After two months and 4318 miles, has our fondness for Automobile Magazine's Four Seasons <a href="http://www.automobilemag.com/am/2013/honda/fit/index.html">Honda Fit</a> dwindled? Not a chance. "I finally had a chance to get into our Fit," said copy editor Rusty Blackwell, "and its 2009 All-Star selection has been reaffirmed in my mind."
Garnering almost universal acclaim is the Fit's spacious interior. We've been able to cram everything from a few dog crates to three six-foot adults (complete with piles of hockey gear) into the tiny Fit with room to spare. Blackwell praised the "mountains of headroom," which proved quite useful while installing a child seat in the second row.
Executive editor Joe DeMatio praised the cabin from behind the wheel. "I love, love, love the forward visibility," he noted. "Absolutely splendid. Driver ergonomics are top-notch, also."
We're a bit mixed, however, regarding how the Fit behaves outside of the city. We still find it a bit frenetic on the highway, and that sensation is only exacerbated by strong gales.
"The car is highly susceptible to crosswinds," wrote DeMatio, having piloted the little <a href="http://www.automobilemag.com/new_cars/01/honda/index.html">Honda</a> from Ann Arbor to Chicago and back. "Threading this car through the narrow lanes of a construction zone, hemmed in by semitrucks, in the dark, in the rain, with strong winds blowing? Not a pleasant experience."
Neither is witnessing the Honda's 1.5-liter I-4 at freeway speeds. At 75 mph in fifth gear, it buzzes along at a substantial 3500 rpm, increasing the Fit's fuel consumption and our longing for a sixth gear.
<a href="http://www.automobilemag.com/am/2009/honda/fit/index.html">2009 Honda Fit</a> Sport
Miles to Date: 4318
Average MPG: 35.5 mpg
Base price (with dest.): $16,930
Price as tested: $18,780
Overview
Body Style: 4-door hatchback
Accommodation: 5-passenger
Construction: Steel unibody
Powertrain
Engine: i-VTEC 16-valve SOHC I-4
Displacement: 1.5 liters
Power: 117 hp @ 6600 rpm
Torque: 106 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Drive: Front-wheel
Fuel economy: 27/33/29 mpg (city/hwy/combined)
Chassis
Steering: Electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion
Turns lock-to-lock: 2.5
Turning Circle: 34.4 ft
Suspension, Front: MacPherson strut
Suspension, Rear: Torsion beam
Brakes F/R: Power-assisted ventilated disc/drum; ABS
Wheels: 15-in aluminum alloy
Tires: Dunlop SP Sport (all-season)
Tire Size: 185/55 R16 83H
Measurements
Headroom F/R: 40.4 / 39.0 in
Legroom F/R: 41.3 / 34.5 in
Shoulder Room F/R: 52.7 / 51.3 in
Wheelbase: 98.4 in
Track F/R: 58.1 / 57.4 in
L x W x H: 161.6 x 66.7 x 60.0 in
Cargo Capacity: 20.6 / 57.3 cu ft (rear/with seats folded)
Weight: 2534 lb
Weight Dist. F/R: 62 / 38%
Fuel Capacity: 10.6 gal
Est. Range: 315 miles
Fuel Grade: 87 octane
Standard Equipment
ABS
Front, side and side curtain airbags
Tire pressure monitoring system
Air conditioning
Power windows, locks, and remote start
Tilt and telescopic steering wheel
Trip computer
MP3 jack, USB interface
Options
None