Get Fit for Summer!
It’s been a banner year for Honda. After winning both the prestigious Motor Trend Car and Truck of the year awards with the all new for ‘06 Civic and the innovative Ridgeline, Honda has done it again. The big new development… something small.
For model year ’07 Honda has brought to America its latest accomplishment, the Fit five door With a starting price below 14k ($13,850. to start) and fuel economy numbers that look more like a hybrid’s, the Fit may be just the right car at the right time for new car buyers.
It has a spirited 1.5 liter Vtec motor that provides enough
performance to be fun while still sipping gas. (EPA Estimates 33/38
city/highway with the manual and 31/38 with the 5 sp. Automatic)
Despite the small exterior, the inside is quite spacious, with 90 cubic
ft. of room, sufficient for five adults. (although probably not if
those five adults happen to be the starting lineup for the Miami Heat)
The Fit certainly won’t feel big when it comes time to parallel park.
At only 157.4 inches in overall length, the Fit fits into almost any
parking space no matter how small.
The fit doesn’t skimp on standard features either. The base model includes air conditioning, an adjustable steering column, and a 160-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with 4 speakers. Fit Sport models (starting @ $15,170.00) come equipped with bigger 15” alloy wheels, security system w/ remote entry, fog lights, cruise control, paddle shifters, (5AT only) body colored underbody kit and rear roofline spoiler, as well as a 200-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with 6 speakers, CD text display capability, MP3/Windows Media™ Audio (WMA) playback capability, a 5-mode equalizer and speed sensitive volume control (SVC).
There’s plenty of power from the 1497cc inline 4cyl aluminum-alloy VTEC motor, which puts out 109 Horsepower @ 5800rpm (SAE net) and 105lb.-ft. of torque @ 4800 rpm. Although the compression ratio is an aggressive 10.4:1 the Fit is made to run on regular unleaded gasoline. The Fit has a tune up interval of 100,000 miles, so it’s safe to say maintenance should be pretty inexpensive.
The Fit features a huge variety of standard safety features including 3-Point Seat Belts at all Seating Positions, Front 3-Point Seat Belts with Automatic Tensioning System, Adjustable Front Seat Belt Anchors, Dual-Stage, Dual-Threshold Front Airbags (SRS), Front Side Airbags with Passenger-Side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), Side Curtain Airbags, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Side-Impact Door Beams, Outboard Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH), Child-Proof Rear Door Locks, and an Immobilizer Theft-Deterrent System.
On the track… Um… it’s an economy car, it ain’t made for racing. While the Fit is a wonderful choice of transportation, it’s not meant for the racetrack. I suppose you could add a bunch of go-fast parts, but it would be kind of like taking a Mitsubishi Lancer and souping it up for the track… um… wait… bad example… but you get the point. 😉 If you want a barn burner… stick to your S2000, but if you want a fun, efficient, roomy, and economical alternative… it’s time to get Fit!