The Sport version of the 2009 Honda Fit comes standard with a USB port/cable located in the upper glove box. Today, I connected my iPod to the USB cable via my iPod's sync cable.
The Fit detected my iPod immediately. Compared to the interfaces on some of our higher-end long-term cars (like the Audi A4 and Infiniti FX50), you can't do as much with the Fit's. It doesn't display as many of the iPod's main menu items, and navigating around involves lots of tedious button-tapping. Still, it's way better than just hooking up one's MP3 device to the regular auxiliary audio jack (which our Fit also has).
One other note: I was planning on criticizing the look of our Honda Fit's touch-screen display -- the low-resolution blue map background, silver screen buttons and red jumping audio-level-bar display made me think Honda used a Windows 95 PC for inspiration. Really, it was awful. But then I discovered you can customize the look of the display. Our Fit now has a much more pleasing white map background and black display buttons. I turned off the background audio display, too.
Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor
brn says:
12:43 PM, 03/19/09
So to have your MP3 player hooked up, you need to drive around with your glove compartment open?
bromans says:
12:48 PM, 03/19/09
Nope. I just had the lip up in the picture so you could see the iPod and USB cable hookup. -- Brent
wobbly_ears says:
12:55 PM, 03/19/09
These days the LCD displays are pretty cheap. Why did Honda choose this low res display?? Too much pixellation.
cx7lover says:
01:53 PM, 03/19/09
They chose this tired Honda Nav system because charging $1800 for a Navi system that costs $200 really beefs up your profit margins.
compliance says:
02:50 PM, 03/19/09
Does the iPod hookup disable the buttons on the ipod? Many OEM systems do, and if that's the case I'd rather just use the audio jack. It's so much faster navigating on the iPod itself than most of these systems (not while driving obviously).
toyzm says:
03:16 PM, 03/19/09
That simple USB input costs about $400 for BMW and Lexus. Plain rip off from the luxury brands.
opfreakx says:
04:15 AM, 03/20/09
That NAV unit looks like a hack after market install.
For all those Honda umm, fans. That sure has some hugh gaps.
Just looks like they took a box and stuck it in there.
hondacura4 says:
07:55 AM, 03/20/09
"For all those Honda umm, fans. That sure has some hugh gaps."
Opfreak, Im not a huge fan of the Fits dash design but I dont see any excessive panel gaps in the picture. Keep in mind that screen power folds down to access the CD player.
opfreakx says:
09:30 PM, 03/20/09
i'm refering to the fact that an OEM system is sitting what looks like a 1/4 to 1/3 of inch off the dash.
Just looks like a hack after market job.
actualsize says:
08:17 AM, 04/21/09
+1 toyzm.
Didya ever notice it's like that with wireless internet access at hotels, too? You get it free at Comfort Inn and other low-priced motel chains, but they make you pay through the nose at the higher-end hotels with the mini-bars and the room service and whatnot. How can a guy like me be expected to follow Asthon Kutcher on Twitter under those circumstances?