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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  Not a highway car - 2013 Honda Fit
  By DEEZ - September 25 - 4:57 am

  When I first bought this car I tool it back to the dealer because I thought the steering had a flaw. It was just the wind. Its very light and really gets pushed around on the road. We took it from Ohio to Virginia this summer and what a terrible trip. Its just not built to drive over 55. No acceleration at all. Also the headlights are very dim. The storage is great and MPG is better than advertised. I havent had any mechanical issues. We bought it for my wife to learn to drive, but the visibility with those little van windows and the tall seat placement is terrible.

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  Great little car, but expense ridiculous repairs - 2013 Honda Fit
  By Hilaire Humphrey - July 20 - 9:47 pm

  We have two Honda Fits. The design is really great, as is the initial price. But...and it is a big BUT...recently one of the cars a/c completely stopped working. In this particular car, Honda chose to place the a/c unit within the dashboard. The a/c needs to be fixed. The car is no longer under warranty, but is only 2 years old and has been cared for well. The cost of fixing the a/c - $750! Why? Because the have to completely take apart the dashboard requiring several hours of labor. I am not the first. This is a serious design flaw. Unlike many cars, if you get a hot sunny day, you HAVE to run the a/c or the car will be unbearable so much so that it is hard to breathe because the very large dashboard gets so very incredibly hot. The other issue I am having in my other Fit is my dashboard is no longer level. What did the service staff tell me? It would take hours to fix and would be fairly expensive. If it is not creating a problem with the car the warranty is irrelevant for this issue as it is just cosmetic. There are other great small cars. Until Honda changes the a/c design, I advise people to buy a different small car. I will not buy a Fit again.

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  Going to get rid of this car - 2015 Honda Fit
  By chuck1953 - June 9 - 3:51 pm

  I like this car because it is economical but if you dig a bit you will find that many people cannot drive this car for many miles or more than an hour or so without back pain. Something about the design of the seats is absolutely terrible. I enjoy the entertainment sytem, fuel economy, fit and finish but it is totally uncomfortable to drive. You will find this out but not until you have had it for a bit and I am not alone in this. Do a little internet search on uncomfortable seats in Honda Fit.

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  Absolutely awful. There are better choices - 2015 Honda Fit
  By festiboi2 - March 8 - 5:47 pm

  Bought a brand new Fit because it made an excellent showroom impression the magic seats, cargo flexibility, and lots of standard features on the base model. But owning this car is a nightmare Reliability woes have haunted this car from the beginning mostly odd trim and electrical issues, including exterior trim breaking and taillights filling with water Its not the most refined subcompact other offerings have more power, better sorted manual transmissions, and are quieter. For city life, it is perfect. Its easy to park, economical, and can haul loads of gear. Honda just started building the Fit at an all-new plant in Mexico and some of the quality issues are showing.

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  Happy with my fit UNTIL 150,000!! BEWARE! - 2008 Honda Fit
  By matt331 - December 8 - 6:47 pm

  I would say up until a couple of months ago I would rated my Honda Fit a easy 5 out 5 stars UNTIL I crossed the 150,000 mark. I will let it be known Ive been the sole owner of this car and have all maintenance done at Honda (oil changes/inspections). Since passing the 150k mark Ive had the car towed twice once for a bad fuel pump ($700) the second time because the accelerator coils and water pump went out completely. The second issue ended up costing around $1500 because valve adjustments and new parts. The check engine light has come on several times since and needless to say Im now afraid of driving this thing down the street. So beware after 150k, its a money pit!

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  2015 LX Beware of Seat discomfort - 2015 Honda Fit
  By andy206 - November 2 - 11:01 am

  I just bought a 2015 LX. I like the car but the front seats, the driver seat for me, are really poorly designed in a concave shape. The seat seemed OK at first, but after about 30 miles or so, I was in terrific back pain, like my back had been wrenched. This is beyond discomfort, graduating to health hazard. I am trying lumbar supports with limited success. I traded in a 1999 Tacoma with bench seats, which gave me no problem. I have also driven a number of other cars recently including a 2005 Prius, a 2013 Kia Rio, and a Chevy Aveo, all with no problem. Unless i can figure something to improve the seat I will not be keeping this car.

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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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  Reliability issues - 2011 Honda Fit
  By autonix - July 23 - 8:43 am

  Less than 3 years old and have already had to have valves adjusted and the heater blower motor replaced! Definitely reliability issues.

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  Gutless Wonder - 2008 Honda Fit
  By ronsbiz - May 29 - 10:30 pm

  I bought this Honda Fit in 2012 with 37,000 miles, and have since put 91,000 on it. Like some Hondas, this is a well built, functional car but not well engineered. I cant explain why Honda has a penchant for putting under-powered engines in their cars (like the 2.0L engine in early CR-Vs), but here they did it again. 109 horsepower and 106 pounds of torque may be fine for over-taxed and over-regulated Europeans, but when you are competing with V-8s for lane space on American highways, 109 horses relegates you to the slow lane. I understand the new Fits have 117 horses, but the vehicle has gotten bigger since 2008 as well,so youre back to square one. If Honda were to offer the 1.8L en

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  My last Honda product - 2013 Honda Fit
  By retiredjoe - May 21 - 9:39 am

  There is a difference between a cheap car and an inexpensive car. This Honda is just plain cheap! And what is worse, the Honda service groups at the dealer have a take no prisoner approach to dealing with the customers. You sell these cheap cars and then treat the customers like they are wealthy people and money is of no concern. The dealer tried to do things like $100.00 to change a cabin air filter (I found one on the internet for $9.80 and it was easy to change)... and I can give a dozen other examples. The air conditioner has a design flaw with the condenser being easily damaged, and the list goes on and on.