CD Article: 2008 Honda Fit LX, five-speed manual

[CD_Editor]

Test Drive:


The 2008 Honda Fit with a manual transmission now qualifies for the federal government's $1,000 ecoAUTO rebate, reports editor-in-chief, Greg Wilson.  Fun-to-drive and amazingly roomy, the Fit LX is "one of the more enjoyable small cars on the market," he says.

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Read the article | View the photos | All The Test Drives

[tpl]

Now we have owned our Fit LX  5MT for a year I have to agree with the review as being accurate.  We have the cargo cover, the winter floor mats and the block heater.

We have averaged about 43 mpg over a year  (7800km only) with the worst tankful at 36 mpg... that was a week where it was cold and the longest trip was about 10 km. Pretty good IMHO

It would be greatly improved by some stickier tires for traction and a larger diameter wheel and tire for looks.
I find the lack of intermittent on the rear wiper slightly annoying. The rear window defroster is slow to heat up.

A six speed manual would make expressway cruising quieter.  It may be ok at 100 km/h but at 130 it is revving higher and is quite noisy.

Maintenance so far has been one dealer oil change at $41 and there is a recall that says that over the long term a wiring connector for the passenger airbag occupant detection system is not well enough sealed ( its under the carpet) and may corrode.


For all its 109 bhp, they are very willing horses and we have no trouble keeping up with traffic although I'd think twice about an overtaking manoeuvre on a 2-laner with the A/c on. 

[Cam]

I am surprised that the review doesn't mention that there is a new model in the pipeline; when will Honda bring us the version already out in other parts of the world?

[tpl]

Is the new one actually out everywhere yet ?  The Honda UK web site is still showing the same as the one we get

[safristi]

I thought we showed piks of the new 2009 PHIT on here a few months back...I imagine it will debut in the Fall this year?...........let's get FIT ICKLE....

[Cortina]

We have averaged about 43 mpg over a year  (7800km only) with the worst tankful at 36 mpg... that was a week where it was cold and the longest trip was about 10 km. Pretty good IMHO

Honda Civic seams to get slightly better fuel millage. Which I can think is strange. Considering it is a bigger car.

[A Great Car for the money]

I have had a 2008 Honda Fit for three months now and I have to say it is simply fantastic. The car is incredibly well built, has excellent content and is an absolute blast to drive. The car exudes engineering and quality. My last car was Korean and it was nowhere as good as the Fit.

Sure, the fit is a little more money but it also has much more content and hey, it a Honda. A made in Japan Honda. It will be worth at least 50% of new value in five years. Thus, the Fit is worth an extra $50 a month on the lease payment.

That aside, the car is simply the most fun small car I have ever driven, it has incredible versatility and roominess. To rebut another poster wanting a 6th gear, the Fit is a high revver and drives the best when above 2500 rpm.

I get 38 mpg in Vancouver traffic and 48 mpg on the highway. No Korean car can touch that, the engineering is just not there

[carcrazy]

I have had a 2008 Honda Fit for three months now and I have to say it is simply fantastic. The car is incredibly well built, has excellent content and is an absolute blast to drive. The car exudes engineering and quality. My last car was Korean and it was nowhere as good as the Fit.

Sure, the fit is a little more money but it also has much more content and hey, it a Honda. A made in Japan Honda. It will be worth at least 50% of new value in five years. Thus, the Fit is worth an extra $50 a month on the lease payment.

That aside, the car is simply the most fun small car I have ever driven, it has incredible versatility and roominess. To rebut another poster wanting a 6th gear, the Fit is a high revver and drives the best when above 2500 rpm.

I get 38 mpg in Vancouver traffic and 48 mpg on the highway. No Korean car can touch that, the engineering is just not there

Isn't this a bit too optimistic?

[safristi]

well HIS name is "A GREAT Car for the MONEY.........has an aboriginal ring to F  IT ......Jealous???

[tpl]

I have had a 2008 Honda Fit for three months now and I have to say it is simply fantastic. The car is incredibly well built, has excellent content and is an absolute blast to drive. The car exudes engineering and quality. My last car was Korean and it was nowhere as good as the Fit.

Sure, the fit is a little more money but it also has much more content and hey, it a Honda. A made in Japan Honda. It will be worth at least 50% of new value in five years. Thus, the Fit is worth an extra $50 a month on the lease payment.

That aside, the car is simply the most fun small car I have ever driven, it has incredible versatility and roominess. To rebut another poster wanting a 6th gear, the Fit is a high revver and drives the best when above 2500 rpm.

I get 38 mpg in Vancouver traffic and 48 mpg on the highway. No Korean car can touch that, the engineering is just not there

Isn't this a bit too optimistic?

We have never managed a whole tank at 48mpg, We got a 45mpg tank once in the early fall with 90% highway driving at only about 90-105 km/h.  I don't rev ours all that much, we get around rarely exceeding 3800-4000 rpm.

