2009 Honda Fit consumer reviews

The first six months I owned my Fit I averaged around 36 mpg in town and 40 on highway. This summer marked one year of ownership and mileage has improved steadily. Now on highway at 65-70 I average 44-45 and lowest town mileage has been just above 39. I confess, I am really good at driving for mileage - highest gear the engine can push at all times. Engines are most efficient at around 80% load. Many people don't get that and spend too much time in lower gears - ruins fuel mileage. The care is great city runabout but on highway is not especially comfy. Engine is relatively smooth up to about 75 but starts to get raspy 75-80. Part of the charm of the car is it is a bit of a throwback to older small cars with just enough refinement to make it likable. For the price and reliability and economy, a great little car.

I got my '09 Fit Sport/Auto the first week of September. It had literally just come off the truck when I went in for the test drive. Having never owned a brand new car, I was excited to see how it handled in comparison to my old 1996 Dodge Neon. The difference is amazing! Though I can't really make a comparison between a new car and one made in the 90s, I was able to compare it to driving my friend's Toyota Corolla, a very comfortable car, in my opinion. I've found that, where I used to dread driving, I now love it and look for every opportunity to take the car out. I've mostly been doing city driving but getting mpg in the low-mid 30s range. The short trips I've taken around town on the freeway are estimated in the mid-high 30s. The size of the car is also quite convenient for parallel parking. There's plenty of space behind the backseats (I've fit two loads of groceries without having to put down the seats) and having the backseats lie flat without having to remove the headrests is even better. Radio and heating/cooling controls are easy to use and well lit and the speaker sound quality is good. My one gripe would be the USB connectivity (you can control an ipod through the radio controls) is not compatible with the Zune. There's still an auxiliary port to connect though the headphone jack, luckily. All in all, I am very pleased with this car and look forward to long road trips in such comfort.

My '09 Fit Sport is amazing. I've owned other Hondas in the past. This car is tremendous bang for the buck. On the first day of driving, I've averaged 35 MPG. Those domestic cars cited about being better will only wind up in the shop years before the Fit. I trust Honda, based on my prior cars: CRX, Civic, and Accord. I'm a big fan of Japan's "08 car of the year.

I'm a big guy, and while the 2008 Fit was a little bit tight, the 2009 offers more room: foot room, hip room, head room's still fine. It's a pleasure to drive, tho' the 2009 isn't quite as "hot" as the 2008, which I also happen to own. (When the 2009 came out, my wife bought that, gave it to me, and took the 2008, so I really do know them both; it made sense since I have the longer commute.) This is a great car for the 21st century: Yes, I've read the EPA rated miles; I'm a good, and a careful, driver, but I get 28 mpg in town, and 36-39 on longer road trips (that's gas purchased into miles traveled, not from the "mpg gauge" on the dash, which is a little generous). Plus, the "rep" of this VTEC engine is that it picks up a few MPG after the first several thousand miles; I'll let you know. I'm driving the Sport with a manual transmission -- I never even test-drove the automatic: Why bother? The manual repays the effort. Is there a drawback? Even on the Sport, which comes with a fold-down arm rest, I WANT A CENTER CONSOLE. That's okay ... I'm sure someone will (again, as with the 2008) produce a console-armrest combo that will fit in where the fold-down goes now. Really ... that's my sole complaint. Oh, the upper glove-box (!) includes a USB plug, and can securely hold an iPod -- which when plugged in is fully controlled by the quite nice stereo. In short, follow your bliss -- give the car a shot, and see if you agree. I bought the original 2008 fit because the magic seats meant there was room with the seats folded down to carry all sorts of stuff, including bales of hay and two goats ... two BIG goats (220 lbs each). And that's still true.

The sacrifices in Comfort, Performance an Features are more than the small gain in fuel economy is worth. This is a prime example of a car that is benefiting from the halo effect of Honda. Give me a Saturn Astra, Ford Focus, or Pontiac Vibe instead of this vehicle any day - it is money much better spent. Similar fuel economy - same price, better comfort, performance, features, and practicality.