I love my 2009 manual-transmission sport Fit - which is a second generation. Sadly, for family reasons, I need to to sell the car and buy a used automatic Fit. From what I've read, the second generations are the best. So, I am thinking about a 2012, which I think is the last year the second generation was made.

There are really only three things I care about:
1. I love the peppiness of the stick shift - it has excellent pick up. How does the automatic compare? And is there a regular automatic and one a different version with the paddles - or do all automatics come with paddles? What do you think of the paddles in terms of pep.

2. I also love the large boot of the car. It's only two of us so I want the backseat to be as small as possible and as much room as possible in the boot. Does the 2012 retain that large boot?

3. I would also like to put a bike rack on the car - I have not found one that works on my sport. Does a standard bike rack fit on the 2012 automatic? This is less important than the criteria above.

I am really looking forward to hearing the advice of the members of this forum. I have never posted, but have turned to it many times for information. Thank you in advance.

Thank you very much,
Mel

 

The 2012 and your 2009 are basically the same cars, other than bumpers and some added sound deadening.

The automatics are slower/less peppy and worse on fuel economy.

The Fit Sports have paddles, the base models do not.

 

To add to that,
2012-2013 have VSA, the earlier model years don't.

Sport models have an integrated 'swaybar' in the rear torsion beam. Base models do not.

 

2013 is the last year of the GE8- second generation Fits..
2012/2013 are basically the same car.
Due to upgrades with the sport model, I'd go with either a 2012 or 2013 sport.

 

Lots of companies that make roof racks to put bikes on the Fit. https://usa.innoracks.com/ is one of them

 

I do not understand the words "peppiness", "pep" or "pick up" on a quantifiable spectrum. I think what you are asking is "is it fast."

The automatic Fit has taller gear ratios than the manual in the first several gears, so you will find it to be slower than the manual. As a plus, you won't be sitting at as high RPMs on the highway (... although they're still not that low). It is certainly enough to keep up with traffic, and I find the car fun to drive overall, and if you have a Fit already you are presumably someone who doesn't mind driving a slow car fast.

The Sport has paddle shifters. I do not think you will use them regularly, because the transmission has very good shift logic and shifts about where I would with a manual. BUT, I do think they are important because on those occasions where you see you will shortly need to speed up unexpectedly, you can tap that to get into the next gear and be ready to GO when you touch the gas.

The Sport also has a rear sway bar and some nicer interior/exterior fittings. Honestly, it's all worth the small difference in price vs Base, but mechanically the cars are nearly identical.

To clear up some other things for you:

• The 2013 is actually the final 2nd gen model year. If you see a 2014 for sale, there were no 2014s, so that'll be a 2013 sold into the 2014 year to clear out stock before the new 2015s arrived.
• The boot will be the same as on your 2009.
• The 2012/13 models got a little more sound deadening so they will be (marginally) less noisy.
• Should you be tempted by the 3rd gen, we can talk about that. Avoid the first year of 3rd gen production at all costs!

We love our 2012 Fit and I do not think we will ever sell this. It's just too useful and fun and easy to drive. Now that we have a nice road trip car, this has become our around-town/errand/pickuptruck car. Use it every day

 

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Thank you all. @fujisawa Yes, please give me some advice about the third gen. What do you think if it? What's wrong with the first year of the 3rd gen (is it 2015?)