Honda Fit

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Comments

  • gonzo99gonzo99 Member Posts: 9
    I went to the Honda dealership yesterday, and was confused by MPG statements.
    As I have read here, the Fit is expected to get 33/38 mpg. Yet a 2006 Civic AUTOMATIC on the lot had a window sticker stating 30/40 mpg.

    Does anyone have any idea why the Civic Automatic has better highway mileage than the FIT? And why is the city mileage only 10% better for an engine that is 20% smaller?

    If one were to focus on mpg attributes (and not the nifty seats/ interior space) then I don't see an overwhelming advantage here.

    Thanks for any comments.
  • jmurman42jmurman42 Member Posts: 675
    Honda doesn't really know about Pre-Orders. They do their calcualtions based on how long the car sits in inventory.

    Honda has said that they are going to build 50,000 units for a full year. Tha amounts to abvout 30,000 or so for the remainder of the year. Now top put it into perspective, Honda is building 300,000 units of the Civic. The 2006 Civic is a very hot car right now, every one that comes in is being sold and they are still being Pre-Sold. I've been with Honda for 6 years now and I've never seen ANY Civic sell like this.

    The FIT will do very well as it is a niche vehicle.
  • communikatecommunikate Member Posts: 1
    Thanks to all of you for so much information--especially dewaltdakota for the pictures you posted and jmurman42 for the ordering info! Very much appreciated.

    I am driving a 95 Honda Civic HB VE with 170K miles and still average 40 mpg on regular--about 3/4 freeway miles. Any thoughts on whether the base Fit will match that?

    Are there any pictures on the utility cargo option with the front passenger seat folded forward and the back seats folded forward? This is supposed to allow one to carry skis, 8' 2x4s, etc.
  • hungarian83hungarian83 Member Posts: 678
    Well, I promised a while ago when people were panicking around January 8 about the mileage, that I wouldn't bother with the discussion anymore, but I'll make an exception here.

    Civic manual: 30/38
    Civic automatic: 30/40
    Fit manual: 33/38
    Fit automatic: 31/38

    There are several reasons that the Fit gets comparable (or slightly worse) mileage to the Civic.

    First, the car is not as aerodynamic as the Civic and the 60 inches of height do cut into the fuel economy gains of a smaller engine at higher (highway/motorway) speeds. Meanwhile the Civic is very aerodynamic and has a lower profile.

    Second, the Fit was introduced in 2001 in Japan. The L15A (the engine the US is getting) was introduced in 2002 on the JDM Fit. It has an older VTEC valvetrain design compared to the not only much newer Civic R-series engine design, but much more advanced i-VTEC valvetrain which is incorporated on the Civic.

    Third, the transmission. The 5-speed manual on the Fit is mechanically identical to the one sold in the rest of the world, although some of the gear ratios are unique to the US market. Each market has unique Fit/Jazz gear ratios, but the ones the US has are not the best for high fuel economy. The 5-speed automatic is a different story. The L-series engine is available on the Fit/Jazz, Fit Aria/City, and the JDM-only Airwave, Mobilio, and Mobilio Spike. On each one of the models, save the US Fit automatic, the CVT or CVT-7 is the only available automatic transmission. The CVT is much more fuel-efficient than a normal gear automatic with torque convertor. In fact, the mileage on a CVT is comparable to the mileage received on the 5-speed manual in other markets. However, putting a not-as-efficient 5-speed automatic on an engine series designed for the CVT does not help with fuel economy.

    Fourth, while I'm not a Honda engineer, it could very well be that some of the emissions changes for the US market affected the mileage.

    Anyway, the Fit is not supposed to be a hybrid car with stellar fuel economy ratings. You have to look at everything the car offers in one package, not just the fuel economy, or not just the magic seats. The car has a well-built, extremely versatile interior. It is no wonder that the Jazz in Europe is referred to as the B-segment car with a C-segment interior. Everything the car has: fabulous interior, magic seats, still good-looking exterior, well-powered engine, reasonable (for the class) fuel economy, and an excellent array of standard safety features , make it a class-leader.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    But small is good. Lots of people want a nice bugget car. But as I and others have stated, sitting in a YAris was - gastly cheap and cramped.

