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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  Nicely re-done, Honda - 2015 Honda Fit
  By rvarney - October 13 - 1:47 pm

  I just bought the Fit last week and havent even used an entire tank of gas, but thought Id share my experience so far. I have been driving standard shift cars for years and the last one was the Mazda 2. Id had enough shifting for one lifetime and despite the bad things I continually read about the CVT, I decided to give it a try. Im a driver who cares about maximizing mileage rather than performance and I like the CVT. Its very smooth and the paddle shifters still allow me to do engine braking. The Fit has decent power and is able to pull smartly away from stops and up hills - something the little Mazda wasnt always able to do. It corners pretty flat and the ride is comfortable

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  Replacement for 2008 Fit Sport Automatic - 2015 Honda Fit
  By alcara729 - October 2 - 5:42 pm

  The 2015 Fit EX with CVT simply outdoes our previous fit in every category. Performance, ride, handling, interior appointments, the latest technology and more.

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  Update on prior review. - 2015 Honda Fit
  By mazdafun - September 28 - 7:28 am

  After 5,000 miles and three months, i get 41.5mpg using tripmeter/fill up method whereas the car reports 44.4mpg. However, a few problems have cropped up. First, it came with fleas, which I got rid of with a flea bomb and vacuuming daily for a week. Three weeks in, the HVAC started emitting smells for the first few minutes of running. It started as a mulch smell. It now smells like mildew, wet dirty gym socks or rotting meat. I took care of it once with A/C disinfectant and taken it to the dealer twice since it started. I hope it is gone after this second service, but if it comes back again, Im pushing for a refund. The cabin air filter installed at the plant was incorrect.

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  Great hatchback, perfect car - 2012 Honda Fit
  By fitnc - September 18 - 8:38 pm

  Ive had this car for 2 years now. Its best habit is the city and the burbs. I use mine for work and its great for piling full of equipment and also the occasional creature that needs a ride. On the weekends it can haul camping gear or stuff from home depot. Its not a -powerful- car, but the engine is capable if you gear it properly, the engine needs to kept in its proper power band, the paddles help do that. It is a very lively driving experience, but remember to gear down to 4/3 to have enough torque so you dont get stuck, ex merging/passing, etc. The hatch is the perfect height to keep me dry when rooting through the cargo area, Im 5-11 and I fit.

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  The Fit fits! - 2015 Honda Fit
  By nau - September 15 - 1:09 pm

  We have had our Fit for about a month now, and have put almost 3000 miles on it. Have averaged 38 MPG in a 50-50 mix of city and highway miles. Our CVT Fit gets about 45 MPG at a steady 60 mph, 43 at a steady 65 mph and just over 40 MPG at a steady 70 mph Have hauled lots of things in it, has carried my wife and I in the front with three of our adult children in the back, and have just returned from a 700 miles trip this weekend from Cleveland to Chicago and back. We find that in spite of the black interior, the seats dont get too hot to sit, although we wish there was a bit more padding after three hours of straight driving and sitting. Back and right side cameras work great.

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  Great Car - 2013 Honda Fit
  By sansken - September 12 - 9:57 pm

  Overall this is a great car. There are a few quirks with it, and the technology leaves something to be desired, but for the price you cant beat it. Theres a USB input jack as well as an auxiliary jack. There is so much room in this car! When the back seats are folded down I could sleep in the back of this car. There are some strange blind spots which definitely take some getting used to. There are small windows on the side of the dash to help with this, but dont do as much as you would expect.

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  Safety Recall of "early-2015" Honda Fits announced August 21, 2014 - 2015 Honda Fit
  By leohenton - August 22 - 11:26 am

  The following hyperlink is to a Edmunds dot com article herein about the announcement on August 21, 2014 of a Safety Recall of "early-2015" Honda Fits. http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/2015-honda-fit-modified-to-improve-crash-protection-win-safety-award.html In the near-term I suggest verifying the Vin # for effectivity and incorporation, if applicable of this Safety Recall prior to purchase. If you, like us, already own an early-2015 Honda Fit be on the lookout for official communication via hard-copy letter in September 2014. My full review of earlier impressions of the 2015 Honda Fit is posted elsewhere on this Edmunds dot com column. Really liked it prior to this alert.

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  2015 Fit EX 6 speed rocks! - 2015 Honda Fit
  By johnd15 - August 1 - 4:31 pm

  We owned a 2007 Fit Sport 5 spd and upgraded to the 2015 EX. Great car! Great value. Car feels more solid and substantial. Much nicer interior. Still fun to drive, awesome fuel economy, roomy for such a small car, plus so many new extras. Wife loves the moonroof. We are averaging 39 mpg and hit 47 mpg highway! Thats hybrid territory. 7" LCD screen, multiview back up camera, side view Lane Watch camera and other goodies put our 2011 Highlander Limited to shame.

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  Wind Noise - 2011 Honda Fit
  By cstrummer - July 25 - 3:56 pm

  Have 38,000+ on my Honda Fit. Base Model. The stereo sucks. Upgrade to get tweeters, a better system. Lot of wind noise. Gets a bit much at times. Driving is fun for manual transmission. Good gas mileage. Lot of space in the car to haul your junk

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  Frugal on gas, exceptional on versatility. - 2015 Honda Fit
  By mazdafun - July 13 - 7:13 pm

  I got the 2015 Fit LX for its efficiency and cargo handling versatility. So far, Ive been very happy with its performance in both aspects. There is a lot of headroom in the front. I am 6 standing but sit as tall as the average 63" man. There is sufficient legroom in front and rear for adults. The steering wheel could extend a bit more, but its acceptable. Outward visibility is very good, which is a rarity these days. Acceleration is good for its class, though the engine doesnt sound happy when pushed. It handles nimbly, though not as well as my 99 Protege or my wifes Mazda P5. The stereo speakers are OK for talk radio but are too flat and muddy for pretty much any music.