Honda used to push the boundaries. A lot. The company that brought us VTEC, Super Handling AWD, and vehicles like the NSX, Civic Type R, and CR-X was all about innovating. It brought many genius ideas to the table, helping it cement its position as an auto industry leader. Nowadays, it seems content to sit on its laurels, cancel vehicles that are virtually finished, and not invest in the future the way it used to. The cars with unique details? Gone and replaced by blandly designed models that play it safe. One of those vehicles Honda killed off was a subcompact car called the Fit. This affordable hatchback became a segment benchmark because it did everything well.
The Honda Fit checked so many boxes. Most importantly, it showcased Honda’s engineering prowess and ability to think outside the box. With that said, let’s take a look back and see why the Fit was quintessentially Honda.
Honda Fit: Small and Roomy
Don’t let the Fit’s size fool you. This thing packed a lot of clever thinking that made it a proper Honda. On the outside, it’s a typical two-box subcompact hatchback with a tidy footprint. A short nose and a squared-off rear end gave it these tidy proportions. While not the most attractive car, the Fit looked modern and sleek. Most importantly, its design had personality spades, something you can’t say about the current Honda lineup save for a vehicle or two.
Stepping inside the Fit’s cabin highlights Honda’s engineering prowess. This car made exceptional use of its size and punched above its weight in terms of versatility. Credit the clever packaging, which comes courtesy of the standard Magic Seats in the rear. This featured a rear bench that did more than just split and fold 60/40. It also included a cushion that did the same thing, and a completely flat load floor with the second row folded. Most importantly, dropping the rear seats also pushed the cushions all the way down, adding more vertical space. As a result, the Fit easily accommodated bulky items and offered exceptional flexibility for a small car. Plus, it accommodated four people comfortably and included plenty of small-item storage for such a small car.
Tech For the Masses
In terms of tech, the Fit came with plenty, too. Honda Sensing was also available on every trim for the 2018 and 2019 model years. However, that became exclusive to the EX and EX-L trims for 2020, the final model year here in the U.S. The good news? Both the EX and EX-L trims cost under $25,000. It even included Lane Watch on the EX and EX-L, too, which used a camera on the passenger’s side mirror to show what’s in your blind spot.
However, in this generation, Honda’s infotainment received plenty of flak for ditching the volume knob and physical buttons in favor of touch-sensitive controls. As a result, it became distracting to use, and the 7-inch touchscreen was quite slow to respond. Base models kept the physical controls, but had a tiny 5-inch display without Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Honda Fit: Pint-Sized Fun
Consumers loved Honda’s small cars beyond their mere affordability. They also drove quite well, and the Fit was no exception. Despite using a torsion beam rear suspension, which was common among subcompact cars, its ride and handling sophistication rivaled larger vehicles. The Fit proved that a small hatchback can easily handle big bumps and road imperfections. This gave it a surprising amount of refinement, especially for something with a short wheelbase.
The Fit handled quite well, too. Great body control and a sharp, connected steering made it a joy to drive on the twisty bits. An available 6-speed manual made it even more fun with its satisfyingly short throws and well-weighted clutch. A CVT was also available and worked well, but to be honest, the manual was the way to go with the Fit. It matched better with the car’s playful character and allowed you to wind out the little 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Although it only made 130 hp and 114 lb-ft of torque, the Fit barely weighed in at 2,600 lbs. at its heaviest spec. Versions with the manual were between 50 and 100 lbs. lighter, depending on the trim. Another reason to get the stick: slightly more power, because the CVT models were rated at 128 hp and 113 lb-ft.
All of the versatility and fun also came with the benefit of excellent MPGs. The EPA rated it as high as 33/40/36 mpg city/highway/combined on the LX trim with the CVT. It easily hit those numbers in real-world driving, regardless of transmission and even on higher trims, which had lower EPA ratings. During the times we spent driving the Fit, we consistently managed 33 to 36 mpg in combined driving. On the highway? Easily mid-40 mpg range or higher.
A True Honda
The Fit represented the best of Honda. Fun to drive, affordable, and brimming with clever solutions that made a subcompact hatchback as practical as a larger SUV. This was Honda innovating and pushing the boundaries without making well-engineered products cost a fortune. Unfortunately, this spirit is gone.
Except for the Civic and Passport, most of Honda’s lineup today reeks of a company sitting on its laurels and not innovating. It’s too comfortable selling mostly middle products instead of creating little wonders like the Fit. Together with pricing their vehicles too high (ie, Prelude and Passport) or leaving them to languish without any meaningful refreshes or redesigns (Ridgeline and Odyssey), Honda has lost the plot. Their cancelling their EV programs right as the first vehicles were months away from their global debuts and on sale dates proves that.
This is no longer the same company that made engineering marvels like the Fit. Honda has been left behind because they’re so risk-averse. In today’s day and age, that may hurt the brand, especially in the long run. The Fit was proof that Honda knows how to push the boundaries. It was the car that brought so much goodness for not much less, turning it into a benchmark. Unfortunately, those days are gone, and we don’t expect much out of Honda anymore.
