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 in love with it - 2007 Honda Fit
  By RockyRaccoon - June 22 - 8:52 pm

  This car is fun to drive (in good weather) and gets great mileage, but beware of driving it in the rain or snow. It just doesnt handle snow and ice like all the other Hondas that Ive owned since 1974. I actually had to have it towed once and the snow wasnt really that deep. Tires are expensive and hard to find. A big part of the money you save in gas goes towards maintenance and tires. $$$ I should have purchased a Civic.

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  Good Car - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Ben - June 22 - 6:40 pm

  An amazing amount of stuff will fit into the Fit. On the road it is very smooth. Acceleration is surprising for a 1.5 liter engine. Mileage is good - around 32 mpg in real-world driving, but quite a bit short of the EPA figures, as usual. Fit and finish are great. Wish it had automatic headlight on-off like some cars do.

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  Could be better? - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Fitty - June 18 - 5:13 am

  Nice kick when starting out. Fun to drive and is rather nifty. But after the initial kick and going up any sort of slope, the engine kicks in pretty loud. I have small inclines when driving to work and I have to rev it up to go up those hills. Mileage is very bad. Only getting 26-27 mpg. Was hoping for above 30. A/C is pretty weak, does not blow "cold"air but rather "cool" air.

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  2008 Fit Sport, Audio System - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Portulaca - June 13 - 5:33 pm

  This vehicle handles well and is a joy to drive. However, the road noise is greater than what I expected and the radio reception is unacceptable with constant static on local FM stations. The radio is fine as long as the car is not in motion. It immediately begins to crackle when in motion. The car has plenty of power for its size and the gas mileage is wonderful. The head rests are set at a severe angle for short people and cant be adjusted unless a person removes them and reinstalls them backwards, with the angle toward the back seat.

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  Decent car - 2016 Honda Fit
  By Maegan Mayhem - June 7 - 4:23 pm

  The navigation on the touch screen is not as intuitive as youd think. For making the UI like a mobile app, the menus and where customization or settings should be can be confusing. To select a different bluetooth device for audio, it is not in the audio menu - you have to go to settings> audio> bluetooth devices I believe. Small gripe, but overall after a month I really am enjoying the car.

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  Balanced - 2007 Honda Fit
  By vin - June 6 - 9:31 am

  Has been 1.5 years and still running well. I like its practicality, roomy interior and simple dash layout make it easy to control - too simple that it looks a bit dull. Good engine performance for its class, although the AC lacks it sometimes (good maintenance would be to minimize it). Having much trouble with its huge front pillar, making a blind spot when turning.

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  Fit is great - 2007 Honda Fit
  By nascartrash - June 6 - 2:36 am

  I love this car. I am a mechanic and I have worked on almost evey type of car out there. I chose this car because it just made sense for my needs. And of course you cant beat the Honda reliablty and resale value. In my humble opinion this is the king of the econo boxes.

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  Tundra to FIT= easier than it looks - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Florida Fit - June 3 - 9:22 am

  I went from a Tundra to a Fit. The savings on gas alone is close to the monthly payment. Being able to fold the seats flat I have been able to fit everything that I have needed to. It is a surprisingly fun car to drive and I can fit the kids and enough stuff for a long weekend. Only complaint is a creaking sound from the dash.

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  My Little Big Car - 2008 Honda Fit
  By D.Stephan - June 2 - 7:13 am

  I bought my Honda Fit after my 1997 Chevy Blazers transmission went. I wanted to get something that had a much better fuel economy and better track record as far as maintenance (Honda). I also still wanted to have a vehicle that would allow for cargo in the back. The Honda Fit met all of the criteria. It is so easy to drive, and the fuel economy is great (remember I drive a Blazer, so this is a shock). The only thing that bothers me is the acceleration is delayed and it seems like it races before it kicks into gear. Maybe its because it a 4cyl and Im used to a 6cyl. I also have noticed its worse when you have the AC on. Other than that, I love my Fit. I hope to have it for many years.

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  Best decision of my life! - 2016 Honda Fit
  By Isabella Gabrovsky - June 2 - 4:58 am

  Safe and fun to drive with a deceptive amount of storage.