Thanks for the clarification, Hungarian. Looking back at it with "Storm Silver" in mind, I now see what you're saying. They've "photoshopped" the images, turning the overall hue blue-ish... it's especially evident in the pavement, being more blue-ish than gray/black.
I did call my salesman yesterday afternoon, who confirmed with the new car manager that the system still shows the list of colors as it has already been reported here (and elsewhere).
That Ice Blue Metallic is nice, and I agree about the beige interior looking like it would be a dirt magnet.
Hmmm...looking at the Fit site, it looks like one of the preview events will be happening 2 blocks from my office. It will be nice to stop speculating and sit in the darn thing!
If you get to see the Fit, could you check for two things?
1) Driver room and position: I'm 6' tall.
2) Rear leg room and comfort with the front seats positioned for someone my size. How would you think it would be for a full size adult on a long trip?
Personally, about the only thing I'm really concerned with at this point is what the real world MPG will be. After waiting on and being dissapointed by actual MPG numbers of two different vehicles (Scion xB and Toyota Matrix) I'll definitely be waiting at least a month before trying to buy one.
PS - As an aside, I'm definitely more of a Toyota fan (despite the fact that I currently own a gas sponge of a Ford Ranger :confuse: ) but will gladly make the switch to Honda given Toyota's latest half-hearted attempts at high mileage cars. And no I don't want a Prius...I personally do NOT like hybrids. But that's another issue altogether.
I and my wife have been driving our fit for 5000 Km now and the first service was done
Whereas we are quite satisfied by the car overall, there are a few issues that I think Honda should improve for next models. My Fit is a Chinese model that I bought and drive in China
1) Fuel consumption is a tad disappointing, with 9L/100 KM in the city and more than 8 on the motorway (going 75-85 mph mostly) that is 27/28 MPG. This should not be as high in the US as people drive much slower. Anyway, the Higway mileage is comparable to that of much bigger engined cars that I drove (Nissan primera Estate 2.0, Mercedes C240 estate, all cars with auto box)
2) Aircon is weak and struggles to keep the cabin fresh if the weather is sunny. Indeed, any sunlight easyly makes the cabin become hot like a greenhouse.
3) Road noise is quite present at highway speed, but I suppose most small cars perform the same way. I am surprised to see the spare wheel well has no sound proofing mqterial.
4) I am 5.9 and the seating position is just satisfactory. I extend the seats to the maximum rear for my legs, but I have to stretch my arms a little to grasp the steering wheel, so there is room for improvement
5) We can't display trip mileage, fuel consumption or total mileage in the same time. I need to press a dash button to toggle from one to another. This is stupid as I sometime need all three information at the same time
6) Radio reception quality is a bit poor ( this is the original Honda CD-Radio)
7) no winshield-integrated FM antenna.
8) Gas pedal response is not very linear and sometimes the CVT reactions are a bit strange, but no big deal though. Smoothness is preserved.
9) I need to have the contact on to get the power windows operate. This is annoying as just opening one door should be enough for it
10) I was given only ONE key with remote control. Making another one is both unpractical and very expensive. Ridiculous. Watch out for this detail when buying.
according to the forums I have read about matrix and scion xa and xb, they all have decent mpg the matrix with all wheel drive and a automatic is not so good, but the front wheel drive version is decent, if not great the xb's shape will hurt it some on the highway, but in town mileage is good and the xa's mileage is even better toyota's mpg is usually closer to ratings according to consumer reports or something like that i hear it rev's pretty high with a manual on the highway, about 4000 rpm at 80 mpg or so, but is much quicker
I got a one-line email update from the Honda dealership that is holding my deposit: "Your car has started the build process as of 3-3-06. I will keep you updated when I know more."
Still no MSRP. I replied with an email regarding pricing on certain dealer-installed options (cargo cover, cargo tray) to see what they think they can get for them.
i find your posting very interesting because no one else has addressed air conditioning. it gets very hot and humid in the southern usa with temperatures well over 100 degrees in the south west. the only other automobile that comes to mind with similar engine specs is the toyota echo which also had a weak air conditioner. i'm sure the air conditioner in the fit will do well in the northern usa and canada, but have doubts it can cool down the cabin in extreme heat
I'm not sure if engine specs always are the case. My Accord and my father's CR-V (both with 2.0 L engines) always had weaker air conditioning systems than my 1.6 L Corolla.
i'm sure there are many variables that determine how well air conditioning works in a car, but i think a low hp engine (in most cases) have less powerful air conditioning.
