Honda Fit

dudleyr

I agree about the side sills etc. It just looks out of place. Like putting a giant wing on a minivan. It screams look at me, and provides no benefit - in fact compromises ground clearance and increases drag.

Honda really goofed on this one - they should have just been an accessory then people could make the car look how they want. Those who want the stuff can have it, but those who don't are not forced to have it - or look elsewhere.

killerpiece

I really like the look of the manual shifter in the Fit... apparently so does the author of this article! Take a look at the picture to the right of the Dodo bird, It's the Fits shifter! :surprise:
The Article

Killerpiece :shades:

moparbad

Small world. I saw your posting on your Beetle on the "other site".

hurleygirl

Yes, I'm getting rid of both the Mini and the Beetle, and my husband and I will only have the Fit. Can't quite believe I bought a car sight unseen.

hungarian83

Using the shifter on the Fit is even more fun! The clutch is easy to press down and the shifter is smooth...and of course it looks cool too!

I agree with hurleygirl about the clutch being so close to the brake. Most people should get used to it pretty quickly though.

Sad article. I love shifting my own gears. In fact, one of the main reasons I pre-ordered my Fit was to be assured I got the 5-speed MT. Kudos to Honda for offering cars in the US like the Accord V6 6-speed.

Sylvia

We had a few sub-threads that really deserved their own discussions:

Spoiler, underbody kit removal - can be found:
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c091d

Honda Fit Test Drive Report - did you drive it? Tell us!
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c0999

anotherscott

More on Scion xB vs. Fit cargo space...

I mentioned that maybe the back seat could be removed from the xB... Nope. Don't believe everything you find on the web. Speaking of which, tons of reviews on the web say the xB seats fold flat, they don't. Though they're not terrible in that respect either.

Some updated and more detailed info (expanding on info in msg #2946):

HEIGHT:

The xB cargo area is 32" at the front (where the non-flat folded seat creates the shortest height), 36" at the peak (which is at the point where the seats fold down), and is mostly 36" from that point back, dropping to 35" right at the end. (The Fit, as mentioned earlier is mostly 40", dropping some for the back 5" and where there's a "hump" for a rear seat belt housing.)

LENGTH:

The Fit cargo area service (seats folded down) is 56.5" in the center, dropping toward 55" out at the edges. The xB is 45" (again, not so flat), but with the front seats in a typical seating position, you can also make use of about another 10" of overhang if you're carrying an item that doesn't need support at the end.

It turns out that the xB does have something akin to the Fit's "long mode." If you remove the headrests, bring the passenger seat all the way up, and then fold it all the way back, you'll have about 87" from the back to the front. It's different from the Fit design, not necessarily better or worse. The Fit's dropped passenger seat-back falls on top of the rear cargo area, extending into that area by about 10.5", which is then not flat. The Scion's dropped passenger seat-back butts up against the cargo area, more seamlessly extending it, though overall, the area is still not as flat as the Fit's. Also, the new cargo surface created by the passenger seat itself differs between the two, because of the positions of the side bolsters of the seat and the angles you end up with in going from the top half of the passenger seat to the bottom. I think the Fit is flatter overall, while the xB is flatter for the first half and less for the second.

WIDTH:

A little more detail to add to my earlier report...

The xB is just over 37.5" wide at the wheel wells, and about 49.5" wide at the front, door-to-door (about 16" of the cargo surface area plus whatever overhang you can use).

The Fit is just under 40.5" at the wheel wells. It goes to 44.5" just in front of the wheel wells, and goes out some more from there. At the widest, it is 50" armrest-to-armrest at the rear passenger doors, but the surface underneath is not as wide as that. In particular, there are protrusions in the surface of the front edge of the cargo area for the latches that hold the seats in position when put back up, and the distance between those protrusions is only 43".

The xB's rear opening is better designed for easy loading.

