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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  Great car/iPod info - 2007 Honda Fit
  By mslim - July 27 - 5:20 am

  I read many reviews and found them extremely helpful. Heres my take. Overall quality is great. Ride is good for a small car. I am averaging 38-39 mpg with 70/30 hwy/city driving, air on all the time. Versatility is awesome. Love the storage. Auxiliary connection for iPod is great. I would save the money on an iPod connection and just charge your iPod before you leave home. It sounds perfect connected to the auxiliary connection. Got my car in 3 days, no wait time, lucky I guess. Extremely happy I bought this vehicle.

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  More fun than I expected - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Allison - July 24 - 5:16 pm

  I transitioned from a basic, bare-bones Toyota Echo to the 2008 Honda Fit--what a difference. MPG is less than I was used to, but this is much more of a car and well worth the slight decrease in mileage. This car is fun and solid to drive pickup is great, especially for a car with such little horsepower, and the car is very comfortable on long road trips. The sport model is worth the higher price, since those little luxuries all factor into the enjoyment of driving this car.

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  Best Honda so far - 2009 Honda Fit
  By steve - July 23 - 10:03 am

  This is my 8th Honda. Have owned Hondas for 33 years. I love this car. It is a blast to drive, is getting 35 mpg overall. I love the navigation, ipod connector, and the paddle shifters. I would recommend this car for anyone looking for a fun, reliable, roomy car. You cant go wrong with a Honda, and the Fit is just perfect.

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  Whats not to love? - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Lizabelle - July 21 - 10:36 am

  So I had a Prius on hold across town, to replace my pricey Lexus, which had been costing me $200 a month in gas. But $28K is a lot of money. So on impulse, I drove into the Honda lot and saw Fit looking at me. He was hot! Drove like a dream, the folding options make him one big origami machine (for my gardening/furniture/ kid stuff). Im getting over 30 MPG for $10K less than a Prius.

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  Lots of Fun! - 2007 Honda Fit
  By alawabla - July 20 - 7:30 pm

  We have now owned our Fit for 14 months and are very pleased with it. Sold our 2004 CR-V, which about 21 mpg, and purchased the Fit. This is my wifes car and she absolutely loves the Vivid Blue color. Her driving is about 50/50 city/highway and she averages about 33 mpg AND SHE DRIVES WITH A LEAD FOOT. No mechanical problems to date. We love it.

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  Nice car, needs a few more features - 2008 Honda Fit
  By iglehart - July 17 - 9:34 am

  Just bought it, so I cant comment on reliability. Its a blast to drive and get good gas mileage. It was reasonably prices.

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  Great little car! - 2007 Honda Fit
  By JimS - July 15 - 2:53 am

  This is my first Honda. I bought it as a replacement for my wifes old Ford Escort, but it has become my car of choice. I am a big guy (62", 225 lbs.), but this little car is very comfortable and spacious. The seats offer excellent lower back support. Reports of sluggish performance are absolutely untrue. The Fit is lively, responsive, and fun to drive. The manual shift is the smoothest I have ever used. The fuel economy is better than I expected--up to 41 mpg on the highway (at 70 mph) and 35-38 in mixed driving. The cargo capacity, with the rear seats folded down, is amazing. My wife and I love this car and hope to have it for a long time.

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  Very Versatile - 2008 Honda Fit
  By sherri - July 14 - 6:01 pm

  I can carry passengers in comfort and almost anything I want. Its huge inside. I love to pull up to the door at Home Depot ready to load in a screen door and some 9 foot molding and see the look on everyones face! Its really fun too.

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  2008 Fit Sport manual - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Amy - July 13 - 3:18 pm

  I love this car. It handles great and mileage is better than advertised. We get 34-41 mpg city. My husbands feet have trouble with the pedals. He says there is not enough room for his feet if he is wearing boots.

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  Excellent - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Sam G - July 11 - 9:59 pm

  Ive owned a few cars in my lifetime. This by far is my Favorite. a lot of fun, good gas miles, and lots of room inside. not to many guys driving this car, but i dont care. i love it and Im keeping it for a while. Buy it, you wont be disappointed.