Time to buy my daughter her first car. Must be a hatchback. She's moving to either north of NYC or to San Francisco. Priorities are of course good combo of price, affordability, safety, ease of maintenance, mileage, looks, reality. We've narrowed down to these three. Yes, I know Matrix is more expensive (and larger) than Fit or xA but we might buy a young used one if this makes sense. Would appreciate your feedback, advice, warnings, encouragement, etc. Thanx in advance!!
For a first car? I'd get her a nice used Volvo 960/V90 wagon. These can be had for $6K-$8K and are tons more useable, faster, and safer. First time drivers - well, they tend to do bad things to their first cars, because they are either inexperienced or lack the time and money to maintain it. So you need something cheap and indestructable. A mint condition 1993 Volvo 240 Wagon would also be another choice - $3K and almost nothing to break on it.
As for the Martix vs Fit argument - check out the Pontiac Vibe. Same as the Matrix, just with GM pricing and incentives/rebates. Quite a nice car, though, again, there's no way I'd spend $15K on a car for my son. HE gets the old tank instead.
My dad's 1989 Honda Civic Hatchback base 4spd's A/C is still working and it never has a problem cooling the cabin in 90 plus degree NYC summer weather. Sure after 17 years it takes longer to cool but once it does, its cold. It is also a 1.5 liter engine and only has 70hp. With Honda's heritage, the Fit with 109hp should be fine with its A/C.
The dealer did not find any problem with A/C when we mentioned it at first inspection. We will have to wait a few months with 30c+ temp to see the real outcome
Maybe it's my way of using it, but I don't like pushing the air flow fan speed above 2 (out of 4) because it becomes noisy and keeps me from getting relaxed. If I feel hot as a driver, I assume the rear passengers feel even hotter.
My car is light silver. I did not want any dark color in order to minimize heat absorbtion.
The sunroof certainly plays a role in the cabin heat build-up. Sigh, I couldn't avoid this equipment.
The color of the car's interior plays a big part when it comes to temperature inside the cabin. A huge slab of black material sitting behind a plate of glass in a sealed box will create a solar heater.
I love the look of a black interior, but I hate the heat. The A/C has to work pretty hard. If you want to be cool like me, get the tan interior :shades:
I have a Dark Green 96 Civic EX - it was the only colour that year to come with Tan interior - all others came with grey interior. I have A/C and never have any issues (havn't had any issue at with this car - owned since new).
Someone here posted that they thought Tan would be a dirt magnet? Just the opposite - mine still almost looks like new. I live in Calgary (which receives the highest amount of sunshine per year of all the major Canadiian cities) so I use the A/C a lot in the summer.
with all due respect you're talking about a civic ex in canada. i was talking about the toyota echo which i know can't cool a car in the south west united states. here the sun shines close to 300 days a year and the temperature goes over 110 daily in the summer. what i was trying to do is compare similar cars with similar engines like the echo/yaris and the fit. i'm hoping that honda makes a better air conditioner than toyota because my wife wants a fit.
Well..that's what I was getting at as well - a 96 Civic, with a 1.6L engine put out 107 HP - and a 2007 Fit has 109 HP out of a 1.5L. Very close...In Calgary we are over 30 Celsius in summer as well. I'm just trying to confirm that Honda A/C's work very well - and the Technology in a 2007 should be better then a 1996.
I will be getting a Fit here - hopefully before the Summer.
i hope you're right about the honda air conditioning. it may be that it's not the size of the engine, but that toyota doesn't make the same quality air conditioner. just so you have a frame of reference... our temps go well over 43 celsius... 30 celsius is is our spring time temps.
From what I've read, and heard, the Matrix gets about 29 to 30 average (front wheel not AWD). Is that about what you're reading, thetruth? As far as the xB goes, I had to drive one for a company car and got no better than 24 MPG unless I drove it like a super granny, in which case I got 32 MPG. I'm sincerely hoping the fit gets at least 32 to 34 average but am not very hopeful.
