Fits funner to drive two of my friends has the civic, and I get better mpg get the sport I got the base and regret it. I wish the base had paddle shifters or I woulda got a mt but u can't go wrong with a fit they r a blast to drive I got mine 5 months ago and already have over 20000 on it :d

 

I have a Solstice, a CR-V and a Fit. While the Solstice gets massive attention, (probably because of the flame job), and the CR-V will carry a bit more, the Fit is the most comfortable, more economical and more fun to drive than any of them. Better built than the solstice, by far. (22 warranty trips for the 2 year old solstice. 1 for the one year old Fit)

 

I feel pretty safe commenting here, since I have both a 2010 Fit Sport, and a 2010 Civic LX coupe. The Civic is by far the more "solid" car. It feels heavier, and has a real tight feel to it, much like you find in higher end models where the doors give the sensation of being a foot thick. The engine, while lacking a ton of grunt, still is turbine smooth where in most driving situations is more than enough for the job. One thing about the Civic that real stands out from a negative standpoint (at least in the coupe) is outward visibility. The A pillar is quite large, thick and combined with the angle of the glass from the windshield to the side window creates a sort of blind spot the driver must learn to look around. Rearward visibility is not as good as the Fit as well, and it is easy to lose people in the blind spots. As for other issues, the interior instrumentation is all there, but seems not to be so as it's divided up in such a strange combination, being half analog, and half digital. The digital display on the Speedo, being right under the glass is helpful when driving, but took some getting used to. After about 1500 miles on the car however I have come to like the setup. The seats are better than the Fit, but the interior plastics in the back seem light, and cheaper. The Civic has a locking gas cap, and full temperature gauge.

As for the Fit, its got that special something. Kind of like what Volkswagen called "farfegnugen" (I think that's how they spelled it?) Its outward visibility is great, and it seems much lighter than the Civic. That being said however it still can hold its own with a longer type of highway cruise. It’s not just a grocery getter. Space, utility and economy (at least so far) favor the Fit, for me. But if I were to take a cross country trip with just me and the wife, the Civic would probably get the nod, as it's more comfortable on the long haul. For short trips, where seeing vista's from the car, the Fit is the ride of choice.

Overall, if I were to say what is the better car for all uses I have to go with the Fit. It can do all the things the Civic can do, form a practical point of view, and still satisfy the inner "hoon" as it were when it comes to some sporty driving.

 

I also have both ('06 Civic & '09 Fit Sport) and i prefer the Fit to the Civic almost all the time. As many have said, the Civic feels more "grown up" than the Fit.

But on the other hand, that's the reason that I love the Fit - it's a blast to drive in the twisties and it reminds me of the bygone Honda's of yesteryear that could outhandle almost anything else in their class while riding on 13" wheels, were well engineered and had engines that loved to rev. The Civic's engine just doesn't seem as willing and the suspension is more geared to smooth highway cruising than back-road shenanigans.

I do wish I could replicate the driving position from the Civic in the Fit though.

 

FWIW, I felt like the Fit had lower gearing in first gear than the M/T Civic. I think that's why it feels faster than the Civic--at least from a stop.

 

I can only compare to my '02 Civic LX (non-VTEC) coupe, but this holds true for me, but for all of the gears. I have far less tendency to downshift in the Fit, as it seems like it's usually in the power band. Specs-wise they are very close: The 2 cars both have same curb weight. The Fit has 2 more HP, the Civic has a little more torque (110 ft-lb vs. 106), but the Fit seems to be more responsive. The Civic also has a lower profile and bigger wheels. I think the Civic should "feel" faster.

It's either the i-VTEC makes that big of a difference, or it's the gear ratios. Or both.

 

Drove a Civic last week as a dealer loaner, dead on about the A-pillar, it's a really bad blind spot. It also has the same interior as the Fit, for a lot more money. So glad I chose the Fit, if you want a "nicer" Honda you need to go with the Accord.

 

speaking of the accord. friend just purchased a 2010 v6; i drove it today. I find the steering wheel to be awful, aesthetically speaking; it's got those two silver colored vertical plastic pieces. i think it looks horrible. the fit has such a much nicer steering wheel in my opinion. in fact, the overall fit and finish in the accord was disappointing to me. the side paneling that joins the interior finish on the interior center pillar, wasn't even together, i could fit my finger down in between the seams and pull the whole thing off. He just purchased the car yesterday! the ride and handling, however, was lovely. awesome, in fact.

 

One thing I love about the Civic is the completely flat rear floor. That creates so much more room for the backseat passengers. I do not understand why more FWD cars do that since they don't have to worry about the transmission tunnel running to the rear wheels. You don't realize how comfortable it is to sit in a backseat with a flat floor until you actually try it.

Otherwise Civic is a great car, it's dependable, reliable, safe, comfortable, and can be optioned with a number of luxury features not available for the Fit. However as others have said the Fit is a car that recalls Honda of the past when they made kick ass small, basic, well engineered, fun to drive cars that got insane gas mileage. Plus a hatch is always more practical than a sedan when it comes to hauling stuff. I also think the Fit sport is a better looking car than the Civic, but that is strictly personal opinion.

