CTC Review: 2009 Honda Fit

[Rupert]

The Fit is a versatile little car that I like very much. Much more versatile than the Hyundai Accent GS 4 door that I use. But don't knock the Hyundai. The fit and finish and overall attractiveness of the Accent is second to none in this segment IMO and the long term reliability (3 years 50000km so far) can only be equalled by the Fit in my books. Why this would translate to lower resale differential value for the Hyundai beats me. Maybe it's a sales plot. Does the Honda manufacturers warranty equal the Hyundai? This is a carry-over value in itself maybe.

[Jaeger]

Re:

I think I’m a little too excited about this car. It’s just a sub-compact econobox, but something about it turns my crank. It certainly isn’t the neck snapping acceleration because, well, there is none and it’s not the smooth-as-silk ride or quiet-like-a-Cadillac highway cruising either, but being realistic and looking at the vehicle as a whole, I’m digging it.

That pretty much sums up why this car is so well-received by the press and consumers alike.  It's not about numbers - it's about the sum total of the driving experience. Most people who dismiss this car as "over-hyped" share something in common: they haven't driven it.  Not saying it's perfect - it isn't, and neither is any other car.  But if dealers can get people behind the wheel for a test drive, it does a great job of selling itself.

Jaeger

[The Mighty Duck]

That pretty much sums up why this car is so well-received by the press and consumers alike.  It's not about numbers - it's about the sum total of the driving experience. Most people who dismiss this car as "over-hyped" share something in common: they haven't driven it.  Not saying it's perfect - it isn't, and neither is any other car.  But if dealers can get people behind the wheel for a test drive, it does a great job of selling itself.

I think this is a great point.  I drove the Fit, Yaris, and Versa and was completely blown away by the Fit.  The other two, not so much. 

As for the speakers in the DX...  yes, it's silly they only give you two speakers.  OTOH, barely anyone buys the DX anyway, so it's a bit of a moot point.  The best-selling Fit is the LX.

[safristi]

..WING time to "update" day 1's "paddle shifters " are available blooper..........had a tough 2 daze playin FIT the salami............. ...................Harmonize MAN...Harmonize......it's like SIMON-ize only slippier..................

[Honda Owner]

all I was pointing out that it's ridiculous that a vehicle comes with 2 speakers, absolutely ridiculous

I will exchange two speakers for standard ABS with EBD and side and side curtain airbags any day. Honda spent on safety and it was a major reason I bought the car. No base car his this level of safety gear.

OTOH, barely anyone buys the DX anyway, so it's a bit of a moot point.

Actually, here in Vancouver the DX is the most popular model since there isn't much of a need for a/c in our climate the extra money for the LX is not justifiable here. I see more DX than anything else and many have a nice wheel/tire set. As I said before, I have to other buddies with Fit DX and what we all do is rent large cars for road trips.

But then again, the traffic/road situation in the Lower Mainland is unique to anywhere in Canada which probably accounts for the popularity of the DX. In fact, it took me three weeks to find a blue DX and boy, did Vancouver Honda ever do its best to sell me an LX!

The cars do sell themselves. When I got mine, my two buddies walked in the same dealer and bought one immediately.

[Honda Owner]

all I was pointing out that it's ridiculous that a vehicle comes with 2 speakers, absolutely ridiculous

I will exchange two speakers for standard ABS with EBD and side and side curtain airbags any day. Honda spent on safety and it was a major reason I bought the car. No base car his this level of safety gear.

OTOH, barely anyone buys the DX anyway, so it's a bit of a moot point.

Actually, here in Vancouver the DX is the most popular model since there isn't much of a need for a/c in our climate the extra money for the LX is not justifiable here. I see more DX than anything else and many have a nice wheel/tire set. As I said before, I have to other buddies with Fit DX and what we all do is rent large cars for road trips.

But then again, the traffic/road situation in the Lower Mainland is unique to anywhere in Canada which probably accounts for the popularity of the DX. In fact, it took me three weeks to find a blue DX and boy, did Vancouver Honda ever do its best to sell me an LX!

The cars do sell themselves. When I got mine, my two buddies walked in the same dealer and bought one immediately.

Why this would translate to lower resale differential value for the Hyundai beats me. Maybe it's a sales plot.

It is simple. Buyers on the used market are willing to pay more for Hondas than Hyundais. The go for more at acution. There is no plot. I have three Honda cars and I know why they have the highest owner satisfaction in the business. Go buy one and drive if for a few years and you will know, too. They are

well

worth the extra price of admission. I could easily get $6000 for my 1996 Civic, which is about 40% of what I paid for it thirteen (OMG!) years ago. But then again it has never seen salt, snow, a pothole and has been garaged. Mrs Honda owner loves it and actually prefers it over the 2004 we have, mostly because she likes the colour!

[airbalancer]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

[Honda Owner]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

Different strokes for different folks. The Fit is a city car. If you live in congested area with little highway driving and need to move a lot of stuff, it is ideal. I rarely have a trip longer than half an hour, usually less.

