The Fit's proportions remain largely the same, but subtle tweaks to its styling have transformed the car from slightly awkward to sleek. Headlights and fascia openings have taken on more angular forms and accentuate a sporty, forward-leaning stance. Wheel sizes on all cars are up by one inch (the Sport now gets sixteen-inch aluminum wheels). The new Fit grows more than four inches in length, but that can largely be attributed to a front overhang that has been lengthened on North American cars for both safety and styling purposes. The '09 Fit is also half an inch wider and some 50 pounds heavier.
All Fits come standard with power windows and locks, plus an auxiliary audio input. If you opt for the Sport model, as Honda expects 70 percent of buyers to do, you'll be rewarded with keyless entry, cruise control, and a new USB iPod connection that allows you to select songs through the radio interface. Navigation and stability control come standard in a new third trim package.
Prices for the new Fit have risen between $600 and $840 for the lower two trim levels, with base models starting at $15,220 and Sport versions retailing for $16,730. A fully equipped car with navigation will cost upward of $19,000, and some trim levels put pricing well into Civic territory. Despite the price increase, we still think the new Fit will sell even better than the last generation. When Honda set its last sales projection for the Fit, it was conservative by nearly 30,000 cars. We doubt the company will be quite that far off this time, but it's possible that Honda is being humble when it targets 85,000 annual sales with this new car.
The Specs
On Sale: Now
Price: $15,220/$16,730/$18,580 (base/Sport/Sport with navigation)
Engine: 1.5L I-4, 117 hp, 106 lb-ft
Drive: Front-wheel