    On and on - the Fit is going to feel like the Mercedes of sub-compacts and well worth the extra $1000. Plus, ABS and side airbags *are* huge sellers. Ask most dealers - people usually trade up to a next larger model due to wnating to get those features.

    With the Fit, you don't have to.
  • johnd15johnd15 Member Posts: 41
    Just stopped by my local Honda dealer in Traverse City, MI and was told Fit will arrive in March. Any one else heard of this (earlier) arrival?

    Hoping to see a 5 speed Sport on the lot soon. I'll be tempted though by the Civic Sedan EX with 5 speed which I recently test drove, especially if the Fit Sport comes in over $15K (got to have the cruise control). I also observed lots of Civics on the lot too. That means prices may be attractively negotiable compared to the new (& limited quantity) Fit...
  • w9cww9cw Member Posts: 888
    jmurman42 wrote: "The 2006 Civic is a very hot car right now, every one that comes in is being sold and they are still being Pre-Sold. I've been with Honda for 6 years now and I've never seen ANY Civic sell like this."

    That's why good things always come to those who wait.
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    I highly doubt the Yaris will be cheap, it is afterall a Toyota. I also suspect it will end up being some very stiff competition for the Fit. I obviously haven't seen a Fit yet, but I don't see what all the excitement is about. Given its smaller size it should have much better fuel economy figures than the Civic, and from the pictures I've seen, it isn't much to look at.
  • bamacarbamacar Member Posts: 749
    Yes, but just about everyone who has seen the Yaris interior says it looks and feels cheap. The high dollar option packages also look like it may be the "Echo" syndrome all over again. Cheap base price, but all the cars with normal options are overpriced.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    Don't forget that Toyota made a car named the Echo that was also tall and not so aerodynamic. The Echo got EPA 43/35 with the manual in 2004. This is considerably better than 38/33.

    In my opinion Honda is gearing the fit short so it will not compete with the hybrid, and to extract that hardly noticeable last ounce of acceleration. Honda is perfectly capable of making a high mpg car (Civic HX etc.) They choose not to. I think they feel that hip urban youth want a high revving vehicle that does not need to be downshifted for power instead of a relaxed and economical cruiser.

    Toyota does a similar trick with their Scions - gears them real short. The Xb gets a very dissapointing 33/30 mpg - hardly better than an Avalon on the highway.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    I sat in it, I poked around in it, and tested everythign I could for durability at the Los Angeles Auto Show last weekend.

    And the Yaris was... God, it was a Toyota Metro. No joke - better lookking, better engine, and bigger space-wise than the Echo, but GOD IT WAS CHEAP. It felt even less nice inside than the previous generation Rio.

    Toyota made a car that's "just a car"(tm) so it wouldn't compete with the Scion Xa, which is the closest Fit competitor they have.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Hey, I think you are on to something there! Toyota could call the Yaris the JAC (just a car) instead, and the marketing slogan could be, "You don't know JAC!" ;)
  • raychuang00raychuang00 Member Posts: 541
    Toyota made a car that's "just a car"(tm) so it wouldn't compete with the Scion Xa, which is the closest Fit competitor they have.

    Hence the reason why I keep on thinking the Scion xA successor will be based on the Toyota Ractis "tall wagon" now on sale in Japan....
  • hungarian83hungarian83 Member Posts: 678
    If the Ractis is introduced as the Scion xA, which does not seem all that unlikely, US-market Toyota/Scion fans will have a real treat.

    ...a properly positioned instrument panel! :surprise:

    Still, from pictures I have seen, the Ractis interior seems very cheap and plasticky. Not nearly as nice as the Fit.
    image

    You know, either the Fit was way ahead of its time in 2001 or everyone else isn't trying very hard.
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    Saying the Yaris is cheaply made and you don't think it will hold up is ridiculous. Toyota simply doesn't build such a car.
  • raychuang00raychuang00 Member Posts: 541
    Still, from pictures I have seen, the Ractis interior seems very cheap and plasticky. Not nearly as nice as the Fit.

    If Toyota does sell the Ractis as the Scion xA successor, expect better-quality interior materials than what Toyota uses in Japan. :)
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Hey, I think you are on to something there! Toyota could call the Yaris the JAC (just a car) instead, and the marketing slogan could be, "You don't know JAC!"

