All-New Honda Fit ... in Japan Now, US Eventually

Second Generation Honda Fit Begins Sales in Japan

( Worldcarfans ) - Japanese car manufacturer Honda has announced that its all-new second-generation Honda Fit will go on sale in Japan on Friday, October 26, 2007. The Fit is a five-door hatchback launched in June 2001, that quickly became the first car since 1969 to outsell Toyota's best-seller, the Corolla, on the Japanese car market. So clearly we're onto something good!

With Honda's man maximum, machine minimum philisophy at the heart of the concept, Honda likes to think of the Fit as the "ideal small car for a new age," where passenger space has been maximized and the "space occupied by mechanical components has been minimized." So what's changed since the previous generation? For starters, the new Fit is 20 mm wider and has a longer wheelbase (+ 50 mm) than its predecessor and the front pillar has been moved forward to create a more spacious interior. Honda claims that the body construction of the second-generation Fit is more rigid and that more sound-absorbing acoustic materials have been fitted. The entry-level model features a 100 hp 1.3-litre i-VTEC engine.

Since we're all about power, aerodynamics, gadgets and *** appeal, we're more interested in the Fit RS (signifying Road Sailing) model that will be powered by a new 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine, putting out 88 kW (120 hp). It won't blow your trousers away, but don't despair, you'll be riding around 19.6 km on a liter of petrol (45 mpg U.S.). Honda engineers have clearly devoted attention to practicality this time again, as the Fit comes with a rotating passenger seat, a feature that should be welcomed by those struggling with backache!

Source: [url=http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2007/10/all-new-honda-f.html]Cars.com[/url]