Honda's ever-popular Fit has received some subtle tweaks for 2012, most notable upgrades in the styling and technology departments. The Fit looks better than ever, especially in Sport trim. Also new for 2012 is a subtly revised interior with more sound deadening. It's nice to know that Honda responds to consumer complaints. We tested a Fit Sport with a manual transmission and almost every option.
Honda was nice enough to provide me with a Fit Sport during my recent trip to the Los Angeles area. I have to admit, at first I was a bit put off by the cheap dashboard materials, the choppy highway ride, and the car's tendency to follow pavement irregularities. Granted this is not an expensive machine, so I didn't expect it to be outfitted like the latest Bentley. Honda has had a habit of exceeding expectations though, and this car's interior quality does not impress.
What did impress me as the miles rolled on, was this car's inherent goodness and unrelenting practicality. The engine that seemed gutless at first, becomes a willing partner over time. The gearbox and clutch are typically Honda direct and light. The slickness of the gearchange is handy, as this car needs to be flogged to keep up with traffic. Once I got used to the lack of power, I actually found my self enjoying keeping the car at full boil. The Fit adheres to the old car saying: It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. This little box is perfectly suited to zipping around the urban jungle. It is easy to park, has good visibility, and is much more agile than it's shrunken-minivan looks convey.
The Fit is also packed full of thoughtful touches, like the dual-glovebox, flexible seating options and spacious interior. The Fit even has cup holders placed in front of the A/C vents—keeping you, and your drink cool at the same time. It's the kind of simply brilliant idea that made Honda famous.
By the time I had to drop the Fit Sport off I had developed a genuine fondness for it. Sure it has it's faults, but for $17,000 it offers the best combination of practicality and driving enjoyment in it's segment. For urban living, it seems to be a great choice.
So what makes this car worth $1300 more than the Accent SE? It weighs more (71lbs), has drum rear brakes, gets considerably less fuel economy, has an old 5spd trans that screams the engine at highway speeds, has less hp/tq (21/17) and you (the mag) gave it a lower score. So why would someone pay more for less?
to Bobzilla---- The scores are listed by each staffer that drove the car, and averaged out. I wouldn't put too much stock in how many "stars" a car earns, but rather what our opinions are, as one good or bad review can skew the results. That said, I found the Fit to be more entertaining to drive than the Accent, with sharper steering,and a more eager feel. The Accent is a nice machine, but due to the Fit's versatile cargo hauling capability, and willing chassis, I prefer it to the Hyundai. YMMV
Honda's ever-popular Fit has received some subtle tweaks for 2012, most notable upgrades in the styling and technology departments. The Fit looks better than ever, especially in Sport trim. Also new for 2012 is a subtly revised interior with more sound deadening. It's nice to know that Honda responds to consumer complaints. We tested a Fit Sport with a manual transmission and almost every option.
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