Contemplating getting a new 2015 fit. I'm more of a manual guy but I'd be interested in hearing why each of you went with the transmission you did? I know the CVT is supposed to get a few more MPGs but other than that I don't see much advantage to it besides not having to shift your own gears, lol - less sporty feeling I would think.

 

I'm with you on the manual trans adding some fun and control to the ride. I have a 1st gen 5 speed though, which is a little lower geared and could use an OD. The 3rd gen has a more flexible powerband, (and more power) which lends itself to manual shifting. If we were talking a Ferrari 458 here, with tons of fun whether auto or manual, this would be a moot point. But with (even a well-built) econobox, any human interaction is a welcome addition to stave off boredom.

 

I went with the CVT after having spent the last 20 years driving MTs, the last 10 in a Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep was fun but not easy or comfortable. When I bought my Fit EX in November, I was looking more for comfort and ease of use, so the fact that I can unlock and start the car without taking my keys out of my pocket was a plus. I can have a cup of coffee in my hand the entire drive if I choose. Even my headlights are on Auto. For entertainment I let the Fit automatically connect to my Kindle and resume an audio book where I left off. If I happen to stumble upon a Fast and Furious marathon on TV, I can use my cup holder, press launch control (econ off), shift to sport mode and paddle myself silly. But I haven't felt the need to yet.

As far as the CVT itself, it's very smooth, I always have enough power to pass or merge, and it keeps the revs between 2-3k for the most part. Good for economy and noise.

I like my EX CVT and feel my needs were met. Your mileage will vary. Have fun considering all your options.

 

Depends on how you want to drive it. If you're inclined to drive more aggressively and you're not in a lot of stop and go traffic, the manual would be a lot more fun. If you drive the CVT this way it's going to feel more like a leaf blower unless you use the paddle shifters. That said, the CVT may be the best one out there in 'leaf blowing factor' and can potentially bring in between 5 and 10 mpg more than the manual in econ mode unless you short shift the manual. Also, there's no getting around the fewer highway revs with the CVT. My EX is as you'd guess; a CVT

 

The deciding factor really was that I had to get a CVT so my wife could drive that car as well. I had been a strictly manual driver before. As others have said it is supposed to get better gas mileage which became a plus for the automatic. I enjoy the CVT, but it is definitely a dumbed down drive.

Granted I haven't gone all Nigel Mansell and used the paddle shifters much.

 

CVT for me after running around with a 4 speed shifter in LA traffic for a number of years. I want to enjoy my drive, not having to work at it in stop and go traffic, thinking that is fun....NOT.

 

Get the 6MT I promise you won't be dissapointed & lets you experience the car to its full potential. I drove 3 CVT before driving my 6MT and in my opinion the drone acceleration noise the CVT makes is awful.

Nothing beats rowing through the gears taking it to 7k and hitting vtec. The L15B is nice and has great potential, while I feel the chassis needs some stiffening as there is body roll. If you don't have long arms 5th gear might seem far away but I rarely stay in 5 th long as by that time it's ready for 6th to cruise on the highway.

 

If you do a lot of city/stop and go driving, I'd say go with the CVT. The CVT isn't as terrible as some make it out to be.

I was really wanting the upscale look and feel of the leather interior/heated seats, but also wanted to do my own shifting. If the EX-L with a manual was available here in the U.S., that would have been my choice. I convinced myself that I could always add leather through an aftermarket vendor later on down the road.

 

The 1st and 3rd gen manuals are pretty much the same, at least in terms of short gearing, similar highway cruising RPM, etc.

CVT IS as terrible as it is made out to be.

The Fit's clutch is light enough that even the manual is no big hassle in stop/go traffic.

 

This choice is for those who can drive manual. I can't and so most Americans. My question is how CVT is bad, compared with 5-speed auto at the older model? I might as well get the 2013 model.

 

Just be sure to take the manual up to highway speed on the test drive to decide if you can deal with the engine noise at the higher cruising RPM.

