First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit

The Honda Fit was already the best subcompact on the market—and it just got better for 2009

by Thane Peterson

Editor's Rating:

The Good: Versatile cabin, fuel economy, fun to drive

The Bad: Pricier than most competitors

The Bottom Line: The best subcompact on the market just got better

Reader Reviews

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Up Front

At a recent press event in New York City, I watched a 6 ft., 9 in. fellow auto reviewer wedge himself behind the wheel of the new Honda (HMC) Fit. He looked like a bear in a bathtub to me, but he said he had enough room to drive the thing. His punning response when asked how he felt: "I wouldn't say I'm comfortable, but I fit."

Ever since hitting the U.S. market two-and-a-half years ago, the subcompact Fit has been one of the most remarkable models on the American market. The front seats are surprisingly roomy, as my Kobe Bryant-sized colleague demonstrated, and it's arguably the most versatile small car around. If anything, the redesign for the '09 model year, which added 4.2 in. to the car's length and pushed the windshield nearly 5 in. farther forward, makes the 2009 even more versatile than the previous Fit without sacrificing the drivability and fuel economy that made the original so popular (sales were up 78.5% in July and 71.9% in the first seven months of the year, to 52,053).

Fuel economy remains about the same, which is to say excellent. With an automatic transmission, the base model '09 Fit is rated to get 28 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway. The stick-shift versions of the car do slightly worse, as does the Sport version with an automatic transmission, which gets 27 city and 33 highway.

The Fit's safety ratings also promise to remain excellent. Side, side curtain, and dual-stage front air bags are standard, while stability and traction control are available as an option. Based on its own tests, Honda expects the new Fit to earn five-star government crash test ratings for all occupants in front and side collisions, and the rating drops to a still acceptable four stars for rear passengers in side crashes.

The downside is that the Fit isn't cheap. At a base price of $15,220 with a stick shift, the '09 Fit costs nearly three grand more than the entry-level 2008 Toyota (TM) Yaris, which starts at just $12,210. Honda expects 70% of shoppers to go with the Fit Sport, which starts at $16,730 with a stick shift and adds enhancements such as 16-in. alloy wheels, fog lights, a rear spoiler, keyless entry, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a driver's armrest. The high-end Sport with an automatic transmission and a navigation system costs $19,430.

For that kind of money you can get a well-appointed Honda Civic, which is bigger and gets about the same mileage. For $21,245 you can get an entry-level '09 Honda Accord.

Still, the '09 Fit promises to be in high demand when it hits the showrooms in early September. Honda expects to sell 85,000 new Fits over the next 12 months, which is about the current selling rate for the '08, and dealers have struggled to keep up with demand all year. In early August, they only had a 4.8-day supply of '08 Fits, Honda says.

Behind the Wheel

The Fit's big selling point is the versatility of its interior. The key to the car's design is the placement of the fuel tank under the front seats, creating space so the rear seats can fold down flat and low. There's also an unusual amount of space (51 in. at the high point) between the floor and ceiling of the car, and the seats fold up and down in multiple ingenious ways, giving the Fit amazing hauling power for such a small car.

The 2009's interior crams even more utility into the Fit's small package than before. Moving the windshield forward and moving the ceiling's peak back over the rear-seat area created extra space for more rear leg- and headroom.