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2015 Honda Fit The New Urban Chic +VIDEO


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By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor, New York Bureau
The Auto Channel

2015 Honda Fit Review


In May of last year I drove the 2013 Honda Fit EV. That’s Honda’s entry in the pure, battery powered electric vehicle market. This drive was at the International Motor Press Association (IMPA) Spring Brake (yes, brake) in Bear Mountain, New York, which is located just south of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Again this year at the same event Honda brought out the all-new 2015 Fit for media scribes to drive on brief spurts in the foothills of the Catskills. I also got to see the 2015 Fit at the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) Spring Rally at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The Fit is all-new for 2015 and I felt it appropriate to have a multiple-day drive behind the wheel of this very good entry in the subcompact segment.

Honda has built over 20 million vehicles in the U.S. over their three-decade history here. Up to now the Honda Fit has come from Japan, which has crimped supply. Fits sold in the U.S. will now be coming from a new plant in Celaya, Mexico with the expectation to build over 70,000 a year.

The outgoing Fit was not the most attractive kid on the block. It was, albeit, very functional and efficient. The new 2015 Fit is better looking and at the same time more functional and more efficient. It has more power but uses less fuel. It’s roomier on the inside but shorter on the outside. And the all important price is about the same. Honda says they added, depending on model, somewhere between $1000 and $1800 in more stuff.


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My week behind the wheel was in the 2015 Honda Fit EX model. Honda expects 55 percent of Fit buyers to choose the EX. To my surprise…and delight, the media loan car was equipped with the all-new 6-speed manual transmission. The EX is priced starting at $17,435 with the manual and $18,235 with the CVT. The LX with the manual is where Fit pricing starts at $15,525. At the top of the four-model Fit range are the EXL and EXL with Navi at $19,800 and $20,800 respectively. These two models come only with the CVT.


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On the appearance side of the new Fit, Honda has made improvements from every angle. Up front is a new grille and headlamps. In the rear the Fit has new LED taillamps. I especially liked the side profile with a swoopy accent line carved into the side sheetmetal.

Honda has achieved very good interior space in this and the previous Fit by employing a central location for the fuel tank. The tank actually is under the front seat area. For the new 2015 Fit the fuel tank shape has been optimized which then allowed for an amazing increase of 4.8 inches in rear set legroom. Some of this comes from a 1.2 inch longer wheelbase while at the same time the outside length is 1.6 inches shorter, making for even easier big-city maneuvering and the all-important, or perhaps challenging, parking.


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The Fit’s already roomy interior is more roomy with 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, 4.9 cuft of more passenger volume, a wider range of adjustment on the front seats and increased distance between the front and rear passengers.

During my week of living with the Fit we were doing some household purging and made a few Goodwill trips. With the rear seat folded, the long flat floor and the 53 cubic feet of cargo space proved very accommodating. And of course, loading through the large rear hatch makes life real easy. Note: Americans do like hatchbacks…minivans and SUVs with their big hatches proved that.

Up at the other end of the all-new 2015 Fit, is a 1.5L engine now producing 130 HP. The 4-cylinder with its direct injection and variable valve timing has been tweaked to increase output by 11 percent, up from the former 117 HP. Torque is up too, giving improved acceleration and highway merging and overtaking. I did a mix of 20-25mph city driving and some 50-60mph highway driving. The Fit did a nice job of handling the demands I put on it in traffic.


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I liked the smooth-to-shift 6-speed manual, but I did think CVT might be the better choice since the overall transmission ratio in sixth gear has the engine buzzing a bit. Also fuel economy with the CVT is better. EPA test mpg ratings are all up for the 2015 Fit. The LX with CVT is the highest rated at 36 mpg combined, with 41 mpg highway and 33 mpg city. Other Fit models have lower EPA test mpg ratings due to differences in aerodynamic, weight, and tires.


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On the inside, the seats are comfortable and supportive, ingress and egress is easy, and controls and instruments are nicely placed at eye level. A multi-angle rear view camera is standard on every model. Rear view cameras will be mandated as standard on all cars, vans and SUVs by 2018, and Honda is ahead of the curve on this one. My favorite feature, of any new car this year, is Honda’s Lane Watch.
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A camera mounted in the right outside mirror shows an expanded image of the right traffic lane to the rear whenever the right turn signal is on or a button is pushed at the end of the turn signal stalk. Yes, the Lane Watch is great for enhanced blind spot visibility. Additionally, I love it for city driving to watch for bicyclists along the curb lane. Remember, if you are turning right the bicyclist going straight has the right of way. Often times a right turn needs to be paused for this reason, and of course no one wants a car and bicycle collision.


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For more detailed information and specs on the 2015 Honda Fit and the complete Honda model range visit www.automobiles.honda.com. If you want to shop other subcompacts you can do that right here on TheAutoChannel.com.

All said, I think the 2015 Honda Fit makes for a very good urban-use vehicle. Its spacious, versatile, maneuverable, fuel efficient, and it won’t break the bank to own one. There’s some fun-to-drive to be found and of course Honda’s reputation to back you up.

Stay Fit!
2014 Detroit Auto Show - Complete 2015 Honda Fit Press Conference Video


© Larry Nutson