Overall: The Fit has more height. The Fit has more supported length, though about the same length overall if you include overhang (the Fit's length is also flatter). With the variable shapes involved, I'm not certain about which wins in width. Maybe someone can do a technical drawing!

anotherscott

Any thoughts about whether the optional splash guards are really useful?

thegraduate

I keep reading that the Fit sits higher than most cars...How might it compare to a:

1999 Nissan Frontier 2WD (low pickup truck) or a 1997 Civic Sedan? My granddad is considering replacing their Civic, and I think the Fit would suit him, but he can't sit too low after a botched knee surgery (entry/egress hard). He used to have a 1987 Civic Wagon that he loved dearly and drove 260k miles before getting the Frontier.

Is the seat notable higher than the Accord/Civic and nearer to the Frontier?

plekto

The mechanism is THERE in the fuel door lid(common part I suspect to keep costs down), but there's no indention for it to flip into - and no power to it either. Really odd thing to purposely leave out.

killerpiece

Haven't been able to get a test drive in yet, so I can't find this out for myself....

Has anyone had there Fit make a squeak or rattle? :sick: I'm hoping your answers will all be "No!" !!!!

Thanks in advance to those who reply (which will hopefully be all of you who have received your Fit! )

Killerpiece :shades:

plekto

From what I saw on the test-drive, it is very much like a Mini. It will rattle if you get it in over its head - and likely squeek as well. But under normal conditions, it was fine. Exactly like a 3/4 size Civic.

dchri2

The seating is noticeably higher than the civic. I drive a '97 civic and it was one thing I was checking as my parents are aging; I did a test drive yesterday. I think the higher seat will ,also, make it easier to put on ski boots.

bamacar

Wonder if the side/curtain airbag mechanisms or extra crash protection in the doors caused this feature to be impossible or be too costly to redesign?

kenw3

I've been looking at a small commuter car and the FIT seems to fall into this category. It has great gas mileage, is roomy and initially looked like a great inexpensive car.

I went to a dealership yesterday and checked out a sport model. The MSRP was $16K and the car was really nice. What was not so nice was the additional of a "market adjustment" that brought the final sticker up to $21K! They had a new Element on the lot for that price.

While the Fit seems like a great car, I am not going to pay $21K for basic transportation. I'll go back to Scion for a Xa or Xb and get more car for less or move up to a Matrix / Vibe.

Also, for $21K, Volvo is offering a cool coupe this fall - the C30 and I am eager to see how the production car compares to the C30 concepts. It is supposed to be really close.

anotherscott

Just shop some other dealers, plenty of people seem to be finding them right around sticker, give or take a little.

I've only looked at base prices, myself. But on the web, Manchester Honda (CT) has the base at $200 below sticker, but they add a $295 "dealer conveyance fee" so it's essentially $95 over, but it's close. My local NY dealer is asking sticker, plus their own "standard" additional fee of $45.

Premiums on cars don't last forever. You could tell the dealer, "when you're ready to sell one at sticker, give me a call, and I'll come in and take a serious look at it." You never know, you might get that call sooner than you think.

thegraduate

Thanks a lot! Sounds like we have similar considerations (Except I'm car shopping for THEM, not for me )

anotherscott

More on: "If people know that car dealers are structured to negotiate, then what does it matter what we ask for our cars? "

Actually, I never thought about this before, but if there are other people who feel the way I do, the dealers who post padded prices expecting to negotiate may have lost more customers than they realize. I realized this in answering another post here, when I said, you could just say "call me when you drop the markup." Because I realize, I, too, would have assumed that, at least for now, that was the price.

If I see something with no dealer-specific price (i.e. only the mfr's sticker, with possibly a supplement showing the price of other items that have been installed on that particular car), then yes, I assume that I don't necessarily know *his* price, and that it may be open for negotiation. But if I see that a dealer has not left the mfr price as is but has posted his own price for the car that simply has additional markup over sticker (not for add-ons), I assume that's his price, period.

I'm sure some people do indeed pay that price. But if it looked too high to me, I'd just walk out. Not over anger that they're marking the car up, but just out of no desire to pay that much. I think it's wrong for a car dealer to assume that "everyone knows it's negotiable." If I see sticker, I figure I don't know his price and it's negotiable. If the dealer has gone out of his way to post a different price (higher or lower), I assume that's his price, and if I don't like it, I leave.

hungarian83

"Has anyone had there Fit make a squeak or rattle?"

