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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  What we expected - 2010 Honda Fit
  By Jean - October 8 - 2:00 am

  Needed a car for the 5 mile commute to work each day. Replaced a 2001 Accord LX. Husband has 2010 Accord so wanted something different with good mileage and the ability to occasionally haul stuff. Researched the car and it what we expected. Fun to drive and gets the mileage we want. Even a couple of 4-5 hour road trips have been enjoyable.

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  Love it so far! - 2010 Honda Fit
  By repancjc - October 8 - 2:00 am

  Held off purchase to drive a Fiesta, which left me disappointed after the glowing reviews. I liked the Fit better. A piece of Fiesta trim fell off during my test drive which didnt help my uneasiness of long- term "mexico-built" reliability. Ive had good luck with Honda reliability and resale. Its a fun little car, especially with the paddle shifters. Steering is tight and precise. I do mostly in-town driving and it zips around. I love the revvy engine sounds. Carried two of those extra large Costco coolers for a BBQ. People were amazed that my "little" car brought them. Utility really sealed the deal cause I do use the back quite a bit. After 3 months not a single issue. Thumbs up FIT!

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  Almost perfect lil rocket - 2007 Honda Fit
  By dodolaje - October 6 - 2:00 am

  Got a very high mileage company car yes bought it 2007 model and as of today 10/6/10 it clock 1339xx miles everyone was shocked. I was shocked when my boss handed it to me. It has brake problem making noise from the driver side it was the pads replace it and voila as good as new tires go for aftermarket it last longer. Handling great, I do delivery for overflow route so I dont haul that much stuff but still fill the whole car. Only big problem was my boss did hit curb when he fell asleep on the wheel. It didnt crash it but somehow the bumper keep coming off every now and then. Plus the fender liner gone. Other than that no other complain.

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  Honda Fit Sport - 2007 Honda Fit
  By linda - October 5 - 2:00 am

  I purchased the Honda Fit Sport for the amazing interior cargo space, and that has proven to be a big plus! However - there are some things that I do not like - having driven it now for almost 5 months. The driver seat, for any driving time more then an hour, is very uncomfortable. The back lumbar support is great but the seat causes hip pain. The paint seems to be shoddy - in a couple of spots I believe I actually see the beginnings of rust, AND last but not least - the front spoiler! It is WAY too low! It scraped going in and out of a driveway - now it the paint is damaged! The driveway was in no way high - there were no bumps - it was just the pitch at the end.

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  Nice overall, but could use some fixes - 2010 Honda Fit
  By brian3339 - October 4 - 2:00 am

  I bought the Fit Sport automatic for a commuter car. It is fun to drive, though Ive been a bit disappointed with the gas mileage. Im averaging 29, but at least half of it is highway driving. Pros: Fun to drive Decent "pep" Good handling Fit/finish excellent Small size allows you to park just about anywhere Cons: Underpowered AC - car is a mini solar oven with all the glass and black interior. AC has to stay cranked to cool the car. Poor cup holder placement - ones between gear shift and dash useless. Ones in front of vents need closed in order to keep coffee warm while AC is on. No drivers lumbar adjustment Flimsy trunk panel covering spare - cant hold much weight.

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  Could be better - 2009 Honda Fit
  By britlad - September 30 - 2:00 am

  I wanted the Insight but the Fit was roomier and cheaper. I had to pay the extra for the sport of course as the base didnt have cruise or keyless entry. I like the styling, roominess and the magic seat. Reviewers have said the mpg calculator is optimistic to the tune of 2 or 3 mpg, yikes! that means Im only getting 26 mpg around town and I dont even have a lead foot so I cant really praise the fuel economy in my case. The thing that bugs me most about it is the low front clearance, my son pulled out of the drive and pulled out the front body panel. I was able to push most of it back in but it has popped back out several times since, when theres a dip in the road and now its all scraped

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  Best Gas Mileage Ever - 2009 Honda Fit
  By edwin delaney - September 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought this 2009 Fit 13 months ago under the cash for clunkers program and have not reset the Avg MPG indicator yet. As of today it shows that my MPG avg from the day I bought is 40.0 MPG.It runs better than any car I have ever owned. And I have owned a lot of them .I bought my first car in 1946. It was a 1934 ford. If it wasnt for the Cash for Clunkers Program I would still be driving my old van getting around 17 MPG and it being in the repair shop too much.

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  Great Commuter - 2009 Honda Fit
  By rb - September 27 - 2:00 am

  I test drove a Fiesta and ended up with the Fit. The main factor in favor of the Fit was that it feels like a much bigger car on the inside. The Fiesta hatchback is claustrophobic and is tough to see out the back window. The Fiesta is quieter and has more bells and whistles (Sync). But the Fit has a much more flexible interior. I drive 50/50 highway/city and so far am averaging about 36 mpg. Mostly use to commute but can also fit my (2) kids and all their soccer gear. With one rear seat folded down I fit 4, 6ft soccer goals inside. Manual Shifter is great, and IPod/USB integration is nice. Also I was able to buy it used at a great price while the Fiesta is still new.

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  Love My Fit! - 2010 Honda Fit
  By a_reality - September 25 - 2:00 am

  I searched around for a long time at different car models before finally purchasing my Fit. I could not be happy. I live in a dense downtown area so I needed a car that was both small but could haul a lot of stuff. This car seriously has more room on the inside when the seats are folded down then some SUVs my friends own. You can tell a lot of thought went into the design of this vehicle. Visibility is outstanding! The ride is comfortable and no it wont win any speed records but if I wanted that I would buy a sports car. Worth every penny.

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  Fun & Efficient - 2009 Honda Fit
  By zach - September 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car to replace an aging Chevy Tracker, knowing I was going to put a lot of miles on the next year. The Fit has more cargo room than the SUV had, and the thing is so incredibly fun to drive on curved roads. Thing is, I dont think Ive gotten less than 35 mpg yet, with 31,000 miles on it! I have gotten 40-42 mpg (calculated, not based off the computer) on many occasions. Of course, I try to be smart with the manual so as to save gas, but Im definitely no hyper-miler. This car is fun to drive, very fuel efficient, and has incredible storage capacity.