|
|
Search | Site Map | Newsletter | RSS | About CD | Contact Us | Advertise |
|
| Canada's Online Auto Magazine |
|
 |  |
 February 8, 2008
Test Drive: 2008 Honda Fit
five-speed manual
2008 Honda Fit Well, for 2008, Honda's engineers managed to squeeze a little extra fuel economy out of the Fit equipped with the standard five-speed manual transmission without having to remove the airbags or ABS, and it now qualifies for the $1,000 ecoAUTO rebate. It now averages 6.4 L/100 km (44.1 m.p.g.), just under the 6.5 L cutoff. Unfortunately, the Fit with the optional five-speed automatic transmission does not qualify as its combined fuel consumption is 6.7 L/100 km (42.2 m.p.g.).
Compared to the half dozen or so other subcompact hatchbacks on the market, the primary appeal of the Fit is its incredibly clever seating and cargo arrangements and its surprisingly roomy cabin - in fact, the Fit's cabin is only slightly smaller than a Civic sedan, and the Fit has more cargo space. While the comparably-priced Nissan Versa hatchback is roomier than the Fit, it's also a larger vehicle, and not quite as nimble, manoeuvrable or 'parkable' as the Fit. The Honda Fit is also, arguably, the most fun-to-drive of all the little hatches, and though not exactly a powerhouse, is quite a sporty machine.
Pricing and standard equipment
The base price of the 2008 Honda Fit DX remains the same as last year, $14,980, while the mid-level LX has gone up by $200 to $17,380, and the top-of-the-line Sport has gone up by $100 to $19,580. Various options can bring the price of a loaded Fit into the mid $20,000 range.
One item that's missing from the standard equipment list is a cargo privacy cover - it's part of a $248 option package on DX and LX models. As well an engine block heater costs an extra $170. The Fit LX, at $17,380, adds air conditioning, power mirrors, power door locks (optional keyless remote), cruise control with illuminated buttons on the steering wheel, and an extra couple of stereo speakers.
A five-speed automatic transmission is optional ($1,200) on the DX and LX models, and on Sport models, adds steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters ($1,300). Some features are not available in the Fit, including a sunroof, Bluetooth hands-free phone, premium audio system, and electronic stability control. For driving enthusiasts, manual transmission cars can be equipped with a $2,652 "Car Buff" package which includes 16-inch alloy wheels (but no tires), sport front grille, sport muffler, special shift knob, and unique silver interior trim. There are other appearance packages as well. My test car was a Fit LX with the standard manual transmission. With a $1,295 Freight charge and $100 A/C tax, the as-tested price of my test car came to $18,775.
Interior impressions
With its tall roof, upright sides, big doors, and raised seats, the Fit is easy to get in and out of for both front and rear occupants, and once inside offers plenty of headroom for four adult passengers. The middle rear seat is confined by the Fit's narrow body width, but there is a three-point seatbelt and head restraint for the centre rear passenger should you need to squeeze someone in. The driver's door can be unlocked with one turn of the key, while all the other doors and the trunk unlock with two turns, a nice security feature (a remote unlocking fob is available). Once inside, the driver sits tall in an upright seat which is very comfortable and supportive. The driver's outward visibility is excellent, even though the driver's seat is not height adjustable. Notable are the small triangular side windows near the windshield, the third side windows at the rear, and a large rear window with a defroster, wiper and washer.
Front occupants have plenty of footroom up front but unfortunately there's no driver's dead pedal; my car had durable, black rubber floor mats which are waterproof and washable. On the front passenger side floor, there is a bulge which can interfere with the passenger's feet: it's there because the Fit's fuel tank was moved under the seats in order to lower the rear cargo floor. The lower centre console has some useful open storage compartments - a small box with a 12-volt outlet and auxiliary jack just ahead of two cupholders with handle slots. There's also a slot beside the centre handbrake, a small bin behind the handbrake, a cupholder at the rear of the centre console, and bottle holders in the doors. On the dashboard to the left of the driver is an open storage bin for coins or garage door openers, and in front of the passenger is a slot for pens or coins. But aside from the glovebox, there are no covered storage areas. And since a rear privacy cover is optional, items in the trunk can be seen from the outside without it.
In the 'Tall Object mode', objects up to 128 cm (50 in.) tall, such as bicycles, can be stored vertically behind the front seats. Simply pull up the rear seat cushions against the seat cushion to lock them in place. I didn't try it, but I think you could get two bicycles in there. In the 'Long Object mode', the right front seat can be folded flat. Combined with the right rear seatback folded flat, the Fit offers a load length of 240 cm (94.5 in.) on one side of the interior. The 'Refresh' mode allows the right rear passenger to 'put their feet up'. After removing the right front head restraint, the front passenger seatback is folded back 90 degrees, allowing the rear passenger to put their feet up and relax. This could be useful when taking a nap at a rest stop.
The Fit's standard safety features are impressive for a car that starts under $15,000: dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags; front side airbags with passenger-side occupant position detection system; side curtain airbags, five head restraints, five three-point safety belts, childproof rear door locks, and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) for child seats. In a small car like this, side and curtain airbags in particular, have been shown to offer increased protection in side impacts. However, while the NHTSA gave the Fit five stars for the driver and front passenger in frontal crash tests, and five stars for the front passenger in side crash tests, the rear seat passenger got only three stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Fit a "Good" rating in frontal and side crash tests, but a "Poor" rating in rear crash tests. See www.safercar.gov, www.hwysafety.org for more details.
Driving impressions
The engine can be a bit noisy at high revs, but cruising down the freeway at 100 km/h in fifth gear, the engine turns over a fairly relaxed 2,500 r.p.m. and becomes a distant buzz. Official fuel consumption figures are 7.1 L/100 km City; 5.7 L/100 km Highway but unfortunately my attempts to calculate my own fuel consumption were frustrated by an optimistic fuel gauge. Though the tank read "Full" when I picked it up, it had already been driven an unknown number of kilometres - the fuel gauge needle continued to show "Full" for another 40 kilometres before it moved. I don't know if this is a problem with other Fits.
The Fit's electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering (EPS) is one of the best things about the Fit - it's light, quick, accurate and fun. However, the Fit's 10.5 metre (34.4 ft.) turning diameter is a bit wide for a car with a 2450 mm (96.4 in.) wheelbase. The Yaris hatchback's turning diameter, for example, is 9.4 metres (30.8 ft.). Perhaps the most irritating thing about the Fit DX and LX are its skinny P175/65R14-inch tires, in my case Dunlop SP 37 all-seasons. When cornering, the Fit feels "undertired" with not enough rubber gripping the road - plus, they look really small on the car. Unfortunately, the P195/55R15-inch tires that are standard on the Sport model are not offered as options on the LX.
As I mentioned, visibility is very good but I should point out that the rear wiper doesn't have an intermittent wipe setting, so the wiper needs to be turned on and off in light rain or snow.
Verdict
Fun-to-drive with great fuel economy and a roomy, cleverly-designed cabin and cargo area, the Honda Fit is one of the more enjoyable small cars on the market.
Greg Wilson is a Vancouver-based automotive journalist and editor of CanadianDriver |
 | |
|
|
|
| ||||||
|
| ||||||