Please Honda dispel my fears!!! PLEASE!! I'm DYING for a high mileage hatch!
you might get that average if you drive it like that was the xb a manual or automatic, how did you drive, much highway the mpg reviews I read about the xb were usually a little better than that, but driven hard I suppose it could get that low my beater car, 1993 geo metro has about 55 hp, so if I double the horsepower I wouldn't have to drive the hell out of it, I actually have no problem beating most traffic in the city, but have to wail on it merging on the highway, which isn't to often
It was an automatic and I did not drive it hard at all. Seriously, I drove it a little slower than average I'd say (i.e. not flooring it from a stop light/sign or when merging on highways). And I did about 85 to 90% highway with the rest city/neighboorhood driving. Even driving hard I would get only slightly less than 24 MPG on the xB. We have 3 other xB's in our "fleet" (some fleet... :P ) and they all get about the same mileage, which is why I decided against purchasing one. (Well, that and the traction control.) I will say I was able to get 37 MPG during one week. I was never able to recreate that same mileage again, for some reason. From what I understand, and have experienced, xB's a super sensative to how they are driven. Anyway, this is a Fit forum not xB forum.
All I really want is a five door hatch that looks good, drives good, is low maintenance, and, unlike the xB, is not super picky about how it's driven to get good MPG. And by good mileage I mean better than 30 MPG. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so... :confuse:
Does anybody know what kind of real-world mpg the 2006 civics get? With taller gearing and better aerodynamics, I'm pretty sure they could do as well if not better than the North-American version of the Fit. Not sure about city driving, though.
Pictures with real live human beings sitting inside and also standing right next to the doors. Leggy models would be nice, be definitely NO space aliens!
Yeah I'd like some comparison (with people sitting inside) shots of the interior as well. I'm a *ahem* hefty (read wide LOL) dude and would like to get a general idea of how much width I'll have to work with.
My Sophocles Scion XA is one year old now. The XB (Scion I presume) and the Fit are apples and oranges. The comparison should be with the Scion XA or the Nissan Versa (yet to be seen on these shores) The XB is a box while the XA has the same configuration as the Fit. I'm told the Fit will be in my town by May. I look forward to the back seat/flat floor configuration, side airbags, a bit more power and the Honda brand. I do like the 15" wheels on the Scion, the no haggle purchase, and what appears to be better visibility out of the rear side windows. My Scion feels very firm and solid. Will the Honda be any better? Certainly not bigger! Gas mileage depends more on the driver and the traffic than the car.
Time to buy my daughter her first car. Must be a hatchback. She's moving to either north of NYC or to San Francisco. Priorities are of course good combo of price, affordability, safety, ease of maintenance, mileage, looks, reality. We've narrowed down to these three. Yes, I know Matrix is more expensive (and larger) than Fit or xA but we might buy a young used one if this makes sense. Would appreciate your feedback, advice, warnings, encouragement, etc. Thanx in advance!!
according to consumer reports the new civic averaged 31 mpg the reason I think that the xb is a better car to compare the the fit is the interior room xa is much smaller on inside than either fit or xb xb has more passenger room, fit has more cargo room I think the fit will get better mpg than the xb, the ratings for the "xbox" are erratic, averaging 24 to 34 the xa is great as long as it has enough room for you wonder what the fit rpm's are at 80 mpg, the scion's are around 4000 which is too high I think, but that is just an observation, an extra gear for that car would do wonders
Now, some were out of focus as I was playing with the settings on my camera - sorry about that.
Pricing update - won't be released until the Vancouver Auto Show April 1.
I checked out the Kia Rio, Chevy Aveo/Suzuki Sprint, Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit.
As far as quality - only the Yaris and Fit stand out - the others seem cheap and tinny...The Yaris was a loaded 5 door - and MSRP was $ 21,495 Canadian - ouch.
The back seat in the Yaris was a bit cramped - there's more room in the Fit's back seat. One of the pictures I took - well not that clear - is of me in the back seat of my legs which were abut 2 inches from the front seat with the front seat all the way back.
There is more headroom in the Fit then my 4door 1996 Civic EX. I'm 5'11" (170) and there was about 5 more inches of headroom...Someone 6'2" and 200 would have no trouble with this car.
There are cup holders in the doors in the back. The seats fold up and down quite easily. I found the driver seat quite comfortable - better then my 96 Civic. As far as visibility - I found it easy to see out of all the windows. The interior finish looked to be of the high standard we come to expect from Honda.
The sport was locked off, only the base was availble for close inspection (and yes - Canada will get 3 models, Base, LX, and sport).
One of the sales guys said that Honda has promised at least 5 Fit's to every dealership - not a lot - though more then the Civic SI - which he says they only get 1 a month. He also says they expect the price to be in the $14,000 to $19,000 Canadian range - which would put it under the Yaris - what I think everyone expects.
