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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  keep Fit, stay Fit - 2007 Honda Fit
  By SAB - January 10 - 9:23 am

  Just bought it. Love it! Very responsive throttle, so it feels zippy. Much bigger inside then expected. Comfy ride and surprisingly quiet. I had a 2002 CRV EX and the Fit rides just as nice and has less road noise... could be a better stock tire. I am happy with this little guy and with this kinda gas mileage Ill be grinning from ear to ear for a long time.

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  only 500 miles so far - 2009 Honda Fit
  By wolfbuddy - January 8 - 10:06 am

  Have owned multiple Hondas. Never met one I didnt like. Easier to get in and out than my (wifes) 2006 civic coupe.

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  Good - 2007 Honda Fit
  By sharon - January 7 - 7:40 pm

  I am very pleased with my Honda Fit. I recently drove to LA (600 miles one way) & was very pleased with handling & good gas mileage (40 MPG). I love the roomy interior with easy to fold down seats. Very pleased with vehicle.

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  What a Blast! - 2009 Honda Fit
  By RonS - January 4 - 12:13 am

  This is the first vehicle Ive owned in 30+ years that makes me want to drive. Its no sports car but its still a hoot! On decent roads the engine smoothly hums along and the car is quieter than my 2000 Accord. The noise level does pick up when the engine is pushed but it seems willing enough and the transmission shifts with precision. It rides very nicely on good roads but things get somewhat choppy on rougher surfaces. However, the car remains very composed on all surfaces and is very easy to handle. Gas mileage in lows 30s around town and low 40s on highway. A lot of thought went into this design!

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  Love this car! - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Kathy - January 2 - 4:06 pm

  Some of the online reviews of this car had me worried while I was waiting for mine - but I love it!! We just returned from a 2600 mile vacation in it, and found it to be great on the freeway and even passing at highway speeds. This was with a fully loaded car, four adults and all our luggage! We took 4 large duffel bags,two stuffed backpacks and a large cooler!The seats could be somewhat more comfortable, but it was no less comfortable than my 97 civic and I find it to be a more peppy car. I would buy this car ten times over, I have owned both a 300 hp car and motorcycles, and this is both fun to drive and safer! My blue sport is the Honda Ive been waiting for!

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  Get what you pay for - 2007 Honda Fit
  By louie - January 2 - 8:08 am

  After owning this car for 7000+ miles. Heres my review. Gas mileage is great. However ive owned alot of other hondas. The interior is functional, however made of cheap componets (all plastic) and its easily dammaged. Road noise is excessive above 70mph (due to no sound reducing materials to save weight). The car is functional as a daily driver. I love it. The 2 biggest gripes i have, are the paint is cheap! And auto car washes will destroy your car. And the wipers, well used them before you buy. Not as functional as they planned, smearing and passanger wiper arm is huge and flutters in the rain. I give the car a 7 outta 10, after owning 5+ Hondas.

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  Love my Fit! - 2007 Honda Fit
  By sftc824 - December 27 - 9:52 pm

  Love driving my Fit! It does fit anywhere, and is very comfortable inside. I have two six foot sons, and they say there is enough room. I took four basketball players to a funeral and they all fit!

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  Overall good buy - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Robert - December 26 - 11:23 am

  I bought my Fit to replace my pickup truck as a commuter vehicle. So far, it rides smooth for a small car, and its a fun drive. My lowest gas mileage was about 30, and the highest was 45. Ive avereged 35 on mixed city and interstate driving. The sound system is good for CDs, but FM reception is relatively poor. Seats are more comfortable that I expected for a small car. Visibility is excellent it feels like youre sitting higher than you really are. I love the large, flat front window, but the back window gets dirty a lot from slush blowing upward from the back tires. When on low-beam, the front lights are set too low, so it is hard to anticipate road hazards or read signs

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  I love this car - 2009 Honda Fit
  By vwli - December 25 - 9:30 pm

  I bought a 2009 Fit Sports MT 2 weeks ago. It has good handling. The MPG is excellent (37 MPG 1st tank tripmeter / fill up calculation). The build quality is good. And I love the USB connectivity with iPod. The best of all, I can fit my bike (with front wheel off) standing up with the back seat folded. A lot of my friends are amazed by its functionality. The speakers are kind of weak and eventually I will replace them. To sum it all up, I am a happy Fit owner.

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  Fit is Go! - 2008 Honda Fit
  By FitIsGo - December 21 - 3:33 pm

  Bought at 08 Fit Sport 5AT in blaze orange in Dec 07 for my 20 yr old son. Was so impressed bought same car for myself 3 weeks ago in Milano red. MPG reading on first 200 miles of driving was 33.3 in mix of city/interstate driving on 12-mile commute. I got my Fit for $50 over invoice which was hard to believe, if stories of $4/gallon gas this summer come true. There are a lot of people driving big trucks and SUVs that get 10-12 MPG in real world driving that are going to be severely impacted. Supply and demand drives the prices for goods and services and if Americans would start driving high-MPG vehicles and cut our national consumption, we would see gas prices fall by $1/gallon.