2010 Honda Fit
It may not be a Nissan Versa; it may not be a Toyota Yaris; it may not even be a Toyota Matrix. If Honda had to come up with an even more compact version of its best-selling Civic, it would be the Honda Fit. The Honda Fit may be small from the outside, but interior-wise, the car is pretty spacious. The Fit has a massive amount of headroom in both the front and rear, and cargo space is ample in case you need to fit in large, heavy objects such as music gear, computer equipment, or even some camping gear. So, if we are considering a car that has the potential to haul so much stuff, can both fuel efficiency and performance play a part in a car like this; if so, how?
The Honda Fit is made to be fairly like the Toyota Matrix as far as versatility and somewhat as far as size is concerned, but with a little less engine power. The Fit is powered by a 1.5-liter 109 horsepower engine rather than either a 1.8-liter 140 horsepower from its big brother, the Honda Civic, or a 2.4-liter from the Toyota Matrix (S). The Fit’s acceleration is not that peppy from a standstill, but it still does very good slalom numbers through handling. From 0-60 mph in less than 9 seconds, I would say that it is actually not bad for an economical hatchback. Paddle shifters are standard on the Fit Sport along with 15-inch alloy wheels.
Standard features on the 2010 Honda Fit Sport includes an AM/FM Stereo system with a USB interface port for your iPod, power windows, door locks, cruise control, and a steering wheel that both tilts and telescopes in and out. Bluetooth can be added as an aftermarket feature, but if you want it factory-installed, you must obtain Honda’s Satellite-linked navigation system. Also, steering-wheel mounted audio controls are standard on the Fit Sport.
I may have some certainties about the Fit, but I also have some doubts. The car may not perform or ride like my Civic, but at least the steering feel is quite up to my standards. Braking is still a bit up to par even with the drum brakes in the rear, and I felt little body roll in the corners. The suspension is a bit on the soft side, but the Fit is no Civic Si, of course. The real piece of criticism that I have for this car is the rear visibility. Unlike the Matrix which may be a bit bigger than the Fit by a margin, the Fit’s rear visibility when I back out of a parking space is very poor, so I would recommend that you get a convex mirror to eliminate those blind spots.
Would I keep my Civic for another year or so, or trade it in, and go for the Fit? Unlike my car, the Fit does have the 60/40 split rear seats which are very convenient for me to handling large objects such as big boxes of items from Costco or some computer equipment that I might haul for about 30 miles. Gas mileage is about the same as my Civic, though, but the Fit gets better gas mileage in the city by about three to four miles per gallon.