[Schmengie]

 I agree that the Fit's an impressive car, very well-built and with some ingenious features. The car's roomy for it's size, but we just couldn't get past how small the car felt when we were sitting in it. It may have something to do with the low dash or the controls that all felt and looked smaller than we liked, it's kind of hard to put a finger on it. I was put off by the high price too - $19,000 + for the model we were interested in is a bit much for this class of car. Then there's the lack of a standard cargo-cover and block heater and the dealer, well, I'm not even going to go there.

We got a well-equipped '08 Versa for a lot less than we would have paid for the Fit. It may not be as 'fun' to drive for some, but it feels and drives like a much more substantial car.

[safristi]

  so can we call U "Less Fun But More filling"...........   that outta FIX him or Vice Versa.............

[stickshift]

I thought we showed piks of the new 2009 PHIT on here a few months back...I imagine it will debut in the Fall this year?...........let's get FIT ICKLE....

I know we ran a short news item on the new Fit. Can't find it, but here are the pics:

http://www.canadiandriver.com/galleries/2009/index.php?level=album&id=17

[PJungnitsch]

The Fit is expensive, largely because Honda is using a high 1.31 pricing scale Canada vs US. If they match Toyota's current 1.15 scale with the new 2009 model prices could come down quite a bit.

At the Honda dealer here Fit's seem to sit on the lot forever and you hardly see any around town. Apparently in the States they are in much higher demand.

[tpl]

I agree that the Fit's an impressive car, very well-built and with some ingenious features. The car's roomy for it's size, but we just couldn't get past how small the car felt when we were sitting in it. It may have something to do with the low dash or the controls that all felt and looked smaller than we liked, it's kind of hard to put a finger on it. I was put off by the high price too - $19,000 + for the model we were interested in is a bit much for this class of car. Then there's the lack of a standard cargo-cover and block heater and the dealer, well, I'm not even going to go there.

We got a well-equipped '08 Versa for a lot less than we would have paid for the Fit. It may not be as 'fun' to drive for some, but it feels and drives like a much more substantial car.

Mrs tpl looked hard at the Versa and liked it except that:
the abs was noisy... to be fair the test drive was on a very icy -19 day in feb last year.
to get into reverse she had to pull up a ring around the gearshift with two fingers and as she has arthritis in her hands.... that ruled it out.  I liked it as I like Renaults way of doing things.
Here in Ont in Feb 2007  a Versa SL and the Fit Lx were essentially the same on the road price

The Fit is bigger inside than my BMW and I am 6' and well over 200 lbs and I feel its big... its all what you like I guess.

[safristi]

6' and ovr 200lbs and with a PITH helmet ......... WOT's NOT TA LIKE....

[PJungnitsch]

Mrs tpl looked hard at the Versa and liked it except that:
the abs was noisy... to be fair the test drive was on a very icy -19 day in feb last year.

The ABS on the Versa does sound like the suspension is falling apart, and when I test drove my parents new car on snow covered roads it activated almost every time I touched the brakes. The problem though is the crap stock tires. When my parents replaced the stockers with Nokian WR's they hardly hear the ABS working anymore.

[safristi]

den why doan the Company wotssits name... like.... Missa n' make dem tyres stock like...an storp pizzing of buyaahs eh!!??    like wots that about?

[Michael Gallant]

It appears to be true.  Why only in Quebec?

newswire dot ca /en/releases/archive/February2008/11/c8712.html

The base price of the Accent in 'Quebec' is now below $10,000 have I read somewhere. It does not have anywhere near an actual consumption average of 43or so mpg, though, in normal driving, from my expaerience. Only about 82% or so of posted figure over a long period. With vehicles this size I suspect that it is always a trade off between wheel size and interior room. Wider tread width might improve it though.
I wonder if there is going to be a lot of one way bus and train trips to Quebec and will Hyundai honor the waranty in Ontario if the above news is true.

[kimchipig]

The Fit is not a cheap car for its size but it is a Honda. It will last for years. It is also not for everyone. It is a rip snortin' rarin' car to drive. If you like gunning for every corner you see, the Fit is the perfect car for you. If you are more interested in a quiet ride and features another car might suit you better.

Here in Vancouver there are many Fits on the road which is quite an accomplishment since the car has only been offered in Canada since 2007. And regarding resale, clean ten year old Civics routinely sell for $7000 plus here. I have absolutely no doubt that mine will be worth $7500 in five years. Sure a made in Mexico Renault-Nissan has more features for the dollar but the next time I drive to Whistler, I will remember why I drive a Honda.

And the Fit is a Honda. Only Honda makes cars that you can depend on going 300,000 km plus. Even Toyota doesn't and the interior of the Yaris and the Corolla are plasticky and cheap looking.