The GE's have kinda grown on me, but I wish they stayed the size of the GD instead of getting bigger. And I wish the seating was a little lower, instead of mini-van seating(but thats for the GD and GE) =]

 

Generally love the car (blue 09 Fit base model 5 speed), but here are a few tiny things
- No covered storage in back for stuff you don't want seen
- The storage pocket in hatchback that looks like it would be a great place to put a quart or two of oil is just slightly too small for this
- The MPG calculator overestimates highway MPG (told us 43 MPG when we actually got 39.7 MPG), though in city driving it seems more accurate
- Wish the clock displayed with no key in ignition
- wish the electrical assist steering had a little more tactile feedback, but once you get used to the feel it is certainly tight/quick/accurate

All these are pretty minor gripes, and I really think the car is a near magic combo of fun/practical/efficient.....

 

I hate the fact that I want to put in an aftermarket headunit and all of a sudden i have to research all these navi peices just to be able to install it. The factory radio SUCKS!

 

1. no option of sun-roof / leather / VSA / disc brakes even on the top of the line model (those are options i wouldn't have mind paying for if they were available)

2. no more refresh mode

3. seat fabric (dust / down feather magnet)

4. no option for bluetooth

5. too much road / wind noise (although b-quiet my doors / hatch / trunk helped quite a bit)

6. front bumper way too long

7. missing a 6th gear

8. still on rear drums

9. still using halogen H4 headlights (thank goodness for HID's wish it came with projectors though)

10. cheap rubber shift knob (would've prefered civic or civic Si's)

 

I've had mine since Oct, I've posted beef lists before. Here are my hot buttons after having the car for 4000+ miles:

* Dash buzzes. Yes, I'm lazy, just haven't popped the glove box door and tracked it down and killed it, but it shouldn't be there in the first place. Seems commonplace from the number of postings, not typical of Honda quality control.

* Gear ratios. The gap from 2nd to 3rd is ridiculous. You fall flat accelerating, and when downshifting, you get zero engine braking on the 4-3 downshift, followed by a big lurch on the 3-2 downshift.

* Brick-like aerodynamics. It's a really cute car, but the drag at high speed is way too high (75+ mph). Put a rack on it and it's ridiculous. Kills fuel economy at high speed, and also affects performance significantly. Not sure I want this fixed if it makes the car ugly. Even with this problem it still gets nearly 30 mpg at 80 mph on flat terrain.

* Cross-wind sensitivity. Going to 205's helped this somewhat, but the car is dicey to control in crosswinds at high speeds. More of some aero tuning the design needs.

* Power. Car really could use about 10 more HP. Any significant grade at freeway speeds (e.g. 4-5% mountain grades) pulls you all the way down to 3rd, which is necessary to get to the power band (about 5000 to 5500 rpm). I can live with it, but it'd be nice if it had a bit more power to keep it in 4th at least. Probably not a problem for those living in the flatland, but mountain state people know what I'm talking about.

* Rear seat pulls. Honda needs to come up with a way for you to pull the rear seats back up when you're reclined them, that doesn't require you to climb into the back of the car or to walk around, open the rear doors, and push them back up. Our Sienna has a strap held down by Velcro for this purpose.

 

I miss being able to move the front seat forward from the back seat, wimpy horn and no refresh mode or sunroof.

 

Lack of rear discs, no leather, underpowered engine.

 

The thing I'd like to see most is an engine temperature gauge. Plenty of room next to the fuel .....

 

reading though this i thought i would have seen the main issue i have with the 2nd gen fit, but no one has said it. rear wheel well, in the front of it, right behind the rear door, its a gathering spot for rocks and dirt. prefect for rust too. thats my biggest concern. that and no sunroof! arg

 

the pedals are supposed to be the same size

 

all things not necessary, but definitely available on more expensive cars. hence why they are more expensive cars

 

i only took a test drive in the 09 fit, and it seems to share alot of the issues the previous gen has.

my only real dislike towards the 2nd gen is that it doesn't appear to be modifiable to me, i know people are going to do it, but i couldn't imagine moding and tuning one.

 

I removed my wheels and sprayed the wheel wells with underbody coating.

 

i saw that right away, i solved it by buying some bed liner and spraying in the wheel well, hopefully that works

 

my only complaint is i have an OCD when it comes to my cars interior and i just HATE to see every tiny dust/lint/hair etc. sticking on the seats but other than that i LOVE everything about it.

i can't wait to invest and buy a great set of seat covers later down the road.

 

Drove GE for 2 weeks in Japan... few things I dun like about the GE

1) Its an i-Vtec Engine, so even with 112hp (USDM), acceleration is not as good as the 109hp Vtec on GDs (imo)

2) Dash and Seats fabric are not as high quality as GD. The GE is definately nicer than a Yaris / Vitz, but still not as nice as a GD - imo again

3) Lack of Audio Control on Steering - I dunno why, they figured to use a civic steering, why not keep the audio controls as well?

4) Lack of Projector Headlights

5) Most options should be made standard, such as VSA, arm rest, blue tooth, usb connection.

6) Still no signal lights on side mirrors...

 

My '02 Neon had the same spot, but never rusted there in 7 years. Where the Fit WILL rust is that same places all other cars rust in this climate. The lower door edges, hood and rear hatch, where the boxed in areas gather moisture all winter, and where there is no paint. Combine thin paint (and NO paint on the insides of the fenders), with overuse of road salt, and my poor Fit will no doubt be a rolling pile of rust in five years no matter what I do. This is not a criticism of this car per se, but just the way it is in the "rust belt". It's hard to be a "car person" here.

 

i thought u drove the 1.3 GE6...? 100 ps/98 hp..

 

I'm also in the "rust belt" and I'm willing to bet that conditions are worse where I am. There are solutions but it takes constant vigilance and attention to detail.

I'm a car person and the harsh conditions don't stop me from being one.

See my 21 year old Civic below.

 

Not to start an argument, but I doubt that Quebec uses more road salt than upstate New York, and I find it hard to believe that that 21 year old Civic has been driven through 21 Canadian winters. I already have one vehicle that comes off the road every winter (my '94 Harley-Davidson), and I can't afford another.

Nice cars, though.