If you live in GTA hell and spend hours on the 401, you'll hate it. But that is not what it is designed for.

[Jaeger]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

Are you talking about the current Fit - I didn't think it had been out in N/A for a whole year yet.

Jaeger

[airbalancer]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

Are you talking about the current Fit - I didn't think it had been out in N/A for a whole year yet.

Jaeger

She had a sport model, the first year it came out, probably should posted in the other thread.
She did have have a manual
Could be because she was from Quebec she found it to slow ? LOL

[Seafoam]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

Are you talking about the current Fit - I didn't think it had been out in N/A for a whole year yet.

Jaeger

She had a sport model, the first year it came out, probably should posted in the other thread.
She did have have a manual
Could be because she was from Quebec she found it to slow ? LOL

What kind of car did she have before the Fit? People buy these small 4 cylinder cars and expect them to perform like a larger more powerful car.If this is the case they won't like it. I drive mine on the highway all the time , it is my main car . No trouble keeping up with traffic.It is the dreaded automatic Fit.Infact sometimes i find myself speeding because of the automatics revs lower rpm on the highway. 

[airbalancer]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

Are you talking about the current Fit - I didn't think it had been out in N/A for a whole year yet.

Jaeger

She had a sport model, the first year it came out, probably should posted in the other thread.
She did have have a manual
Could be because she was from Quebec she found it to slow ? LOL

What kind of car did she have before the Fit? People buy these small 4 cylinder cars and expect them to perform like a larger more powerful car.If this is the case they won't like it. I drive mine on the highway all the time , it is my main car . No trouble keeping up with traffic.It is the dreaded automatic Fit.Infact sometimes i find myself speeding because of the automatics revs lower rpm on the highway. 

I believe her last car was a CRV, do not know what year
She found it a pain to drive around Dartmouth, to small for car seats , and stroller

[Seafoam]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

Are you talking about the current Fit - I didn't think it had been out in N/A for a whole year yet.

Jaeger

She had a sport model, the first year it came out, probably should posted in the other thread.
She did have have a manual
Could be because she was from Quebec she found it to slow ? LOL

What kind of car did she have before the Fit? People buy these small 4 cylinder cars and expect them to perform like a larger more powerful car.If this is the case they won't like it. I drive mine on the highway all the time , it is my main car . No trouble keeping up with traffic.It is the dreaded automatic Fit.Infact sometimes i find myself speeding because of the automatics revs lower rpm on the highway. 

I believe her last car was a CRV, do not know what year
She found it a pain to drive around Dartmouth, to small for car seats , and stroller

There you go a larger more powerful vehicle. Not too many people these days put car seats in cars they prefer minivans or suv's.Once you get used to a larger vehicle it's harder to downsize and you expect it to perform like the older car. I've never had this problem ,have always driven smaller cars[corolla's , civics,cavaliers]. If you don't expect much you won't be disappointed.

[tpl]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

Are you talking about the current Fit - I didn't think it had been out in N/A for a whole year yet.

Jaeger

She had a sport model, the first year it came out, probably should posted in the other thread.
She did have have a manual
Could be because she was from Quebec she found it to slow ? LOL

What kind of car did she have before the Fit? People buy these small 4 cylinder cars and expect them to perform like a larger more powerful car.If this is the case they won't like it. I drive mine on the highway all the time , it is my main car . No trouble keeping up with traffic.It is the dreaded automatic Fit.Infact sometimes i find myself speeding because of the automatics revs lower rpm on the highway. 

I drive ours (5MT) on the 401 and have no trouble keeping up... I also find that I look at the speedo and find I am doing 140 where 120 might be more prudent. 

[Cortina]

This was an 88 Honda Civic Wagon 4WD I had...

Err weren't they called civic shuttle in NA. 

[mmret]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

IMHO, that's her own fault. Its not like the car became smaller or less powerful after she bought it - everything was laid out in front of her and she made the wrong choice.

[Mitlov]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

IMHO, that's her own fault.

A painful syndrome otherwise known as MitlovsSubaritis.  A dreadful disease resulting from someone dropping big bucks on a vehicle they haven't adequately test-driven.

[airbalancer]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

IMHO, that's her own fault. Its not like the car became smaller or less powerful after she bought it - everything was laid out in front of her and she made the wrong choice.

They did not need the baby seat when she bought the the Fit

[Seafoam]

The only person that I know who has owned a Fit, trade it in after a year
She found it too small, and not enough power

IMHO, that's her own fault. Its not like the car became smaller or less powerful after she bought it - everything was laid out in front of her and she made the wrong choice.

They did not need the baby seat when she bought the the Fit

Opps

[Jaeger]

They did not need the baby seat when she bought the the Fit

Okay, so if I have this right, an owner of the previous generation Fit had a significant change in personal circumstances which necessitated the purchase of a larger vehicle.  That about right?  Doesn't seem particularly controversial to me.  Your initial post sure made it sound like she found the vehicle itself to be lacking - as opposed to a fundamental shift in her vehicular requirements mandating a change.

Jaeger