The only thing that has made a "rattling" noise (and I have been checking carefully) was the "Advanced Airbag Warning" label hooked to the glove compartment.

After that, nothing...even on bumpy roads. You can feel/hear the bumps, but the car itself is nice and quiet.

micweb

Didn't drive it; sat in it and played with the Magic Seats and HVAC controls.

Materials are first class throughout (dampened HVAC controls, for example, cloth on upper window sill).

Looks like it is sized almost exactly like a Scion xA, but can't be, since the trunk is big enough to be usable (the Scion trunk is about as deep as a grocery bag).

The Magic Seats are VERY impressive. I can see them as very useful for backpackers - you can easily place a couple of back packs upright behind the front seats once you lift the seat cushions for the rear seat up. And still have a clear view out the back window. Those weird Fit adverts with the potted plants behind the rear seat - they're right, that's a valid application.

Also this is definitely one of the BEST microwagons yet - no one mentioned it yet, but when you lower the rear seat back, the rear seats lower cushions lift up and move forward so the seat back is able to lower the extra amount to make a completely flat (to my eye) floor. Compared to VW Golfs/Rabbits, and Focus ZX3's, the whole process of seat moving/folding is much easier and results in a much more usable storage area.

The gas tank under the front seat is obvious and a little unsettling. On the other hand, if you DO use the Fit as a micro-hauler, the weight balance will be a lot better (since the rear end is pretty much devoid of weight).

I sure wish they'd had this over here in 2004. I can't guarantee I would have bought it instead of the Scion xA, because it has a higher sticker price...although if I were buying it with an automatic, I think the Fit is worth the extra money, since it DOES have a 5 speed automatic, guaranteed to keep the rpm down at freeway flyer speed.

All this having been said, I felt fine going back to my recent purchase a Dodge Caravan (not Grand Caravan) with 2.4 4 cylinder engine - in some ways the Fit's older, fatter brother. Cars are weird these days - the scarce Fit seems to be flying out the door at $16,500, the long in the tooth Caravan I got cost me $12.5k approx brand new (the wonders of rebates and American cars). Having recently been a "larger vehicle" driver, I now approach the "B" (Fit, xA, MINI) and even "C" (Golf/Rabbit/Jetta, Focus ZX3, Cobalt) with some trepidation. In Europe and Asia, the Fit isn't really THAT much smaller than the average passenger vehicle. Over here, it is.

micweb

My lifestyle has also changed a lot. In 1999, I lived in a crowded, urban city where the ability to take almost non-existent parking spaces was a big plus. I was single, so roadtrips were easy in any vehicle.

Here it is 2006, and I live in suburbia where parking is never really a problem no matter what you drive; and instead of having haul around an occasional girl-friend, I have to carry a wife, a toddler, and a pre-teen. That would be manageable in many cars, even small cars, but what I never imagined was how much st*ff they have to carry around with them, and that is before a stop at Walmart or Costco.

That's why the Fit is Go. It is best suited to young singles, affluent (college students whose parents are subsidizing them - gosh I would have loved a Fit when I was in college, esp. moving home for summer and having to find space for everything). And for empty nesters. For a lot of us in-between, all we can do is (1) dream of the day we, too, are empty nesters; or (ii) plans on buying one for one of our kids, then "borrowing" it once in a while.

hungarian83

"Looks like it is sized almost exactly like a Scion xA, but can't be"

Actually, it is almost the same size or even smaller than the xA.
Width: xA (66.7) Fit (66.2)
Height: xA (60.2) Fit (60.0)
Length: xA (154.1) Fit (157.4)

However, in other markets (JDM Fit 1.5S for example), the Fit is only 151.6 inches long. All of the increase in the size for the US model is in the rear bumper (~1.5 inch) and the longer front nose (~4.5 inches). None of this affects the size of the interior. The Fit (technically a smaller car) just utilizes the space much more efficiently.

Sylvia

Anyone can start a new discussion in the main Honda Fit board here: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f09fe85/

Also - if you click "Track this Group" on the above page, whenever you return, just click Read New Posts and it will take you through all of the new posts on the Honda Fit board, including new discussions that have been added.

