2009 Honda Fit

I was a fan of the old Fit, not because it was a groundbreaking car or great fun to drive, but because I like the idea of basic transportation that harks back to Honda's roots with fuel-efficiency and reliability. Having said that, the previous Fit definitely left room for improvement, and this new Fit is an even better example of basic, reliable transportation. No, it still isn't great fun to drive, but it's no dog, either. The Fit's four-cylinder engine only makes 117 hp, but with the manual transmission, you can wring every bit of power out of it. The ride is more refined than that of the previous Fit, but "refined" still isn't an adjective you'd generally use to describe this car. Moving to the interior: I'm a fan of the triangles of glass at the bottom of the A-pillar that negate any forward blind spot, and controls are simple and straightforward, as in most Hondas. The carpet still seems to be made of some odd mix of materials that seems to fall somewhere between cardboard and carpet. The best thing about the Fit is the amount of storage space it affords, despite its being a compact vehicle. Fold down the rear seats, and the storage space seems to equal that of many small SUVs. You can even fold the front seat flat to carry longer items. With gas prices not showing any signs of falling off, it seems likely the Fit will continue to be a big seller for Honda, and it's nice to see that those buyers who are watching their pennies can still get a lot of car for their money. Amy Skogstrom, Managing Editor