Pros
- Fuel economy
- Control layout
- Passenger and cargo room
Acceleration
4/10
Adequate around town with either transmission, though Fit feels livelier with the manual. Highway passing takes patience, but at least the automatic kicks down quickly for more power. Sport models with the automatic include steering-wheel shift paddles and a Sport mode that keeps the transmission in a lower gear than in normal mode for faster throttle response. Most editors find the manual transmission to have smooth, light shift action and clutch operation.
Fuel Economy
9/10
In Consumer Guide testing, a manual-transmission Sport averaged a frugal 34.0 mpg with a slight bias towards highway driving. Our extended-use Sport with the automatic transmission is averaging 31.8 mpg over its first 12,235 miles. Fit uses regular-grade gas.
Ride Quality
6/10
Base models on their 15-inch tires feel commendably solid and reasonably compliant over bumps. Sport models have lower-profile 16-inch tires and a sport suspension. These versions suffer from body jiggle over smaller bumps and sharp hop over larger ones.
Steering/Handling/Braking
6/10
Sport models shine here, as they exhibit sharper steering response and less body lean in turns that helps them live up to their name. Base models feel somewhat soggier. Tidy exterior dimensions make all Fits highly maneuverable. The availability of traction control and an antiskid system is laudable, but we wish Honda would make it standard on all Fits, not just the most expensive Sport with navigation.
Quietness
3/10
Not a strong point. The engine is fairly quiet at idle, but produces a buzzy whine under acceleration, especially at higher engine speeds. Bump noise is well suppressed, but wind and road noise combine for raucous highway travel.
Controls
6/10
A steering wheel set in an ideal position may obscure the top of the speedometer, but the deep-set gauges are otherwise easy to see. Rotary climate controls are stacked to the right of the steering wheel and are easy to reach and use. Audio controls are high mounted, handy, and clearly marked. The available navigation system absorbs some audio controls, but most of the commonly used ones are still separate.
Details
4/10
Sport models use a slightly richer cloth and a leather-covered steering wheel, but hard plastic dominates the interior of both versions. The overall look is par for the subcompact course.
Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (Front)
6/10
There's no height adjustment for the seats, but they're mounted high enough to provide most drivers a fairly commanding seating position. The seats themselves are comfortable and there's plenty of headroom, but taller drivers might wish for more legroom. There's no center console--and thus no center-console armrest--but Sport models have a seat-mounted fold-down armrest on the driver's side. Visibility is fine except to the rear corners; it's better straight back than it used to be thanks to rear headrests that retract flush with the tops of the seatbacks. One glaring oversight: The sunvisors are worthless when rotated to the sides, as they're both far too short and mounted too high to be of much use.
Room/Comfort (Rear)
5/10
It's amazing how much rear seat room there is in such a small vehicle. Headroom and legroom are more than adequate for adults, even with the front seats fully rearward.
Cargo Room
8/10
This is Fit's forte. The rear seat cushion can be tipped up to provide a tall across-floor cargo slot. Rear seatbacks easily fold flat to provide a large, cubic storage area. Fit has 10 cupholders--which can double as storage bins--along with several smaller cubbies, a decent-sized glovebox, an under-seat tray, and map pockets--but no center console box.
Value Within Class
9/10
Fit's strongest selling points are its impressive passenger accommodations and large, versatile cargo space. Sport models add a touch of fun-to-drive appeal. While prices seem steep for a subcompact, this is one in name and exterior size only; it's really a small wagon that challenges some compact SUVs for room while getting significantly better fuel economy. It's for these reasons that Fit earns our Best Buy nod.
Highlights
The 2010 Honda Fit is largely unchanged following its 2009 redesign. Honda's smallest car comes in Base and Sport trim levels. All are powered by a 117-hp 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard, and a 5-speed automatic is optional. Sport models with automatic have steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles. Sport models have subtle aerodynamic body add-ons, upgraded trim, and 16-inch alloy wheels in place of the base model's 15-inch steel wheels. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front-side airbags, and curtain-side airbags. A USB port is standard on the Sport. A navigation system is available on the Sport, and versions so equipped are priced as separate models.
Competition
Consumer Guide Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. The subcompact class is made up of the smallest hatchbacks, sedans, and wagons on the market. These are generally considered economy cars.
Our Best Buys include the Honda Fit and Nissan Cube. Our Recommended picks are the Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Scion xD, and Suzuki SX4. New or significantly redesigned models for 2010 include the Kia Rio, Kia Soul, and Suzuki SX4.