[Ming]

USA: Jazzy baby Honda fit for Stateside launch - report
29 Jan 2004
Source: just-auto.com editorial team

Honda will sell a version of its baby Fit (Jazz) model in the United States beginning perhaps as early as this year, according to The Car Connection (TCC), citing a report in Japan's Nihon Keizai business newspaper.

TCC said the model would be positioned below the Civic in the US model range to rival entry-level Hyundai, Kia, and Suzuki models, and would also give Honda car to compete with Toyota's newly-launched, youth-oriented Scion brand.

Honda is deciding whether to export the car from plants in Brazil or Japan, TCC said.

The Car Connection said Honda isn?t yet talking US sales figures and added that the Brazilian plant could add an extra 20,000 units a year. If the dollar continues to weaken, Brazil would get the nod, but, with Honda planning to expand sales in other South American countries, US Fits are more likely to come from Japan.

TCC expects US Fit prices to start around $10,000, undercutting the starter Civic by $3000.

Competition will also include cheap Korean-made Chevrolet [the GM-Daewoo-built Aveo clone of the Kalos], Suzuki and Kia sub-compacts already in or headed for the US this year, The Car Connection noted.

Article Here

 

[cyboexpo2002]

Why does this help to make me think Honda is being knocked off it's pedestal...by their own product decisions...not updating the Civic, an ugly Accord, and now the fugly Jazz... ah well, better for the domestics.

 

[babershah]

OMG!! That is ugly!! Pretty soon we'll be seeing the Honda Hobio in America!! Its a big cubed van

Click here to PUKE
http://www.honda.co.jp/auto-lineup/hobio/i...e/top-image.jpg

 

[Ming]

Originally posted by babershah@Jan 29 2004, 08:20 PM
OMG!! That is ugly!! Pretty soon we'll be seeing the Honda Hobio in America!! Its a big cubed van

Click here to PUKE
http://www.honda.co.jp/auto-lineup/hobio/i...e/top-image.jpg

Very fugly. :lol: I think there are too many problems with those ultra mini vans from Japan, though. I don't think they'd meet crash test standards in America. But then I would have said the same thing about the Scions a few years back.

 

[Tim_M]

Ouch, that Hobio looks like the ******* child of a Eurovan and a Ford Econoline.

The "Fit" is just another ugly subcompact. With products like these, it's amazing that Honda gets a free pass from the media while GM designs are derided as "lacking" or "bland."

 

[sceltor]

Looks like a bunny! :woot2:

 

[mbaluch8]

it is ugly, but its no worse looking than the aveo

 

[BigAls87Z28]

holy crap that is ugly, both of them. The ****, i mean hobo, i mean hobio looks like it has something wrong with it, like some medical defect.

yeah, I can see C&D now.

"This amazing, stylistic car for the gen y'ers is going to stun you with its 75hp dual over head hampsters, 8 inch rims with plastic spinner hub caps, and quad exhaust. VTECK is optional"
honda and c&d lasma:

 

[GotAWD]

some one needs to find a puke smilie. you know the green sludge pukes. THe whole thing is done from the side view so you can exaggerate the amount of vomit coming from his mouth.

that what i think of this car and the hobio. the hobio is not ugly. its HIDIBIOUSLY UGLY, and the fit is so cute (puke icon)

I havent liked honda in the longest time. probably for ever. poeple see an Aztek and they turn there faces. but they see this and they love it cause its from honda.
not only that but "dude, its got V-tec." think i care? i still sleep like a baby at night. cant wait to brag about DOD.

 

[Nocturn_Bird]

Looks like its directly competing with the aveo...and for the record cars around or udner 10K you don't buy for looks, you buy because they are cheap. Hell I wouldnt give a damn about its looks or interrior features if it cost under 10K new.

 

[casket_demon]

I'll take my 10 grand and buy something used, to hell with driving around in a gerbil with a new car smell.

 

[Tone]

Hey, some of us like really small cars with gerbil-like horsepower. Why? Because small cars do more with less. It's easy to make a 2000 lb car stop, go and turn - even with low horsepower and skinny tires. Small light cars are responsive in a way that is difficult to replicate in a larger car. They may not be fast - but they can be very fun to drive.

Anybody can make good time with a 300 hp car. But, when you've made time through traffic with a small, light sub-100 hp car, you've done some real driving!

 

[tgagneguam]

Launching the Fit seems like a curious strategy for Honda, which seems to be losing traction with its car sales. While I realize that the Fit will be slotted below the Civic, more feature-laden Fits seem to pose more of a sales threat to de-contented Civics than anything made by GM. While I'm sure there will be 10's of thousands of Americans who will buy it, I think the negative impact on Civic sales will essentially leave Honda with a net zero gain in car sales. But they will have to support the marketing for two lower-priced vehicles in the future as opposed to one now.

I mention this, though, more in support of Honda pursuing this strategy; anything that weakens Honda is fine by me! :lol:

 

[BigAls87Z28]

Originally posted by Tone@Jan 30 2004, 05:45 PM
Hey, some of us like really small cars with gerbil-like horsepower. Why? Because small cars do more with less. It's easy to make a 2000 lb car stop, go and turn - even with low horsepower and skinny tires. Small light cars are responsive in a way that is difficult to replicate in a larger car. They may not be fast - but they can be very fun to drive.

Anybody can make good time with a 300 hp car. But, when you've made time through traffic with a small, light sub-100 hp car, you've done some real driving!

I have now lost all respect for you as a driving enthusiast. All comments you make from now on (or untill you redeam yourself) I will consider garbage and nonsence.