New discussions added and posts moved from this discussion:
Honda Fit Security Systems http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c0db6

Honda Fit Accessories
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c0db4/3

New Honda Fit Owners - give us your report
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c0dc8

Don't forget to post your prices paid & buying experiences in the Honda Fit Prices Paid discussion
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0a9091.f0a848d

Have a great weekend!

dudleyr

Nice review,

Join the ranks of those who agree the Fit revs too high.

foopot

Fit revs just fine. The Scion xB manual I traded in for my Fit was exactly the same -- 3500@75, and there were no issues w/ mileage durability at all. These engines were made to run at that speed, and they'll do it for years to come without a worry.

dbc123

The automatic version is geared much higher - approx 26 mph/1000rpm vs 20mph/1000rpm for the stick. That would make it much more relaxed for high speed work.

dbc123

They may "do it for years to come" but the buzzing at highway speeds quickly grows tiresome.

vchiu

I really recommand leather trim. the one installed by my dealer is very well made (see previous pictures) and looks like it was factory installed.

it really gives an upscale feeling. They are light beige or creme and give the interior a lot of warmth. OTOH I couldn't get the beige interior, unavailable in China, so it matches OK with the black interior. Door panels are also trimmed with leather.

use this car to drive some customers around and I don't look miserable inside, which is important.

Leather trim w/ door panels costed me 400 USD

Everyone, save your money. no need to go for 15" nor 16" wheels.

vchiu

can't believe centralized locking system has excluded the fuel trap in US (japan?) models whereas it is present in the Chinese Fit.

This is a basic and even minimum setup. why this kind of savings? How to lock the Gas Trap otherwise? need to use the key to open the cap? Ridiculous.

mauicedar

You can buy a Fit for list. Just offer.

anotherscott

I missed the pics of the leather trim, can you point me to them? Is that trim available in the U.S.?

cjshow

My husband and I just recently test drove a new Hyundai Elantra. It was very smooth and quiet. The plastic knobs and buttons did not feel cheap at all to me. I liked the car, but want a hatchback (there were none on the lot that day). The same night we drove by the Honda dealer and the Fits were in! We were excited to get in and play with the seats. The dealer only got in three manuals, though, so we couldn't test drive. The car is very cute but I'm not sure it'll be big enough for my needs.

I just recently added a bunch of wallpapers I've made for the Fit/Jazz to my husband's website. I'd been scouring the internet for months looking for good pictures and wallpapers and finally just made my own. Please click the link below to enjoy them yourselves!

Honda Fit wallpaper

strager

For those of you who have seen the Lunar Mist - is it silver or light metallic blue?

backy

Light metallic blue describes it pretty well--really a silvery light blue. I think it's quite attractive.

thatsmycall

I liked the whole car immediatly. It did feel open and big to me. I notice how my size 13 shoes could have used a bit more room though. I don't think I could work the clutch, and not with boots. Really I didn't expect any thing more from honda

It's is funny how I am willing to forgive things about the fit. I usually won't even consider a car with out a map light.

The Xb has a lot more driver leg room. My family would just not go for that look. Also I don't think the mileage would be as good for me as the Fit.

I think the price is kind of crazy if you just want a car to go from a to b. But the fit seems more like A to Z car you want to hit all the points in between. It's got that "hey what's over there" attitude. We have a 04 Oddy and it is a bore, your compelled to merely lumbar toward your DEstination.

thegraduate

Sat in the Fit today (Sport, Red, 5AT). VERY upscale interior for a $15k car. I came away very impressed with fluidity of switchgear, roominess, wonderful magic rear seats (makes the car in a class above, IMO) etc. I didn't have time to drive it, but it didn't matter because it was already sold!

I liked the Fit a LOT, but came up a little short in front legroom. With a little more seat travel, the car might've worked. My mom (5'5") sat behind me with the seat all the way and had enough, not extra, room. About like the interior of my 1996 Accord, except a couple inches less front legroom. Not bad considering the fact that you can park this car anywhere a shopping cart can go! (Ok, that's a stretch, but it WAS very diminuitive!)

