Home  

Go Back   Car Forums > HONDA

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 07-24-2007, 01:00 PM
news
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Arrow Honda's newest model a great Fit

The numbers stood out the way Lindsay Lohan's would on a list of Academy Award nominees. And it wasn't merely because they were 20 or 30 times larger than the rest of the type on a sheet full of fine print.

The numbers, 33 and 38, represent how many miles a 2007 Honda's Fit can go on a gallon of gas, according to the EPA. With gasoline at around $3 a gallon, mileage ratings are having a big impact on America's automotive world. Consumers, automakers and even the U.S. government are placing a greater emphasis on them than at any other time in the past 25 to 30 years.

It doesn't take a team of presidential advisers or think-tank braniacs to understand why. Americans are paying about twice as much for a gallon of gas as they did two years ago. Most believe prices won't ever again dip below $2/gallon.

Trading the typical SUV for a car like the Fit means that someone commuting 50 miles a day won't have to take out a second mortgage or sell one of the kids to be able to afford gas. For example, an SUV or pickup averaging 20 mpg and driven 250 highway miles a week will cost $36 a week or nearly $470 a year more to fill with gas than the Fit.

After driving one for a week, it was apparent Honda took pains to ensure that Fit buyers won't have to pay a high price in other ways for better fuel economy. If your primary concern is transporting passengers and basic cargo, the Fit proves a surprisingly good substitute for a much larger, thirstier vehicle.

By larger, I'm talking outer dimensions. At just 157.4 inches, the Fit looks like it could er fit in the cargo box of most longbed pickups -- at least with their tailgates down. Put another way, the Fit is 1.5 feet shorter than a Civic Coupe, which until Fit arrived last year was Honda's smallest five-passenger vehicle.

Although it's small enough outside to make most two-car garages seem like 2-1/2 car garages, the Fit has about the same passenger volume inside as the Civic sedan and even Honda's Accord Coupe. Its combined passenger and cargo volume would qualify this tall, four-door hatchback as a mid-size sedan if the EPA didn't categorize it a "Small Wagon."

It certainly has wagon-like versatility, thanks in part to what Honda calls a "Magic Seat." The name describes the Fit's rear seat, which flips and flops more ways than a circus acrobat. Their best trick is a flip-up seat cushion that forms a vertical sandwich with the 60/40 split seatbacks. This creates a 50-inch deep canyon behind the front seats that is ideal for toting things like bicycles.

Of course, the rear seatbacks also fold like they do in other hatchbacks. But unlike some, they create a flat load floor. And they result in a compact SUV-like 42 cubic feet of cargo space. The front passenger seat also can be folded flat, enabling the Fit to swallow objects nearly 8 feet long. With all seats upright, the Fit has over 21 feet of cargo space; extremely generous for such a small car.

In terms of performance, the Fit behaves like most other small cars. That is to say it is nimble, maneuverable, and fun to drive. It's also a bit bouncy on choppy roads but not annoyingly so. Most people will find its comfort and quietness more than acceptable.

The same is true of its power, although I can only address the way it performed with a 5-speed manual transmission. It felt peppy enough around town, but I wanted more torque when I stomped on the throttle and frequently found myself downshifting -- especially when passing on the highway and on hills -- to get it.

The reality, of course, is that most drivers are willing to sacrifice some gumption under the hood for smaller credit card receipts at the fuel pump. Getting the roominess, versatility and impressive collection of standard features Honda's newest model delivers with that fuel economy simply makes it a great Fit for those folks.

Scott Wasser is a freelance auto writer who has been reporting on cars and motorcycles since 1988. E-mail him at carguysw@aol.com. 1/3/?*=(( 1/3/?*=((

Source: [url=http://www.pennlive.com/business/expresstimes/index.ssf?/base/business-1/118516361873300.xml&coll=2]Penn Live[/url]
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Honda's next generation Fit/Jazz to debut at Tokyo Motor Show news HONDA 0 09-28-2007 01:00 PM
Toyota plans the India launch of new Corolla model next year news TOYOTA 0 07-24-2007 01:00 PM
Mazda CX-7: The new sports crossover model news MAZDA 0 07-20-2007 01:00 PM
2008 Subaru Tribeca: Great new model at no increase in price news SUBARU 0 06-24-2007 01:00 PM
Honda's CR-V smart on the highway - and not stupid for the city news HONDA 0 04-22-2007 01:00 PM


All times are GMT. The time now is 01:33 PM.



2010