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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  Buy It Now - 2009 Honda Fit
  By RH - January 15 - 6:06 pm

  I have had the Fit for a little over 6 months. It has been fantastic. I still get in the car and am amazed by how much value you get for about $18,000 with taxes, lic, and registration. It would be cool to have a hybrid, but we still get about 38mpg on the highway and 30mpg in the city. This is in hilly San Francisco too. You can park anywhere and still have the cargo capacity of an SUV. Basically, there is no good reason to not buy this car. Do it. You will be super happy.

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  Waited 2 years for this car - 2007 Honda Fit
  By judi - January 9 - 8:16 am

  I finally found the car of my dreams, or so I thought. Not exactly. I still havent quite figured out how to use the paddles and when I do, the car seems to buckle and surge. One major problem, which I did not think of, the front of the Sport is very, very low. I live in the Northeast region. If we get a lot of snow in the winter, I will have to get out and shovel the car snow in order to move forward.

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  Over all a good car - 2008 Honda Fit
  By 700312 - January 7 - 10:43 am

  First, going from a V6 to a 4 cyl engine is a huge adjustment. The blue back lit display is very easy to read. Nice large display. My biggest complaint is that the engine does not like to accelerate. Especially from a stop. Once it gets going it is ok. I recently moved and being able to fold down the back seats flat helped a lot in moving. Given the attention to safety that Honda gives, it is too bad that the ABS, traction control, and stability control are not standard features. The steering wheel does not telescope so I am having to reach and there is no center console. I have been doing mostly city driving in heavy traffic so the gas mileage is not what it was advertised to be.

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  Great versatility for the money! - 2007 Honda Fit
  By littlemissthing - December 27 - 9:30 pm

  I traded in a Honda Accord EX - we wanted a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle. The other MAJOR bonus is the possible seat configurations. For those of you who may occasionally need to haul something, but dont want an SUV, the seats are awesome. The interior space feels much larger than the car actually is; I was worried that the car might feel toy-like because of the size. I should have known better. Its a Honda - it feels solid and rides smoothly. The amazing part is, there isnt very much difference in seating and storage space than the Accord I had. The only significant difference we noticed was the depth b/t the front and back seats. Overall, were loving our little FIT! GO!

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  Fit to be happy! - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Frankiepaz - December 27 - 2:10 am

  The car really feels much bigger than it really is. I was trying to drive it under 55 and it wasnt easy! The car responds and is very willing. 75 miles and the gas gauge has hardly moved. Should get better after break in! Took bumps very well. Didnt feel like the car was gonna shake apart! Got passed by some big rigs on route 80 on my way to upstate NY and the car held the road. I didnt feel small at all!

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  Great Car - 2009 Honda Fit
  By terry13usa - December 13 - 8:13 am

  The 2009 Fit is larger and I think better than the 2008. The actual vehicle looks better then the pictures. The acceleration was very good for this car. The handling was also very impressive. I just bought the car a couple of days ago. Im waiting to see what mpg I can get. It has a mpg gauge which is very useful. The interior is great. The fit and finish is what you would expect from Honda. It seats five people in relative comfort (only if youre not overweight). The car was better than what I had expected. Another great car from Honda.

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  Back to the Future - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Birdbrain - November 21 - 9:53 pm

  I bought my 2009 Fit Sport 5-speed manual in January 2009, and I am really happy with my purchase despite some suggested improvements (see below). In some ways the Fit seems like the reincarnation of my 1980 Civic 1500 wagon, but with lots of evolutionary improvements. I also considered the Mazda 3 hatchback and the Suzuki SX4 Crossover, but the FitÂ’s combination of styling, roominess, and economy was impossible to beat.

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  I LOVE it! - 2009 Honda Fit
  By FitLvr - November 21 - 11:03 am

  I have been looking at the Fits since 2007 and this year I finally decided to commit. Initially I was going to get an 08 but they couldnt find the "tidewater blue metallic" I wanted so they offered to order me an 09. I was unsure of the body style if I would like the subtle changes but when seeing it in person, I was in love. I love how it drives, love how it handles, love all the space. It is a great car, the best car Ive had so far and do not have any regrets. The biggest plus is the outstanding gas mileage when driving all highway, I average almost 39/40 miles.

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  wow - 2007 Honda Fit
  By aj martinez - November 19 - 3:13 pm

  110% satisfaction! I am averaging 42.3 mpg (manual shift) and cruising at 80 mph. When I need to pass, it hits 90+ as quick as a cat. Thank you!!!!!

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  Mostly great - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Oz - November 8 - 2:20 pm

  The Good: My wife has always wanted a small car but with a family we had to have bigger ones. Now that the kids are gone, she got a Fit and loves it. I fit well in it at 64". Its like driving a go-cart. The Bad: 1. No low washer fluid light. Its only offered on Canadian models. Why?? 2. Speedometer extremely hard to read. Dark red needle on a black background. I have to take my eyes off the road for a long time to determine my speed instead of just a glance. It should be yellow or white or orange. 3. The Honda OwnerLink website should have a feedback link so owners can make suggestions. Other than that, its a great little car.