The Fit, Honda’s tiny people hauler, is an ideal urban car because it slips through traffic with ease and slides into parking spaces with room to spare. Plus, it is easy on gas with a fuel mileage rating of 28 miles per gallon in the city and 35 on the highway.
The 98.4-inch wheelbase is 2 inches longer than the previous model’s, and overall length is up by 4.2 inches. Even though the Fit is small on the outside, the interior is big enough to accommodate four people and a surprising amount of cargo.
Key to the Fit’s versatility is the tall roof that enables an upright seating position. The split-folding back seat creates a generous cargo space. The high roof also makes it easy to get in and out, and that’s something that older folks will appreciate more than young buyers.
The Fit is more than just a practical box; it is fun to drive. The 1.5-liter engine has been tweaked to develop 117 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 106 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, and a five-speed automatic transmission is available. The automatic has paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
The Fit Sport has a firmer suspension for tighter handling and 16-inch wheels that give better grip in turns. Its fuel mileage is 27 in the city and 33 on the highway.
Around town, even with the automatic transmission, the Fit Sport feels spunky because the car weighs only 2,534 pounds. On the highway, it cruises comfortably, although there is a moderate amount of wind and road noise.
Prices start at $14,900 and top out at $19,110 for a Fit Sport with the navigation system and automatic transmission. The test car was a Fit Sport with the automatic transmission and navigation system.
The top-line Fit Sport has a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, fingertip steering wheel controls and Honda’s optional voice-recognition navigation system.
The Fit’s front seats are excellent. They hit me in all the right places and had firm foam.
The second-row seat folds forward at the flip of a lever and never interferes with the front seats no matter how far back they are. The resulting cargo space is square and large. When you fold the front passenger seat forward, the resulting space can hold something that is more than 7 feet long.
The Fit has front, side and side-curtain airbags, along with anti-lock brakes. The Fit Sport with navigation gets vehicle stability assist with traction control.
Fit competitors include vehicles such as the Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent and the Chevrolet Aveo.
Price
The base price of the test car was $19,110. Destination charges brought the sticker price to $19,820.
Warranty
Three years or 36,000 miles with a five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
2010 Honda Fit Sport
Engine: 1.5-liter, 117-hp 4-cyl.
Transmission: Automatic
Front-wheel drive
Wheelbase: 98.4 inches
Curb weight: 2,534 lbs.
Base price: $19,110
As driven: $19,820
MPG: 27 city, 33 hwy.
To reach Tom Strongman, send e-mail to tom@tomstrongman.com.
