Honda Fit vs. Scion xA vs. Toyota Matrix

Mr_Shiftright · September 2006

Oh sure many parts of the world use smaller cars, mainly because of high fuel prices or the mere fact that American cars wouldn't fit in their streets!

Absolutely, no 4 person family in America "needs" anything more than a Fit--no argument from me there.

crazedcommuter · September 2006

I liked driving the Versa and am willing to buy one but I can't find one yet with anti-lock brakes. The rear seats were roomier than the Fit and Matrix and also more comfortable to ride on. They are supposedly the same size seats from the Maxima. The gauges were clear and the engine was smooth. I drove the SL trim with the CVT tranny and quickly got used to the absence of shift points but I also missed the high revs and hard shifting. Also I priced 1 out at Hamilton Nissan in Hagerstown, Md last week and talked turkey with the salesman and his manager. My wife and I had cash and offered the salesman $500 less than his deal. The sales manager refused the offer by telling us that at our offered price he was losing $600 on the car. My wife asked him how Nissan could afford to loose $100 on every Versa (the difference between our $500 offer and his $600 statement) and he said because Nissan "just does". What a pile of Phi! He handed me his business card and said if I reconsidered his price I should call him. I tossed it on the table and told him that I won't be needing it again. I'll look for another dealer to buy the Versa. I liked it that much.

crazedcommuter · September 2006

It's obvious that you haven't rode in the back seat of the Fit for a period of time of more than a few minutes. I'm 6'2" and 230lbs and it's small back there. My wife is 5'6" and a svelte 125lb soccer mom. She hated the back seat too. We both rode back there for 15-20 minutes of the test drive. My 15 yr. old daughter(5'2") said the ride and seat were "ok for the car. My 17 yr old son (6') hated the back seat and said his knees bang up on the front seat backs and the cushion was too short. Maybe we're spoiled with the XB's cavernous interior. Maybe you should ride in the back of the XB for a while because it's bigger than Buick's that I sat in.

plekto · September 2006

Did you have the seats all the way back? There is a second "stop" that reclines them several inches farther back. It's really quite large compared to most other cars as long as you don't have the front seats all the way back.

hungarian83 · September 2006

I rode in the back seat of my own Fit for about 2 hours. I am about 5'10" and 160 pounds.
Very comfortable and roomy....and the seat was up in the first position.

I have taken many others (none of them smaller than 5'6") for rides between 10 minutes and 2 hours in the back seat. I have so far not received one complaint, and in fact people are astonished how large the rear area feels (relative to exterior size). In fact, one of my friends is about as big as you and he was really amazed at how roomy it felt.
Are you coming from a very large car/SUV?

psion_wedge · September 2006

I've got an xA. Love it. 28-30 mpg in city (Phx. w/ lots of stop & go.) Maneuverability is great, even around all the big SUVs in parking lots. (In fact, I often back into spots so I have good visibility pulling out & don't have to try looking both ways while backing out.) Also, I looked at the Yaris first, but it had no tachometer (which I use to keep my gas mileage up) and no power features. The xA has power locks & windows. Only drawback: I've gotten used to the centralized meters, but still don't check the gas meter as often as I should because it's in the lower part of the speedometer.
One more thing: if your daughter has an iPod, you could get the iPod deck so she can plug the iPod in & control it from the deck. Great sound system.

acura03g · November 2006

I test drove fit sport auto and matrix XR auto. Matrix XR with EVP#2 (cruise control, sunroof, 16" alloy wheels), ABS, 6 speaker audio is about $1200 more than Fit Sport.

Fit Sport's interior does feel CHEAP. No map lights, no passenger vanity mirror, no dead pedal, no center armrest. But it's cheaper and has better gas mileage and better side crash rating than the Matrix.

Matrix: bigger space, faster, has sunroof, and a bigger gas tank.

So far I'm leaning towards Matrix.

anotherscott · November 2006

re: "Matrix: bigger space, faster, has sunroof, and a bigger gas tank."

The Matrix is often not bigger space.

