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 $15,875 while my Sport tester carried an MSRP of $18,780. 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 $15,875 while my Sport tester carried an MSRP of $18,780. 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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| The base Fit is a modest $15,875 while my Sport tester carried an MSRP of $18,780. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com) |
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