I have put in a lot of seat time in our long-term Honda Fit Sport and I'm a big fan of it. As a city car. I think it's absolutely perfect for the city. Zippy, quick, very compact, easy to park, great turning radius, carries a lot of stuff...
But what I really like: the engine. There has been a lot of criticism that the high-revving little motor is grating during long road trips and extended time on the highway. This doesn't surprise me. Because it's loud and revvy. But during quick squirts around slower-moving traffic, I imagine a little animated hamster, with goggles and an aerodynamic pair of running shoes, racing around that wheel and working his little heart off. This is, of course, in direct opposition to something like our long-departed long-term Pontiac Solstice, whose engine was more like a fat ol' bear, wheezing and sweating but not actually doing anything. Loud, sucking wind, but not actually making any power. Out of shape and mama bear waiting to call 911. Then of course there's the Miata. Pure performance and sounding like Carl Lewis in the 440.
Like I said, the Fit's engine is probably a nightmare in the 80s for a few hours on a road trip, tach pegged at 3,200. But in the city, I dig it. Sometimes I overrev it just a sec and imagine that little hamster, eager to please, racing toward the tape, the roar of the crowd in his ears.
Doug Lloyd, Senior Copy Editor, @ 14,318 miles
kevlang says:
12:36 PM, 06/ 7/07
below 70 mph on the highway engine noise isn't a problem. but as has been discussed on these boards before, if you live somewhere that requires regular 75-80 mph freeway trips, the Fit will not make you very happy.
what do people expect from a car designed for the city streets of Japan?
carlisimo says:
12:51 PM, 06/ 7/07
The engine was meant for us... I think the rest of the world gets 1.0L and 1.3L engines, and Japan has a 1.4L too. The 1.5 is US-specific. But the noise is normal for inexpensive subcompacts (which I have way too much experience with, with 4-speed manuals, and mercifully no tach) - at least until now. The Versa has started a breed of commuter subcompacts, imo.
bennetpullen says:
02:01 PM, 06/ 7/07
The Fit is available with a 1.3 i-DSI, a 1.5 i-DSI and the 1.5 V-TEC (our engine) in Japan. In Europe there is a 1.2 i-DSI and a 1.4 i-DSI (which is the same as the 1.3 from Japan but they changed the name so it would not be so close to the 1.2). The 1.5 V-TEC is used in the Fit in other Asian markets as well as the Middle East.
In Japan the 1.5 V-TEC Fit is kind of like a Fit Si, it is the performance model. I wish they would import the i-DSI engines to north America because they get much better fuel economy (easily in the high 40s for the 1.3) and the 1.5 actually has more low end torque than our engine does, though it has a lower redline and less horsepower.
carlisimo says:
03:45 PM, 06/ 7/07
Ah, thanks.
desmolicious says:
01:19 PM, 06/ 8/07
Do you guys know Cliff Clavin?
funkymunky says:
01:28 PM, 06/ 8/07
AUTHOR: funkymunky
DATE: 06/08/2007 01:28:33 PM
EMAIL: dlloyd@edmunds.com
hondacura4 says:
03:12 PM, 06/ 8/07
I would actually like to see the Civics 1.8 liter in the Fit as its more refined, efficient, has more power/torque, and is much smoother. Such a car could easily get 45MPG or more.
kevlang says:
06:03 PM, 06/ 8/07
hondacura4 - on what are you basing your claim that the 1.8 is more efficient than the 1.5?
the EPA rating for the Civic is worse for city mpg and better for highway mpg; the only reason it's better for highway is that the Civic has a much lower coefficient of drag - it's 3.5" lower than the fit and almost 20" longer, and you can tell just from looking how much sleeker it is.
the only real way to measure engine efficiency is mechanical energy out divided by fuel energy in, so unless you've got some inside information from Honda on brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC, i.e. g/kW-hr fuel consumption), it's hard to say which engine is more efficient.
as for 45 mpg, the 1.8 is going to be heavier than the 1.5. more weight = lower mpg.
bennetpullen says:
11:08 PM, 06/ 8/07
The thing about the L series motor in the Fit is that is was specifically designed for that car, to have the shortest hood possible in order to maximize interior space. So while it appears not to be as fuel efficient as the motor in the Civic, it is much more space efficient which is really what the Fit is all about.
On the other hand I know of at least a few people who have swapped the K20 from the Civic Si or Acura RSX into the Fit, so the R18 from the Civic should not be a problem.
The R series engine is actually really cool (the V-TEC in it has a set of cam lobes in it designed to maximize fuel efficiency), and they also have 1.6L and 2.0L versions. It would be cool if the next gen Fit has that engine, even as an option. I would probably get at least the same fuel efficiency and have more horsepower. Then again maybe they will find a way to put the V-TEC2 from the new Accord into the L series engine and that would be killer!
redandy says:
06:58 AM, 06/14/07
At 80 mph on an MT, the tach is sitting at ~3900 rpm, not 3200. It's a lot lower on an AT, but I don't recall the #'s exactly - haven't driven one of those since my test drives......
I don't even notice the engine in my MT at 70 (~3400 rpms), above that it gets a bit noisy, but still at 80, it's not bad at all.
I've taken several 4+ hour road trips with the car fully loaded cruising at 75-80 with no annoyances at all.
The majority of the noise in the Fit is from the road, not the engine. This is typically Honda - they seem to have more road noise in general than a comparable car from the competition.
Would I love to drive the Fit from coast to coast at 80 mph? I could. But if I did that sort of thing every week, I'd probably prefer something cushier - that's not the Fit's mission. The short wheelbase, fairly stiff suspension, and high profile can make it seem choppy on really long, straight freeway cruises. But these same characteristics make it perfect for the city and give it all its zip.
It's all about picking the car that meets what your needs are, and I think the Fit cuts accross a pretty wide swath here - it's an incredibly flexible vehicle!
macsan says:
08:34 PM, 12/19/07
I drove a Fit Auto the other day and took it up to 80mph, it was taching around 2900 and the thing was smooth; enough left in the rev range to take it to 90mph and still be around 3300-3400rpms. Check out the gear ratios of the auto vs manual. Fifth in the manual is close to the fourth in the auto.