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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  2011 Honda Fit Review - 2011 Honda Fit
  By Chris - January 23 - 10:56 pm

  The car rides very sporty and handles very well on the road. Good acceleration and braking. Very efficient fuel wise. Can put much larger things in the hatchback cargo area when back seats are pushed forward. Much larger cargo area than regular sedans. A fun car to drive.

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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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  My first Honda, but definitely not my last - 2012 Honda Fit
  By mrj88 - January 14 - 2:51 pm

  Ive owned my Honda Fit for almost 4 years now, and Ive realized why people keep buying Hondas over and over again. After trading in a 1 year old Ford Fiesta that was in the shop over a half dozen times for all sorts of repairs, Im happy to say not a single thing has gone wrong with my 2012 Honda Fit. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. Gas mileage has been around 35mpg with mixed highway/city driving. Cargo space is crazy! The guy at IKEA was floored when I pulled around my subcompact car and nearly put an entire couch in the back. Stereo sounds great and works well with an iPod/iPhone/USB device. 5-speed transmission shifts smoothly while the engine purrs like a kitten. The only negatives should be obvious for a budget-esque small car. Acceleration is lacking to say the least. No Bluetooth. The car handles well, but youre gonna feel most bumps in the road. The air conditioning, while cold, kills the power and tends to freeze up after a 90 minute ride. Seats arent terrible, but overall comfort is so-so for long drives. The Fit is pretty light as well, so dont expect amazing performance in the snow. Base model doesnt come with a center console/armrest (I had one installed by Honda for less than $300 - completely worth it). Wipers only have 3 speeds. Regardless. If you want something new, affordable, functional, with great gas mileage, and incredibly reliable. The Fit is a fantastic choice. I hope to drive this car for a long time.

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  Love my new car - 2015 Honda Fit
  By Joanna - January 13 - 11:42 am

  I test drove all the compacts on the market and this one was the best on my key factors. I wanted good pickup and fun to drive and 2 full size adults to fit in the back seat. The Honda Fit has all that plus more! I got the 6-speed manual transmission because its so fun to drive!

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  a bit of fun each day - 2015 Honda Fit
  By jamie bailey - December 31 - 9:09 pm

  I traded a 2014 CR-V for a 2015 Fit, sort of an impulse buy. The Fit had $1500 off the price, and the dealer gave me max blue book for my CR-V. I wanted a manual shift car again, so I bought the Fit. Have had it for 1 month, and driven 3000 miles. First off, theres just two of us in my house, my wife and I. Kids are moved out, so I dont need the monster cars/trucks I used to drive. The Fit has plenty of room for me to commute to work, and doesnt feel cramped. I am only 58", so I have plenty of room. A friend of mine who is much taller complained a bit about leg room in the front passenger seat, and he did look a bit cramped. I drive 32 miles each way to work, 45-55mph with some stop and go. Been averaging 38mpg. My wife and I just got home from a 1200 mile round trip from Michigan to Iowa, and found the car comfortable for the trip (9 hours each way, only stopping for fuel). My wife slept most of the trip home through the night, so I call the comfort OK. We carried a lot of gifts, the dogs crate, a small wooden baby cradle, luggage, etc, with no problem. Lots of room!! My wife also says the car is easy to get in and out of. She complained about the seats in my CR-V, she says the Fit has much better seats, at least for her. Wind noise is at least as quiet as my CR-V was, and although I can hear the engine at 70-75mph (3500rpm) it is a pleasing sound to me, not a drone or annoying sound. (I honestly think its what lulled my wife to sleep during the trip) We also had a pretty nasty snow/ice storm while in Cedar Rapids, and we drove the Fit through some pretty ugly conditions. It handled better than I thought it would in the snow. Ive had all wheel drive for years and was a bit worried, but the Fit did OK. A couple of things I dont like. As almost everyone else says, the radio needs a knob for volume. Nothing like getting in the car at 5 in the morning and the radio comes on at ear bleed volume where I left it when I got home the night before. Try turning it down quickly before waking the neighbors....good luck. Also, sometimes my iPhone and the Pandora / iPod function dont act nice when restarting the car after a stop. Most times Pandora (or Tunein, or anything else that was playing when I stopped the car) restarts playing with no problems, but occasionally I have to unplug the phone and plug it back in before itll play again. The car also seems to fog up easier than the CR-V did and I need to use defrost setting more than I am used to. Bluetooth phone functions flawlessly. Finally, the car is really fun to drive. The six speed shifter is short throw and precise, and the engine revs freely and pulls nicely. Its not a racer by any means, but it isnt slow. Highway on ramps are fun again. I really enjoy driving it. I enjoyed my CR-V as well, the Fit is just a bit more fun.