Fit and finish of the exterior was beautiful.
Non Fit related - I sat in the Acura CSX - what a nice machine! But $27,000 Canadian!
Time to buy my daughter her first car. Must be a hatchback. She's moving to either north of NYC or to San Francisco. Priorities are of course good combo of price, affordability, safety, ease of maintenance, mileage, looks, reality. We've narrowed down to these three. Yes, I know Matrix is more expensive (and larger) than Fit or xA but we might buy a young used one if this makes sense. Would appreciate your feedback, advice, warnings, encouragement, etc. Thanx in advance!! **** A 1-2 year old Pontiac vibe - it's a Matrix with a GM badge on it - for realy silly low prices. Exactly like how the old Prism was worth a lot less used than a Corolla, despite being the exact same car.
Or go for an older used car. New and first car - not going to be economical in the long run.
I think most people would say go for the new Fit because this is where most of the fans are, but don't overlook the Matrix/Vibe as an affordable alternative.
The Vibe is better as a used car whereas the Matrix is better if bought new since people trust the Toyota brand much more and it retains its value better. 3-year residual values on Matrix are about 51%, but on Vibe it is 45% (you have to adjust for content/pricing as Vibes start out higher and have more standard equipment). I've heard lots of criticism of the Matrix/Vibe's seating position/comfort so check it out carefully. Also, the paint quality on the Vibe is poor, prone to chipping on the front. The Matrix/Vibe gets great mileage and has generally gotten very good reviews. Consumer Reports rates them above average in reliability. Styling is subjective, but I have always liked the Vibe's looks over the Matrix but both look good. On the inside, the Matrix/Vibe has a handy household outlet in the dash, but the Fit's stereo takes i-Pod inputs (don't know about Matrix/Vibe).
Besides being new, the Fit would offer potentially greater safety (side airbags), but with a smaller mass you would need to be more concerned about people in big SUVs/trucks. Although the Fit is smaller, it's not small though (I'm 6'5", 220lbs and had no trouble getting comfortable). I found the visibility in the Fit to be better than the Vibe/Matrix, especially in the 'over-the-shoulders' view.
Look into the cost of maintenance and especially insurance (insuring a young driver on a brand new car will be more than on a used one).
Most importantly, take her out and let her drive and decide for herself. Either will be great cars for 5-6 years or more, so get the one she likes most. Let us know what you decide.
i have been seeing alot of talk about the fit and will the air condition be adequate . a salesman told be anything around 1.5 is just to small and the air will not be good , is he right? i had the pt cruisner out on a very hot day and it was really good , the scion xa was poor . is there something to look for to make sure you will get adequate air , horsepower , torque any ideas ?
As I had mentioned earlier, I'm not sure how much engine size, horsepower, or torque have anything to do with it.
My Corolla 1.6 with a 1587cc 102 hp, 101 lb-ft torque engine has an ice-cold A/C. That's less horsepower, torque, and just 90 more cc than the Fit.
...and I just remembered the comparison test I watched during summer 2005 that compared 5 B-segment cars in Hungary. The Jazz they drove was the 1,2i S Cool which was air conditioning equipped. One of the reviewers actually remarked how good the air conditioning was at the very end when they were deciding which car was best...and that was with the tiny engine!
If the Fit does in fact have a weak A/C for the US market, it will be the fault of the A/C system, and not the engine.
Keep in mind that the poster who mentioned the A/C was week also drives 75-85mph as a norm, so the engine would be revving higher, thus putting out more heat, etc.
your article is very intersting , you said it also has road noise . could you feel every crack in the road?,i had the scion xa for a test drive and you could feel every small strip on the road . this was just on a city street, and that air was poor . was your engine loud? i met someone that had the xa and they had to buy a jell pad to ride in it .
I think one thing the Inside Line article forgot to mention was the fact because Honda put the fuel tank under the front seat, the result is a car with a surprisingly low center of gravity. This results in very good handling, as many Fit/Jazz owners overseas have testified.
I'd like to test-drive one when they arrive, though I'd want to see if a decent-looking dash kit would be available so I could upgrade the head unit at some point. I hate it when carmakers mold the radio in with the AC controls...I still want to beat Ford for doing that in the ZX2. The dash kits are fugly.
