The automotive world is often one of choices. You can have a car that’s fun to drive, but you won’t get good fuel economy. A compact car will never allow for great utility. An affordable car won’t have the creature comforts we all love.
The 2015 Honda Fit takes these choices and turns them on their ear. It’s small, spry, and affordable while still being fun, economical, and practical.
Call it your regular dream car.
| STATS | Starting Retail Price | As Tested Price | HP / Lb-Ft |
| 2015 Honda Fit | $15,525 | $19,800 | 130/114 |
| EPA Rating MPG | As Tested MPG | ||
| Rating: BUY IT! | 32/38 Combined 35 | Combined 24.9 |
Yes, it looks a little bit like a wedge of cheese, but it’s been re-designed for 2015 with a new headlight and grille design. It’s also gotten a bit smaller, but on the whole it blends in nicely with the rest of Honda’s lineup.
The interior is nicely laid out with a minimum amount of fuss. Our top of the line test EX-L test model comes with 16” alloy wheels, power accessories, backup camera, Bluetooth, iPod integration, keyless entry and ignition, heated front seats, satellite radio, cruise control, and navigation with a 7” touchscreen. The driver gets an extra cup holder to the left of the steering wheel.
The infotainment system is fairly intuitive, with radio presets being easy to set. However, the screen can be slow to recognize inputs. This seemed especially true with the volume control. There was no redundant knob on the dash, so I often found myself stabbing at the volume slider on the screen to no avail. Fortunately there is a mechanical button for volume on the multifunctional steering wheel.
Also featured is Honda’s Lane Watch blind spot system. When signaling right, a camera on the right side mirror is activated and displayed on the touchscreen. While it’s a nifty little addition, the sightlines in the Fit are already pretty good. You can live without it.
Where the Fit excels is in utility. Both rear seats fold flat and yield nearly 53 cubic feet of space. That’s enough to fit 4 fully upright chairs. Additionally the rear seat bottoms will flip up for even more vertical space and even the front seats will fold flat so you could conceivably haul around a prone Shaquille O’Neal.
Under the hood you get a 1.5L 4 banger, good for 130 horsepower and 114 lb/ft of torque. Full horsepower doesn’t come in until 6600 rpm. The Fit redlines at 6800, so expect to be wailing along if you want to squeeze out those horses. EPA fuel ratings are 32 in the city, 38 out on the highway, and 35 combined. Power goes to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission in the LX and EX, but our test EX-L came with the CVT, accompanied by paddle shifters.
The Fit comes with three driving modes: Normal, Econ, and Sport. Econ will noticeably effect throttle response and transmission mapping, shifting to the lower revs as soon as possible. The fun really starts when you engage Sport mode and use the paddle shifters. Suddenly the transmission behaves like the seven speed manual that you’ve always wanted. Now you are in control of the car, and the computer will let you get pretty close to the red line before it selects the next gear.
However, playing in Sport mode will do damage to your mpgs. During my week in the Fit, where I drove mostly in Sport mode with shorter trips in Normal and Econ modes, I averaged only 24.9 mpgs.
CVTs can be a loud, monstrous beast that wind up so quickly you think the whole engine is going to explode out of the hood. This one really is no exception. Engine noise is exceptionally loud and those unaccustomed to the noise may find it disturbing. Wind noise is minimal but the suspension components make their presence known with a few thumps along the way.
Steering on the Fit a bit light, but the steering wheel is on the small side, making it fun to zip through traffic in the city.
The 2015 Honda Fit has a lot going for it. It’s small yet has an incredible amount of utility. The base model starts at $15,525 and our top of the line EX-L test model starts at $19,800. In all it’s a good choice for people who are looking for affordable and reliable transportation.
On the TFLcar scale of:
- Buy it!
- Lease it!
- Rent it!
- … or Forget it!
I give the 2015 Honda Fit a very enthusiastic Buy It! While competition like the Chevy Sonic and the Ford Fiesta both look good and offer reliable, inexpensive transportation, they can’t beat the Fit when it comes to useful interior space.
Check out Nathan’s take on the Fit with a manual transmission.
Emme is a driver, reviewer, rabble rouser, and Gazelle who can be found online on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and either one of her blogs.
