2009 Honda Fit: Road Test
2009 Honda Fit Manual
2009 Honda Fit ▼
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- MSRP: $14,750 - $18,960
- Invoice: $14,236 - $18,277
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Our road test for the 2009 Honda Fit includes a full evaluation of the 2009 Honda Fit from the inside out. We evaluate not only engine and handling performance for the 2009 Honda Fit, but also interior cabin and cargo space. Let our comprehensive road test ratings for the 2009 Honda Fit help you decide if a 2009 Honda Fit is right for you.
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ACCELERATION
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 3.2 |
Adequate around town with either transmission, though Fit feels livelier with the manual. Highway passing takes patience, but at least the automatic kicks down quickly for more power. Sport models with the automatic include steering-wheel shift paddles and a Sport mode that keeps the transmission in a lower gear than in normal mode for faster throttle response. Most editors find the manual transmission to have smooth, light shift action and clutch operation.
FUEL ECONOMY
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
In Consumer Guide testing, a manual-transmission Sport averaged a frugal 34.0 mpg with a slight bias towards highway driving. Our extended-use Sport with the automatic transmission is averaging 31.8 mpg over its first 12,235 miles. Fit uses regular-grade gas.
RIDE QUALITY
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 4 | 4 | 4.9 |
Base models on their 15-inch tires feel commendably solid and reasonably compliant over bumps. Sport models have lower-profile 16-inch tires and a sport suspension. These versions suffer from body jiggle over smaller bumps and sharp hop over larger ones.
STEERING/HANDLING/BRAKING
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7 | 7 | 5.2 |
Sport models shine here, as they exhibit sharper steering response and less body lean in turns that helps them live up to their name. Base models feel somewhat soggier. Tidy exterior dimensions make all Fits highly maneuverable.
QUIETNESS
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3.9 |
Not a strong point. The engine is fairly quiet at idle, but produces a buzzy whine under acceleration, especially at higher engine speeds. Bump noise is well suppressed, but wind and road noise combine for raucous highway travel.
CONTROLS
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6 | 5 | 6.2 |
A steering wheel set in an ideal position may obscure the top of the speedometer, but the deep-set gauges are otherwise easy to see. Rotary climate controls are stacked to the right of the steering wheel and are easy to reach and use. Audio controls are high mounted, handy, and clearly marked. The available navigation system absorbs some audio controls, but most of the commonly used ones are still separate.
DETAILS
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
Sport models use a slightly richer cloth and a leather-covered steering wheel, but hard plastic dominates the interior of both versions. The overall look is par for the subcompact course.
ROOM/COMFORT/DRIVER SEATING (FRONT)
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 5.8 |
There's no height adjustment for the seats, but they're mounted high enough to provide most drivers a fairly commanding seating position. The seats themselves are comfortable and there's plenty of headroom, but taller drivers might wish for more legroom. There's no center console--and thus no center-console armrest--but Sport models have a seat-mounted fold-down armrest on the driver's side. Visibility is fine except to the rear corners; it's better straight back than it used to be thanks to rear headrests that retract flush with the tops of the seatbacks. One glaring oversight: The sunvisors are worthless when rotated to the sides, as they're both far too short and mounted too high to be of much use.
ROOM/COMFORT (REAR)
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 3.4 |
It's amazing how much rear seat room there is in such a small vehicle. Headroom and legroom are more than adequate for adults, even with the front seats fully rearward.
CARGO ROOM
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 5.2 |
This is Fit's forte. The rear seat cushion can be tipped up to provide a tall across-floor cargo slot. Rear seatbacks easily fold flat to provide a large, cubic storage area. Fit has 10 cupholders--which can double as storage bins--along with several smaller cubbies, a decent-sized glovebox, an under-seat tray, and map pockets--but no center console box.
VALUE WITHIN CLASS
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 9 | 8 | 6.9 |
As before, Fit's strongest selling points are its impressive passenger accommodations and large, versatile cargo space. Sport models add a touch of fun-to-drive appeal. While prices seem steep for a subcompact, this is one in name and exterior size only; it's really a small wagon that challenges some compact SUVs for room while getting significantly better fuel economy. Its redesign didn't result in a quantum leap over its predecessor--in fact, most people would be hard-pressed to tell them apart--but the 2009 Fit offers some useful upgrades that make it a Best Buy in this segment.
Total Score
| Base, manual | Sport, manual | Sport w/navigation, automatic | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | 65 | 62 | 57.7 |
Total Score: 64
Scores for all Subcompact Cars
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