seats seem a little stiff especially the front passenger seat. The a/c seems pretty good, steering is good, love the large windows make it feel bigger, the back seats fold down in a lot of different ways which makes it good for loading and carrying items. All in all a good economic car.

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  After 8000 miles - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Jon from Milwaukee - August 3 - 1:15 pm

  I thought I would submit this review after putting about 8,000 miles on my Fit Sport Manual. Mileage during the first 7 months of ownership is averaging 37mpg (this is actual mpg, not the gauge). Power and acceleration is very good with the manual transmission. The ride is definitely harsh on the pot-holed Wisconsin roads. I still love driving this car. The seats though, are a bit too firm on the front bolster, and irritate your thighs on long rides.

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  thinks its a sports car - 2009 Honda Fit
  By stephen987 - August 2 - 8:50 pm

  So far I love my Fit. It has much better throttle response and better handling than the 1999 Civic it replaced in our household. In fact, it reminds me of how much fun Hondas used to be, before they went too mainstream. It has a very useful interior, with a lot more space than you might think. The view out the front is terrific, if a little unusual. It looks like a minivan, but it drives more like a sports car, or at least a "hot hatch." Only two gripes: the ride is a bit bouncier than the Civic over rough pavement and expansion strips, and the glove box door doesnt fit quite right.

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  BIG little car - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Alexander - August 2 - 8:36 pm

  This is a GREAT small car for the money. Have wanted a FIT for quite some time. Last year we needed to replace an aging minivan. Did a lot of research and fell in love with the FIT. However, it was just a tad too small for our needs as we needed the capability of transporting 6-7 in a pinch. Went with the Kia Rondo but dealer just did not want to give us fair value in trade in for the van so we decided to keep it. Well, it all worked out for the best since now we traded it in under the cash for clunkers program toward a new FIT. This car just impressed me from day 1. I love driving it. GREAT mpg, averaging 41.5 right now but I am admittedly babying it to see how much I can get.