And this thinking is why the Fit will never be the class leader in everything again.

Aiming for the lowest common denominator leads to horrible, horrible cars.

But the masses will never notice, or care.

 

note that F! uses automtic gear changes because its faster and more accurate than manual shifts. I've likely made more gearshifts in a day than most in their lives and I find the DSG automatics make manuals second rate. And under more strenuous conditions. When you can shift without using the clutch I'll be impressed; in the meantime automatics, even CVT's, are better shifting gears than people no matter how skilled.
Corvettes and Nissans do it seamlessly with their rpm matching during shifts. Does your shift changes?
If its faster, more carefully done, and more accurate, its better. Thinking its a matter of skill to shift gears manually is equivalent to thinking points, distributors, and timing marks are better than electronic engine management; it may be cheaper, but it sure isn't better.
Automatics are replacing clutches purely because they they are better.

 

In cars this small it's almost a miracle that you can get as much passenger space in the rear seats as you do with the Fit and the Note and still have a little cargo space. Some people will complain but it is what it is... they should just buy the next bigger car like a Mazda3/5 or a Focus if they need the space.

Regarding manuals, I think the take rate for manuals is low and will probably get lower. As manuals become harder to find, buyers will settle for automatics and dealers will have little incentive to stock manuals.. and therefore you will see even fewer manuals on the next shipment.

For those who will only buy a car with a manual or a certain car with a manual, they will wait or go look for it somewhere.

These days not many kids are interested in driving (real driving, not the playstation kind) and I don't know anyone under 30 that can drive a manual. I for one will make sure my kids can drive a manual.

 

6 MT. Currently own 13 Fit 5 MT. A 2013 fit MT is about 1 second quicker in the 1/4 mile than the auto trans, for whatever that's worth.

Am irritated at Honda for finally putting in a 6 speed and then leaving the final gear ratio the same as the 5 speed.

Well.....one thing no one has mentioned is how many people buy a car in the same class as a Fit? Versa Note, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Ford Fiesta, etc. How many of these cars have auto tranny vs MT? From what I read on various car sites, more people are buying Fit sized cars, cuz the cars are cheaper and offer more "stuff", good city cars, good MPG. I'm thinking that as the Feds keep raising the MPG average (what is it, 54 MPG in the next few years?) you will see more and more Fit sized cars and they will end up as the "mid sized cars" of the future.

For what it's worth, when I bought the Fit in Jan, I knew it had to be a stick. Just couldn't see an auto trans with 117 HP. I test drove a Kia Rio 2013 with auto, and it was slow (don't wanna say "dawg"). My Fit is faster than the auto Rio.

 

Agree 100%.
My 08 Fit is an automatic because I drive a lot for work (highway) and the manual 5th gear is about 20% shorter than in the automatic.
So I was super excited about the 6spd, until I read that 6th was the same as the old 5th. I thought surely the final drive must be numerically lower. Today,I have confirmed that is identical as well.

I think my next car is going to be a Mazda 3 touring or golf mk7

 

F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. I am not Lewis Hamilton, I'm not even Marcus Ericsson, I can't drive anywhere near the limits of the car, even the Fit.

I just want to have fun, a proper manual gearbox enables that. Cars aren't solely appliances to everyone.

 

I put my money where my mouth is (complaining about Fit 6MT) and now have a Focus ST3+moonroof. If you have the dime and don't need the Fit's crazy spacious magic interior / high mpg, check it out. 5th and 6th have a different final cruising ratio vs 1-4.

Honda really needs to throw down a 30-31 mpg 1.3T 160HP with a proper 6MT, instead of the HR-V which will undoubtedly be only CVT if it does get equipped with a rumored 1.5T engine. Maybe Honda will make me eat my hat later this year, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

If you are making the choice to buy a Mazda 3 or Golf MK7 based on a quieter, less buzzy ride at 75 MPH+ then I think it would be a well informed decision. But if you are making such a choice based on fuel economy, I think that you will find the 6MT Fit will continue to achieve better fuel economy than either of those cars despite its shorter top gear.

I have carefully considered both of these vehicles as well. The Fit still wins out for me for the following reasons:

1 better real world fuel economy
2 much better cargo room rear seats down
3 much lower price when similarly equipped.
4 much better reliability and resale value compare to any VW

I really like the Mazda 3 and it might be my first choice if it did not give up so much in seats down cargo room to the Fit. And if it did not cost at least $6000 more, when similarly equipped. (Mazda 3 Grand Touring 6MT vs Honda Fit EX 6MT) if I did not feel the need for the Home Depot hauling ability that my fit provides, I probably would have bought a Mazda 3 by now. But I also would prefer the S version with the 2.5 liter engine, but that version is not yet available with a 6MT.

 

So your dealer found you the car you wanted? Please share your thoughts about the Focus ST in another thread. The getrag transmission in the Focus ST is the box that was developed for the SVT focus and was used in the Mini Cooper S. It is an interesting box with only 3 gears that each do double duty with different final drive ratios.

