Heels on Wheels - 2012 Honda Fit Review

HEELS ON WHEELS
By Katrina Ramser
San Francisco Bureau
The Auto Channel

INTRO TO THE FIT VEHICLE

The 2012 Honda Fit has quite the sporty personality with far more room than expected for a five-passenger subcompact hatchback. This vehicle is a solid pick for women on a budget without a need for four-wheel drive, but who also want cargo functionality.

I drove a 2012 Honda Fit with the standard 117-horspower four-cylinder engine featuring i-VTEC technology along with a Drive-by-Wire throttle system and the five-speed automatic transmission with and steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters. Available in three trims or grades, my top-of-the-line Fit Sport with Navigation came with the following standard features: upgraded six-speaker audio system; fog lights; rear spoiler; chrome exhaust; Bluetooth connectivity; steering wheel mounted audio controls; USB and auxiliary jack; ten beverage holders; and of course, the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System. Total vehicle price came to $19,690.

The Fit gets minor updated styling for the 2012 model, most of which goes to the Sport trim with the highlights including new front grille and bumper designs, steering wheel mounted controls and Bluetooth. Main competitors are numerous and evermore growing with the dazzling new models being the Chevrolet Sonic, Fiat 500 and Hyundai Veloster.

HEELS ON WHEELS REVIEW CRITERIA

Stylish But Comfortable Results: Arguably the most important interior feature about the Fit is that it doesn’t leave the driver feeling cramped – praise Honda engineering for the widened dash design and secured seating. But Honda’s navigation graphics are growing evermore archaic and lifeless. The second-row seats, dubbed the Magic Seat, folds down to create a cargo floor with 57.3 cu-ft of storage space, enough for a weekend’s worth of camping equipment for two. A car seat fits in the rear without compromising the front (and hopefully short) passenger too much. Second row space is dicey, but not nearly as impossible as what’s experienced in the Fiat 500 or Mini Cooper.

Reliability & Safety Factor: For a small car, the Fit has consistently done well with safety testing. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives it ratings of “Good” in all categories and names it a Top Safety Pick. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives it an overall rating of 4-Stars. Safety highlights on the Honda Fit include: Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure; Standard anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake distribution (EBD); Dual-stage multiple-threshold front airbags; Dual front-side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); and Side-curtain airbags.

Cost Issues: The base Fit begins at a modest $15,325. Even when fully loaded, Honda does a great job at keeping the price tag under $20k. A Veloster starts at $17,300, but has unheard of standard features including a multi-function seven-inch touch-screen display with voice recognition, Pandora internet radio, and the much buzzed about connectivity system, Blue Link. The Fiat 500 Pop starts at $15,500.

Activity & Performance Ability: The powertrain is punchy and alert, and has enough fun-to-drive characteristics to keep the compliments coming. But the Fit will show strain during hard acceleration and cannot meet what the likes of the Veloster outputs with its responsive 1.6-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine that delivers 138 horsepower while maintaining 40 miles-per-gallon highway; the Sonic proves to have the same roaring results with a 138-horspower1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Handling is another welcomed surprise with the Fit attacking corners and curves with zeal and grip.

The Green Concern: The Fit delivers 27 miles-per-gallon city and 33 highway. Honda will release the all-new 2013 Fit EV this summer. Powered by a 20 kWh lithium-ion battery and a 92 kilowatt coaxial electric motor – the same high-density electric motor used in the FCX Clarity – the Fit EV will get a 123 city-mile per charge. Vehicle cost will be $36,625.

FINAL PARTING WORDS
A suitable subcompact for budgets and daily driving needs, go with the mid-trim level or Fit Sport and use your Garmin instead of opting for Honda’s outdated navigation system. The Fit’s excellent cargo dimensions are enough to outweigh the flash from the Fiat 500 or Hyundai Veloster.

©2012 Katrina Ramser