Brian Chee’s 2007 Honda Fit Driving Impressions:
Headlines of late have been shouting the news about people flocking to a new breed of subcompact cars in a frantic attempt to escape the rising price of gasoline. It’s not a bad decision, actually, as subcompacts have improved significantly. Still, before ye dip that toe in the subcompact pond, it’s best to ratchet down your driving expectations. Along with easy maneuverability and great fuel economy, you get more noise, a whiny engine, and less power than what you may be used to. It’s all true – except, by and large, if you buy the 2007 Honda Fit. This is an excellent little commuter that does virtually everything well for a small car – and darn near for most any kind of vehicle. This is a surprisingly quiet car that slips through the air with a whisper – surprising because it’s a tall vehicle – and while the hum of the tires is audible, it’s only slight and quite easily enjoyed. The way the Fit handles the road is also a pleasant surprise, with little body roll while cornering. The suspension, independent up front and semi-independent in back, does an average job of handling bumps and potholes. It’s not a luxury ride, bubba, but quite nice for a small car, and certainly livable. It’s like the steering: surely the Fit could give more feedback from the road, but the fact is, the car responds to steering input immediately and accurately. The Fit also stops nicely, and here’s an arguable bonus: ABS comes standard, which makes the Fit one of the few – if not the only – subcompacts that offers ABS as standard equipment. What the Fit does best, however, is maneuver and go. It has an excellent turning radius, and the 1.5-liter engine is a revvy little sucker that gives you ample power off the line, though you feel its weakness at higher speeds. Uphill climbs failed to bring the Fit to its knees, maintaining and even gaining speed on command. For a small car, you can call it Zippy McFit; it won’t mind. Fact is the Fit is zippy, and here’s a nice bonus: with the Sport model, you can actually paddle shift your way to work, a nice treat that helps spice up the monotony of the daily commute. Christian Wardlaw’s 2007 Honda Fit Driving Impressions:
Good news! The 2007 Honda Fit doesn’t drive like your typical economy car. It feels solid, stable, and precise. It’s geared to feel feisty off the line, and though mid-speed acceleration is rather leisurely, you can select Sport mode for the five-speed automatic transmission and swat at the paddle shifters to better control what little power is available. The brake pedal feels good under your foot, never stiff or mushy, and the steering is crisp and responsive without being twitchy or over-assisted. The Honda Fit rides firmly, but not harshly, and when you go over bad pavement the impacts don’t loosen your fillings or cause such a ruckus that you think the suspension is about to come apart. Pitch your Fit into a turn and the tall, stubby car will roll a bit, the tires wailing but gripping the pavement. Aside from the dearth of power, this is a pretty good car regardless of price. But when you consider that it’s going for $16,000 fully equipped, you can’t help but be impressed with how nimble it is, how spirited it is, how connected it is, and how much fun to drive it is. Thom Blackett’s 2007 Honda Fit Driving Impressions:
With cars like the new Kia Rio5 on the market, a.k.a. inexpensive compact wagons with decent handling and acceptable power, Honda’s Fit Sport is almost an example of a company scrambling to catch up. In typical Honda fashion, however, the Fit not only catches but surpasses the existing competition. Though it has only 109 horsepower, this little Honda cruises along at 90 mph registering only 3,200 rpm or so, all while feeling securely planted and stable on California’s grooved concrete highways. There’s a good dose of road feel through the steering wheel, something unfortunately also felt in the seats. Steering is sufficiently weighted at speed and light in parking lots and slow traffic. The ride is a bit stiff, though it’s short of jarring and gives the Fit Sport a controlled feel. Brakes are effective and well-modulated, yet I did notice that they could be a bit touchy when adding additional pressure to the pedal. The accelerator is always eager to deliver what it can in terms of power. Ah, power. Anyone considering a 2007 Honda Fit should and probably does know that this car is about efficiency and not ponies. There’s plenty of motivation for tossing the Fit through traffic, a point where drivers will appreciate the excellent visibility (excluding the large rear headrests), and even enough for overtaking slower vehicles on the highway. However, that’s only if you’re already traveling at a quick clip – jump into the fast lane at 50 mph and be prepared to anger fellow drivers or test the Fit’s bevy of airbags. Off-the-line performance…yeah, well, it’s rated at 38 mpg on the highway. In normal driving mode, the tranny is marked by clean, seamless shifts. Paddle shifters can be used to manage things on your own – stop using them and the transmission reverts back to its fully automatic operation. Drop the gearshift into sport mode and get ready to be annoyed. From a stand still, this sport function will quickly run through first and second gears like normal, but then it’ll get to third and hold it, and hold it, and hold it. You’ll have to use the paddle shifters to put the red-lining engine out of its misery. Drop into sport mode on the highway and the transmission will cruise all day in a lower gear to keep the rpms high. Competitors often use Sport mode to downshift sooner and hold gears longer, but unlike the Honda they do actually shift within a reasonable range. For enthusiasts on a budget, the Fit Sport offers a smidge of excitement on twisty back roads. Thanks to its short wheelbase, tight suspension and responsive steering, curves can be attacked with some speed and confidence. But should you get in too hot, the 15-inch 195/55 Dunlop tires will relinquish grip and scream in protest. Ron Perry’s 2007 Honda Fit Driving Impressions:
The first thing I noticed driving the 2007 Honda Fit wasn’t the obvious lack of power, but how well the car tracks on the road. The Fit is solidly attached to the pavement and doesn’t get pushed around by rough, uneven pavement like many low-priced models. There’s no floating and wandering that requires constant correction through steering input, and the Fit tracks like a much more expensive ride. Cornering ability isn’t bad either, but push the Fit hard and push quickly rears its ugly head. Transmission shifts are smooth and tight; having paddle shifters and a sport mode on a car this inexpensive is a nice touch. One unusual characteristic of the shift logic in Sport mode is that the transmission will shift automatically through first and second gears, and then hold third gear to redline. Honda’s explanation is that the Sport mode is a more aggressive D3 mode found on the base transmission. Holding third gear is for downhill engine braking in hilly environments; those driving under normal circumstances must manually upshift from third gear using the paddle shifters to avoid the engine’s annoying buzz as it reaches high rpms. Still, the logic of this design still confounds me even after an official explanation from Honda. Steering is quick and precise, and the brakes can decrease speed faster than the engine can achieve it. The 2007 Honda Fit isn’t going to win any races off the line – unless your opponent is some geek on a Vespa – and even then I wouldn’t recommend running for pink slips. The engine feels peppy but runs out of breath quickly and lacks sufficient mid-range power. Fuel economy wasn’t what I expected either, though I suspect always having a foot buried into the accelerator trying to tap every last pony from the 1.5-liter engine resulted in poor mileage during our test. It’s too bad the 1.8-liter motor found in the Civic isn’t an option; more horsepower and better fuel economy would make for a better, ah, fit.
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