Edmund's Long Term - Apr 6 - not liking the shifter
 

If this editor doesn't like the Fit's shift feel, I wonder how he likes any others'. If this shifter was in a Porsche or Ferrari this same editor would wax poetic about it.

2009 Honda Fit Sport Long-Term Road Tests Blog on Edmunds' Inside Line

the shifter on the Fit feels fine. the syncro's arent as good
as others though, especially 3rd and 4th gears. that's all.

It is a pretty solid transmission. That is one of the things that stood out when comparing test drives with other cars, the Fit's transmission was way above all of them. It is smooth and precise. If Honda could build an automatic as well as they do a manual they might be a lot farther ahead!

I think the shift feel is flawless, every gear, even compared to my last 2 Hondas - RSX and Accord. So, other than a relatively light effort feel, I don't know what that editor is talking about.

the car could def use some more clutch feedback, but the shifter is solid, even more so after adding the H-Fit kit.

by feedback do you mean the clutch pedal is too light? I personally wouldn't want a heavy clutch like the one in a subaru STi or the Evo. Stop & Go traffic will get very tiring.

eh... the shifter is fine

There were plenty of positive reviews in that same link. Not everyone is going to like everything.

I guess it's more "one size fits most" for our car. It's mostly satisfactory for most of the people, most of the time.

And just like clothing that has the same label "one size fits most", some people will find the article of clothing almost a custom fit, while someone else will find it doesn't fit at all.

I think the man is upset that the shifting is so easy, his grandma can drive it.

My shifting was jerky and throttle response was way too sensitive. I wasn't crazy about it.

maybe he didn't have anything else bad to say, so he's just looking to try to come off objective :)

The shifter is not bad compared to other brands, compared to other Hondas it not as good as some. My 96 Integra is the best front drive shifter I have ever driven. The clutch is light but easy to use better then the Integra.

I rather like it. It reminds me of the gearbox on my father’s ‘78 Accord, with smooth and easy shifts between the first four gears, and then that knock-the-passenger-in-the-knee reach for fifth. The revs sometimes do hang, but that was the case with the ‘78 too, as I recall, and so I doubt it has to do with the drive-by-wire feature, and I find that with practice the problem goes away almost entirely. The clutch is fine with me too; the high engagement point means you don’t have to press it all the way to the floor, something that’s good for a 5'-7" guy with short legs.

+1 on the knock on passengers knees... or my gf keeps her purse beside her so i have to deal with that...

i wouldnt mind the engagement point being closer to the floor, the clutch is so light i wouldnt really think i'd be hard to deal with... :p