Length of cargo area:
Matrix: <58", of which <49" is at full height (height slopes down toward the rear)
Fit: 56", of which 51" is mostly at full height before the rear slope
though the Matrix has additional overhang length (unsupported space behind the front seats)

Height of cargo area:
Fit: Mostly 40"
Matrix: mostly 35"

Width of cargo area:
Fit: >40" at the wheel wells, with a large area approaching 50" in front of the wheel wells
Matrix: <41" at the wheel wells, but only a small portion ever gets much larger

Also, as to whether the bigger gas tank is an advantage depends on gallons-times-mpg. If the bigger gas tank doesn't take you any farther (because its fuel economy isn't as good), then it's not really an advantage, because it doesn't really mean you'd have to fill up any less often, it just means you have to pay more every time you do.

acura03g · November 2006

Passenger volume: Matrix 96 cu ft, Fit 90 (matrix 7% bigger)
maximum cargo: Matrix 53, Fit 42. (matrix 26% bigger)

Per tankful: Matrix 449/370 (miles hwy/local)
Fit 400/335 (matrix 13% more miles per tankful)

bobw3 · November 2006

I looked at the Matrix too, but for me the orange dash lights with orange needles were really hard to read during the day. At night no problem, but during the day during my test drive I found myself staring at the speedo just to figure out how fast I was going. Plus to get all of the safety features in the Matrix that are standard on the Fit would really push up the price.

acura03g · November 2006

I agree the less availbility of side airbags on Matrix is a big flaw. In my region (NJ), it seems only manual models have side airbags. Auto models don't have it. and it's $555 extra.

plekto · November 2006

Check out the size of the opening on the Fit. IT may be very wide, but you can't even "fit" a 36" square box through the opening - not even close.

The Matrix/Vibe, by comparison, is useable as wide as the wheelwells. You can actually get larger objects in there.

traugh · March 2007

We already own a Honda element, traded in a Honda Van so another Honda was certainly a possibility. We also own a camry so we looked at the Matrix.

The deciding factors were the price, economy, roomy feel and the fact that we can fit my son's full size string bass in the vehicle. With the bass in, we can still transport two passengers and an amplifier. Albeit the passengers will have to both sit on the driver's side of the vehicle.

We purchased the Fit when considering all of the above.

thegraduate · March 2007

Enjoy your new wheels traugh! Keep us posted on your ownership experience.

jaded · May 2007

It was a marginal decision; i could have gone either way, I ended up with the Matrix, because: in reading comments from Honda Fit buyers, I was concerned about comments regarding #1- battery and alternator are too small (lights dim when accessories are turned on). #2-air conditioner not adequate to cool car. Knowing that this is the first year out for the Fit in USA, I am hoping Honda can remedy this-I'd hate to end up with a car with electrical problems. Also, I was concerned about riding next to 10 gals of gas; I'd rather it be in the middle: under the back seat. Other than these concerns, I loved the Fit.

bobw3 · May 2007

I was concerned about comments regarding #1- battery and alternator are too small (lights dim when accessories are turned on). Not in mine.

#2-air conditioner not adequate to cool car. Mine works great.

I was concerned about riding next to 10 gals of gas; I'd rather it be in the middle: under the back seat. Under the front seat is safer as it's more in the middle of the car.

maxwax · May 2007

I would be concerned about riding on top of the gas tank IF the fit were a completely new design. But the fit has been in very safety conscious cultures for years and we haven't heard of any extraordinary problems as compared to other vehicles.

When I think of where I'd put the gas tank in a car -- admitting I have no training in car design -- I'd actually put it exactly where it is in the Fit - under the driver's seat. What other location on a car is going to be so closely defended and protected against from catasrophe? Not the front, not the back, nor sides.. But right next to me in a safety cage.

bobw3 · May 2007

Plus if the gas tank did blow up, I doubt if the driver would be much safer having the tank two more feet to the rear of the car.

bobw3 · May 2007

I looked at getting the Matrix before I even knew the Fit existed, but I didn't like the driving position of the Fit, plus to find a Matrix with all of the safety features that come standard on the Fit, I would have had to get a lot of other stuff on the Matrix that I didn't want. I didn't like the dash layout of the Matrix and the gauges (especially the speedometer) were almost impossible for me to read during the day. It seems as though they design dashboards at night when all of the lights are on. The price was higher too on the Matrix.

lablover2 · May 2007

a friend of mine has the fit sport auto and she loves it-i don't like the seats. when i drove it the bottom of the seat doesn't seem to be long enough. it hits my thigh in an odd place and makes my leg go numb. and, her daughter has driven it and has the same complaint as i do about the seat. i also felt like i was in a death trap when i got into heavy city traffic-i felt like the vehicle was just so small. i test drove a matrix with the intent on getting one and just did not care for it. it seemed very loud-small. i also drove the mazda 3 hatch and couldn't believe how much nicer it was than anything else in its class but it was more expensive. i may try the versa if i don't work out a deal on a civic-

bobw3 · May 2007

I test drove the Corolla, Civic, Matrix, Versa, Mazda3, and Fit and went with the Fit, but it depends on your priority.