It'll make a lot of people very, very happy though...it's a well-engineered car. A lot of the Fit's design elements are simply brilliant. It'll be the bechmark pocket hatch in a lot of areas when it hits US streets. I want to take the Sport for a spin, espcially with those paddle shifters (cool, an automatic that might be slightly fun!) but I doubt my wife would go for it, she hates Hondas...ah well.
But once again, Asia zooms past while Detroit picks its nose and pounds out SUV's...
While I am dissapointed in the high revving engine and relatively low gas mileage (compared to say a Civic HX), I am still considering a Fit because of it's comprehensive safety features(ABS and airbags).
There remains an obstacle though. I do a lot of highway driving at 80+ mph (75 speed limit here). This is why the high revs are dissapointing, and also why I need to have cruise control. Unfortunately the cruise is only available on the sport model. Normally I would not mind paying a little more to get a few more features, but I think the side sills are hideous. I would feel as ridiculous driving a car with them as I would wearing super baggy pants to work with a skateboard under my arm. It just screams juvenile.
My question is - can these things be removed (at least the side ones that look like wings, the front and rear are less offensive) without leaving holes or doing any damage to the vehicle? Or can the factory Honda cruise be added to the base model - I want the cruise to be under warrenty. Either solution is acceptable.
Comments
I did call my salesman yesterday afternoon, who confirmed with the new car manager that the system still shows the list of colors as it has already been reported here (and elsewhere).
That Ice Blue Metallic is nice, and I agree about the beige interior looking like it would be a dirt magnet.
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 03 Montero Ltd
1) Driver room and position: I'm 6' tall.
2) Rear leg room and comfort with the front seats positioned for someone my size. How would you think it would be for a full size adult on a long trip?
Appreciate any feedback.
Thanks
PS - As an aside, I'm definitely more of a Toyota fan (despite the fact that I currently own a gas sponge of a Ford Ranger :confuse: ) but will gladly make the switch to Honda given Toyota's latest half-hearted attempts at high mileage cars. And no I don't want a Prius...I personally do NOT like hybrids. But that's another issue altogether.
Whereas we are quite satisfied by the car overall, there are a few issues that I think Honda should improve for next models. My Fit is a Chinese model that I bought and drive in China
1) Fuel consumption is a tad disappointing, with 9L/100 KM in the city and more than 8 on the motorway (going 75-85 mph mostly) that is 27/28 MPG. This should not be as high in the US as people drive much slower.
Anyway, the Higway mileage is comparable to that of much bigger engined cars that I drove (Nissan primera Estate 2.0, Mercedes C240 estate, all cars with auto box)
2) Aircon is weak and struggles to keep the cabin fresh if the weather is sunny. Indeed, any sunlight easyly makes the cabin become hot like a greenhouse.
3) Road noise is quite present at highway speed, but I suppose most small cars perform the same way. I am surprised to see the spare wheel well has no sound proofing mqterial.
4) I am 5.9 and the seating position is just satisfactory. I extend the seats to the maximum rear for my legs, but I have to stretch my arms a little to grasp the steering wheel, so there is room for improvement
5) We can't display trip mileage, fuel consumption or total mileage in the same time. I need to press a dash button to toggle from one to another. This is stupid as I sometime need all three information at the same time
6) Radio reception quality is a bit poor ( this is the original Honda CD-Radio)
7) no winshield-integrated FM antenna.
8) Gas pedal response is not very linear and sometimes the CVT reactions are a bit strange, but no big deal though. Smoothness is preserved.
9) I need to have the contact on to get the power windows operate. This is annoying as just opening one door should be enough for it
10) I was given only ONE key with remote control. Making another one is both unpractical and very expensive. Ridiculous. Watch out for this detail when buying.
the matrix with all wheel drive and a automatic is not so good, but the front wheel drive version is decent, if not great
the xb's shape will hurt it some on the highway, but in town mileage is good and the xa's mileage is even better
toyota's mpg is usually closer to ratings according to consumer reports or something like that
i hear it rev's pretty high with a manual on the highway, about 4000 rpm at 80 mpg or so, but is much quicker
"Your car has started the build process as of 3-3-06. I will keep you updated when I know more."
Still no MSRP. I replied with an email regarding pricing on certain dealer-installed options (cargo cover, cargo tray) to see what they think they can get for them.
the only other automobile that comes to mind with similar engine specs is the toyota echo which also had a weak air conditioner.
i'm sure the air conditioner in the fit will do well in the northern usa and canada, but have doubts it can cool down the cabin in extreme heat
As for the Martix vs Fit argument - check out the Pontiac Vibe. Same as the Matrix, just with GM pricing and incentives/rebates. Quite a nice car, though, again, there's no way I'd spend $15K on a car for my son. HE gets the old tank instead.
