The 2007 Honda Fit has a LOT to live up to. Honda has been near the top of the US automotive “food chain” for decades now. The Japanese manufacturer has gone from success to success with wildly-popular models like the Civic and Accord, and has revitalized the American driving experience for millions of faithful customers.
And now, after all these triumphs, Honda has seen “fit” (pun intended) to take it’s loyal US customer base in a new direction. The 2007 Honda Fit is an all-new subcompact that is also known as the “Jazz” in certain countries. The Fit has sold well abroad, in nations like Argentina, Malaysia and of course Japan, where it actually outsold the Toyota Corolla (no small feat in any market).
But now, Honda has redesigned the Fit, creating an new version that is tailor-made for American. With an alarmingly low retail price starting at only $12,000 for basic models, the 2007 Honda Fit presents a clear and present threat to cars like the Hyundai Accent, the Kia Rio and the Chevrolet Aveo. In fact, the 2007 Fit looks a lot like both the 5-Door Chevrolet Aveo, and the Scion XA. It’s a decidedly “cute” but sturdy station wagon, with a functional, spacious design.
But the real ace up Honda’s sleeve is the Fits’ versatility. To begin with, the Fit is deceptively powerful for its size and class. Additionally, the Fit is designed to carry more cargo than you might think possible for a sub-compact, and it can achieve this through an impressive variety of seating variations. It’s not often that the word “spacious” can be used in relation to a sub-compact car, but with the Honda Fit, it’s completely appropriate.
“But what about power,” I hear you ask? Here too, the Fit has a few surprises up its sleeve. The Fit boasts a 4-cylinder, 109 horsepower, 1.5 liter engine. While that may not sound very impressive on paper, in practice it produces a healthy amount of acceleration and torque in a car this small.
As more and more Americans choose efficiency over raw power, small, robust cars like the Fit continue to gain support. And with gas mileage estimated at about 38 MPG highway and 33 MPG city, the Fit will find lots of sympathy among Americans tired of over-paying at the pump.
But one of the greatest innovations of the 2007 Fit is Honda’s new “special seat modes.” The four interior seats can be re-positioned into a variety of different configurations, depending on the cargo/passenger load you are carrying. Both rear seats can be turned into a small flat bed for cargo in the “utility mode.” Honda claims this configuration even allows room enough for a normal-sized bicycle.
And then there is the “long mode.” The long mode makes use of reclining the front passenger seat to an horizontal position, and allows lengthy cargo to be carried, like skis, for example (Honda even claims a small kayak will fit in this position!).
The Fit breaks new ground for its versatility, fuel efficiency and powerful (if small) 4 cylinder engine. If you’re in the market for a sub-compact, you should definitely have the 2007 Honda Fit at the top of your list.
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