Honda Fit

[member12]

Anyone here own one of these little bugs?

On truedelta they seem to get great mileage. I am amazed that Honda can sell an Aveo-sized and powered car for up to $17K. It seems like a good, high quality little car.

I am a big Mazda 3 (five door) fan. This seems like a decent, though slower, alternative.

I'm not about to buy one...I still paying down the Silverado. I am just curious as to how yall think about this. I don't understand how Honda can get such great mileage out of a 109 hp engine when the Aveo doesn't. There is no reason Chevy can't design a good 1.6L engine.

[vsd]

I was about to buy one last summer, but decided to wait and get something bigger. But I test drove it, and it was a great little car, it did not feel like driving a penalty box, the suspension was ultra-responsive, and the steering was light enough for parking lot driving, but weighted enough for a good feel, and it gave good feedback. The 5 speed auto was good too, and fun to drive in sport mode w/ the paddle shifters.

I'm fairly sure the reason they were able to sell it here at the price is because it has already paid for itself being on the market in other countries 3 years before it made it here, paying for the development and making quite a healthy profit, and continuing to pull in the profits elsewhere. Then selling in the US at no profit or maybe even a loss, but gaining the sub-compact customers, most likely younger customers, from who it can get lifelong customers, profiting greatly in the future. Of course I base all this on absolutely nothing.

[Mr. Burns]

It's a terrible car IMO. It feels really cheap and very unsafe and no doubt overpriced for the H on the hood. I would never buy one.

[Minnesota Nice]

Originally Posted by Mr. Burns

It's a terrible car IMO. It feels really cheap and very unsafe and no doubt overpriced for the H on the hood. I would never buy one.

Really? You're the first person I've ever heard to say that. Everyone I've talked to thinks the quality is outstanding. Period. Small car or not. The assembly is next to flawless, especially compared to the Civics.

On the Civic forum I post on, many owners also own a Fit, and they are disgusted that their $20,000 Civic has a cheaper build quality than the base model Fit.

Personally, if I were in that market, I'd be buying a Fit in a heartbeat. I don't mind how they look, they have a ton of interior room, their safe, and, actually, fun to drive.

If you don't think it's fun to drive, go try a Versa. You'll be begging for the Fit.



Then again, I've always liked the Fit. I just wish it offered a sunroof, navigation, or satillite radio. If it did, the Civic would be gone in a heartbeat.

[unkillsam]

Originally Posted by Minnesota Nice

Really? You're the first person I've ever heard to say that. Everyone I've talked to thinks the quality is outstanding. Period. Small car or not. The assembly is next to flawless, especially compared to the Civics.

On the Civic forum I post on, many owners also own a Fit, and they are disgusted that their $20,000 Civic has a cheaper build quality than the base model Fit.

Personally, if I were in that market, I'd be buying a Fit in a heartbeat. I don't mind how they look, they have a ton of interior room, their safe, and, actually, fun to drive.

If you don't think it's fun to drive, go try a Versa. You'll be begging for the Fit.



Then again, I've always liked the Fit. I just wish it offered a sunroof, navigation, or satillite radio. If it did, the Civic would be gone in a heartbeat.

So all you want is a sunroof and nav? Not the 198 hp engine?

[Bravada]

Actually, the Fit got very good reviews around here, not only for the interior versatility, but also being fun to drive, with very good handling and surprisingly punchy engine (I don't know which unit you get in the US). Interior quality is nothing extraordinary, but I guess still better than the new Yaris. For what I've seen, the USDM Civic sedan is definitely no better, to day the least...

You don't get much choices in the supermini segment in the US, so I would say the Fit is one of the better.

[coaster.n3rd]

I enjoyed the Fit. Favorite of the econ-o boxes. I think the Aveo offers more content and value, but Fit offers a nice ride.

[Htay7500]

my dad wouldve gone for the fit if the accord didn't come to his mind. it should drive around town well.

[Htay7500]

Originally Posted by vsd

I was about to buy one last summer, but decided to wait and get something bigger. But I test drove it, and it was a great little car, it did not feel like driving a penalty box, the suspension was ultra-responsive, and the steering was light enough for parking lot driving, but weighted enough for a good feel, and it gave good feedback. The 5 speed auto was good too, and fun to drive in sport mode w/ the paddle shifters.

