On the road |
| 2007 Honda Fit (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com) |
The road test portion is limited to Montreal boulevards and small streets, but we can still get an idea of how the Fit rides.
I start the test behind the wheel of an LX model equipped with the automatic transmission. The car offers decent acceleration without being exciting. However, the Fit is pleasing to drive, thanks to its manoeuvrability and its small turning circle.
During the drive, we stop to swap cars and to get a chance to try out another model. I then hop into a Sport model with the manual transmission. This gearbox takes better advantage of the little engine's power. The shift lever is very precise and the clutch pedal is light, in typical Honda fashion. However, in both versions driven, I missed having a dead pedal; my left foot didn't know where to rest while I was driving. And though the suspension in the Sport
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| 2007 Honda Fit (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com) |
version is slightly more buttoned down, the car seemed a little soft, but I blame the winter tires that had very flexible sidewalls.
At first glance, the materials inside seem like quality items, and space is impressive. The interior volume totals 2,550 litres, which is almost as much as the Civic sedan's 2,574 litres. Visibility is excellent, thanks to large windows and thin pillars.
On the track |
| 2007 Honda Fit (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com) |
Having the opportunity to compare the Fit with its competitors on the same track, we discover that this little Honda was well designed. In the curves and in the slalom portion, the base Fit and Fit Sport are just as agile as the Toyota Yaris and Yaris RS, respectively, as well as the Kia Rio5 (which actually surprised us). As for the Hyundai Accent5 and Chevrolet Aveo5, they are much less manoeuvrable, their tires screaming and begging for mercy in the slalom. By the way, Honda has equipped an automatic Fit Sport with all-season tires, and we clearly see the difference compared to the winter tires; the latter give up in the slalom and in the long tight curve. The all-seasons hang on better,
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| 2007 Honda Fit (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com) |
of course. This confirms our impressions of that slight softness on the road, the winter tires being the culprit.
In terms of acceleration, all the cars have between 103 and 110 horsepower, so their differences are really small. In the braking zone, the Fits are obviously the best with their anti-lock brakes and brake force distribution, standard equipment on all models.
Conclusion |
| 2007 Honda Fit (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com) |
Obviously, with the arrival of the Fit, the competition has its work cut out for it. This new Honda, which will be in dealers' showrooms on April 3rd, looks promising and the company is highlighting the car's safety features, interior space and fuel economy. A full road test is in order, and we'll probably have to duke it out between ourselves to see who gets the press car.
