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:

• 

  18,000 mile report - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Tardis001 - November 1 - 10:43 pm

  After 18,000 miles on my Fit purchased in May 2006, Im happy to say the car drives as well, looks as good, and feels as good as it did when brand new. No problems at all - no squeaks, rattles, troubles of any sort. Its very solid on the highway, even at 80 mph and heavy traffic. Gas mileage overall, 70% suburban commute and 30% Interstate, is right at 31 mpg. Thats about 28-29 in town and 37 highway - I have a rather heavy foot. Lots of room inside - my coworkers always want to go to lunch in my car because it seats 4 large adults quite comfortably. The fit and finish is terrific, dashboard is well laid out, and the stereo is really nice. Im very happy with the car.

• 

  Seats do not "Fit" - they cause back pain! - 2016 Honda Fit
  By AT - October 31 - 12:04 am

  Bad seats - too soft, flat backs without any lumbar support. The seats are like sitting on a memory foam marshmallow without support. The side bolsters are squishy and do not provide support. Be very, very certain that your back is comfortable in the seats of this car before you buy or lease! I would suggest a 30-60 minute test drive to be certain. I am not tall - I am only 5’4” and 130 pounds, but these seats are not capable of providing support to my small body. I took three test drives of the 2016 Honda Fit. Each was the typical 10-15 minute test drive. I thought I liked the car - it seemed comfortable and like a peppy little fuel efficient car. Except that it is noisy - but I thought I could live with the noise. One test drive was one day, the other two test drives were about a month later on the day I leased the car. Then the worst thing possible happened. The next day after signing my lease papers my back started to hurt. The following day it hurt even more. I only have a 20-minute driving commute, but that is enough for the soft, squishy Honda Fit seats to do their damage. I tried various aftermarket lumbar cushions without success. They either did not work or pushed me too far forward over the edge of the seat. So I could not use any of them. Honda’s customer service department was unwilling to help - since it is not something under warranty. It is just a design defect. An acceptable design flaw. One that your back will suffer with as long as you own the car! My only solution - my wonderful wife is able to drive the car without back pain. So we have swapped cars, and now we are both unhappy with that situation but at least neither of us has back pain. This is our fourth and final Honda. When this lease ends, no more Hondas for us! Just say “NO” to Honda. Friends don’t let friends drive a Honda Fit.

• 

  Excellent car to drive - 2007 Honda Fit
  By margarer - October 23 - 7:16 pm

  I love to drive this car. It is so much fun. The pick up is great, gas mileage is great. Just an all around great car to drive. I really love getting in it and going for a ride.

• 

  Fits Me Fine - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Fittobetied - October 23 - 6:43 pm

  I cant say enough about this vehicle. I have always owned Toyotas and could not resist the Fit. After 34 years of driving and over 6 new cars, this is by far the most fun and practical car I have ever owned. I am still trying to research cars that I think might outdo it in some capacity, but they never live up to it. Especially for the price, cargo, and quality. You will not be disappointed in this car.

• 

  Cool Fit - 2007 Honda Fit
  By dave92029 - October 8 - 7:36 am

  My Fit continues to exceed my expectations. Its lots of fun to drive because its quiet, peppy, and nimble. It does all this with more interior room and mots "full size" cars. My fuel economy exceeds the epa estimates after 3500 miles. Ive gotten over 40 mpg on a long trip to Las Vegas from San Diego. Im very happy with this car and cant believe how much car Honda gave me for the price.

• 

  This car is fun! - 2007 Honda Fit
  By MartyB - September 30 - 6:33 pm

  Ive had some fun cars in my life including a couple of bimmers and a 911SC, but this one takes the cake for pure fun. Like a horse on its way back to the stable, this car seems to be happy doing whatever it does. I bought it for its practicality (load capacity is great for a car with so small a footprint plus mid 30s fuel consumption), so the fun is a bonus. One problem, my wife loves it too, so we have to split its duty while the Passat wagon stays home. She wants to sell the Passat and maybe put another Fit on the driveway. I wont argue.

• 

  Great car - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Stephen - September 30 - 3:10 am

  Loving it so far. Amazing room, great build quality at this price point. Does not feel like an "entry-level" car at all. Getting great MPG and is great handling and fun to drive.

• 

  great car - 2007 Honda Fit
  By sk1988 - September 29 - 7:16 pm

  ridiculously great car that was cheap and it will be paid off this summer too

• 

  Its a hit - 2009 Honda Fit
  By mort - September 23 - 8:06 am

  This car is a great value. Traded in my BMW because I was tired of the repair bills. While the Fit does not have the "substantial" feel of the Bimmer, in some ways, I like it better. Handles very well in everyday driving, shifts beautifully, and has amazing room for a car its size. Quieter than I thought it would be. Getting around 38 mpg in mixed driving (about 4 mpg less than what computer says). My wife is pleasantly surprised with this car. I would highly recommend it.

• 

  Great Little Car - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Hank5 - September 23 - 4:23 am

  This is my second Honda. Im a 61" 190lb man coming from a 86 Honda CRX this is a real step up. I can see how some would be a little miffed with the road noise. Its a tad on the rough side. The suspension sporty very responsive. It could use a 6th gear because at 80 mph it revs at approx. 4000 rpm. You will however, love the room the cargo space, the dash layout. Yaaayy!!