    Ba-dum, PSSSSHHHHHH!

    Good one, backy
  • hungarian83hungarian83 Member Posts: 678
    I honestly have not sat in the new Yaris, so I can't say what the quality is like in person, but I have heard a lot about it. I have only seen pictures, but from those I am not impressed.

    Honda and Toyota had a chance to send a small car over to the United States, and in my opinion Toyota is doing a poor job.
    A 3 door hatchback and a 4 door sedan will not attract as many people who are looking for a vehicle like this. A sedan offers zero-versatility when compared to a hatchback, and the Yaris sedan is quite small...to the point that I hear headroom is compromised. The fact that it looks like a baby Corolla with the grille of the new Camry isn't going to help it establish an identity. Meanwhile, the 3-door is good because it's a hatchback, but not having those two rear doors takes it down several notches in terms of usability. Sure, everyone says that Toyota wants to protect the xA sales, so it won't bring a 5-door, but I as well as many people who wouldn't want a xA, would have considered the 5-door Yaris.

    Packaging. This is where the differences really show.
    Fit: What a small car should be.
    Yaris: What Americans think a small car is.

    Fit has taken Honda's motto of a decade or two ago, "Keep it Simple" and modernized it. A well-equipped base model with practically everything a normal person would need (save cruise control and keyless entry). Then have a Sport model for those who want some agressive looks and some "toys" like paddle shifters. Very simple. Two models. One or the other, 5 speed manual or 5 speed automatic, and all the standard safety features you could want.

    Yaris takes the American stereotype of small car = cheap and poorly-equipped and RUNS with it.
    The base Yaris lacks things like a rear defroster and a rear windshield wiper. Even the Zastava "Yugo" back in the 1980s had a rear defroster standard. Also, in the year 2006 it still has only two airbags standard. To get anything you need, out come the famous Toyota "packages" which mix lots of things you don't want with the one item you do. And of course you can't have power mirrors unless you buy TWO packages. Still, after all this you still need to buy airbags separately.
    [sigh]

    Sad. Very, very, sad.

    You would have thought they would have learned from the Scion method that selling a well-equipped car is a good idea, but I guess they haven't. Also, can someone tell me the logic in offering the 60/40 folding rear seats as part of the "Power package" while the MP3/WMA playback capability and auxiliary audio jack is in "Convenience". :confuse:
  • small4mesmall4me Member Posts: 5
    Anyone know if the Fit is making the rounds at all the Auto Shows? I am going to the St. Louis one this weekend and was wondering if anyone knew if it would be there.

    Hope to check out the Yaris and Versa as well.....

    Can't wait to see a Fit in person........
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    It's not "sad" so much as like I said - "JAC". (as in "I got JACed" - heh)

    They want a car a significant notch below the Xa. The Fit is like the Xa, but with less bling and a bit more substance. Just what 30-something families want.
  • dewaltdakotadewaltdakota Member Posts: 364
    ...I've placed my order on my Fit.

    From Yahoo News:
    Iran Sanctions Could Drive Oil Past $100 By BRAD FOSS and GEORGE JAHN, Associated Press Writers
    Sun Jan 22, 6:39 PM ET

    A surge in oil prices last week to almost $70 a barrel on concerns about the restart of Iran's nuclear program only hints at what may lie ahead.

    Prices could soar past $100 a barrel, experts say, if the U.N. Security Council authorizes trade sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation,...


    It may or may not happen, but just the threat of it is already causing gas prices to jump. The higher they go, the more people are going to be looking for a car that gives them the most bang for their buck. The Fit "fits" that bill. Being locked in at MSRP may be a good move, come April.
  • xcelxcel Member Posts: 1,025
    Hi DewaltDakota:

    The higher they go, the more people are going to be looking for a car that gives them the most bang for their buck. The Fit "fits" that bill. Being locked in at MSRP may be a good move, come April.

    A Toyota Corolla LE w/ a Stick and Side Airs can be had for ~ 15K here in IL. It is not only larger and far more powerful; it also has higher FE then the smaller Honda Fit. I bet it will be less expensive given it can be had for a nice discount today?

    Toyota Corolla LE 5-speed - EPA 32/41
    Honda Fit 5-speed - EPA 33/38

    If you are concerned about FE, the Fit is not the right choice imho.

