Honda Fit - an actual owner review

[BS Miscreant]

In December I posted regarding how I felt the dealer was jerking me around and when I walked away they magically found a way to give me what I wanted three days later. Near the end of that thread, after many comments and critiques, I said I'd follow up later with my personal review of the car itself. I could have done this sooner but I was waiting until I got some real highway time in so I could provide a more thorough analysis. Well, here it is...

 

Not super fast but quick and a pretty fun drive. Gets up to 40-50 mph without really even noticing. Seemed to rev high on the start when I first started driving it but the transmission has adjusted/settled and is now much smoother. It's an automatic but the "sport mode" with the paddle shifters on the steering wheel are an entertaining change of pace. Handles really well.

 

Lots of space, for the driver, passengers and for my stuff. Sits up higher than most compacts or at least it feels like it. Gotta drop one of the back seats to get my clubs in but it's so easy to do, both up and down, not a big deal. A trip to Sams and no need to move anything. The hatch space behind the back seats actually handled 4 cases of 20oz water bottles, 4 salt bags for the water softener, 2 cases of Gatorade, jumbo toilet paper and paper towel packs with no problem. Granted, I felt like I was leaning back while driving so now I just drop the seats and distribute weight more evenly.

 

Visibility is outstanding; lots of window all around. Downside is, living in Tampa, it gets real hot inside real fast. Gotta get'em tinted when school gets out and I have the time.

 

Commute is only 8 miles round trip and the majority of it is through neighborhoods and I'm still getting 30/31 mpg when I drive like "the book" says. When I'm driving more like I enjoy, it's more like 28/29.

Highway - Just drove to Naples and back(about 175 miles). There, cruise set at 75 with AC blowing full, traffic was less than ideal so cruise was on and off and it was pretty windy I got about 34mpg. Back, cruise set at 75 with AC blowing full, lighter traffic and great weather got 39 mpg.

 

Sound system is very good (clean and loud) and Ipod connection in second glove box is a very nice perk.

 

Color, Blackberry Pearl (yes, that's the real name for the color) kind of a purplish navy, gets many positive comments, mostly from women... not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing.

 

After driving an Xterra for 8 years I wanted more efficiency but still some space in something I can easily afford and I got just that.

 

All in all, I'm very happy. If you're in the market for such a vehicle I recommend it.

[polksalet]

My buddy bought one. It is a great car but it wasn't made for people of my size. I really thought I was going to do structural damage to it getting in and out.

[BS Miscreant]

My buddy bought one. It is a great car but it wasn't made for people of my size. I really thought I was going to do structural damage to it getting in and out.

Yeah, I should probably include that I'm a mere 5'10", 190.

[polksalet]

6-1 260 extra wide

[Front Row]

Detroit thanks you.

[CaptainHook]

buddy of mine is 6'3" and drives a Fit. He loves it. He's a skinny dude though. . .

[Big John]

buddy of mine is 6'3" and drives a Fit. He loves it. He's a skinny dude though. . .

So you need to be fit to fit into a Fit?

[AtomicCEO]

lol... it has a paddle shifter?

[BS Miscreant]

lol... it has a paddle shifter?

Yeah, I found this a bit amusing as well. It does however allow for the manual experience even though it is an automatic.

[tonorator]

rough ride? how's the noise level?

[BS Miscreant]

rough ride? how's the noise level?

It's obviously low to the ground (as a compact) and comes with low profile tires/wheels to boot so you do get some noise when on less than good roads. It's a tight ride and therefore a bit rougher than softer suspensions. I did however transition from a Jeep Grand Cherokee (really smooth) to an Xterra which took some getting used to because of the Nissan's trucky ride. Then from the Xterra to the Fit has been an adjustment but nothing that is truly bothersome.

[nuke'em ttg]

 

for your entertainment HONDA= Hang ON Dumb Ass

[TimC]

The Battle of Guam (1941), was an engagement during the Pacific War in World War II, and took place on December 8, 1941 on Guam in the Mariana Islands between the Empire of Japan and American forces.

 

Japanese Special Forces landed about 5,500 men on Guam on December 10, 1941. The bulk of the Japanese forces belonged to the 4,886-strong 55th Infantry Group. But the 370-man 5th Company, 2nd Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF), based at Saipan, was the only unit to engage in combat during the operation.