Maybe it's my way of using it, but I don't like pushing the air flow fan speed above 2 (out of 4) because it becomes noisy and keeps me from getting relaxed. If I feel hot as a driver, I assume the rear passengers feel even hotter.
My car is light silver. I did not want any dark color in order to minimize heat absorbtion.
The sunroof certainly plays a role in the cabin heat build-up. Sigh, I couldn't avoid this equipment.
I love the look of a black interior, but I hate the heat. The A/C has to work pretty hard. If you want to be cool like me, get the tan interior :shades:
Someone here posted that they thought Tan would be a dirt magnet? Just the opposite - mine still almost looks like new. I live in Calgary (which receives the highest amount of sunshine per year of all the major Canadiian cities) so I use the A/C a lot in the summer.
:shades:
here the sun shines close to 300 days a year and the temperature goes over 110 daily in the summer.
what i was trying to do is compare similar cars with similar engines like the echo/yaris and the fit.
i'm hoping that honda makes a better air conditioner than toyota because my wife wants a fit.
I will be getting a Fit here - hopefully before the Summer.
just so you have a frame of reference... our temps go well over 43 celsius... 30 celsius is is our spring time temps.
http://automobiles.honda.com/fit/societyoffit/index.aspx
What will they think of next.... :P
Please Honda dispel my fears!!! PLEASE!! I'm DYING for a high mileage hatch!
was the xb a manual or automatic, how did you drive, much highway
the mpg reviews I read about the xb were usually a little better than that, but driven hard I suppose it could get that low
my beater car, 1993 geo metro has about 55 hp, so if I double the horsepower I wouldn't have to drive the hell out of it, I actually have no problem beating most traffic in the city, but have to wail on it merging on the highway, which isn't to often
All I really want is a five door hatch that looks good, drives good, is low maintenance, and, unlike the xB, is not super picky about how it's driven to get good MPG. And by good mileage I mean better than 30 MPG. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so... :confuse:
anyway, check this for real world mileage:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=browseList
Anything anyone would like to see in particualar?
Have a great time.
The Honda model
I'll second that! :P
Yeah I'd like some comparison (with people sitting inside) shots of the interior as well. I'm a *ahem* hefty (read wide LOL) dude and would like to get a general idea of how much width I'll have to work with.
either north of NYC or to San Francisco. Priorities are of course good combo
of price, affordability, safety, ease of maintenance, mileage, looks,
reality. We've narrowed down to these three. Yes, I know Matrix is more
expensive (and larger) than Fit or xA but we might buy a young used one if
this makes sense. Would appreciate your feedback, advice, warnings,
encouragement, etc. Thanx in advance!!
the reason I think that the xb is a better car to compare the the fit is the interior room
xa is much smaller on inside than either fit or xb
xb has more passenger room, fit has more cargo room
I think the fit will get better mpg than the xb, the ratings for the "xbox" are erratic, averaging 24 to 34
the xa is great as long as it has enough room for you
wonder what the fit rpm's are at 80 mpg, the scion's are around 4000 which is too high I think, but that is just an observation, an extra gear for that car would do wonders
http://www.met.ca/fit
Now, some were out of focus as I was playing with the settings on my camera - sorry about that.
Pricing update - won't be released until the Vancouver Auto Show April 1.
I checked out the Kia Rio, Chevy Aveo/Suzuki Sprint, Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit.
As far as quality - only the Yaris and Fit stand out - the others seem cheap and tinny...The Yaris was a loaded 5 door - and MSRP was $ 21,495 Canadian - ouch.
The back seat in the Yaris was a bit cramped - there's more room in the Fit's back seat. One of the pictures I took - well not that clear - is of me in the back seat of my legs which were abut 2 inches from the front seat with the front seat all the way back.
There is more headroom in the Fit then my 4door 1996 Civic EX. I'm 5'11" (170) and there was about 5 more inches of headroom...Someone 6'2" and 200 would have no trouble with this car.
There are cup holders in the doors in the back. The seats fold up and down quite easily. I found the driver seat quite comfortable - better then my 96 Civic. As far as visibility - I found it easy to see out of all the windows. The interior finish looked to be of the high standard we come to expect from Honda.
