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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  Best choice for the money - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Gil - May 21 - 6:30 pm

  After our last car died, we wanted a fun, safe, fuel efficient, commuter, for grocery hauling that handled well, and will last 200,000miles without fear. We researched and test drove several other cars (Yaris, Mazada 3i, Versa and Focus). None could combine all the features the Fit provides. The most difficult part was finding a 5MT Sport Fit that wasnt marked up $3k over MSRP. Thankfully a little patience paid off. The auto-paddle shifters seem to drain a lot of life out of the little engine, thus purchsing the MT. Overall, this is a great little car! I do not believe we could have found a better Fit for our lifestyle.

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  i LOVE my Honda Fit Sport!! - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Matt - May 12 - 7:40 pm

  When the first Fits started hitting the road I was happy to see Honda start selling this smaller, Japanese-city styling car in America. I am a single male with a dog and I dont need these huge gas guzzling cars that everyone is driving! The fits looks great, inside there is much more room than it looks, from the drivers seat you would think you were driving an Acura. Top quality materials everywhere, instrument cluster with big, bright easy to see instrumentation, great stereo with cool blue illuminated face, plays my mp3 player, lots of storage space, lots of Glass for a big view out, great leather wrapped steering wheel. And the automatic has paddle shifters on the steering wheel!

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  my review - 2007 Honda Fit
  By BluePearl - May 9 - 2:43 am

  Purchased the FIT April 22, Vivid Blue Pearl. MT-base model. Went on a road trip a few weeks back, about 2hrs 45 mins on back country roads, to camp for the weekend. One tank last the trip there/back and then some. Fuel light came on @ 398 miles! Its fun to drive handles well on all driving conditions. I love this car!

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  A great car! - 2007 Honda Fit
  By maggie - May 7 - 5:13 am

  Ive had my Fit Sport for a year and 13,000 miles later I still love it. This is the first time Ive actually enjoyed driving a car. Its dependable, easy to park anywhere, comfortable for adults and children and I can put so much stuff in it. I also appreciate the fact that this car has many great safety features and an interior thats easy to clean which is important when carrying children. The Fit has redeemed my view of the powerless 4 cylinder car. It feels wonderful to drive a gas efficient car that overall looks and feel great inside and out. However, I suggest some minor tweaks related to noise and the interior.

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  fun to drive - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Debbie - April 18 - 1:33 am

  I just got the car and it is a fun car to drive

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  2016 Honda Fit - a review from a single female. - 2016 Honda Fit
  By Theresa L. - April 13 - 2:07 pm

  Before purchasing this vehicle I had a Honda Fit Sport I purchased new in 2010. I was in an accident where someone rear ended me going about 30 mph. The entire left side curtain airbag deployed. I was the driver and the only person in the car at the time of the accident. This accident totaled the car. I was so highly impressed how safe such a small car really was in an accident at that impact was, I was determined to replace it with a new Honda Fit. The Honda fit that was in the accident was silver, so I wanted something different. I really wanted a Modern Steel Metallic. None were available in a 200 mile radius of my area I was told. I had to drive an hour away from my home to get a Aegean Blue Metallic. White and silver seemed the only colors local available. I was surprised at the features you get with the car for the price. The Multi-Angle Rearview Camera with Guidelines, Right side cam for merging, Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® and Streaming Audio, Multi-Reflector Halogen Headlights with Auto-On/Off. None of those came with the 2010 Honda Fit sport I had prior. Im one person, no kids. I dont need a big vehicle, so that considered this was great for me considering the price. I didnt purchase a luxury vehicle so I like to show people the new features it came with for just an average car. Ive only owned it a month, so I cant say much past how it compares to the 2010 I had. But Im happy with the purchase and got more than what I expected.

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  Most Excellent - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Aubrey - March 15 - 11:36 am

  Im a Honda fan and had been looking at the Civic . I had seen the Fit from a distance and thought it was too small. When you really look at it seriously, you will become a believer in the Fit. It has plenty of power. You can drive in the high RPM with paddle shifter, but you will suffer on the MPG. It has all the power features. There are many seat configurations and are easy to adjust. I just got my first real mileage numbers in 75 highway/25city driving: 39 MPG and I wasnt trying to conserve fuel. Everyone in my family is enjoying driving the Fit.

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  The Fit fits me - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Josel - March 15 - 6:46 am

  The standard equipment, mechanical, safety and ride-handling characteristics rival the premium brands. Dual front, dual side, front-to-rear side curtain airbags, ABS, versatile seating arrangements (MagicSeat), and upscale interiors are wonderful even to the base Fit (I have the Sport AT trim). Paddle shifters in my Fit are awesome too, close to totally driving in manual without the stick-shifting and clutch. MP3 aux outlet is a nice bonus too. Buying the Fit is like buying years of fun, safety, security and total peace of mind. If you can stretch budget, go for the Sport trim MT or AT.

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  Wow. Just wow. - 2016 Honda Fit
  By David E - March 11 - 10:26 am

  This is the perfect first car, or any other car. Its a family car, a cargo hauler, a workhorse, you name it. After a year of trying to find a subcompact car that I actually fit in, I was able to put all 63" of myself in the drivers seat, passenger seat, and back seats. Of course, the seat was as far back as it would go, and my right knee rests on the shift knob, but I cannot complain with the overall dimensions of the drivers seat. I run a small yard maintenance business, and I can fit my Honda mower, and my STIHL Blower and Weed Whacker all behind the front seats. I have taken three Cellos, a Double Bass, two amps, eighteen music stands and two drums AT ONCE. Needless to say, the cargo space rivals a minivans. I have tried and tried, but I cannot get this car to dip below 35 MPGs. It costs me an average of $16 dollars to fuel up in the Seattle WA area. The car I drove before this was a 1974 Porsche 914. That car is famous for sticking to the road like glue. This Honda doesnt come close to beating that ride quality, but for its height and cargo space, Ill let it slide. This car has a personality unlike any other car. It knows when youre trying to wind it up and get moving quickly, and in that case, the CVT will fight and try to buck you off the gas. Flooring the pedal makes the revs climb up to 5,000 or 5,500 before you even get above 15 MPH, and the sound is like a paper shredder that hasnt ever been oiled. But once you get moving between 25-60 mph, youll feel the 130 horsepower start to get along with the engine. Of course, anything above 65 mph has its downsides and I would not recommend going over 85. The wind will start to really affect your control over the car. But Honda, unlike many other car companies, has a feeling of quality that is simply unmatched. I can tell Ill get a good 150,000 miles out of it before having to get anything repaired, something that you wont feel in most of the American cars. Youll be rewarded with more than just outstanding fuel economy with this Fit. Buy Honda, and you cant go wrong.

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  Such a good buy - 2008 Honda Fit
  By roeroica - March 3 - 7:10 am

  I had a Geo Prizm before and wanted something that gave me at least the same MPG (30-31). This car gives me 38+ if I drive on the freeway, with the AC on. Amazing! The magic seats are fun and definitely useful. I realized that it is usually me by myself or with a passenger and its useful to have all that room for cargo. People say the backseat is roomier than my old car as well. The lowest MPG I got was 34, and that came after driving really fast on the freeway. I got this car for under 15K and it was worth every penny. More expensive than the Yaris, but worth it with the safety features, etc.