 

U.S. forces on Guam comprised about 547 Marines, Insular Force guardsmen, and navy personnel but they only had about 160 weapons including three .30 caliber Mk6 machine guns and four Thompson submachine guns. Among the American units were 271 U.S. Navy personnel, mostly unarmed, including Guamanian messman and four Navy nurses. Guam's station ship with a 137-man crew was also present. The U.S. Marine Barracks had only 153 Marines assigned under Lieutenant Colonel William K. McNulty. This was just a company armed with only a few M1918AI BAR rifles and M1903 Springfield rifles. The unarmed and unpaid Guam Militia was mostly a ceremonial marching unit, and played no part in the defense of Guam.

 

At 04:45 hours, on December 8, the Governor of the island, George J. McMillin was informed about the attack on Pearl Harbor. At 08:27 hours, Japanese aircraft from Saipan attacked the Marine Barracks, the Piti Navy Yard, Libugon radio station, Standard Oil Company, and the Pan American Hotel. During the airstrike, the USS Penguin was scuttled after shooting down a Japanese plane. One officer was killed and several men wounded. The air raids all over Guam continued into the morning and afternoon before subsiding at 17:00 hours.

 

The next day at 08:30 hours, Japanese air attacks resumed with no more than nine aircraft attacking at a time. Previous targets mentioned were attacked as well as the Government House in Agana and several villages as well. That evening, a Japanese invasion fleet, making up of four heavy cruisers, four destroyers, two gunboats, and six submarine chasers, two minesweepers, and two tenders, left Saipan for Guam.

 

At 02:15 hours on December 10, the 370-man 5th Company, Maizuri 2nd SNLF landed on Dungcas Beach on Agana Bay north of Agana and attacked and quickly captured the Insular Force Guard in Agana. It then advanced on Piti moving toward Sumay and the Marine Barracks. The South Seas Detachment began landing on the north flank ot Tumon Bay on the upper northwest coast and moved towards Agana. The principal engagement took place on Agana's Plaza de Espana at 04:45 hours when a few Marines and Insuler Force Guardsmen fought with the 5th Company. After token resistance, the Marines surrendered at 05:45 hours. Governor McMillin officially surrendered at 06:00. No further fighting took place, but a few skirmishes took place all over the island before news of the surrender spread and the rest of the island forces surrendered as well.

 

Marine losses were five killed and 13 wounded. The U.S. Navy lost eight killed, The Guam Insular Force Guards lost 4, and a total of 22 wounded. Only one Japanese Marine was killed and six wounded, all of them from the 5th Company, 2nd SNLF.

[Big John]

for your entertainment HONDA= Hang ON Dumb Ass

I just saw a Honda van by an angey owner. It had lemon decals all over it and big letters saying it was a lemon, thanks to Honda and the dealership's name saying it had 3 trannys in the last 2 years.

[TimC]

HONDA = the same engine goes in our lawnmowers

 

Wait, that's not an acronym..

[AtomicCEO]

Does the fit have usable rear seats? Like, you could put a rear-facing baby seat in it?

[BS Miscreant]

Does the fit have usable rear seats? Like, you could put a rear-facing baby seat in it?

Yes. I recently looked into this myself because not long after I got it we found out we have our own addition to the family coming in August.

Back seat space is surprisingly roomy. Of course some baby seats are bigger than others so this might be something to check out first.

[Skippy]

I have a Scion that is pretty much the same thing as the Fit. We looked at the Fit at the same time but ended up with the Scion. I am very happy with this car and the review you gave up top for the fit is pretty much dead on for the Scion.

 

One thing that is for sure is that you don't want to be in a major impact with these cars. They crumble like mad. Our Scion took a side impact that brought 13K damage to the Scion and under 2500.00 to the Buick that hit it. After seeing the car after the accident with all the side impact air-bags deployed, I realize for sure that you don't want to be in this thing and it take an impact from the side at about 30MPH.

 

When my boy, primary driver of the Scion, has someplace to go other than to his work, he and I trade cars. If my family needs a car to go to the mall or whatever, I make them take my Jeep. It sort of sucks as the little Scion was bought to make those little trips with the 35MPG range and not with my 11-13MPG Jeep. However, I just do not feel safe at all with them in that car.

 

Overall, I do like the car and I am a HUGH 6-3 340lbs and I fit in the front seat of this Scion better than I do in my Jeep. I know that I can fit four people in the Scion with better leg room but not so much elbow room than I do in my Jeep Grand Cherokee. Now hauling four people with four golf bags is a way different story but back and fourt to work is a great thing for the little car.