You couldnt make this car handle itself out of a paper bag. I wana see the dyno on this sob. I say less tehn 50 to the wheels at peak!! Strait peak with zero area under the graph. Lame honda and there lame cars and there lame styling. For 10k, I will show you plenty of cars that could out handle this car and you will survive a crash with an SUV.

 

[Tone]

Originally posted by bigals87z28@Jan 30 2004, 03:03 PM
I have now lost all respect for you as a driving enthusiast.  All comments you make from now on (or untill you redeam yourself) I will consider garbage and nonsence. 

You couldnt make this car handle itself out of a paper bag.  I wana see the dyno on this sob.  I say less tehn 50 to the wheels at peak!!  Strait peak with zero area under the graph.  Lame honda and there lame cars and there lame styling.  For 10k, I will show you plenty of cars that could out handle this car and you will survive a crash with an SUV.

I like cars. All sort of cars. I'm not a muscle car enthusist, or a sports car enthusiast - I'm a car enthusiast. I can appreciate (and lust after) a new Corvette or a mint Mini Cooper.

And yes, I like small cars. Sue me. GM has made a bunch of pretty interesting (if ill fated) small cars - the Corvair (esp. the Corsa and Monza versions), the Cosworth Vega, the X-11 Citation, the Opel GT ...

I also like driving quickly on real roads. Not racing. Not showing off to passengers. But getting quickly from point A to point B. Small cars can be great for that. So can Corvettes, but small cars are certainly more accessible and can be a lot of fun.

As for this particular Honda, I don't know. I'd have to drive it. It's not the kind of car you pick to impress your friends with its flashy looks. But, I'm way too old to be picking a car to impress my friends, anyway! :lol:

As for the specs, according the the Honda Australia website, the top model has 81 Kw, which converts into about 108 hp - or roughly what the Aveo has. Weight with the stick is 1040 kg or about 2200 lbs. To me, a 2200 lb car with 108 hp could be quite a lot of fun, especially if it's tuned to handle well. Again, not for drag racing. Not for scaring your buddies. But for enjoying yourself on a twisty road or an on ramp - I could have fun with a car of that weight and power.

I'm not saying it has to be your cup of tea, but I'm not questioning you credentials as a driving enthusiast because of what you prefer to drive, either.

 

[Ming]

Originally posted by Tone@Jan 30 2004, 06:30 PM
And yes, I like small cars. Sue me. GM has made a bunch of pretty interesting (if ill fated) small cars - the Corvair (esp. the Corsa and Monza versions), the Cosworth Vega, the X-11 Citation, the Opel GT ...

As the previous owner of a Metro, I agree - they can be fun to toss around and watch the RPMs fly as the buzzy little engines try their hardest to go 70mph. Fuel economy is the best thing -- putting 8 dollars into a Metro and driving all week with it.... Cramming your friends into the thinly padded cheapo seats is no fun, nor is the limited cargo space and leg room in most. But for 10,000 bucks and a warranty, who cares?

But you'll never convince a muscled, smoking, tatooed arm hangin' out the side of his rumblin' V8 coupe stubble scratchin' tough guy to get into a car like the Honda Fit, that as mentioned above, does indeed "Look Like a Bunny"... And considering that I often look like that, sans the tats and cigarette, I don't really "belong" in a small dinky car -- and I'm over 6 feet so that doesn't help.

Me, I'd like to have a Truck, a V8 coupe, and a little inexpensive car -- not as little or cutesy as the Fit, though - and make it a GM please (yes even a GM Daewoo, but I'd like the Chevy Optra or a Pontiac Pursuit). Then all my needs would be satisfied.

 

[Astra_Boy]

I know I shouldn't really say this, but don't dump on the car just yet guy's. Those pic's don't really do it any justice and it really does look better in the metal. I can understand why some of you guy's are coming out with some of those comment's, North America isn't the biggest market for small hatchback's, but the car is alot better than what some of may think.

Honda Australia bought the car over a couple of years ago and it basically saved Honda's *** here in Australia. Both the Accord and Civic had fallen off the radar sale screen and the company was relying heavily on the CR-V for any sales it could get. Now that the Jazz is here, things have looked a lot better for Honda. Some 1,000 unit's of the Jazz are sold here in Australia each month and now that the Civic has been updated and we now have two new Accord's, in Australia we get both the European and North American Accord's, improved sales of the CR-V SUV, MDX SUV and Integra, Honda Australia is getting ready for a record year ahead.

Also here in Australia, the Honda Jazz competes, in term's of price, with the Volksawgen Polo, Ford Fiesta, Holden Barina/Corsa, Mazda2, Renault Clio, Citroen C3 and Peugeot 206.

Car's llike the Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, GM Daewoo Kalos, Proton Persona etc..... are all cheaper than those car's.

 

[casket_demon]

Originally posted by Tone@Jan 30 2004, 01:45 PM
Hey, some of us like really small cars with gerbil-like horsepower. Why? Because small cars do more with less. It's easy to make a 2000 lb car stop, go and turn - even with low horsepower and skinny tires. Small light cars are responsive in a way that is difficult to replicate in a larger car. They may not be fast - but they can be very fun to drive.

Anybody can make good time with a 300 hp car. But, when you've made time through traffic with a small, light sub-100 hp car, you've done some real driving!

What the hell????.....it's people like U that ruin it 4 everyone.....How could U sit here and honestly say that with a straight face?!?!?!?!.....Sir U need 2 B slapped...U must B 1 of those trendy "metrosexuals"....