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Review 3 of 7
Price Paid:
$15000.00
from Honda World, Downey, Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 Honda Fit Sport Strengths:
great gas mileage
low maintenance cost
fun-to-drive
storage space
standard equipment on Sport model
parkability
handling
clutch and manual transmission Weaknesses:
diminished peformance for full load
somewhat choppy ride Summary:
Before I had ever heard of the Honda Fit I had lusted after the Mini-Cooper, but I could not justify its purchase from a practical standpoint. When the Fit came out I read everything I could find on it. It sounded too good to be true. Well, I own it, and it is all true! With just over 18,000 miles, my overall average is 37.87 MPG, but I plan ahead and I'm never in a hurry to get to a red light. Like they say "your mileage may vary." My highest single tank average mileage was 45 MPG; my lowest 29 MPG. I usually don't exceed 70 MPH on the highway, but it'll cruise at 80+ without any complaint, other than decreased mileage and a little engine noise. Compared to my previous vehicle, a 2.4L Nissan Frontier, the Fit's acceleration is quicker and the storage space is large enough for all of my occasional hauling, especially with the rear seats down. Plus the Magic Seats come in handy for hauling anything up to 48" tall. This car is more fun to drive than any other new car I have owned, including a '65 Mustang and a '78 280Z. The steering is precise with good road feel, and it turns on a dime. Only 2.41 steering wheel turns lock-to-lock. It also corners well with very little body lean. With such a short wheelbase, you can expect the ride to be a little choppy, but the suspension is firm and it absorbs bumps well. I've never had the suspension bottom out. The handling really comes to life on winding mountain roads. The clutch and 5 speed manual transmission make shifting a breeze, No matter what the traffic conditions are, I would never willingly give up the control and economy of the stick-shift for the convenience of the automatic transmission, but that is just me. Attention to detail is up to the usual Honda standard (high). Some of the extras, cruise control, tilt steering wheel, power windows and door locks, remote control mirrors, and more, are all standard on the Sport, and are nice touches for this amazing economy car. From the inside you totally forget how small the car is, until you see another one on the road. Then you realize what a great packaging job Honda has done. I tend to keep cars for a long time in order to minimize depreciation. I think I'll be keeping this one for a very long time! Thank you Honda.
One caveat: Most of my driving is with one or two occupants; if you consistently carry 4-5 people the car's performance and economy may be less than what this review would lead you to believe.
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