Sylvia

Remember - you can start a new discussion in the Honda Fit board -> http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f09fe85/ Also - if you click "Track this Group" for the board, you'll never miss a new discussion again.

I've moved some sub-threads from here out into their own discussions.

Honda Fit - seat adjustment issues
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c137a

Honda Fit v. Hyundai Accent
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c135a

Addressing the Fit's shortcomings
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c136d

Any questions about pricing - US or Canadian - were moved to the Honda Fit: Prices Paid & Buying Experiences discussion http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0a9091.f0a848d

I think we need Fit v. xB and Fit v. Mazda (?) discussions as well... yes?

qwalls

I think we need Fit v. xB and Fit v. Mazda (?) discussions as well... yes?

I'd like to see a Fit vs. xB thread since those are two of the vehicles I'm considering to replace my '94 Legend.

Sylvia

Coming right up... check the main Honda Fit board in a minute for it.

mwqa

I'm a bit disappointed with what Honda has delivered.

It's annoying that Honda is selling the Fit as a premium subcompact, with a price to match (especially in Canada!), yet very obviously cutting corners at the same time.

The Fit is a great car, but I've been reminded that there are other cars yet to join the party. Yes, there’s the Versa and the VW Rabbit, but more importantly there is the Suzuki Swift (the real one) due in 2007 and probably the Mazda 2.

I’m lucky. I can wait another year. Waiting at this point seems prudent. With more competition, maybe Honda will pay more attention to the details and I’ll feel better about buying a Fit. Or maybe I’ll buy a Mazda 2 instead.

Sylvia

More discussions:

Honda Fit v. Scion xB
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c1392

Fit v Mazda Protege 5
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c139f

Fit v Mazda 3 5 Door
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c13a0/

Honda Fit - Gas Mileage Report
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c139c

reddroverr

Then you get to feel like you are busting their chops for trying to get a car at MSRP. Like they are doing you some great favor. I would walk away from a dealer like that too.

hungarian83

Is the Suzuki Swift only going to Canada?

I have to say the new Suzuki Swift (the real one, not the rebadged Daewoo) is an excellent little car...no comparison to previous generations.
I've seen it in person though and it's very small and not nearly as versatile as the Fit. Still, if it was being offered in the US, I would have considered it...

hungarian83

In case anyone wants to read the C&D article about the Fit and the 6 other subcompacts...

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/10925/15000-cheap-skates.html

plekto

Everyone complains.

It's a Mini competitor for a huge amount less money. In that light, it compares wonderfully. There's the luxury Mini version for $18-20K, and there's the $14K version from Honda that's more basic but drives the same.

Expecting it to be a Civic - well, it's not. Get over it. It's an entire size category smaller.

backy

Can you help me understand what it is we are supposed to discuss here? It isn't opinions of the Fit and its feature content (those were moved to a different discussion); it isn't info about the Fit such as its driving position (those were moved to a different discussion); it isn't driving experiences (those were moved to a different discussion). And buying experiences and comparisions to other cars are other discussions, which is consistent with Town Hall practice. So, what is it we are supposed to talk about here? Thanks.

Sylvia

Rather than having 1 long discussion with 18,000 posts that are difficult to navigate and cover everything from buying, opinions, oil, etc. we have created a board for almost all makes and models so people can have smaller, more targeted discussions. This makes it easier for people to find what they are looking for. It also allows for an entire board to cater to the different needs of the owners and potential owners of a vehicle and make it more of a "club" type atmosphere where a single discussion can't do that. You should be noticing this change across all of our Forums.

mwqa

According to this link, the Swift is coming to everyone.

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/01/suzuki_to_bring.html#more

I am more interested in the Mazda2, however.

I like Mazdas.

backy

This is a really dumb idea, IMO. Now instead of tracking one discussion to discuss a car, we need to track several. (I would have sent this comment to you in an email, but your email is private.)

719b

i agree with backy. following all the fit forums will stop being fun and end up being a nuisance.
if having 18000 postings in one forum is the problem, just close this one and open a "honda fit 2" forum.
i feel most readers prefer "one stop shopping" for their honda fit needs... at least me and my new best friend backy does.