Honda's entry in the revived sub-compact segment, the 2007 Fit, will begin arriving from Japan in April, the company's Canadian distributor has announced.
Fit will compete against such established models as the Chevrolet Aveo and the Toyota Yaris for the attention of Canadian shoppers looking for an inexpensive model who don't mind putting up with the reduced versatility and increased safety risks that smaller vehicles deliver.
Exact prices have not yet been announced, but consumers can expect Fit to cost less than Honda's Civic model. Prices may be announced at the car's Canadian debut at the Montreal auto show on January 19.
Honda Canada expects the five-door hatchback to be successful in this country, says Jim Miller, the firm's executive vice-president, "because of the popularity here of hatchbacks and the desire for excellent fuel efficiency." Miller was unable to supply any specifics on Fit's fuel economy levels, though a car this light (1091 kg) with a 1.5-litre inline-four and a five-speed manual should do pretty well.
How a car that light fares in crashes with vehicles that weigh more (as virtually every vehicle on the road will do) remains to be seen. All Honda says on that is that Fit has a "full complement of standard safety features."
No matter how much safety equipment a car company stuffs in a car this light, mass is still the primary determinant in a vehicle's ability to protect its occupants and that puts Fit and the rest at a disadvantage.
The Toronto-based firm will use the experience gained by its Japanese master in its home market and Europe, where tiny cars are much more popular than they are in North America because of higher fuel prices and the crowded conditions in those other places.
Miller says Honda Canada's "confident that Canadians will embrace the Fit because of its overall value, full complement of standard safety features, unique convenience features and fun-to-drive performance. The Fit is ideally suited to 'fit your life' and fit the things in your life because of its large interior and flexible seating configurations."
"Large" is an interesting word to use in relation to anything about the Fit, to put it mildly, since it's only 3,999 mm long, 1,524 mm high, and 1,682 mm wide on a wheelbase of 2,450 mm, but Miller is responsible for making people buy them. The boxy shape, the rear hatch and the folding second row of seats do deliver a decent cargo space and room for two front-seat passengers.
Miller's on firmer ground drawing attention to Honda's reputation "for dependability, quality and reliability," which has long appealed to careful Canadians and is supposed to foretell what people can expect from Fit.
Fit is powered by a 16-valve, single-overhead-camshaft 1.5-litre inline-four and attached to a five-speed manual or an optional five-speed automatic. It delivers 109 hp at 5,800 rpm and 105 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm, which means the drivers will have to rev the engine hard to get good performance from the Fit.
In Canada, Fit will be offered in DX, LX and Sport trims, with standard amenities including an AM/FM/CD audio system, power windows and a two-tone interior. For more details on equipment levels, interested consumers are referred to a preview site at www.honda.ca/fit.
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| 2007 Honda Fit (Photo: Auto123.com) |
Exact prices have not yet been announced, but consumers can expect Fit to cost less than Honda's Civic model. Prices may be announced at the car's Canadian debut at the Montreal auto show on January 19.
Honda Canada expects the five-door hatchback to be successful in this country, says Jim Miller, the firm's executive vice-president, "because of the popularity here of hatchbacks and the desire for excellent fuel efficiency." Miller was unable to supply any specifics on Fit's fuel economy levels, though a car this light (1091 kg) with a 1.5-litre inline-four and a five-speed manual should do pretty well.
How a car that light fares in crashes with vehicles that weigh more (as virtually every vehicle on the road will do) remains to be seen. All Honda says on that is that Fit has a "full complement of standard safety features."
No matter how much safety equipment a car company stuffs in a car this light, mass is still the primary determinant in a vehicle's ability to protect its occupants and that puts Fit and the rest at a disadvantage.
The Toronto-based firm will use the experience gained by its Japanese master in its home market and Europe, where tiny cars are much more popular than they are in North America because of higher fuel prices and the crowded conditions in those other places.
Miller says Honda Canada's "confident that Canadians will embrace the Fit because of its overall value, full complement of standard safety features, unique convenience features and fun-to-drive performance. The Fit is ideally suited to 'fit your life' and fit the things in your life because of its large interior and flexible seating configurations."
 |
| 2007 Honda Fit (Photo: Auto123.com) |
Miller's on firmer ground drawing attention to Honda's reputation "for dependability, quality and reliability," which has long appealed to careful Canadians and is supposed to foretell what people can expect from Fit.
Fit is powered by a 16-valve, single-overhead-camshaft 1.5-litre inline-four and attached to a five-speed manual or an optional five-speed automatic. It delivers 109 hp at 5,800 rpm and 105 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm, which means the drivers will have to rev the engine hard to get good performance from the Fit.
In Canada, Fit will be offered in DX, LX and Sport trims, with standard amenities including an AM/FM/CD audio system, power windows and a two-tone interior. For more details on equipment levels, interested consumers are referred to a preview site at www.honda.ca/fit.