2007 Motor Trend Car of the Year: Testing and Finalists
Greater than the sum of its parts--and cute to boot
By Mark Williams
If there's any company that understands and executes the small-is-beautiful theme better than Honda right now, we don't know which one it is. Its latest gamble, and arguably biggest risk, is the Fit. Slotting in underneath the Civic, which is evolving toward a "semi-premium" compact, the Fit could be our Bang-for-Buck winner this year. In fact, because of its $16K price tag, sportier driving dynamics, and clever storage flexibility, it was one of the easier selections our judges made in the first cut.
Among the Fit's most potent strengths is a well-matched five-speed automatic transmission (with F1-style paddle shifters on S models--how fun is that!?) with strong first and second gears. Just a warning--the upper gears are all about fuel economy. The 1.5-liter engine offers no surprises with its 109 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque and 9.8-second 0-to-60-mph speed. In addition, we'd prefer a sportier tire tread and wider footprint. Steering feel is crisp and quick, with sufficient power from the engine when revving near 6000 rpm, although it doesn't take long to figure out the ideal range is between 4500 and 5500 rpm.
The interior design gives as much room to driver and passengers as possible, with gobs of headroom. The rear seats are wonderfully reconfigurable, able to flip forward and fold flat to accommodate all sorts of oddly shaped packages or family members.
The Fit is a considerable shot at a target Honda knows well and could make quite a few entry-level buyers happy. Honda's got a powerful platform here, which we hope to see in other versions. If Honda plays it right, the Fit could be its answer to Scion--something cool that adds up to something larger than the sum of its parts.
| 2007 Honda Fit |
| Base price range | $14,445-$15,765 |
| Price as tested | $16,565 (S) |
| Vehicle layout | Front engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door hatchback |
| Engine | 1.5L/109-hp/105-lb-ft SOHC 16-valve I-4 |
| Transmission | 5-speed auto |
| Curb weight (f/r dist) | 2466 lb (61/39%) |
| Wheelbase | 96.5 in |
| Length x width x height | 157.4 x 66.2 x 60.0 in |
| 0-60 mph | 9.8 sec |
| Quarter mile | 17.3 sec @ 79.3 mph |
| Braking, 60-0 mph | 121 ft |
| 600-foot slalom | 65.4 mph, avg |
| Lateral acceleration | 0.79 g, avg |
| MT figure eight | 28.8 sec @ 0.54 g, avg |
| EPA city/hwy fuel econ | 31/37 mpg |
| Sum Up | A well-oiled machine that somehow drives better than all its numbers would indicate--a hot value by any measure. |
| Bet you didn't know | The Fit is sold in Europe as the Jazz, and its platform underpins the Civic three- and five-door hatchbacks. |
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