    Good Luck

    Wayne R. Gerdes
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    Yaris: What Americans think a small car is.

    Designed for Europe and adapted for North America.

    Yaris takes the American stereotype of small car = cheap and poorly-equipped and RUNS with it.

    I'm an American and I think the Euro inspired Yaris is just fine.

    Hey, If you hate the Yaris so much, then let's discuss the Fit. ;)
  • bamacarbamacar Member Posts: 749
    Then again the Corolla and Fit have the same passenger cubic feet and the Fit has more cargo room. The Corolla fuel economy will be better on the highway, but the Fit should be better in the city. The Fit has a much more flexible interior, and the Corolla has an uncomfortable driving position. I actually think they both are very good fuel economy choices, but neither are the best.
  • hungarian83hungarian83 Member Posts: 678
    "It is not only larger and far more powerful"

    Not everyone wants a larger [exterior] car. I don't, and therefore the Fit or Yaris is a better choice for me than a Civic or Corolla despite the fact that they get similar fuel economy ratings. Also, the interior of a Fit is identical to that of a Civic in terms of passenger capacity. If you want a comparably equipped Civic, you would need to get an LX, which is thousands more expensive than the base Fit.

    "Designed for Europe and adapted for North America...Hey, If you hate the Yaris so much, then let's discuss the Fit."
    I am European and I don't hate the Yaris at all. I think its a great little car (minus the center instrument panel), but I think Toyota messed up a bit on the car they are selling in the US. The European version is quite well done...and in 5-door form, I might add. ;)
    Too bad Toyota decided to strip the car for the US market.

    I'm an American and I think the Euro inspired Yaris is just fine.
    The US market received the Americanized Yaris, not the Euro-inspired version. That's probably why you like it.
  • justjulesjustjules Member Posts: 14
    Not everyone wants a larger [exterior] car.

    Thank you for saying this before I could get to it.

    There seems to be an assumption that "bigger is always better." Why? I don't appreciate it when I rent a car and they give me a "courtesy upgrade" to something that requires a tugboat to park safely. You should see the face of the Hertz representative the last time I said, "But I don't want a bigger car."

    In my case, I have a practical consideration requiring a smaller car -- a shortened garage space. But even when I didn't have that limitation, I prefer to drive something smaller and more nimble than most of the monsters on the road. Bigger is not necessarily better. If I can get the utility I need in a smaller package, that's what is best for me. I doubt I'm the only one.
  • dewaltdakotadewaltdakota Member Posts: 364
    Yes, yes, YES!

    As others have stated... I don't WANT a bigger car! It's not about what I can or can't afford, or precisely which car gets the best gas mileage. I want exactly what it is the Fit is going to give me: A decent, reliable car with a great set of options for the price, pretty good gas mileage, and in a 4 door hatchback. The fact that it just happens to be a Honda simply makes the decision that much easier. ;)

    I've had three Honda Civics (92 Si HB, 94 EX Sdn, 02 EX Sdn), and I loved each and every one of them. I didn't just blindly pick the Honda. I started my research from scratch each time, and in the end, the final decision resulted in the purchase of a Civic. Now, I'm in the market for another small car, and I don't like how large the Civic's have now become. Until I found out about the Fit, Honda was completely off of my list. I cannot imagine I am the only one thinking this.

    Side Note: while I like Toyota's reliability, I don't like the way they package their options, and have never been impressed by the seats or interiors of their smaller cars.

    My thoughts about Fit's mileage while passing gas stations was not so much about how incredible the mileage I thought I was buying into ... it's more of the mileage I will be getting away from, when my Dodge Dakota is no longer my daily driver (at 13mpg). The quicker that happens, the better ... and I wouldn't want to have to wait in line for my Fit.
  • vcarrerasvcarreras Member Posts: 247
    The Houston Auto Show starts this weekend. The FIT will be shown as will the new Camry, Yaris and Versa. I will be there!! :)

