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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  Wow! Thank You Honda - 2009 Honda Fit
  By RRL - July 21 - 11:48 pm

  Honda had the guts to build an almost radical design, and make it fun to drive. Bravo! It is almost as exciting to drive as my old 87 CRX SI. Quite an accomplishment. Gear ratios make good use of engine power. Hauling space is impressive. AC is plenty cool. Seats are more comfortable after broken in for a couple of months. Weve had our Fit for six months, our actual mileage is 30-32 city and 36-38 highway (not what the dash shows) ours didnt get more mpg after break in, but it always exceeds EPA ratings. Overall this is a very impressive car for the price with typical great attention to detail by Honda.

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  Great car - 2008 Honda Fit
  By HondaFitdfw - July 21 - 1:40 pm

  A great little car. In 11,000 miles I have never gotten less than 33.5 mpg in all-city driving. Highway avg. between 39-41 mpg. A very flexible design and is great fun to drive.

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  Outstanding Value - 2009 Honda Fit
  By FitSport - July 16 - 10:37 pm

  Ive owned many cars in my lifetime and this is the first time Im compelled to write a review. First, I bought a used 2009 with 7200 miles on it saving almost $4k. I chose the Sport model because it has cruise control and paddle shifting-really fun. My last 500mile trip averaged 48.5 mpg @70 mph and thats with 3 adults and weekend luggage. Around town Im getting between 40-43 mpg. Wish a sunroof is available but I can get by w/o it. Highway driving is very stable. The fit and finish is a definite 10. The 2009 model is far better than previous model years. I love this car - wont win any races but at 40+ mpg you cant go wrong.

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  Love my Fit!!! - 2009 Honda Fit
  By locarbgal - July 16 - 8:54 pm

  I have only had my Fit for one week and I love it so far! I drive 21 miles one way to work and also do some marketing which requires extra driving so I needed to get rid of the old Taurus and get something with good gas mileage. The Fit so far with only 350 miles has gotten an average of 34.4 mpg which I am thrilled about! I am going on vacation next week and cant wait to see what kind of mileage I get!

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  Still in Love - 2008 Honda Fit
  By ellenoc - July 8 - 9:40 am

  I now have 5,000 miles on my Fit - all in winter. Average of all fuel use is 36 mpg. When I first started looking for a new car, I fell in love with the Fit. Looked at half a dozen probably suitable models and the Fit was the only one that affected me that way. Everything about it suited what I needed, and test drives on highway and suburban roads were FUN! Still have trouble believing such an economical car has features such as ABS brakes, cruise control, and so many safety features my insurance is no higher than for the 10-yr old car I replaced. And the car is CUTE. Still havent gotten over how cute. Unlike some others, I like the TPMS. Its worked for me.

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  Love our Fit - 2016 Honda Fit
  By Doris Higgins - July 8 - 6:03 am

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  Best Buy - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Love My Fit - July 6 - 8:53 am

  Superb interior space ,outstanding MPG,tight handling, FUN to drive. Honda quality and reliability. Its a cant miss in this class.Good power for a small car. Better than Toyota by a mile.

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  Fit Flaws - 2007 Honda Fit
  By SportFit - July 4 - 1:05 am

  Its all wrong ! The transmission setup is really awful. The gearing ratio into first gear and second result in a noticeable hesitation as the computer tries to match up with the short gear and the computer fuel delivery system. These tiny engine/trans crammed into a tiny space dont leave much room for clutch travel. Whereby we have a short time to ease the clutch out and get moving. The feel is not really smooth at all, and I have always enjoyed sticks. But in this car, get the auto and spare yourself the grief. This car even chatters backing up a hill. I am sorry I bought mine, its very peppy and looks racy and cute, but I cant get comfortable with the transmission.

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  Good Subcompact - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Mecheng_Fit Owner - July 2 - 10:13 pm

  Nice little car. I bought an AT Sport maybe should have waited for a MT Sport. The transmission consistently hunts at highway speeds (70-80mph) at any hint of an incline. The gas tank under the drivers seat encroaches on legroom. Excellent interior as well as handling and braking. MPG has been okay: 32-36. The 1.5L is not a typical Honda 4 cylinder, very coarse at high rpm (>4000rpm).

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  Honda could have put more effort in design... - 2017 Honda Fit
  By C Brozek - June 29 - 5:36 am

  Note: driving force for purchasing this vehicle was5yr overall cost of ownership...lowest initial price, low frequency/cost of repairs, lowest fuel costs, with highest safety. HITS: 1) exterior body/lights/window styling is much improved...no longer the dorky design it once suffered from; 2) fuel economy...so far 40+ highway, 34 city; 3) quantity of electronic features of its LX package are decent given the budget price-range. MISSES: 1) driver comfort...insufficient cushioning causing discomfort only remedied by aftermarket 2" foam pad; 2) interior ergonomics...USB and charging outlets on dashboard slightly out of reach and sight, center console cover (when open) makes storage awkward to access, and charging port in center console hard to access; 3) engine/road noise a bit much, more soundproofing needed. Overall, Honda could have done a better job, especially given how it touts its reputation.