 

I test drove both when I was deciding which car. I drove a Grand Vitra before so it might be one of the reasons I liked the fit better. But when driving the Civic I felt like the 09s models were way to big(outside). I drove a manual for both of the test drives and the Civic didn't seem as fun for me. The Civic is heavier then the Fit and even though the Civic has more power you can tell the Civic is heavier when driving it. I love how much room the fit has. If you need room it is the car to get. I went on a trip and my dogs medium size kennel fit flat and then I piled pillows, a cooler, my mom and I's 3 suit cases all below the window of the hatch and my dog still had the whole back seat...the only thing in the back seat area was our purses and a blanket for the dog. Everyone that rides in the car or looks at the car are amazed by the cargo space and leg room. I don't know where I would have put everything on the trip in a Civic.

 

so you didn't fold down the back seats flat, then? what kind of dog is it? and what direction did you face the dog's kennel? I'm trying to picture your load. thanks!!!

 

The civic is not made for people over 6' tall. I'm 6'5" and have a hard time getting in and out of them (and I do, a LOT since they are in the shop a lot) Also the e-brake handle digs into my knee and makes driving it uncomfortable. My wife had an 07 manual and we never really liked it, wished we had kept her 03. IMO the 03-05 civics were the best quality-wise, the 06-up have too many problems. The fit reminds me of the 91 CRX I had in high school; small on the outside, big on the inside and fun to drive!

 

Hi Fit drivers, I don't have a Fit - I went with the hybrid Insight instead.

DGS, did you get factory Navigation with your manual transmission Fit Sport?? On the Honda website, it shows you can't get MT with Navi, which is what I would want.

 

I drove a '10 last December with navigation and a manual. I even asked the dealer about it as the website said that you could not spec out a car with navigation and a manual. He said that didn't make sense, as he has no problem ordering one with a 5sp and manual.

In 2011, stability control will be mandatory on all cars (first tier manufacturers) regardless of package.

 

I just got a 2010 Fit sport. It reminds me of my first car, 85 CRX. looks small on the outside, feels big on the inside, fun to drive and easy to park. I feel more comfortable driving it than my wife has a 03 civic coup.

 

I ALWAYS said I was going to buy a civic for my first NEW car. In my mind it was always the eptiome of reliability and value. Then right around the time I was shopping for cars the FIT showed up on the cover of Consumer Reports. After reading a million reviews that worshiped the car I realized that this would be a better choice and earns just as good reliaiblity and 5 year cost ratings. Plus you can't beat that feeling of exclusivity that comes with driving a fit vs the 400,000 civics made a year.

 

civic is not that much faster look at the weight difference.

 

Civics are more oriented to asian and north american buyers, but for some of us who live in Urban areas, the Fit is a godsend. Drive a fit in San Francisco or New York City to really apprieciate the Fit. For me, the deal breaker was engine refinment in the Civic. The rule of thumb is that the smaller the displacement, the smoother the engine will rev supposidly. Driving the Civic, I was underwhelmed with the sound of the engine and it felt rougher too. Don't get me wrong, the 1.5 is no Ferrari V8, but more bearable than the 1.8 in my opinion.

BTW does anybody know if the Civic is DOHC or SOHC? I know the Si is DOHC

 

i love my fit... the gf just bought a 2010 civic sedan LX..reminded me of my 2000 civic sedan... have to admit tho it is a lot quieter but i get to drive both anyways... i just bought oem visors for her civic lookin sexy...

 

I've had a 2002 Civic for 8 years or so that's worked really well for me, but now that my wife's advised-against VW has gone from bad to worse we need to either consolidate to one car or at least replace hers -- and she can't^H^H^H^H^Hwon't drive my 5sp. I had figured we'd get a Civic with an auto but my (superlative) mechanic says he likes the Fit so the wife is all interested in it instead. We did a quickie test drive of a Fit yesterday (and also an Insight because I hadn't realized that it had 4 doors now).
With a 5sp? The Fit with an AT we drove seemed anemic to me, compared to recent AT rental Civics I've driven.
Prices on used Fits seem hardly less than new ones, though, so a civic paradoxically is less expensive year-to-year.
I visited there and the umbrella Fit and Civic figures seem nearly identical. Other sources rate the Civic as having better mileage, which surprises me given the larger engine and overall size -- maybe it's aerodynamics.

I found the second-gen Insight we drove to feel better than the Fit, and the mileage of course is awesome, but the wide-ass rear piers cause a truly huge blind spot on either side, which I just know would equate to $wife backing to stuff, and perhaps even hitting other cars when merging. I fear that the Fit may win out for visibility and parking alone, despite the bang/buck being distinctly less. That seems to be due to the relative scarcity of the things -- does Honda deliberately limit the number they make, or are they just not popular?