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  Fuel system reserve - 2015 Honda Fit
  By Deid dierks - December 13 - 7:49 am

  The fuel system low fuel light comes on when fuel quantity is 25% remaining. When the light illuminates I can only fill approx 8.2 gal. I then decided to carry a couple gallons with me and run the system to empty. When the lite came on I reset the tripometer. When it registered 33 miles the gas gauge indicator had no bars and the "miles to empty" read zero. I continued until tripometer displayed 105 miles. At that time I filled up with 10.55 gal. This confirms the 10.6 gal fuel tank and also the suspected 25% fuel remaining when the "low fuel" indicator illuminates, and also shows the fuel gauge is not accurate for "empty" and the"miles to empty" is also not accurate. Im averaging over 43 mpg with 6 speed manual.

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  The car to buy if you want a low maintenance car - 2012 Honda Fit
  By Derek M - December 4 - 10:39 am

  This car is overall designed well, but is by no means a feature vehicle. Its front wheel drive, is peppy but not at all fast, has 185 width stock tires (so youre not going to scream around corners), and the paint quality is atrocious. Expect every single dent, scratch, etc. to show up visibly on the paint. I have the silver paint, and almost anything will chip the thin paint or scratch it. The stock shocks and struts are a joke. After driving it for about a year or two, they give way to serious body lean that makes braking hard dangerous. I swapped out the crappy stock shocks and struts with Eibach and Tien, which are stiffer, but corrects the unnecessary body lean and shortens the stopping distance much more. I also upgraded from 185 width tires to 195 width to add more stability because 185 width are just junk. The tire pressure on the 185 kept getting low, even with new tires. So I just changed to 195 width and the tire pressure holds far better now. I believe you can add 205 or possibly 215 width max on the Fit. There are a good amount of light bulbs, with 8 to maintain in the front and the back lights as well. You are able to replace these all yourself, you can find videos online that will show how to do so (pretty similar to older acura/honda). The manual says to only run 87 gas, running 91 I saw no difference in performance whatsoever. This car takes only synthetic oil, and recommends only using top tier gas (no unbranded/generic mom and pop shops). My car began to pronounce the exhaust pretty loudly, and it sounds like I put a modified exhaust on my car even though the entire intake/mid/exhaust setup is stock (I dont know if other people experience this, its an automatic). The electronic controls performance and design is excellent, everything is very intelligently engineered and I have had no problems. The USB connection is in the top glove compartment (the bottom one is the regular glove compartment), and I just put MP3 music on a flash drive and its out of sight out of mind. The car has an audio jack input, but be careful because the rubber piece that protects it very easily comes off. Also, when maintaining the air filter, there is a solid attachment in the front with small clips on the side. The small clips on the side are prone to breaking, so be careful. I am 62" and am able to sit in the front seat fine. The backseat can hold adults, but the recommended total weight to have in the car is only about 850lbs. The major positives of the vehicle are that it is an easy to drive vehicle, there are a good amount of cupholders in the front and in the back, the interior volume space is massive for the vehicle size, the visibility from the inside is great, and that reliability on the engine/transmission and electronics is excellent. I bought my 2012 Fit in 2011 and havent had to perform a single repair for anything, just purely maintenance and optional upgrades. This is a putt putt for getting around with some pep and good gas mileage, but its no Corvette or Prius. A well designed (overall) low maintenance ride.

