I jumped into my Fit Sport tester, fired it up, adjusted the mirrors, threw on the headlights and headed out of the darkened parking lot for my trip home. Whoa! The huge sheet of windshield glass combined with the triangular corner windows and door glass had me feeling like I was piloting a fishbowl.
The Fit offers incredibly expansive forward views thanks to its broad use of glass. It feels a bit odd though to be positioned well back of the windshield and the A-pillars, the latter of which bisect the otherwise unimpeded view of the world ahead.
Once underway, I made another fairly immediate observation about my tester, and it pertained to the seat. The driver’s perch didn’t slide back far enough to meet my preference and the seat cushion didn’t provide adequate thigh support and wasn’t long enough for my relatively lanky legs to assume completely relaxed, outstretched positioning.
Now I’m no giant by any measure, failing in fact to eclipse the 6’ marker standing straight and tall, yet legroom wasn’t what I would hope for in a perfect setup. Headroom though? That’s a different matter. Plenty of room existed between my follicle-challenged cranium and the headliner.
Now, immediate impressions dispensed with, time to more adequately explore Honda’s immensely practical and popular Fit for 2012.
2012 Fit: what’s new?
Only the Sport version of the Fit changes for 2012, and those changes are purely cosmetic and apply primarily to the front grille, bumper and lower fascia — subtle as they may be. Interior upholstery is new for 2012 in the Fit Sport as are several exterior colors and dark alloy wheels.
While the visual changes for 2012 may require a sharp eye to spot, nothing mechanical changes about this vehicle for this year. It continues to derive motivation from a 1.5L SOHC 4-cylinder engine capable of producing 117 hp @ 6,600 rpm and 106 lb-ft of torque @ 4,800 rpm.
Those performance figures are decent for the economy segment, as are the Fit’s fuel economy ratings: 27 MPG city and 33 MPG highway. As attractive as these numbers may be, my tester’s onboard information center displayed an average consumption of 23 MPG during my time behind the wheel.
While my driving was entirely city-bound — and achieving maximum economy was not my primary goal — I was a little disheartened to discover double-digit consumption. A contributing factor may be the sheer newness of my tester, which has yet to be properly broken in. My assumption is that fuel economy will improve over the next few thousand clicks, but my time with the Fit won’t extend that far.
The Fit offers incredibly expansive forward views thanks to its broad use of glass. It feels a bit odd though to be positioned well back of the windshield and the A-pillars, the latter of which bisect the otherwise unimpeded view of the world ahead.
Once underway, I made another fairly immediate observation about my tester, and it pertained to the seat. The driver’s perch didn’t slide back far enough to meet my preference and the seat cushion didn’t provide adequate thigh support and wasn’t long enough for my relatively lanky legs to assume completely relaxed, outstretched positioning.
Now I’m no giant by any measure, failing in fact to eclipse the 6’ marker standing straight and tall, yet legroom wasn’t what I would hope for in a perfect setup. Headroom though? That’s a different matter. Plenty of room existed between my follicle-challenged cranium and the headliner.
Now, immediate impressions dispensed with, time to more adequately explore Honda’s immensely practical and popular Fit for 2012.
2012 Fit: what’s new?
Only the Sport version of the Fit changes for 2012, and those changes are purely cosmetic and apply primarily to the front grille, bumper and lower fascia — subtle as they may be. Interior upholstery is new for 2012 in the Fit Sport as are several exterior colors and dark alloy wheels.
While the visual changes for 2012 may require a sharp eye to spot, nothing mechanical changes about this vehicle for this year. It continues to derive motivation from a 1.5L SOHC 4-cylinder engine capable of producing 117 hp @ 6,600 rpm and 106 lb-ft of torque @ 4,800 rpm.
Those performance figures are decent for the economy segment, as are the Fit’s fuel economy ratings: 27 MPG city and 33 MPG highway. As attractive as these numbers may be, my tester’s onboard information center displayed an average consumption of 23 MPG during my time behind the wheel.
While my driving was entirely city-bound — and achieving maximum economy was not my primary goal — I was a little disheartened to discover double-digit consumption. A contributing factor may be the sheer newness of my tester, which has yet to be properly broken in. My assumption is that fuel economy will improve over the next few thousand clicks, but my time with the Fit won’t extend that far.
Practicality meets fun
Off the top of this review, I mentioned a couple of quick first impressions. On a more sustained note, my general impression is that the Fit is a wonderfully practical car that’s notably fun to drive. The practicality is founded upon the vehicle’s cavernous cargo bay — “cavernous” for a little car that is. And as a little car with lots of glass, it’s fun to drive thanks to its outstanding visibility, responsive steering and delightful agility.
And while it’ll ingest more freight than one expects from a diminutive wagon, it will also seat five adults, albeit tightly. Regrettably, the Fit Sport develops slightly more engine noise than desirable when the little mill is working hard to move the contents.
Honda added extra sound-deadening for 2012 but I’d like to see a little more muting of the engine to take this vehicle to the next level of refinement. Nonetheless, the car is a pleasure to drive. It scoots effortlessly around town while feeling composed and secure. Frankly, I’m not sure there’s an easier car to drive.
The base Fit is a modest $15,175 while my Sport tester carried an MSRP of $17,760. That opens up many competing doors in the sub-$20K range. None of them more practical than the Fit but some of them more tailored, such as the Ford Focus hatchback, which delivers more power, content and cabin refinement within a similar pricing structure to the Fit.
Still, the Fit has its own personality and Honda’s platinum reputation for reliability and resale. It should definitely be short-listed by those in the market for maximum practicality combined with delightful driving dynamics, but be sure to check the competition, both foreign and domestic — they’ve come a long way since the Fit’s introduction in 2006 as a 2007 model.
Off the top of this review, I mentioned a couple of quick first impressions. On a more sustained note, my general impression is that the Fit is a wonderfully practical car that’s notably fun to drive. The practicality is founded upon the vehicle’s cavernous cargo bay — “cavernous” for a little car that is. And as a little car with lots of glass, it’s fun to drive thanks to its outstanding visibility, responsive steering and delightful agility.
And while it’ll ingest more freight than one expects from a diminutive wagon, it will also seat five adults, albeit tightly. Regrettably, the Fit Sport develops slightly more engine noise than desirable when the little mill is working hard to move the contents.
Honda added extra sound-deadening for 2012 but I’d like to see a little more muting of the engine to take this vehicle to the next level of refinement. Nonetheless, the car is a pleasure to drive. It scoots effortlessly around town while feeling composed and secure. Frankly, I’m not sure there’s an easier car to drive.
The base Fit is a modest $15,175 while my Sport tester carried an MSRP of $17,760. That opens up many competing doors in the sub-$20K range. None of them more practical than the Fit but some of them more tailored, such as the Ford Focus hatchback, which delivers more power, content and cabin refinement within a similar pricing structure to the Fit.
Still, the Fit has its own personality and Honda’s platinum reputation for reliability and resale. It should definitely be short-listed by those in the market for maximum practicality combined with delightful driving dynamics, but be sure to check the competition, both foreign and domestic — they’ve come a long way since the Fit’s introduction in 2006 as a 2007 model.
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