I'm fairly sure the reason they were able to sell it here at the price is because it has already paid for itself being on the market in other countries 3 years before it made it here, paying for the development and making quite a healthy profit, and continuing to pull in the profits elsewhere. Then selling in the US at no profit or maybe even a loss, but gaining the sub-compact customers, most likely younger customers, from who it can get lifelong customers, profiting greatly in the future. Of course I base all this on absolutely nothing.

I see both men and women young and old drive this. thats what I see at my local dealer.

[montrealvue]

Everyone I know that have a Fit absolutely love it. Honda did a fantastic job with this one. I think it's great but I found the legroom for the driver a bit limited. Then again, it's a subcompact so who am I kidding.

[Mr. Burns]

Originally Posted by Minnesota Nice

Really? You're the first person I've ever heard to say that. Everyone I've talked to thinks the quality is outstanding. Period. Small car or not. The assembly is next to flawless, especially compared to the Civics.

On the Civic forum I post on, many owners also own a Fit, and they are disgusted that their $20,000 Civic has a cheaper build quality than the base model Fit.

Personally, if I were in that market, I'd be buying a Fit in a heartbeat. I don't mind how they look, they have a ton of interior room, their safe, and, actually, fun to drive.

If you don't think it's fun to drive, go try a Versa. You'll be begging for the Fit.



Then again, I've always liked the Fit. I just wish it offered a sunroof, navigation, or satillite radio. If it did, the Civic would be gone in a heartbeat.

I always thought that too, but in person it really is a POS. As is the Civic (on the inside).

[t-rex]

Traditionally, Japanese companies took a back seat to Europe in the B-class hatch segment. The Micra and Yaris closed the gap, but it was the Fit that firmly put the Japanese in the same league as Europe's best small car makers. Globally, the Fit as become sort of the de facto benchmark of B-class hatch design, much to the chagrin of Europe's finest.

The reason the Aveo's economy is so bad is because of ancient technology. Its engine isn't the modern iteration of Opel's 16-valvers, it's a 16-valve redesign of the old Family II engine (remember the OHC Pontiac J2000s of the 80s? Yep, it's that basic design). The transmissions are also of an old design.

The Aveo is inferior in all aspects because it's a Daewoo orphan adopted by GM. Slapping a Chevy bowtie or Holden griffin on it didn't improve its quality any. Daewoo's products were deeply rooted in early 80s GM platforms. Once we see the Gamma Aveo replacement in a few years, it'll be towards the top of the class, that is if the Gamma Corsa is anything to go by. Although in its defence, the Aveo does quite well for using such outdated platform and technology.

[Minnesota Nice]

Originally Posted by unkillsam

So all you want is a sunroof and nav? Not the 198 hp engine?

197 .

But my problem with the car isn't the engine (which is a great engine by the way) or even how it drives. It's a fantastic car, but the build quality is very upsetting to me and the third gear has some major issues.

At this point, I want more economy over performance. Sad, hey lol.

[t-rex]

Originally Posted by Bravada

For what I've seen, the USDM Civic sedan is definitely no better, to day the least...

The USDM Civic is a cheapened version of the global Civic. That's because Americans, in general, can't grasp the concept of paying for something intangible, like quality.

That's why I'm not a fan of American or designed-for-North-America Japanese products. I don't mind cheap from a cheap brand such as Kia, but Honda for years meant higher quality. My wife's Accord doesn't have half the features offered on Accords in Oz/NZ, and it's noticeably cheaper in fit, finish, and materials too. That's because Honda had to decontent it to sell it for $19.99 in the US.

Just compare the new, horrifically cheap and trashy USDM Maxima with the far higher quality Japanese model that preceded it. Why Americans not only accept, but strangely prefer, low grade crap over something of higher quality continues to astound me. Especially when the difference between them often times accounts to such a marginally small amount.

[member12]

Originally Posted by Minnesota Nice

197 .

But my problem with the car isn't the engine (which is a great engine by the way) or even how it drives. It's a fantastic car, but the build quality is very upsetting to me and the third gear has some major issues.

At this point, I want more economy over performance. Sad, hey lol.

Civic Si?

Those are pretty nice. I didn't realize they had quality issues. What kind of build quality issues are the problem? I find the smaller Honda products very good for the price.