Wow, are things ever heating up in the small car category. Having driven the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, Volkswagen Polo, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, Mazda2 as well as smart fortwo within the last two years and, most recently, the Ford Fiesta, I can tell you with certainty that if you plan to be in the market for a new subcompact vehicle in the next 12 to 18 months, you will have more to chew on than ever.
What's great to see from our vantage point is the evolution and improvements being made to these previously cheap and tinny commuters. For us North Americans, the good days began sometime between 2006 and 2007 when the smart fortwo, Accent Hatchback, Honda Fit and Nissan Versa rolled off the boats. Here was a crop of interesting, distinct and even unique cars that would usher in a new era of small people and stuff movers that would revolutionize the segment. Each of these cars has been successful at some point for its respective maker. The subject of this review is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting of the entire lot.
Hipster
The Fit hits all the right buttons when it comes to its shapely and creased outer shell. Its high-rising beltline starts low at the front and thus creates a large glass surface which aids with overall visibility. The oversized front headlamps give the car a jovial and youthful appearance, perfect for attracting buyers in the market for small and fun.
Where the Fit really shines, and why the title of the article is as such, is for the car's lodgings. Getting in and out is child's play, thanks to a very tall roofline and generously-sized doors. Front seats are typical Honda-style with good support for legs, thighs and just enough side bolstering for spirited driving. The dashboard is multi-layered with tons of storage and large, easy to use controls. That's only half of it.
The better half is all about the rear quarters. First, the bench can accommodate three passengers, although a pair is better suited for the available accommodations. From here on in, we're going to talk about Honda's Magic Seat. Let's say you've got a trunkful of stuff as well as a back-seat passenger, and said person has an awkwardly-shaped package to bring and it won't fit on the seat. What do you do? Here, in the Fit, you simply flip up the wider portion of the 60/40 bench and you're all set. Nice eh?
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| A manual Sport version has an asking price of $18,780. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
What's great to see from our vantage point is the evolution and improvements being made to these previously cheap and tinny commuters. For us North Americans, the good days began sometime between 2006 and 2007 when the smart fortwo, Accent Hatchback, Honda Fit and Nissan Versa rolled off the boats. Here was a crop of interesting, distinct and even unique cars that would usher in a new era of small people and stuff movers that would revolutionize the segment. Each of these cars has been successful at some point for its respective maker. The subject of this review is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting of the entire lot.
Hipster
The Fit hits all the right buttons when it comes to its shapely and creased outer shell. Its high-rising beltline starts low at the front and thus creates a large glass surface which aids with overall visibility. The oversized front headlamps give the car a jovial and youthful appearance, perfect for attracting buyers in the market for small and fun.
Where the Fit really shines, and why the title of the article is as such, is for the car's lodgings. Getting in and out is child's play, thanks to a very tall roofline and generously-sized doors. Front seats are typical Honda-style with good support for legs, thighs and just enough side bolstering for spirited driving. The dashboard is multi-layered with tons of storage and large, easy to use controls. That's only half of it.
The better half is all about the rear quarters. First, the bench can accommodate three passengers, although a pair is better suited for the available accommodations. From here on in, we're going to talk about Honda's Magic Seat. Let's say you've got a trunkful of stuff as well as a back-seat passenger, and said person has an awkwardly-shaped package to bring and it won't fit on the seat. What do you do? Here, in the Fit, you simply flip up the wider portion of the 60/40 bench and you're all set. Nice eh?
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| The dashboard is multi-layered with tons of storage and large, easy to use controls. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |