Months in fleet: Three
Miles to date: 5,564
Is it possible to get safety, utility, value, fuel economy, and perfect driving dynamics in one package? No - although our Four Seasons Honda Fit comes close.
After racking up an additional 1246 miles in April, our staff continues to find the Fit to be a bit manic on the open road, especially when the weather turns blustery. "It's funny that enthusiasts love lithe cars and frequently pine for hatchbacks," notes web editor Phil Floraday, "but the combination of light weight and a tall profile works better for sailboats than economy cars."
Indeed, the Fit's skittish nature, coupled with the lack of a sixth gear, has some of us thinking a Civic would be a better buy for those intent on tackling our nation's highway infrastructure. Others, like executive editor Joe DeMatio, think our opinion will sway now that spring has arrived in Michigan.
"Now that the weather is nice," he writes, "I suspect more people will be willing to take the Fit on slightly longer trips. As long as it's not terribly windy and the sun is shining, it's actually a pretty decent freeway car, because the huge windshield makes for such good visibility." Some argue there may be too much visibility - road test coordinator Mike Ofiara found that the headlamps of a trailing Suburban were enough to transform the rear-view mirror into a veritable disco ball at night.
We still can't sing enough praise for the Fit's packaging, and we've amazed ourselves with how much gear we can pack into the little Honda. DeMatio has perhaps set the record - heading out for a Schutzhund dog training course, he managed to squeeze a dog crate, tent, propane heater, rake, and a number of other baubles into the Fit. ...next page >>