Topic: Test Drive: 2015 Honda Fit EX-L 6-speed

[Autos_Editor]

Honda's beloved Fit is all-new for 2015. With more space and more amenities, it's also a better value. Jeff Wilson spends a week with a stick-shift Fit and learns practical and affordable cars can still be a lot of fun.
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[JohnM]

$22k is a pretty decent price for that package.  The Fit has always been the leader in this segment but it's too bad they never brought in the hybrid model as the fuel numbers are good but not brilliant.

What does the Fit engine turn at 100km/hr 6 speed vs CVT?  The 5 speed auto used to be 2150 rpm and the 5 speed stick closer to 2700.  I hope they used the extra cog to drop the revs on highway cruise because the 5 speed was screaming for a taller gear.

Cheers,
John M.

[toolatecrew]

$22k is a pretty decent price for that package.  The Fit has always been the leader in this segment but it's too bad they never brought in the hybrid model as the fuel numbers are good but not brilliant.

What does the Fit engine turn at 100km/hr 6 speed vs CVT?  The 5 speed auto used to be 2150 rpm and the 5 speed stick closer to 2700.  I hope they used the extra cog to drop the revs on highway cruise because the 5 speed was screaming for a taller gear.

Cheers,
John M.

You can stop hoping

The manual, on the other hand, holds 'em high at cruising speeds – sixth gear uses the same ratio as fifth gear in the old car, and on the highway at 80 miles per hour, you're revving at some 4,000 rpm. And it doesn't sound great

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/09/2015-honda-fit-review-first-drive/

Just another asinine decision by a minaufacture..one that is made far too often. They added a 6th gear. Rather than leaving the first 5 ratios the same or even slightly tightening them and then allowing 6th to bring the revs to the same level of the CVT when in  cruise mode what do they do?  Make 6th the same as 5th last year so the gears are closer together!

Why do they do this stuff? I can only guess. Are they terrified that someone who buys manual will be afraid to down shift from 6th on the highway and plaster..Oh this car is so slow accelerating on the highway all over the internet? Hello!!! If we buy a car with a stick we KNOW how to downshift to pass.

Maybe they want the media to rave over how "peppey" it is around town now that the gears are shorter.

Or maybe they just want to push people to to the more expensive CVT...if you don't want your car to sound like its full opf angry bees on the highway that will be an extra $1500 please.

[DriverJeff]

Agreed, to an extent.  I don't understand why they couldn't have adjusted the spacing a bit more to make 6th taller.  That said, although it is spinning at a pretty brisk pace, it's not overly buzzy or loud -- and well in keeping with what the competitive cars are like at highway speeds.  Still,I guess the point is that they had an opportunity to make it a little calmer on the highway and didn't take it. 

[pi314]

I think they do this to improve city fuel consumption numbers

The Focus' shift light tells me to shift into fifth at 60 km/h... that's pretty close to lugging it

I don't really have a problem with high revs though, generally it's wind noise you hear more at higher speeds... Corolla revs at around 3000 at 120, and the focus a tad more... but they're both reasonably quiet on the highway

[redman]

Good car by design and in principle but I believe the 2015 Fit production moved to Mexico from China. The Mexican production Fits are wrought with problems and have hampered deliveries to dealerships.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20141027/RETAIL03/310279956/un-honda-like-problems-plague-new-plant-in-mexico

http://blog.caranddriver.com/honda-facing-parts-theft-railcar-hijacking-and-quality-issues-at-new-mexican-plant/

Honda executives who spearheaded the move from China to Mexico production have taken a pay cut due to numerous recalls in part due to the 2015 Fit.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/honda-president-executives-take-pay-cut-over-recall-issues-1.2810418

[libraman]

$22k is a pretty decent price for that package.  The Fit has always been the leader in this segment but it's too bad they never brought in the hybrid model as the fuel numbers are good but not brilliant.

What does the Fit engine turn at 100km/hr 6 speed vs CVT?  The 5 speed auto used to be 2150 rpm and the 5 speed stick closer to 2700.  I hope they used the extra cog to drop the revs on highway cruise because the 5 speed was screaming for a taller gear.

Cheers,
John M.

You can stop hoping

Or maybe they just want to push people to to the more expensive CVT...if you don't want your car to sound like its full opf angry bees on the highway that will be an extra $1500 please.

I wonder too. I think they must be trying to push people into the CVT. I also noticed that the fuel efficiency numbers for the manuals are often depicted to be not a good as the CVT. But in real world tests that is not showing to be the case. Are the margins that much better for the CVT?

I believe Honda received similar complaints regarding the 2007 Fit manual. I think they changed the ratios for the 2008 year. But it was remodeled in 2009.

[Jaeger]

My wife and I test drove the loaded up stick version and loved it.  Seemed like an improvement on the very excellent previous model in pretty much every way.

[northsparrow]

Just how heavy is sound insulation anyway?

For years every review of the Honda Fit, Civic, Accord or CRV has mentioned higher than normal noise levels.

Is sound insulation so expensive that it would drastically increase the price?

I am also puzzled by the gearing of the manual. If 6th gear does not drop the highway revs to the
the same level as the CVT then what is the point?

 

[Googoo]

Overall I like what they did with this version, but the highway buzziness would still drive me nuts, but it's the lack of buttons that would me off the most. I'm left handed and have become more so over the decades I NEED the buttons for volume and channel on the dash.

