good review +1

Im going to get my oil changed today. Maybe I can test drive one while they are servicing my baby!

 

Welcome to the days of the 20 thousand dollar sub-compact. It's been here for years.

Very good review on the 2nd gen BTW!

 

I checked out the car yesterday, but not test drive. Impressions: I was VERY worried about the front end sticking out too much, well thats not the case at all. In person the front end looks very proportional, flows very well with the rest of the car. I thought the car's shape looked great. It looks more aggressive then first gen. The accent lines in the body give it that look I think. The seat is very firm though I am a little concerned about getting the right driving position for me. I am 6 feet tall and kind of felt cramped. That may be because I am coming from a very large American car. I did think the radio looked cheezy. Too big and looked out of place. Kind of like something I would see in my daughters bedroom and she's 5!! I liked the ease at which the back seats folded down. Though the back seating room is still smaller then the versa, its not too bad for an 6' tall adult for shorter trips to sit back there. I wouldnt want to sit back there for longer then 2 + hours though.

Way over kill on the cup holders. Buttons on the steering wheel feel like they were put together well, didnt feel cheap. Also when you close the door you get that sadisfiying thump, not that cheap feeling you get on some other cars. I also liked how they designed opening the gas tank lid.

Over all I really liked the car, I think the styling will turn alot of heads when driving down the road.

 

I just got back from Huggins Honda in Richland hills. They will sell you a 2009 for MSRP. Talk to Jeff Fisher (if your other deal is a dud).

Opinions:
The new Fit definitely looks better in person. Some guy in a 2008 silver had just pulled up next to the 2009 (also silver) so I got a good comparison. The new Fit is sportier, rides better, handles better and is quieter inside. The dash without the nav doesn't look as bad as the photos that have been posted, but I am still glad I am getting the nav. I didn't get a real good chance to see how well it accelerates due to the traffic in that area. The visibility is better and the front side windows are actually useful. I am somewhat short 5'7" so I didn't have any issues with the seat(s). I did feel like I was riding higher above the ground though. It may have been the different placing of the windows or something (bigger wheels?) I don't know.

I really enjoyed my 2007 Fit Sport, and if it hadn't been totaled I would still have it. Fate stepped in and I will be getting a 2009. I know I will be just as happy with this one.

 

rep 4 u

Nice to hear comments from a previous gen owner as well as side by side SSM comparison.

 

Is the seating position/gas peddle angle better in the 09 model and does it come with a cargo cover? Does the gas cap/door lock? Thanks.

 

Has anyone actually had gas siphoned from their Fit?

I'm skeptical that it's possible, given that the gas tank is under the driver and front passenger seats. You'd need a REALLY long hose, which means you'd also need a lot more pressure to get the gas flowing through it (read: you must suck hard to steal gas from a fit ). Not to mention I've heard that most cars built in the past few years have a kink in the filling tube that hoses can't get past anyways. Could not tell you if the latter is fact or not however. Who knows though- thieves are crafty.

 

Nice review! Sorry to hear about all the markups... hopefully supply is a lot better than it was back when the 07s hit.

-Mike

 

Don't forget, the dealership orders the cars, Honda just makes them per the dealerships requests.

They are trying to make the most money they can by tossing in all the extras, and not having anything basic...

it's a smart move on their part.

You will see sports models out and about. And people willing to pay for it.

 

Thieves nowadays are more likely to drill through the wall of the gas tank instead of using a siphon tube -- especially if your tank is made of composite plastic. It happens more on SUVs since they sit higher off the ground and have larger tanks = bigger and easier payoff.

 

I don't know where you got your information from, but that is inaccurate. For starters, Honda allows an allotment of vehicles per dealership. Basically the dealership can request cars, but that doesn't mean they get them. I should know because they keep sending my dealership more and more Odysseys even though we are out of Fits, Civics, and now very low on Accords. They'll tell you "Hey you're getting 15 Accords" but they wont say what kind of Accords. Dealerships are at the mercy of America Honda.

As for the loaded up Fits. Yeah, some dealerships do dump on "convenience packages" which are only a convenience for them because its marked up so much and you have to pay for it no matter what. Thats how they get you in the door. They'll make sure you get a super low quote and have at the end, "plus tax, title, fees, and accessories". Pre-installed accessories aren't included in their quote. My dealership gets screwed over because most of our internet customers get taken out of the market that way (side rant over) In all honesty, there's practically no mark-up in the VSA/NAVI Fit Sport, roughly $675. They are going to load those things up to try and make money off of them. As a consumer just hold your ground. Eventually, they'll give up and drop the price.

As far as people willing to pay for them, oh yes. We got our first '09 in today and before I could even get into the damn thing it was already sold. The car was on our lot for 2 hours and then gone. So some one got a beautiful '09 Fit Sport VSA/NAVI for sticker price with no adjusted market price and no pre-installed accessories before I had the chance to even drive it and redline that v-tec monster. Good luck getting your Fits guys. I have 1 available coming in within the next 2 months that isnt pre-sold. PM me if you want it. Location: Chicago area

 

To me the angle is slightly improved. It does not include a cargo cover. I didn't see a lock on the gas cap/door.

 

Cool review. Safety is my big concern, which is why i've always liked larger vehicles or ones that were just heavier with more metal. I do like how they added the ACE structure technology to the new FIT as well as Active head restraints to prevent whiplash injuries in case of a rear impact. I might just have to find a dealer to check this one one out just for kicks.

Wow that is pricy, but come to think of it when i got my fit just 3 weeks ago the dealer wanted 23K OTD.
My car is a Fit Sport and they added wheel locks and protection package (basically...door/fender edge gaurds).
I literally laughed when they said that because I saw a civic that had more stuff than the fit loaded into it for about 24K OTD (which is still high for a compact sedan).

 

Here, the Honda dealership wanted to give me $1,200 less for my trade-in than the Toyota dealership would give me. So, no Fit for me for now, instead I got a 2009 Matrix. I'm still going to keeping my eye on the Fits though once they drop to a reasonable price (which would be near invoice).

 

Why do you think a reasonable price "would be near invoice" on a car that has less than $700 total front end markup? Just curious.

 

Any chance those of you who have seen and been in the 09' Fit can let me know if the rear head rest will fit our GD3? And if it matches in color? I'd love to fold down my rear seats without always pulling them out.