Honda Fit Review

2008 Honda Fit Hatchback

The Honda Fit is a subcompact four-door hatchback perfect for getting you through times of increasingly expensive fuel with a cheerful, economical, less-is-more attitude. Built to Honda's usual exacting, world-class standards, the Fit proves that a hip, desirable car can be affordable for most anyone.

Already an established and popular Honda vehicle in Japan and Europe, we expect that success will also follow it here in the U.S. The Honda Fit is a smart, nearly perfect choice for consumers living in congested urban areas. The vehicle's strengths include snappy handling, interior adaptability and high quality, at a relatively low price.

Introduced for the 2007 model year, the Fit is Honda's smallest and most affordable product. In terms of size, the Fit hatchback is about 20 inches shorter than a Civic sedan -- yet if measured by interior volume, the Fit nearly matches the passenger space of the much larger, midsize Accord. Honda has managed this by using an innovative, highly versatile "Magic Seat" seating arrangement, a compact suspension design and the placement of the fuel tank underneath the passenger seat.

Current Honda Fit

The Honda Fit is available in two complete trim levels with no factory options available -- though dealers offer a line of Honda-approved accessories to personalize the Fit. The base version adheres more strictly to a minimalist philosophy, with spartan exterior styling and compact 14-inch wheels. Inside, however, you'll find electric-assist power steering, air-conditioning and a CD player. More to our liking, though, is the uplevel Sport trim. This better-equipped, driver-oriented model features larger 15-inch alloy wheels, stickier tires, exterior styling pieces, keyless entry, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a premium MP3-compatible audio system with an auxiliary audio jack.

As is typically the case for a Honda vehicle, the Fit's interior controls are intelligently designed and its materials are of high quality. And considering its subcompact status, the Honda Fit also impresses with its surprisingly roomy and versatile nature. Much of the credit for this goes to the car's second-row, 60/40-split Magic Seat design. The rear seats can be placed into four different configurations that can be used for different passenger or cargo needs. For regular use, the three-person rear seat offers seating dimensions similar to those of a small sedan. Folding the rear seat flat provides a surprising 41.9 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

Both trim levels are front-wheel drive and are equipped with a 1.5-liter, 109-horsepower four-cylinder engine. A five-speed manual transmission is standard and a five-speed automatic is optional. Fit Sports with the automatic also have steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles.

Because of its approximately 2,500-pound curb weight, the subcompact Honda Fit feels light and responsive when cornering and accelerating. Expect 0-60-mph sprints in fewer than 10 seconds with either transmission. Fuel economy is impressive. One downside is that while the car seems solid, well insulated and less tinny than other cars in its class, at highway speeds the engine makes its presence known. But overall, the Honda Fit provides about as much fun, satisfaction and value as you'll find in a small economy car.

SELECT A SPECIFIC HONDA FIT MODEL YEAR*

* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.