    http://www.houstonautoshow.com/2005/sneak.aspx
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Yes, in addition the MSRP of the Corolla LE with ABS and side bags/curtains, including destination, is $16,840. The Fit with ABS and side bags/curtains is about $13,600 including destination. So for less money you get a more versatile car that should be more fun to drive than the softly-sprung Corolla. For long-distance highway commuting, the Corolla might be a better choice (assuming the driving position is comfortable for you), but the Fit is a better bet for zipping around town and for people who need the flexibility of a 5-door.
  • dewaltdakotadewaltdakota Member Posts: 364
    Since the first Fits are coming from Japan, and not "Made in America", is the destination charge going to be significantly higher than what we're used to seeing on a Honda?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Some Civics come from Japan, and there is no difference in destination charge between those and the U.S.-made Civics.
  • raychuang00raychuang00 Member Posts: 541
    This is why I love my 1998 Honda Civic HX CVT coupé that gets 33-37 mpg. :D
  • sd_driversd_driver Member Posts: 49
    I’m almost there on getting a Fit. A base Fit here in CA, with 7.75% for the governator and a few hundred for the lords of the DMV, should price out the door should for about $15,000. Not bad for a new car these days. I have three concerns that maybe some here could discuss.

    1. The first is a bit cheesy, but it irks me that Honda won’t offer a CD/MP3 player with MP3 plug-in on the base. The MP3 is the standard for mobile music now and I’m going to have to spend a bunch of dough to upgrade that one thing. And I don’t think those FM transmitters to hook in MP3 players to stereos are satisfactory.

    2. Cargo cover is an option. You need a cargo cover for security. The fact that it is an option really bugs me.

    3. The mileage. I know we don’t know for sure what the Fit will get, but the numbers we’ve been getting are not that impressive. That worries me. Okay, the truth is that cars do not get their published EPA mileage. According to Consumer Reports, the Echo at 38mpg combined is the highest non-hybrid, gasoline mileage car sold in the US. The new Civic is about fourth or fifth at 31 mpg. (No automatic gets 30 mpg combined. ) The Fit will weigh 400 pounds (400!) more than the Echo: 2150 vs. 2550. The Fit is only 200 pounds lighter than the new Civic. I’m not expecting the Fit to match the mileage of the Echo, but I would hope for something a little more than the new Civic. My current Civic gets about 31 mpg.

    This is all about economics. I like what I see in the Fit, but does it make $$$ sense for me to get one? Or is it a better idea to keep my 92 Civic at 215K miles for another 100K?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    You cannot beat the economics of running a used car into the ground, vs. buying new. If you are looking only at economics, keep the Civic. If you are looking at other things, including safety and versatility, then the Fit makes more sense.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    1:Get the basic stereo. No upgrades. Honda is well, Honda. It's a given that you put a better aftermarket stereo in there for less money. Add a nice Alpine and some good speakers and presto - $400 for audio bliss.

    2:The cargo cover is an option, true, but it's a dealer-available option you get tossed into the price. The dealer takes one out of the parts department stock. That's how it's "dealer available" :) %50 if that. No biggie.

    3:1992 - well, Hondas are good, but 15 years is about their normal lifespan, and yours probably doesn't have ABS, side airbags, and a ton of other nice features. It's up to you.

    Re MPG:EPA tests for city are done on a dyno at very gentle acceleration. 25mph average for city and 45mph for highway. Completely unrealistic.

    The reality:
    60-70% of city rating is common for all cars.(the range is about 80% to 50%, depending almost entirely upon displacement) My old Buick would get 15 city and 30 highway, with an average of about 23mpg.
    120% of highway rating is common for all cars, especially those with more gears.
    So the Fit will be close to ~25mpg city and ~45mpg highway, in real driving, with an average of 30-35mpg. If you race it and flog it around town, it's going to get 25mpg. If you run it on long trips, it'll get well over 40mpg, due to the fact that the engine at 45-50mph on the EPA test is only turning a few hundred rpm slower than it is at 70mph.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    The Versa is a nice car. Closest to the Fit, most likely. But, it has one glaring problem. The rear seats don't even come close to folding down, let alone flat or away, like the Fit or half a dozen SUVs do(RAV-4 comes to mind - superb hidden 3rd row option).

    So it kills it for me right there. I want something that I can sleep in in a pinch or haul stuff or whatnot. My father just gave me an old desk of his(nice one, actually - my mother is into "make the house look like a mini-mansion/retired person's home" mode - so lots of stuff is getting replaced). Anyways - it would have fit in the fit. My father had to get his friend with his small pickup to haul it as nobody's car could fit it in the trunk.