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  2008 Honda Fit Sport 169k BULLETPROOF RELIABILITY - 2008 Honda Fit
  By taushamccarthy@yahoo.com - November 18 - 3:33 pm

  Seats are stiff - thats my only complaint. Like others have said, car is bulletproof reliable, has awesome cargo configurations, and no significant repairs. I have found the original tires to be meager - at best. I had to have them replaced at 40k miles. Brakes done twice, tires twice and thats it. Everything works on the car and the rear cargo seat configurations have been fantastic! I drive it like mad - cross country multiple times, which is when the stiff seats bug me. They dont bother me otherwise. The car is an economy car and mine is a manual, which gets me about 40mpg. I drive the automatic and felt like the manual got much better performance, but I also just like manuals. All my cars have been sticks - this one has a tight gearbox, which took some getting used to - but I have had no issues with the transmission (or anything for that matter). My gf has a 2009 with about the same mileage - its also a manual. Theres very little difference between them drive-wise. Sound is good and I love the USB. The rear seats fold flat or fold upright for better vertical space. I have been surprised what all I can fit into it. I have used it to move multiple times. It handles really well. Im finished with grad school now and feel like its time to trade up but I cant find anything that is as solid and fun to drive. All these newer cars seem to have issues OR get crappy gas mileage OR come with a huge monthly payment... so for now, Ill be keeping this one.

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  My Labrador Retriever owns this car! - 2013 Honda Fit
  By Mr. Doggy - November 12 - 10:55 am

  I bought this car (basically a stripped model w/o any accessories, 5-speed) for economy, fuel mileage and convenience to haul my dog around. I did purchase aftermarket quality seat covers and then a whole bunch of factory Honda accessories via the internet and installed them myself. The list includes about everything available, even factory door molding and the hard-to-find bug deflector. Still need to install the center console that Honda says dont fit. Well, it does but Honda supposedly says it puts your arm at less than optimum position, so it doesnt. I have installed one for a friend, now need to buy one myself. The hardest option is the Honda fog lights, got to remove the clip and cut the holes, but very nice. Also quickly took off the crummy factory tires and put on some slightly larger 195/70/15s (if I remember correctly the size) on the factory steel wheels. I was very careful making the tire switch and eliminated many due to the weight. Next time, Ill go with the factory 15 size in Michelin Pilot Sport A/S3. My mileage may have took a slight hit, but the handling and road feel makes the change worth it. Anyway, the dog loves it. He prefers the rear seats for cornering support. If you want to see a huge open area fit for a camp-out, try taking out the rear seats. Just a few bolts and a few minutes is all it takes. Wow, if I had a horse, think he could ride in there with the seats out. I have a M/T car and drive it pretty hard. The performance is acceptable and really pretty good when the car is not loaded down. Start adding people and cargo and the performance quickly drops, but never to unsafe levels of speed. I really think the factory tires handled poorly. The new ones make a big difference. The steering seemed scary quick when I bought the car - no play, short wheel base car at 80 mph reacted too quickly for my liking. A bit of getting used to it and the tire change has turned my car into a freeway eater that simply drives like a sports car. Love it. After owning it for about 2 years now (purchased it new) I still really like it but if I could afford it, I might trade it for a new Honda Odyssey. If I factor in the cost difference, the Fit stays. I do my own maintenance and the oil changes are easy if your arm can reach things. Jacking points, especially the forward / center location does require a special low profile floor jack in order to clear the undercarriage. The engine layout and clean routing of things is the best I have ever seen in any car of any age. Nothing negative to say about the car except I would definitely prefer and pay more for read disk brakes instead of the drums.

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  Crazy Reliable! 40 mpg!!! - 2009 Honda Fit
  By ConcreteCowgirl - November 11 - 4:09 pm

  Bought this car with just a few miles on her and have gotten to 165,000 now without a single issue. I have replaced the brakes and tires and thats IT! I love my girl. I have the manual because of the wee engine and shes a champ. I really cannot recommend this car enough. If you want a reliable vehicle then this one is for you. My mechanic says these go forever and I can say shows no sign of slowing down. Im not crazy about the interior materials, but I knew that when I bought her. There is wear on the floor carpet and that bugs me because I havent been that hard on her - just loads of miles - so I can say that the interior carpet is cheap, but otherwise she ROCKS. I regularly get between 35-40 miles per gallon combined and almost always 40 mpg on the highway.