I couldn't and TX is filled with high speed roads so I went CVT, which has a higher maximum "gear" than the manual.

 

CVT are loud under acceleration and sound rather like mopeds. They also feel entirely counterintuitive to drive.

I can't say I love the previous auto, but I prefer it.


Also, if you can't deal with the MT's sound at speed....LOL.

 

Before you get the new Fit, wait for the the 2016 HR-V in 6 months or so. It has the magic seats but is bigger and comes with a 6 speed manual or CVT.

I've been researching a replacement for my 2007 Fit Sport MT, and I was hugely disappointed to learn the 6th gear on the new 2015 Fit manual is the same as 5th gear on the previous Fit.

I'm waiting to see if 6th gear on the HR-V manual doesn't have to rev so high at interstate speeds. I've owned nothing but MT's for 35 years and have no intention to change.

 

Also very much in favor of manuals, however, for this vehicle going automatic CVT met the following criteria:

• Opens up the option for my kids to drive it now until they learn stick
• Ease of cruising stop and go freeways
• Considerably less RPM's at cruising speed and virtually no engine noise at 80 on the freeway
• Extra MPG
• Paddle shifters in S mode are quite fun in the twisty roads and give me full control
• With the paddles, you can still down shift to a light, into a turn or when passing
• Better passenger experience with smoother acceleration with the CVT vs manuals

 

Just a couple things to add: is your drive in tedious bumper to bumper traffic, day in and day out? If so, the CVT might be what you want. However, if you have mixed driving scenarios, the MT might be better. All this is predicated on whether or not you know how to drive stick and most importantly if you LIKE driving stick.

There is a slight performance penalty with the CVT even when it's in the sport mode. But most reviews I've read claim it's one of the smoother, best working CVTs the reviewers have encountered so that's a plus.

One last piece of advice: look up as many YouTube videos you can on the 2015 FIT CVT and MT and you can see video evidence on how the car sounds and looks when underway. The Winding Road series of videos shows the MT version from the driver's perspective and helped me decide to get the MT.

 

Yes, definitely wait and get the bigger, more expensive, taller, dynamically inferior, less economical thing.

 

Almost all my cars have been manual, but I got a CVT. Not disappointed at all. The paddle shifters and sport mode are responsive as heck. Best CVT I've ever driven hands down.

It definitely doesn't drone. All you hear is the motor.

 

The word "get" is yours, not mine.

If someone is still in the "contemplating" phase and not needing a new car anytime soon, it doesn't hurt to wait and explore more vehicles. If the HR-V really is "dynamically inferior" that will come out in the test drive, but I doubt it's going to be a horrible driver. According to reviews the new Fit lost some of its sporty nature, and cargo capacity has shrunk. For some people a taller car with more ground clearance and cargo capacity are worth trading off a couple MPG and $$. And if you're willing to go the CVT route (which I'm not) AWD is available in the HR-V.

I'm still in the exploratory stage myself. I'm looking forward to test driving the new Fit, the HR-V, the Golf TSI, the Mazda3, and the 3 cylinder Focus. But I'll probably keep my 2007 Fit Sport MT a few more years. At double the current 100k miles it will likely still be reliable, economical, and fun to drive.

 

CVT all the way! I find the Fit hella fun to drive. When I want more fun, I shift it from drive to 'S' mode. Even more fun, 'S' mode to 'L' mode.

You can keep the manual tranny.

 

I had the same debate. I wanted the manual, ended up with the CVT. Ultimately, i realized my wife might need to drive the car one day so i ended up getting the auto. With that said, shifting it into sport and using the paddles is fun! We went on a vacation in the mountains last month and it was a blast to drive on the twisty roads. The other nice thing is the CVT mileage is better, and if you have to deal with traffic its better for that also.

This is my first CVT so i dont have a lot basis for comparison. My sister drives a Nissan with a CVT, and i can say that compared to hers, Honda did a way better job. Hers drones like crazy on the highway.