    At least once a month I have something oversized that I could or would like to carry. I hate vans. So that leaves a micro-van/wagon as the best option. They don't sell the Mercedes A Class here in the U.S., so the Fit currently is at the top of the list.(the Xb was close as well, but it's - ack the styling hurts my eyes)
  • hungarian83hungarian83 Member Posts: 678
    should price out the door should for about $15,000

    That should be about right, or maybe a little less. I just hope they don't try to raise the MSRP or stick on an ADMU since only three cars are being delivered in April.
    The dealer I am ordering from in Southern California said that they get 1 Civic Si per month and add a $3000 premium. Of course, it will be nothing like that for the Fit, but I was not able to lock in my deposit with a guarantee on MSRP, so I am just praying they don't do anything with premiums.
  • jonniedeejonniedee Member Posts: 111
    Quote:"The Versa is a nice car. Closest to the Fit, most likely. But, it has one glaring problem."

    2 more from my point of view - just sit in it for a couple of minutes and it REEKS of French car design...not the most logical switchgear etc...

    Also Versa is coming out of Mexico - Note Japan like the first US bound fIT's
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    I had to remove the post with the oversized pictures because they forced the right margin of the message area under the videos on the right side.

    Please limit the images you add to your posts ro 500 pixels in width or less. If you have a larger image that you want to share, just type the URL of the image into your post and it will appear as a link that others can click on and view the image in a new window.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    Heh. Thanks for pointing that out.

    As a rule, Japanese consumers are fanatically picky about, well, everything. They look at a Cadillac and comment about how the panels are "sloppy" as far as fit and finish - and then do the same to the Honda next to it at the show. Really tough crowd.

    So in order to sell a car locally, they have to go over the cars like fanatics as well. That's why made in Japan is so much better. Q.C. is much much higher, even if the plant and people are nearly the same in skill and precision. It's the same reason most German-made Mercedes are better than U.S. made ones.

    But made in Mexico? Oh dear - that's gotta hurt Versa sales right off. Mexico and Korea IME, have about the same skill in metalurgy and precision. Not bad, mind you, but a noticeable notch below most of Europe, USA/Canada, and Japan. For $14K? I want a 100% quality Fit instead of an 80% quality Mexico-built clone of the one sold in Japan.
    Because there's no way they could even market a Mexico-made Japanese vehicle in Japan - nobody would buy it.

    So why should we? I just want to see the thing in final form before I decide. I'm in no hurry. :) Not like my old Mercedes is going to die in the next couple of months.
    67 220S - too mint condition to be a daily driver, though, plus 15mpg city. I need something for commuting that I don't have to worry about being scratched or stolen.
  • jmurman42jmurman42 Member Posts: 675
    Last week I sold an Odyssey to a fellow who owns four gas stations. After we were finished I asked him about this summers price increase. You know, the one that happens every year. He told me that it will be well before summer. He told me that his distributors have said that we will see $3.00 by end of Feb and summer will be higher. My customer was being straight up with me.

    What do you think this will do for FIT sales?
  • mwqamwqa Member Posts: 106
    The 2006 LEMON-AID New Cars and Minivans Guide (essential reading for Canadian car buyers IMO) mentions that the Fit will also be sold as a hybrid.

    Makes me think that the Fit will go the same route as the Civic: no smaller engines, just the addition of a hybrid.

    Anyone find that disappointing?
  • dewaltdakotadewaltdakota Member Posts: 364
    Definitely disappointing, in that by going hybrid, they will jack up the price, when they could probably get the same increase in mileage, by going with a smaller engine (and probably keeping the prices the same, if not lower).
  • borinda5borinda5 Member Posts: 6
    I like almost everything I see about the Fit except for the gas mileage. Why is it that none of the modern non-hybrid cars can get better than 41 MPG at best, whereas back in the early 90's we had a selection of several models with EPA mileages in the mid 40's to mid 50's. I'm driving a 92 Civic CX that I bought new. It currently has 400,000 miles on it and averages 52 MPG (50MPG winter, 56 MPG summer) in mostly rural driving. But even the worst mileage I ever got out of it (39 MPG plowing through 4 to 6 inches of heavy, wet snow on recapped studded snow tires) beats the EPA highway rating for the Fit. The Fit only weighs 400 lbs more than my car, so why is it so thirsty? I would like to buy a new car, but with high gas prices likely to be a fact of life, I don't want to replace my car with one that gets lower mileage. I also like the 500 mile driving range I get out of a tank of gas in my CX and would like to see that feature in any car I plan to replace it with. Since I live in a state (South Carolina) with low cost gas, but do most of my driving in a state (NC) with high cost gas, I like to avoid having to gas up with pricy NC gas. I wonder what kind of mileage the Fit would get if you if replaced the stock engine and transmission with one out of a Civic VX?

