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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  Good Car - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Zapa Zo - April 20 - 2:13 am

  This is a great car for city driving. I got up to 89 mph yesterday!! Its and excellent build and I love it. Its a pretty quiet car. A lot of head space too! The only problem is that its not hybrid :( I recommend it.

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  the new "Fit" - 2007 Honda Fit
  By wendymac23 - April 9 - 12:50 am

  We just bought the car yesterday, but based on what we know so far, we love it. Its very roomy! We bought the 5 speed manual, and it has a nice get up and go. I look forward to taking it out on the highway.

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  09 honda fit - 2009 Honda Fit
  By bert - April 4 - 12:46 pm

  Ive owned the 2009 Fit for just one week, but I have some valuable feed- back so far. Surprisingly, I have averaged between 34-35 mpg on my first tank of gas, significantly better than I expected. I read earlier customer reviews that complained about the 2008 fits inadequate Air Conditioning. I understand their concerns but I think I have found the reason for their complaints. The front seat passengers are exposed to quite a bit of sunlight with the position of the windshield and the tall side windows. The AC is fine, but when you are exposed to direct sunlight, you will feel hot. Window tint is essential to remedy this concern.

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  Best Car in 50 years! - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Bill Betzen - March 31 - 10:03 pm

  I put 12,000 miles on my Fit the first 2 months driving between Dallas and Portland and points in between. It was a great car on the open road and certainly in the tight places in the city. It is a perfect car with plenty of inside space. I can carry a washing machine home from the store if I want. I just wish it would get over 40 MGP on the road.

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  Lovin my Fit - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Ivette - March 31 - 3:46 pm

  Ive had my Fit for a week now, and I thought I would love it when I first heard about it and I was RIGHT. I just came from owning a BMW X3 and got tired of leaving my wallet at the gas station every week. This car is cute, fun to drive and AWESOME on gas. Its got good pep for the HP...you really cant ask for more. I got the Milano Red and Im just in LOVE with it!!!

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  Honda Fit Rocks its class - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Gary Perez - March 31 - 10:13 am

  In its class segment, nothing beats the Honda Fit. This car has comfort, performance, fuel economy, and awesome utility all built into one car. Handling is spectacular for its class, but acceleration is about average although it has good kick off the line. Utility is beyond description. The seats in the Fit are able to be configured for nearly any cargo load and the different seat configurations are a snap to put in place. The front seats have a slider lever on the seatback so that you dont have to hunch over to move the seat forward. The only gimmicky part of the car is the paddle shifters in the S model I have. They are not as easy to operate as one would think.

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  Fun and versatile - 2008 Honda Fit
  By WGE - March 30 - 11:10 am

  When it came time to replace an old Caravan, I wanted something smaller and fuel efficient, yet with good, intelligent use of interior space. I considered hybrids but felt the premium paid to get this technology just wasnt worth it. All the subsequent research I did kept pointing directly to the Honda Fit. I looked at the competition, but only ended up test driving the Fit. After that I was sold on the car. So far in the first 1000 miles, we have averaged about 37.5 mpg and with full break-in Id love to push that over 40 mpg. It gives me all the economy I was looking for and it is really fun to drive. Now I wonder if we should trade in the Grand Caravan for another?

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  Having a "FIT" - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Jo T - March 25 - 5:30 pm

  Have owned a FIT since 4-20-06 and so far have found it to be fuel economical, fun to drive and not uncomfortable on 100 mile trips. Do not intend to drive it on longer trips.

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  Nice - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Anush - March 23 - 12:26 pm

  very gud performance,good mileage, nice interior

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  Best of the Sub Compacts - 2007 Honda Fit
  By dsano - March 17 - 3:23 pm

  Not in the class of my wifes Acura TL, but just as fun to drive, and much more economical!