The sport was locked off, only the base was availble for close inspection (and yes - Canada will get 3 models, Base, LX, and sport).
One of the sales guys said that Honda has promised at least 5 Fit's to every dealership - not a lot - though more then the Civic SI - which he says they only get 1 a month. He also says they expect the price to be in the $14,000 to $19,000 Canadian range - which would put it under the Yaris - what I think everyone expects.
Fit and finish of the exterior was beautiful.
Non Fit related - I sat in the Acura CSX - what a nice machine! But $27,000 Canadian!
either north of NYC or to San Francisco. Priorities are of course good combo
of price, affordability, safety, ease of maintenance, mileage, looks,
reality. We've narrowed down to these three. Yes, I know Matrix is more
expensive (and larger) than Fit or xA but we might buy a young used one if
this makes sense. Would appreciate your feedback, advice, warnings,
encouragement, etc. Thanx in advance!!
****
A 1-2 year old Pontiac vibe - it's a Matrix with a GM badge on it - for realy silly low prices. Exactly like how the old Prism was worth a lot less used than a Corolla, despite being the exact same car.
Or go for an older used car. New and first car - not going to be economical in the long run.
This car will surely catch on here.
The Vibe is better as a used car whereas the Matrix is better if bought new since people trust the Toyota brand much more and it retains its value better. 3-year residual values on Matrix are about 51%, but on Vibe it is 45% (you have to adjust for content/pricing as Vibes start out higher and have more standard equipment). I've heard lots of criticism of the Matrix/Vibe's seating position/comfort so check it out carefully. Also, the paint quality on the Vibe is poor, prone to chipping on the front. The Matrix/Vibe gets great mileage and has generally gotten very good reviews. Consumer Reports rates them above average in reliability. Styling is subjective, but I have always liked the Vibe's looks over the Matrix but both look good. On the inside, the Matrix/Vibe has a handy household outlet in the dash, but the Fit's stereo takes i-Pod inputs (don't know about Matrix/Vibe).
Besides being new, the Fit would offer potentially greater safety (side airbags), but with a smaller mass you would need to be more concerned about people in big SUVs/trucks. Although the Fit is smaller, it's not small though (I'm 6'5", 220lbs and had no trouble getting comfortable). I found the visibility in the Fit to be better than the Vibe/Matrix, especially in the 'over-the-shoulders' view.
Look into the cost of maintenance and especially insurance (insuring a young driver on a brand new car will be more than on a used one).
Most importantly, take her out and let her drive and decide for herself. Either will be great cars for 5-6 years or more, so get the one she likes most. Let us know what you decide.
My Corolla 1.6 with a 1587cc 102 hp, 101 lb-ft torque engine has an ice-cold A/C. That's less horsepower, torque, and just 90 more cc than the Fit.
...and I just remembered the comparison test I watched during summer 2005 that compared 5 B-segment cars in Hungary. The Jazz they drove was the 1,2i S Cool which was air conditioning equipped. One of the reviewers actually remarked how good the air conditioning was at the very end when they were deciding which car was best...and that was with the tiny engine!
If the Fit does in fact have a weak A/C for the US market, it will be the fault of the A/C system, and not the engine.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=109580
It reads like a more detailed version of Honda's January press release, although it does have some detailed driving impressions.
http://www.met.ca/fit
Any ideas?
It'll make a lot of people very, very happy though...it's a well-engineered car. A lot of the Fit's design elements are simply brilliant. It'll be the bechmark pocket hatch in a lot of areas when it hits US streets. I want to take the Sport for a spin, espcially with those paddle shifters (cool, an automatic that might be slightly fun!) but I doubt my wife would go for it, she hates Hondas...ah well.
But once again, Asia zooms past while Detroit picks its nose and pounds out SUV's...
Todd in Beerbratistan
There remains an obstacle though. I do a lot of highway driving at 80+ mph (75 speed limit here). This is why the high revs are dissapointing, and also why I need to have cruise control. Unfortunately the cruise is only available on the sport model. Normally I would not mind paying a little more to get a few more features, but I think the side sills are hideous. I would feel as ridiculous driving a car with them as I would wearing super baggy pants to work with a skateboard under my arm. It just screams juvenile.
My question is - can these things be removed (at least the side ones that look like wings, the front and rear are less offensive) without leaving holes or doing any damage to the vehicle? Or can the factory Honda cruise be added to the base model - I want the cruise to be under warrenty. Either solution is acceptable.