    How does the Fit handle in strong crosswinds, icy roads, or in snow? In my job I need to continue driving when road conditions are icy or snowy. So my car needs to be up to handling these conditions, but I don't like the poor handling or mileage of an SUV. I can throw a set of studded snow tires on my CX and keep on driving in up to 8" of snow or on black ice. My car is also fairly insensitive to crosswinds and I consider sensitivity to crosswinds a safety hazard since it increases the chances of losing control when driving on black ice. So how does the Fit do when driving in inclement weather?
  • montreal2montreal2 Member Posts: 3
    sorry, I'm new to this. Heres a pic showing the Versa with standard 60/40 split folding rear seat. The brochure also confirms this as a standard feature. Note the $14k price listed is Cdn dollars so for USA buyers it would be under the Fit base price. Is Mexican assembly really that bad? There must be import duty on Japanese assembled cars that we otherwise dont pay under NAFTA; I like the Fit and I love Hondas but the economics are not working for me.

    image
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I'm an avid reader of this forum, and just wanted to thank y'all for all the neat information you provide! I can't wait to see the Fit!
  • montreal2montreal2 Member Posts: 3
    quote: "The 2006 LEMON-AID New Cars and Minivans Guide (essential reading for Canadian car buyers IMO) mentions that the Fit will also be sold as a hybrid. "

    can you quote them on that? I did web searches and looked at the 06 Lemon Aid on line and couldnt find any reference to it anywhere.
  • fiticelandfiticeland Member Posts: 6
    I don't know if somebody posted this already, but honda has an ipod accessory that lets your ipod interact fully with your stereo system. If you really want to use an mp3 player in the car, that would be the way to go. We'll be adding that to our base model.
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    The reason hybrids aren't getting the mileage they could be getting is because manufacturers are trying make them perform like gas powered vehicles, which is bringing the mileage way down. They could also be getting better mileage figures with cars like the Fit and Yaris, but for some reason, we're not seeing it. Until I start seeing 45-50 MPG with these new cars, I can't see replacing my 35 MPG Corolla with one.
  • charlesbcharlesb Member Posts: 43
    Well, Edmunds has the 1992 Honda CX manual listed as having 42 mpg city and 48 mpg highway. I'll chalk your "mid 50's" recollection up as nostalgia.

    The fact that you are concerned with pricey out of state gas vis-a-vis the cheaper in state gas make me wonder if a new car is really in your budget. Gas really is a very small fraction of the cost of ownership relative to insurance, title and tax.

    Your 400,000 mile beauty has specs like this:

    weight= 2094lbs
    horsepower= 71 hp
    torque 91 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
    displacement 1.5 liters

    And the 2006 Fit looks like this:

    weight =2438 (from Temple of VTEC)
    horsepower= 109 hp
    torque = 105 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
    displacement = 1.5 liters
    EPA est.(city/highway) = 33mpg/38mpg (also from TofVTEC and I hope they are really better)

    So figure the Fit has twenty percent more weight and more than thirty percent more power and gives mileage that is 25-30% worse than your current ride, which sounds about right. I'm sure that the emissions and crash test data are much better on the 2006.

    Interestingly, the 1992 automatic version of the CX give mileage(30 mpg / 37 mpg) WORSE than the 2006 Fit auto, so automatic technology has certainly advanced.

    If you are waiting for a new 70 horsepower, 2000-lb car with a diesel-like torque peak and a 12 gallon tank, then I suggest that you keep that CX tuned up because she is going to turn over 1 million before that car ever comes, if ever.
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