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2007 Honda Fit SportA Near-Perfect Fit
Small cars are to Honda what huge fins and 86-year-old retirees are to Cadillac—they’re the elements that made those companies both famous and successful. While Honda has spent the last decade and a half creating SUVs, a pick-up truck and larger versions of its bread-and-butter sedans, it has never lost sight of why it became popular in the first place: small, fuel-efficient cars. Just as it capitalized on the 1970s gas shortage, Honda has enjoyed sky-high sales this year as people evacuate their large SUVs and sedans. And joining its mpg soirée is the Fit, a five-door hatchback that’s the epitome of everything Honda has done well over the years: peppy four banger, fun handling, top-notch build quality, loads of standard features and interior packaging that squeezes every available millimeter from the car’s diminutive body. Starting at $13,850 and topping out around $16,000, the Fit is also a bargain considering how many ways it shines. It’s hard to remember such an inexpensive car being so desirable.
Most people remember four-cylinder economy cars to be ratty-sounding and glacial, with 0-60 acceleration times in the range of 18 seconds to “not bloody likely.” It was the trade-off for high mpg and low prices. The Fit destroys that notion, then backs over it a few times for good measure. Attached to a slick 5-speed manual gearbox, the 109-horsepower inline-four feels much quicker than its 8.7-second 0-60 time suggests, and the power shows up early, unlike in other Honda motors. Cramming three friends into the back might retard its progress a smidge, but otherwise this free-revving little engine always felt eager to zip up to speed. Rounding out the Fit’s performance resume is go-kart handling that would be at home in a small roadster. Its responsive steering isn’t quite up to Mini Cooper levels, but considering the Honda’s power-to-weight advantage, it certainly could give the little Brit a run for its money. The ride is taut without being jarring, feeling comfortable on the highway and around town.
Our test car was a Sport model, which adds larger wheels, cruise control, keyless entry and an upgraded stereo with iPod auxiliary jack. All controls fall readily at hand with large buttons and dials for the radio and A/C. The gauges are electroluminescent and look expensive, as if boosted from an Acura twice its price. There
really isn’t much to complain about the Fit other than
rear styling that unfortunately evokes the original Honda
Odyssey minivan. A homely butt is easy to forgive, though,
when the Fit delivers in almost every area you could ask of
it. Not only will it sip gas at a rate that would make Exxon
nervous, it also throws in go-kart handling and a spacious,
versatile cabin decked out in top-notch materials to boot.
There’s never been a better time to get Fit.
Warranty/Service: 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty; 5-year/60,000 powertrain warranty.
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Honda
is famous for getting the most interior space out of its vehicles
and the Fit is perhaps its crowning achievement. By relocating
the gas tank under the front seats, the trunk floor is low
and the split back seat folds flat creating a maximum cargo
capacity of 42 cubic feet. As a bonus, the back seat’s
bottom cushion flips up creating a 50-inch corridor for taller
items to stand up-right—such as the alpaca displayed
on Honda’s website. While bizarre livestock will enjoy
the roomy interior, so will normal-sized humans—although
taller specimens will find the driver’s seat lacks enough
leg room. Just because a car is small doesn’t mean it
will be driven by smaller people. More seat travel or the
ability to boost up the seat’s front would correct one
of the Fit’s few flaws.
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a review of the 
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