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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  The Underadvertised Wonder - 2016 Honda Fit
  By C.Nowicki - June 27 - 11:24 pm

  I love Hondas. I have a 92 civic 5 speed with 287,000 miles that still gets 40+ MPG, and a 98 van with a V Tech and 276,000 miles that just brought a dorm full of furniture piled to the roof home for the 4th time. Both are in great shape, and my mechanic tells me they are both good for 500k. Well see. So for my daughters college graduation, after extensive research, I bought her a used 2015 Fit EX. WOW. We took a road trip from NC to PA through West Virginia to test it out. It got over 42 MPG. We had to fill it up once when we got to our destination. It climbed the WV mountains fluidly and powerfully without excessive downshift. The "Lane Watch" is super and helpful when merging right. The ride is smooth, the steering is terrific with a tight turning radius, and the handling is comfortable and responsive. There is a ton of headroom, and lots of legroom in the back seat. The only negatives are the road noise (which is similar to my van) the touch screen radio...complicated to adjust, knobs are much better, and the seats are flat and fatigue on long drives. An extra half inch of foam would be appreciated. Today my daughter left for a month of job training, with almost all of the same dorm room contents in the back of that little car, as I had crammed into the full size van. Flipping down the seats for cargo mode is effortless. Truly amazing! She loves it, and so do I. It is a 5 star safety rated fun to drive cargo handling wonder! Why isnt Honda advertising this car?

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  I wanted to like this car - 2013 Honda Fit
  By Nicole - June 27 - 7:15 pm

  I did extensive research on the Honda Fit and test drove the 2016, 2015 and 2013 models before purchasing a 2013 Honda Fit Sport. At 511.5, I knew a small car didnt appear to fit my frame, but as a long time driver of other subcompact cars I wasnt worried. After 3 weeks of driving, I developed moderate back pain. It doesnt help that the car handles poorly and gets blown around by the wind. I seriously regret buying this car and am planning to loss several thousand dollars to sale my car and get another car. The gas mileage is good, but my health and comfort is not worth.

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  Honda Fit Sport 09 - 2009 Honda Fit
  By Gimme a Fit - June 25 - 12:53 pm

  I agree with all the positives that people have included in their reviews. I look forward to driving my Fit each day. I have read many of these reviews and have been surprised that not one person, as far as I have read, has complained about the door panels where your elbow rests. If you use your elbow and lift yourself up a bit to adjust your seating position, it causes these areas to now be cracked underneath the fabric. You cant see it but you can feel it with your finger if you lightly push down on it. This has now happened to both front doors and one of the back ones. I hope it is covered under warranty.

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  2007 honda fit - 2007 Honda Fit
  By sophie - June 22 - 12:23 pm

  This little car has lots of interior room. Gets great gas mileage. But I am giving it a poor review. The paddles that are position behind the steering wheel (used for standard transmission) will engage if you are driving in automatic at lets say 70 miles per hour. I accidentally tapped it when I used the turn signal and the car down shifted and went into standard mode. The car immedialty slowed while the engine reved up. I was terrified! It goes back into automatic after a few seconds but that long enough to cause an accident.

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  Best Car I Have Bought In Years - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Scottoh23 - June 14 - 3:16 pm

  I am so happy with this vehicle. I used to have a Civic and when it got totaled and I walked away from that unscathed, I knew that I would buy yet another Honda. I decided to wait for this new Fit to come out. I love the spaciousness of the new Fit and all of the versatility that the Fit has to offer. I cannot wait to see how it compares to my Civic after having this for 10 years!

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  Couldnt be happier - 2007 Honda Fit
  By nlthomas - June 10 - 3:13 am

  I have a little over 9000 miles on my Fit, and I still look forward to driving it. Im averaging 34 mpg. Its amazing how much stuff you can squeeze into this car if you try, and rearranging the seats is simple. I had to add a seat cover with a bit of extra padding to keep from getting a backache, but I still wouldnt trade this car for anything. It looks tiny from the outside, but is amazingly roomy inside.

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  Fit is Fun - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Bear - June 8 - 10:26 pm

  More room inside than a Civic. Has more flexibility w/ cargo and is very entertaining to drive. I wish it had more storage space. A telescopic wheel would be heaven! Having a hard time finding a driving position that works because the wheel only tilts. Have never felt unsafe in this car or lacking sufficent power. I dont know why Edmunds said its buzzy on the freeway, mine is just fine at 3K doing 80mph.

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  New owners input - 2009 Honda Fit
  By saoirseglen - June 8 - 6:03 pm

  After driving all US products, most being of the midsize or full size variety, I am pleasantly impressed with this Honda import. It is a far cry from the FWD 4cyl cars from the 1980s I had driven and it brings some Asian/European design characteristics that have been sorely lacking from US products. My other vehicle is a 2000 Ford F150 with a 4.2L V6 and 5 spd manual OD so the Sport paddle shifters were something I liked rather well given that I want to have more control over gear changes. My wife loves the regular auto mode for her driving. It is fast enough for normal mortals and feels firm and responsive. It is too early to give MPG, but did 26.5 on a mixed test drive at dealer.

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  Just Another S-Box - 2007 Honda Fit
  By joet - June 3 - 2:56 pm

  Better to spend the same money on a used Nissan which would be far more fun and COMFORTABLE to drive. I regret the trade. This car is noisy, gutless and cheap.

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  The Fit is IT - 2007 Honda Fit
  By G!enn0 - June 3 - 7:30 am

  extremely fun to drive & handles like a race car. great sound & options for the price. tons of room & highly versatile. unbeatable value & gas mileage.