Cox News Service
ATLANTA:
ONE OF the newest entries to the newly rejuvenated compact-car field comes from Honda, which keeps churning out quality vehicles in a range
of categories.
The Honda Fit, on sale now as a 2007 model, joins a field that has received renewed attention from buyers and automakers, thanks to higher gas prices,
an uncertain economy and
environmental concerns.
That field includes the Mazda3, Ford Focus and
Toyota Yaris, which is almost
as new as the Fit.
So how does Honda's entrant stack up to its competition?
Pretty well, as you might expect from the company that boasts the Motor Trend car and truck of the year (Civic and Ridgeline, respectively).
REMARKABLE SPACIOUSNESS
The Fit comes as a four-door with a hatchback and is based on a car of the same name Honda has been selling in Japan. A
similar model, called the Jazz, has been sold in Europe.
Sure, this is a small car, but its spaciousness is remarkable. The front seats offer a comfortable amount of headroom and legroom. The rear seating is also fairly roomy. And when you open the hatchback, you're greeted by 21.3 cubic feet of space. You can fold the 60/40 split rear seats down and add to the cargo space.
So the question of having ample space, one concern you might have about buying a small car, doesn't really have to be a concern, as long as you have
reasonable expectations
(remember, this isn't an SUV).
Another concern about
small cars: Aren't they kind of stripped down, devoid of the goodies that we've come to expect in our autos?
Not so much anymore with this new breed.
For example, the Fit has power windows and door locks, rear window wiper/washer, anti-lock brakes, AM/FM/CD player and front side-impact air bags, all standard.
Aren't small cars supposed to be kind of weak when it comes to engine power?
You'd be surprised how peppy the Fit's 1.5-litre, four-cylinder engine is. It kicks out 109 horsepower and 105 pounds-feet of torque. The test model, the Fit Sport, had a five-speed automatic transmission. A five-speed
manual gear box is standard
on the base model Fit.
One of the key things that you would expect from a small car, and that has fueled its resurgent popularity, is great gas mileage. The Fit doesn't disappoint,
posting EPA numbers of 31 mpg-city and 37 highway with the automatic, and 33 and 38 with the manual.
COMFORTABLE, RESPONSIVE
The Fit rides and drives pretty comfortably. Steering feels responsive, the engine noise
isn't too bad and the suspension stabilises the Fit's motion,
especially at higher speeds.
After consumers spent liberally on SUVs throughout a good
portion of the 1990s and the early part of this decade, it's
now fashionable again to spend frugally on vehicles.
The Fit fits: The test-drive model goes for about US$15,970, and the base model starts at US$13,850.
As carmakers rediscover
the value of making good,
economical small cars, they
seem to be mostly focusing on the market of younger buyers.
But young or old, a smart
consumer knows good value. That's just what the Fit delivers.
