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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  Hondas brand is not worth it - 2015 Honda Fit
  By Sahdaddyd - January 19 - 8:55 pm

  Ive owned my 2015 FIT for 4 months. It had a recall, and I also brought up a bluetooth issue sigh Spreen Honda. Here is where the fun begins. The bluetooth has software issues that Honda Corporate passes the buck as well as Spreen Honda. If you want a car where you can transport, its fine but dont count on Honda to resolve its known issues. Service manager at Spreen (Jim) concurred with me that the HandsFreeLink has issues. Honda Corporate was pulled in as well, and its a merry-go-round of pointing fingers. When I asked why cant I get the software of the Courtsey car, I was given an excuse that made me laugh. Silence of ones knowledge about programming is worth its weight in gold. Amanda from Honda corporate technical support tried to help, but Grace who I initially had contact with transferred me to a department that can do nothing. Thats what I call pass the buck. As of the date of this post, I remain in limbo. Its a pity that Honda points fingers, and sells inferior quality. Face it folks, audio is part of what you bought. How sorry I am that I every did business with Honda.

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  Poor Paint - 2012 Honda Fit
  By Daniel Lake - September 7 - 8:21 pm

  Rear shocks were replaced at 24000 miles, tires had normal wear at 24000 miles. However , every tire was splitting apart at the second tread in. The paint on this car was the worst paint of the eight new cars I have owned. The paint chipping was primary on the hood but was not limited to the front of the car. Seen very few fits with this problem but the few I have seen were older and had premature surface rusting. This does not stop the car from getting great gas mileage or getting you from A to B comfortable but will have a great effect on your resale value. For this reason the car was traded in with only 27000 mile and rated low.

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  Got Snow? Dont Buy Fit! - 2015 Honda Fit
  By Mari - August 14 - 4:12 pm

  Yes the electronics console is fussy and not intuitive. Its way too easy to drive off the road while trying to find things on a tetchy touch screen. Its a lightweight on snow and ice. Youll need to buy studded tires for it. It was stuck at the end of a plowed driveway this winter (upstate ny), on a slight grade which had just been done in my 04 Toyota Corolla. It does get ok gasmileage, tho my Corolla still does better on highways (verified by tracking gas and mileage between fill ups, not going by the manufacturer). I think my biggest beef with this car is the ice build up behind the front wheels. It is soooo low to the ground that slush and ice accumulates over the joint of the front doors. When you open the doors, you have to first knock the chunk of snow off the wheel well, then crack chunk of ice over the joint as you open the door. I have had this 2015 fit since July 2014 and the drivers side door joint is already scratched from the ice. I see rust in its future. As for service, dont ever expect to spend less than two hours at the dealerships even just for an oil change. If there is a service recall, they will not release your car AND they will not tell you they are fixing it till the end. I will not buy another honda mostly because of what Ive detailed here. Also, good luck with car seats if you have more than one kid. It works but is TIGHT!

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  Dont buy a Honda Fit - 2015 Honda Fit
  By pepemarco - July 1 - 2:24 pm

  Ive been driving honda cars since 1977 -- and the Fit is truly disappointing. The locks on the car doors and the hatchback are now jamming, so we cant open them the rear shocks are failing and there is a terrible odor coming from the heater that the dealer wont fix. STAY AWAY FROM THE HONDA FIT.

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  Unfit Fit. Done with Honda brand. - 2015 Honda Fit
  By mazdafun - March 10 - 10:02 pm

  HVAC issues since I bought it in mid-June 2014. Dealer couldnt fix it after 3 attempts and continued musty, moldy emissions cause severe health symptoms, so I have filed a Lemon Law claim through Hondas arbitrator. Front seats are the worst Ive had in a vehicle. Sit in them for at least 40-45 minutes to confirm they work for you. My test drives were too short to make this apparent. The pain kind of sneaks up on you. The positives (which are many) dont outweigh the horrible mold allergy symptoms Ive had. American Honda has been unresponsive and the dealer has been barely supportive.

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  What a horrible mistake. - 2011 Honda Fit
  By orangesmoke - July 7 - 5:25 pm

  I was taken in by the reviews. I test drove it and fell in love. I thought it was the best car out there for me. Then I bought it. The a/c doesnt work, blows hot air. Honda assures me this is normal. After a 6 hour drive Im sweating and my a/c is putting out 70 degree air. The headlights flicker at night. Honda says this is because the a/c is on and I should shut it off. Sure enough, if I turn the a/c off the lights stop flickering and the temperature of the car goes up to 80. I have a manual. I try to put it in reverse and have to double clutch it. Honda says that all manual transmissions do this. I replaced a 1990 Toyota Camry with this Fit that says otherwise.

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  Small outside, Large inside - 2010 Honda Fit
  By dutch - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Needed a small versatile car with good fuel economy. Considered Prius but could not justify additional cost given low annual mileage. Also wanted car with large doors and easy to get in and out. Looked at Ford fiesta. But build quality and costs drove decision to Honda fit. Toyota Yaris cute but no 5 door. So far really happy with the fit.

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  Dissappointed in Fit - 2010 Honda Fit
  By townie - October 9 - 2:00 am

  I recently bought a Fit but was so disappointed I sold it. The small 1.5 liter engine had to work really hard, downshifting even on moderate grades, to get around. The gearing on the automatic is really tight on the first three gears giving it a jerky off the line start with lots of quick shifts. The car is tall and lightweight. Going around curves at speed like a freeway on-ramp I felt a slight “roll” in the car which made me uncomfortable. The finish inside the car felt cheap. There’s no doubt this is a low end econo-box from Honda. The finish of their Civic and CR-V is much better. It would probably make a good car for a freeway commuter. I’m more of an in-town driver.

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  Never Honda again - 2010 Honda Fit
  By no_honda_eve2 - July 12 - 12:27 am

  After I bought this car I found numerous customer reviews reporting uncomfortable head restraints and seats. I cannot drive my brand new Honda Fit for more than 15 minutes without feeling pain in the neck and back. Head restraints push too much forward and hurt your neck and it seems to be a problem for many of Honda models for 2009 and later.

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  Hated my fit - 2010 Honda Fit
  By tquigsmay - May 6 - 11:42 pm

  Bought a fit, took it back less than 48 hrs later w/ a backache. Cant adjust seat cushion up or down because gas tank is under the drivers seat (how can that be safe?). I felt like I was sitting in a high chair in a fish bowl. There is so much untinted Glass its like youre on display. The cheap black interior showed every speck of dust immediately. The paddle shifter are totally useless and get in the way of resting your hands while you drive. W/ no center console or arm rests (pay extra on sport model only), where is someone supposed to put their arms? The passenger has no options. The tiny visors do nothing shade sun from the gigantic family van style windshield.