I wanted something that I could easily put in 2 carseats in the back and still have good cargo space. That pretty much eliminated the Corolla & Civic because of their sedan layout and low ceiling (as compared to the Matrix, Fit & Versa). The Civic/Corolla would be the top choice if MPG was the top priority and not interior space utilization.

I also eliminated the Mazda3 hatch because it felt cramped inside and the MPG was really poor. It would be the top choice if sportiness was the top priority.

So that left the Versa, Matrix and Fit. I explained my reasons for the Matrix, so it was toss-up between the Fit & Versa. I like the driving position of the Versa better and the 2nd row seating, but the Fit had more cargo space behind the 2nd row. Driving and handling were better in the Fit. The deciding factor is that I needed to buy something last Nov and I was told that I couldn't get a Versa with CVT transmission and ABS until the Spring '07. An added positive aspect of the Fit is that it's from Honda, which has a better reputation for reliability than Nissan.

So I went with the Fit, and 8500 miles later I'm happy with my decision based on my priorities. If all of the safety features were standard on all models of the Matrix, and if the driving position and dash layout were better, then I might have gone with the Fit...even though the Matrix has had more than its share of problems for a Toyota. And today you can get a Versa with ABS and CVT, but after some history behind the two vehicles, the quality of the Fit is still superior, as is the handling in my opinion, and the cargo space (behind the 2nd row) is still better on the Fit.

gimmegirl · May 2007

a lot of cars. My priorities were: safety, reliability, and gas mileage. I would have loved a Honda, but I think they are waaaaay over priced and the dealers wouldn't deal. I liked the Mazda3, but gas mileage was poor. I had concerns about the maintenance of the VWs. I drove the Scion A & B. Scion A drove like a little car. I liked it though; the Scion B seemed a little tinney and creaky. My BF's daughter has a Impreza, but the prices were a bit higher than I had wanted to spend, and the mileage wasn't so good.

The reality is that we have a number of good options in this category of car. I love my 5-speed XR, but probably could have been happy with any of the others.

yenching · May 2007

I was also looking to purchase the Honda Fit in July, but the release of the Scion xD (August 2007) wants me to wait a little bit and test drive the Scion xD first before I make my purchase.

Here is the information on the Scion xD

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpcontainers/do/vdp/articleId=120549/pageNumber=1

It will be an interesting comparison between the Honda Fit 2007" and the Scion xD 2008.

Mr_Shiftright · May 2007

I think the xD will be a big hit. My friends at Road & Track saw a prototype and they thought the content included was terrific for the price point. I'm definitely going to take a look. I think it comes to San Francisco for sale in July.

MrShiftright
visiting host

yenching · May 2007

Wow. Thanks Mr Shiftright. I'll keep my eyes open in SF and see if they get the car in two months from now.

I just hope that the price will not be around the Scion xB 2008 MSRP. Also hopefully the price is a little less than the Honda Fit 2007 MSRP.

I guess another perk for the Scion xD is the "Customization". http://www.scion.com/nextgen/

This is what I'm looking at in specs on the Scion xD AT and the Honda Fit Sports AT.

Scion xD AT:
Horsepower: 128
MPG: 30/34 - speculated (May change)
ABS brakes
Front, Passenger, Curtain Air Bags
Interesting Perk: Tire Monitoring System, iPod Connection, Remote Keyless Entry, Power Windows & Locks, A/C

Honda Fit AT Sport:
Horsepower: 109
MPG: 31/37
(27/34 - New MPG for 2008 reading, http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorCompareSideBySide.jsp?column=1&id=22860 )
ABS Brakes
Front, Passenger, Curtain Air Bags
Interesting Perk: Amazing Backseat Change ability, Remote Keyless Entry, Fog Lights, Power Windows & Locks, A/C
Note: MusicLink is discontinued for now.

yenching · May 2007

Oh. One more perk for the Scion cars. No price haggling. I guess they call it "Pure Price" (Kinda like Saturn pricing), where you build it and just pay what you see (excluding the additional Dealer documentation fee, destination fee, tax, license, registration, etc..).

iluvmysephia1 · May 2007

and seriously considered buying one. I like the tC a lot but want 4 doors, hence my interest in the xA. I will watch these new Scion's and see how I like them and how new owners like them.

I am now in the '08 Mitsubishi Lancer fold and digging mine to the full and don't intend on trading this pup in any time soon, so this interest in Scion is merely remote.

Remote but not remote viewing. Over.

thegraduate · May 2007

Hey iluvmysephia,

Stop in the Economy Sedans ($16k-$20k) forum and update us on your Mitsu. I'm interested to hear about your fuel economy, if ya don't mind!

Honda Fit vs. Scion xA vs. Toyota Matrix

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