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Is Our Long-Term Honda Fit Fun to Drive?

img763738520 1457543231879 jpg 2015 Honda Fit | Cars.com photo by Evan Sears

CARS.COM — With its cavernous, configurable interior and city-friendly footprint, the Honda Fit hatchback is one of the most space-efficient cars you can buy. It’s also been one of the better-driving subcompact cars over the years, especially the previous generation’s Sport trim level.

Related: Subcompact Hatchback Head-to-Head: Honda Fit and Nissan Versa Note

When Honda redesigned the Fit for 2015, it dropped the Sport in favor of the brand’s more familiar LX, EX and EX-L trims. Some of the Sport’s unique features like a rear stabilizer bar for better handling also didn’t make the cut. We’ve been driving our long-term 2015 Fit EX for about nine months now, and while it doesn’t have the eager personality of its Fit Sport predecessor, it’s more fun to drive than your average subcompact hatchback.

The 2015 Fit “loses a little bit of the prior-generation’s go-kart character, but it’s still plenty of fun, thanks to some much-needed torque,” said Senior Consumer Affairs Editor Kelsey Mays. “It also improves a lot with ride quality, which isn’t nearly as brittle as the prior generation.”

Senior Road Test Editor Joe Bruzek agreed. “The previous-generation Sport model urged you to drive a little faster, which is something missing from the new Fit,” Bruzek said. “I do appreciate the latest-generation’s extra power and how it didn’t gain much weight, so acceleration is less of an issue.”

img764662041 1457543233074 jpg 2015 Honda Fit | Cars.com photo by Evan Sears

Helping make the most of the 2015 Fit’s available power is the Sport mode that’s included with the optional continuously variable automatic transmission, which our Fit has. It’s an effective mode that keeps engine rpm higher, increasing drivetrain responsiveness.

The 2015 Fit still has precise, light-effort steering, which is particularly beneficial in urban settings; Assistant Managing Editor Bill Jackson liked how the Fit is fun for “carving through crowded city streets [and] weaving into tight parking spaces.” The Fit has been, and remains, a car that feels at home in close city quarters.

There’s no question we miss some aspects of the prior-generation Fit’s driving experience, but we also appreciate the various improvements Honda has made with the current Fit. It gets significantly better EPA-estimated gas mileage and offers useful tech features like the available LaneWatch camera system. They’re practical improvements, sure, but they’re bound to resonate with car shoppers in the market for a practical car like the Fit.

Mike Hanley
Mike Hanley has more than 20 years of experience reporting on the auto industry. His primary focus is new vehicles, and he's currently a Senior Road Test Editor overseeing expert car reviews and comparison tests. He previously managed Editorial content in the Cars.com Research section.
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