Sometimes I like to stir the pot with a controversial manual-shifter-related post. Today's bold claim: shifting our long-term Honda Fit smoothly is not the no-brainer it should be. I was trying to figure out exactly what the problem was while puttering around town last night, and I've concluded it's twofold: (1) the clutch's takeup point is narrow and abrupt (as opposed to the Lancer's, for example, which is extraordinarily forgiving), and (2) the Fit's emissions-control software causes the revs to "hang" for an extra beat or two while the clutch is depressed, so that if you're shifting quickly -- which the snick-snick shifter encourages you to do -- the revs may still be hanging when you've finished upshifting to the next gear, causing the car to lurch a bit.
Honda has historically made some of the best shifter/clutch combos in the business, so the Fit's awkwardness in this regard is a surprise...
But when I look at our roster of long-term manual-shift cars, the Fit's the only one on the list that I never feel entirely comfortable driving. Even the Ferrari's clutch is a cinch after a couple miles. In the Fit, though, I'm never quite sure whether my next shift will be a smooth one.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 25,609 miles
bennetpullen says:
04:36 PM, 06/10/08
I mostly agree with you. The rev hang thing is very annoying, and when I initially got my fit I actually wondered if it was broken. I've seen this hanging revs thing become more and more of a problem with all newer cars, but the Fit seems to have it especially bad.
I did however eventually get mostly used to it. I found that I had to start lifting my right foot for the shift a split second before I actually put in the clutch and I was fine. It took me a few months to find the right rhythm though, and that’s one of those things that might never happen to you guys when you're driving different cars all the time. Next time you drive it try shifting with your feet doing more of a sequential pattern, right foot off then left foot down, as opposed to a simultaneous switch.
The funny thing is I actually have a harder time shifting my new BMW smoothly, even though the revs don't hang. The BMW requires a very specific pace to get a smooth shift, and it’s actually a lot faster than I would naturally shift in day to day driving. If you go too fast or too slow you get a lurch.
sadbuttrue says:
05:09 PM, 06/10/08
bennetpullen,
Totally agree on the need to employ that sequential pattern. When I first drove the Fit I'd send the tach needle zooming skyward during each upshift because I was apparently leaving my foot on the gas for too long. It definitely requires you to recalibrate your footwork. Though I wonder if the culprit in this case is the near-complete lack of dead travel in the clutch before you hit the engagement zone (that's why I didn't mention it in my post -- not sure about this).
-Sadlier
firstwagon says:
05:42 PM, 06/10/08
I never noticed this when I drove it, I thought it drove great.
I can't remember any other car reviews commenting on it either.
kevlang says:
05:56 PM, 06/10/08
can't say I disagree with the post. the throttle issue is an electronics problem, not a shifter problem. the clutch is very forgiving - it's damn near impossible to stall this car. but it is a bit abrupt, especially from 1st to 2nd. 3rd and up I find very smooth.
richard613 says:
02:33 AM, 06/11/08
"I found that I had to start lifting my right foot for the shift a split second before I actually put in the clutch and I was fine. It took me a few months to find the right rhythm though, and that’s one of those things that might never happen to you guys when you're driving different cars all the time."
Definitely THIS. I think the culprit is the drive-by-wire throttle taking too long to close the throttle butterfly in response to lifting off the accelerator pedal. It took me a month or so to adjust my mental "software." Now I do fine.
lightning73 says:
06:45 AM, 06/11/08
i find it interesting that it's repeatedly called a 'problem.' this isn't an accident honda made; they're doing it purposely, they say for emissions purposes. but i do find on sportier models (both of my SI's did this, too, FWIW), once you recalibrate your timing, when you really do 'get on it,' it's easier to keep the RPM's up.
bemanix88 says:
06:55 AM, 06/11/08
Yeah, like the above posters suggested, the rev-hang is solved by lifting your right foot a split-second before disengaging the clutch. Once you learn to adjust for that, it's an incredibly slick transmission.
The other thing is that the 1-2 shift is rather hard to get smooth. Seems like the engagement is really abrubt, and I usually just slip the clutch a bit to get into 2nd smoothly.
ahightower says:
08:13 AM, 06/11/08
I didn't notice this on my test drive, but perhaps I was just giddy to be driving a manual transmission again and blamed any lack of smoothness on my being out of practice. Interesting comments.
So, howsabout a gas mileage update on the Fit?
greenpony says:
11:47 AM, 06/11/08
Ford's Focus with MT is the same way, revs hanging. Irritating sometimes, but I've slowed down my shifting a little bit and it's been a lot smoother.
chunky_azian says:
01:46 AM, 06/14/08
I learned to drive a bus with a manual transmission and no synchros. The clutch was about 60 lbs. You lift it about 10 inches off the floor and then another inch for full engagement. That was a touchy clutch. Also, you don't just jam it into gear and release the clutch whenever you please. You gotta wait for engine rev to fall before shifting to the next gear. When you've perfectly match your rev, your shift should be smooth even if you dump the clutch.
Naturally, I carry those habits to my everyday shifting and the shifter becomes a lot lighter. It's not about you, it's about the car.
I've driven the Fit Sport and I don't have neither of those problems. Although it does not have the lightest clutch nor the lowest engagement point, the pedal feed back was excellent. I could feel the subtle vibration under my foot as it starts to engage. A lot of cars don't give me signs like that. Overall, I love all the tactile feel of the primary controls.
eldaino says:
09:45 AM, 08/19/08
i agree with the throttle lag, but other than that, this is really the first time i've ever herad of the fits manny being anything short of classic honda.
powderhound says:
09:48 AM, 09/22/08
I concur, though in the vehicle I test drove the lurch was not as bad as in an Si, which was as bad as the TSX I used to own. The DBW throttle reacts to small movements of the accelerator pedal in a jerky manner, and there was no fix for it by Acura. What was wrong with a throttle cable?
powderhound says:
09:49 AM, 09/22/08
I concur, though in the Fit I test drove the lurch was not as bad as in an Si, which was as bad as the TSX I used to own. The DBW throttle reacts to small movements of the accelerator pedal in a jerky manner, and there was no fix for it by Acura. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only person to run into this.