I agree that the HR-V would be a desirable machine with a 1.3 or 1.5 Turbo and 6MT, but as a CVT only, it is not on my radar.

 

Love those reasons.

Fit is built to address particular market segment and for those that are unconvinced of its attributes, a multitude of other choices to make.

In my case, the Fit did'nt have to win against anything cause unless I lease (which I have never done with any car I owned) am just toooo cheap to suffer the expected depreciation for the competition, especially the European and Domestic brands. Am not making a wild statement either - check out those residual values (Buyout percentage over purchase price) after a 2 or 3 year lease. Its always higher with JDM's.

Consequently, after a DECADE of JDM ownership, would prefer those extra thousands more, in my pocket, rather than a couple of thousand less. Hey, but that's just me - not only think cheap, but put "the money where my mouth is" by actually living cheap.

Was likewise dissappointed about the spec reveal the the GK and GE M/T top gear had the same ratios, but still went for the 6 speed cause the CVT just wasn't me. After reading the following excerpt, know now how to get rid of that buzziness that drove me to buy my current '08 GD in auto instead of M/T.
DRIVE AT 68 mph!!!!!!!!!

Article published 4/10/14 from:
Review: 2015 Honda Fit | The Truth About Cars

"If I had to come up with a complaint, it would be that the 6 speed’s top gear is too short for American highways, and the engine buzzed at more than 3500 RPM at a 77 MPH cruise. If you drive 68, the buzz is gone- so, yeah. Small price to pay for the privilege of rowing your own, you know?"

Now that I picked up hypermiling from other FFs, doubt if I'll be going over 60 just to keep my mpg as high as possible. Hell, forgot to mention, I'll be driving CHEAP from now on!!!!

 

A nicely equipped Mazda3 costs more than a base Mazda6...

 

You've pretty much put into words my thought process.
Oddly enough, the buzzy ride does not bother me and I just feel it it's a better connection with the road even in my GD which I hear is the worst in this regard. I also love being able to carry a store's worth of supplies as well as an 8' ladder (yes it'll fit).
All my colleagues laugh at my little Fit. Then after I have dropped things off, they come out to see me off and don't believe it all fit in the Fit.

Also can't get enough of the handling. There are a couple turns on my daily commute that are just exhilarating and short of a fiesta, not sure if any other car can provide that satisfaction (in this price/size class).

I guess in the end I have to drive all 3 to figure it out. My heart lands Honda as that's what I've always had and have a bond with my GD.

 

I have tried driving at 65-70. That does not work in Texas. Especially driving from central Texas to San Antonio on hwy 130 with speed limit 85. 90 is the average there. Granted you could easily go slower, just not in me to do so.
As an aside, doing 90 in an 08 Fit gets you about 22mpg. Found out the hard way when when I ran out of gas when I miscalculated. Figured 26 mpg. Light comes on, that's 2 gallons left. Was about 2 miles from the closest gas station.

 

No it isn't. Unless, of course, you're designing a car to perform a scripted EPA test and ignore the real world. Shaving a few milliseconds off of each shift makes the dyno results look better than everyone else's on your Powerpoint graph, but it's not performance.

If you don't control the shifts you're just a passenger. Making the computer accomplish those shifts more quickly doesn't change that.

 

Here's a journalist who likes M/T's but prefers driving the CVT in the '15 Fit:

Honda FitThe Fast Lane Car: Auto News, Views, and Reviews

 

Once he complained about the possibility of missed shifts on the manny being one of the good points about the CVT, he lost me. He could have driven off a cliff too - would that be a bad point about the handling?

F1 has very high hp engines and the shifting really is beyond what drivers can do, ergo the automated trannied. The Fit doesn't have this "problem", so any comparison between the two shows both a lack of understanding and an invalid comparison. Oh, and the new Stingray is available in a 7-speed true manual. If you like a slushbox, fine, but at least be honest enough about it to admit why, instead of resorting to silliness.

 

+1

In F1, a few thousandths of a second over an entire lap are the difference between life and death.

In a commute, not so much.

 

My last ticket was 2 years ago at 78mph!!!! Max. speed here is 60 MPH!!! Its mostly 35MPH.
Have been always cruising at 70-75mph daily. No wonder I could never break 34 mpg in the GD. Hypermiling here I come!!!

With the speed limit at 85 in some areas of Texas, the Honda ya all need ain't the Fit. Its the new NSX!!!For that matter, LA too. Its pretty fast in that part of CA.

 

85 mph speed limits are the dumbest idea ever.

1.) Wastes gas.
2.) Braking distances are exponentially longer than from 55-65 mph.
3.) Most average cars are not really very stable above 80ish, I definitely wouldn't trust a Fit above 80 mph for miles on end.

 

Also, that part of Texas has a big problem with wild hogs. Try hitting a solid 300lb hunk of wild boar at 85 mph.