I've also heard stories about the seat getting softer, and although some people complained about how firm Honda makes their seats, I love it, seems to help with their longevity too, just make the seat a little longer for better support for my leg and I'm good

As for the sound insulation, it's a weight savings and cost savings measure, I found in my last civic that it was more to occasional noise through the door glass would bug me, otherwise it was fine

[Minou]

$22k is a pretty decent price for that package.  The Fit has always been the leader in this segment but it's too bad they never brought in the hybrid model as the fuel numbers are good but not brilliant.

What does the Fit engine turn at 100km/hr 6 speed vs CVT?  The 5 speed auto used to be 2150 rpm and the 5 speed stick closer to 2700.  I hope they used the extra cog to drop the revs on highway cruise because the 5 speed was screaming for a taller gear.

Cheers,
John M.

You can stop hoping

The manual, on the other hand, holds 'em high at cruising speeds – sixth gear uses the same ratio as fifth gear in the old car, and on the highway at 80 miles per hour, you're revving at some 4,000 rpm. And it doesn't sound great

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/09/2015-honda-fit-review-first-drive/

Just another asinine decision by a minaufacture..one that is made far too often. They added a 6th gear. Rather than leaving the first 5 ratios the same or even slightly tightening them and then allowing 6th to bring the revs to the same level of the CVT when in  cruise mode what do they do?  Make 6th the same as 5th last year so the gears are closer together!

Why do they do this stuff? I can only guess. Are they terrified that someone who buys manual will be afraid to down shift from 6th on the highway and plaster..Oh this car is so slow accelerating on the highway all over the internet? Hello!!! If we buy a car with a stick we KNOW how to downshift to pass.

Maybe they want the media to rave over how "peppey" it is around town now that the gears are shorter.

Or maybe they just want to push people to to the more expensive CVT...if you don't want your car to sound like its full opf angry bees on the highway that will be an extra $1500 please.

X10

Honda likely didn't bother to change the final drive ratio for North America.  So you're left shifting all the time in town and consuming more fuel on the highway than some midsize cars.  Case in point, 2015 values my Mazda 6 auto 6.1 l/100 km vs the manual Fit at 6.4.

Would be nice also for a manual car to have the tachometer sweep to more than 1/3 of the dial.

[jamesautos]

I wish they make a version with all the nice trim and tech with actual buttons

[cruzzer]

Remarkable versatility in a small package that's fun to drive and affordable to buy and operate. 6.3L/100 is excellent given the fun the reviewer was having with the six speed. Not sure there is too much to complain about when getting under 6L is obviously attainable with more conservative driving.

[Weels]

The Fit would me my choice in this segment for sure, and i'd buy one exactly as equipped here.
Imagine that.. a top of the line car you can get with a stick... 

This surprised me ..."Honda expects 25 percent of their Fit sales will go to those opting to shift their own gears" - seems ambitious to me, but maybe that's what the current Fit sells at with a manual?

And.. nitpick time with said manual...Honda's insistance of putting reverse to the right 6th...i had this (probably silly) fear of a money shift from 5th to R in a manual Civic...
I prefer it to be left of 1-2... Honda seems to be the only mfr to do this


 

[tortoise]

I wonder if there is a lockout on the transmission when going from 5th to prevent that.  I know my 5 speed won't let you go into reverse from 5th.. Though, I haven't tested it per say.

Case in point, 2015 values my Mazda 6 auto 6.1 l/100 km vs the manual Fit at 6.4.

This is probably due to the better aerodynamics of the 6.  The Fit is probably taller than your 6 while being shorter and with a square back end.

Also, I am not sure that the higher revving engine means more consumption in the Fit. This engine does not make a lot of power down low so you'd need more throttle input (to push that square box down the road) at highway speeds.

[SaskSpecV]

And.. nitpick time with said manual...Honda's insistance of putting reverse to the right 6th...i had this (probably silly) fear of a money shift from 5th to R in a manual Civic...
I prefer it to be left of 1-2... Honda seems to be the only mfr to do this

Subaru does it too (at least in the Forester 6MT, don't know about the WRX).  And Nissan had that in my SpecV (not sure about 370 or Juke or any of their other current cars with a 6MT).  But I agree, I prefer reverse to be left of 1-2.

[Weels]

I wonder if there is a lockout on the transmission when going from 5th to prevent that.   

Yeah, there is a lockout.. IIRC it's a push down... still it just seems more logical to me to have it on left.

[Weels]

Subaru does it too (at least in the Forester 6MT, don't know about the WRX).

Pretty sure the 'rex was on left... Jeff can tell us for sure.. 

Nope, i'm wrong. It's same as the Honda.  Difference is Subaru has the lift ring as the lockout, which gives me more confidence anyway...

[dkaz]

Transmissions typically have a physical lockout to prevent engaging reverse when you're going faster than a few km/h I believe. For some reason years ago I tried shifting into "6th gear" in my 91 Corolla on the highway.

But I do prefer it to the left of 1st gear. VWs have this even on their 5 speed manuals.

[pi314]

I don't like it to the left of 1, particularly with the push down... I'm always worried that I'll accidentally push down and put the car into reverse on a hill... I doubt you can do a money shift to R from 5 since you'd have to push to the right. That being said it'd never be a deal breaker and I'd probably get used to it... I've driven a few VW and it hasn't been an issue really

That may be because my dad told me tales of his old Reliant that didn't have a working lockout and driving up some hills in Halifax and struggling with that problem.