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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  Test drive is not enough - 2015 Honda Fit
  By newfit - March 25 - 4:36 pm

  After seeing all the glowing specs on this car, I did TWO twenty min test drives. It seemed comfortable enough for a subcompact and fun to drive.. Only 100 miles on it and it is wicked on my old back. This feature seems to be buried in the reviews like edmonds and Kelly Blue book. I have a 5 hour drive up coming, and I am really really fearful. Now what? Can my budget really take trading in a car thats only 2 weeks old. No more Hondas for me I think.

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  Like it so far - 2015 Honda Fit
  By Dan Limitone - March 15 - 10:47 pm

  New owner with Two weeks and 700 miles now. Purchased the EX with CVT Transmission. So far gas mileage is 38-41 mpg. The engine is pretty spunky however when climbing hills the CVT tends to make the engine work to find the perfect spot...so it gets a little busy. Ive had newer Civics, CRVs and find them a little quieter and refined but also realizing the price point on the Fit it seems a fair trade off. Purchased on the last day of the month so after calling around I feel I got a fair price and didnt have to travel far. So far, so good.

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  Okay, but needs improvement (regular guy review) - 2010 Honda Fit
  By cobraboy1 - March 8 - 10:09 am

  This is a really neat car that does an above average job of being an OKAY car. I purchased my 2010 Sport Auto about 18 months ago and Im starting to tire of it. Its not that this is a bad car, its not, its just that if you enjoy driving. I would suggest you look elsewhere. It also doesnt really have any frills. This car is never one that you would think is any nicer than a basic car should be. Its not upscale and its not trying to be, but it is very nice the way that it is. In the end Im left with wanting more.

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  The miracle car - 2015 Honda Fit
  By valuecarsonly - February 22 - 8:47 pm

  Not since the 2005 Scion tC do I think I found one of the best values in the market today. My wife and I fight over who drives it and we attempt to get the most of every drop of gas (we leave it on Econ and are averaging 40 mpg). Tall men are okay back there, and so are two cat crates and a tall gift and luggage we even fit a queen headboard in there. All the great features plus space and fuel-efficiency for about $18K after fees? We are both quite happy with this cool little red car.

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  Fun car, but buyer beware - 2015 Honda Fit
  By hondaowner34 - January 28 - 12:07 pm

  I have owned my new Fit for about 6 months. Overall I love the car. Its fun to drive, gets great gas mileage, is easy to park in tight places, and looks great. However, Ive been having a major problem with paint chipping. I consider my daily driving to be less than average in pretty average conditions, and yet my car has sustained considerable paint damage. My 10+ yr. old Toyota never had this problem, and I think it reflects poor paint quality on the part of Honda. Dealership and Honda Customer Service dont consider this a "warrantable" problem, so I guess this is supposed to be acceptable for a brand new car.

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  My 150,000 mile Fit experience - 2008 Honda Fit
  By leebabysimms - December 4 - 11:24 am

  In 7 years, I put 150,000 miles on a new 2008 Honda Fit Sport and just sold it — completing my experience. I found the car to be exceptionally fun to drive, with insane cargo capabilities, and bulletproof reliability. I made so many great memories with this car and smile whenever I see one (in my color) on the road. My intense satisfaction was only dashed when I drove the new 2015 Fit I had planned to replace it with. Immediately, if felt like Honda killed my fun little car and I moved on to another car maker (I replaced with a 2015 Toyota Corolla S Plus).

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  Best car EVER - 2015 Honda Fit
  By melnjames - November 27 - 10:40 pm

  I have had my Fit for a week now and I absolutely love it. I was in the market for a small SUV for future business plans but if I am the only one in the car, there is a ton of room in the back with the seats folded down. The Fit has all of the latest technology (Bluetooth, rearview camera, pandora, etc). So far, my gas mileage has been averaging around 33 miles city. There are only two things I can point out that I dont like about my car. One is the engine noise. Around town, its louder than your average car but on the highway, its not much different than any other car. Also, I am not liking the cupholders way down low in the front. A passenger can not put a large drink there.

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  Rides worse than a truck! - 2010 Honda Fit
  By dirtbikedad - November 18 - 6:20 am

  Bought a week ago used with 19,000 miles and ready to get rid of it already. If it rode better I would be happy with it but I honestly have never driven such a rough riding car. I had a geo metro hatchback 10 years ago that was way more comfortable. I have had older civics, accords, mazda protege, acura integras, old broncos. All rode better. It is truly ridiculous how bad it rides.

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  Great little car - 2015 Honda Fit
  By regularcarman - October 26 - 1:19 pm

  Having come from a manual 305hp Mustang, I was a little concerned about power but this car works well as a total vehicle for which its intended. The car feels powerful enough to accelerate and pass. It feels well integrated as the ride, noise and comfort levels are all more than adequate for me. Technology has delivered a car that is safe, rides well get amazing milage(I get 44-46mpg), and has lots of storage room. Hybrid cars look out, this car gets great mileage, costs less and holds more.

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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