What Is It?
2007 Honda Fit
What's Special About It?
Honda built its reputation by offering the most car for the least amount of money. It still does a good job of it, but with the Civic now positioned toward the premium end of the compact segment there's plenty of room for competitors from Korea and Japan to offer a better deal.
The introduction of the Fit gets Honda back in the entry-level segment. We're talking $15K for a well-equipped model. It's still not the cheapest vehicle in the segment, but Honda thinks it offers a better combination of features and practicality than the competition.
Available as a four-door hatchback only, the Fit is similar in size to the Scion xA and Kia Rio 5, and slightly smaller than Nissan's new Versa hatchback. Go through the stats and all four vehicles offer roughly the same amount of leg- , head- and shoulder room, give or take a couple inches.
With that in mind we asked Honda Product Planner Christina Ra what's the one thing that makes the Fit stand out. "Definitely the functionality. With the fold-flat second-row seats the Fit is far more versatile than any of its competitors."
The seats she's referring to aren't your typical fold-flat seats. Honda calls them "Magic" seats, even has a trademark on the name. They have four positions for varying levels of passenger and cargo room. Honda didn't offer up any figures on just how much room is available with everything folded flat, but just by the looks of it there's more usable space than most other hatchbacks.
Standard interior features on the base model include power windows, locks and mirrors; A/C; four-speaker CD stereo; and six airbags. The upgraded Fit Sport adds a premium audio system, MP3 port, keyless entry, cruise control, and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters on automatic models. The Fit Sport also gets 15-inch wheels, lower body cladding, a roof spoiler and foglights. There will also be over 30 dealer-installed accessories available for further customizing the Fit to your liking.
Powering the front-wheel-drive Fit is a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that develops 109 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual or you can upgrade to a segment-exclusive five-speed automatic. Honda's latest variable valve timing system not only earns the Fit an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) rating, it is expected to earn EPA mileage estimates of 33 city and 38 highway.
What's Edmunds' Take?
Amazing how a little rise in gas prices can turn overlooked subcompacts into one of the faster-growing segments in the industry. Honda's Fit has the practicality part nailed, it's the styling part that could hold it back. — Ed Hellwig
2007 Honda Fit
What's Special About It?
Honda built its reputation by offering the most car for the least amount of money. It still does a good job of it, but with the Civic now positioned toward the premium end of the compact segment there's plenty of room for competitors from Korea and Japan to offer a better deal.
The introduction of the Fit gets Honda back in the entry-level segment. We're talking $15K for a well-equipped model. It's still not the cheapest vehicle in the segment, but Honda thinks it offers a better combination of features and practicality than the competition.
Available as a four-door hatchback only, the Fit is similar in size to the Scion xA and Kia Rio 5, and slightly smaller than Nissan's new Versa hatchback. Go through the stats and all four vehicles offer roughly the same amount of leg- , head- and shoulder room, give or take a couple inches.
With that in mind we asked Honda Product Planner Christina Ra what's the one thing that makes the Fit stand out. "Definitely the functionality. With the fold-flat second-row seats the Fit is far more versatile than any of its competitors."
The seats she's referring to aren't your typical fold-flat seats. Honda calls them "Magic" seats, even has a trademark on the name. They have four positions for varying levels of passenger and cargo room. Honda didn't offer up any figures on just how much room is available with everything folded flat, but just by the looks of it there's more usable space than most other hatchbacks.
Standard interior features on the base model include power windows, locks and mirrors; A/C; four-speaker CD stereo; and six airbags. The upgraded Fit Sport adds a premium audio system, MP3 port, keyless entry, cruise control, and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters on automatic models. The Fit Sport also gets 15-inch wheels, lower body cladding, a roof spoiler and foglights. There will also be over 30 dealer-installed accessories available for further customizing the Fit to your liking.
Powering the front-wheel-drive Fit is a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that develops 109 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual or you can upgrade to a segment-exclusive five-speed automatic. Honda's latest variable valve timing system not only earns the Fit an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) rating, it is expected to earn EPA mileage estimates of 33 city and 38 highway.
What's Edmunds' Take?
Amazing how a little rise in gas prices can turn overlooked subcompacts into one of the faster-growing segments in the industry. Honda's Fit has the practicality part nailed, it's the styling part that could hold it back. — Ed Hellwig
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