Hi all,

I was wondering what the Fit was like to drive in the winter? I currently drive a Toyota Paseo (itty bitty car, but longer than the Fit) and have a VERY rough time in light snow and ice. I can't imagine the Fit is any better, but anyone with any experience or insight would be of help!

 

Can't say I'm much of a fan - the car is so light it really floats over icy roads instead of digging in for more traction. Aftermarket tires should help quite a bit though, but the stocks are junk IMO for snowy/icy roads.

 

I'm up in NH, and we get some snow. My old house was on a street that was really tough. I threw a set of snows on her and she did fine. Got stuck once, but that was my stupidity. I was pissed and tried to get into my driveway without clearing the foot of snow that had fallen and the crap at the end of the driveway from the plow trucks.

Yeah, no go. I was, however, able to push her out with one other person since she's so light.

Other than that, and I'm not even sure my old Subie or Audi would have made it through that, she was AWESOME.

I bought an aftermarket set of black steelies and some 14" ones...the nose got scraped on steep hills as it was a lot lower than I'm used to, but when I remembered to hit steep approaches slowly, I had no problems.

 

I drove the 2002 Honda Civic DX in Massachusetts/New England winters before I bought the 2009 Honda Fit base model. I drive 100 miles daily year round.

The Civic seemed to have less weight over the wheels, with lighter ground pressure, and tended to drive over snow. On two occasions it failed to climb newly snow covered uphill grades (I had to drive down backwards each time).

The Fit feels like it has more weight over the wheels, and tends to go through rather than over snow. It can slip on the same uphill snow covered grades as did the Civic, but it hasn't failed to make it up a hill.

Ground clearance is also more reasonable in the Fit.

I've driven in blizzards, accelerating past SUV's, in the Fit. Unfortunately, not enough enough drivers understand the the physics formula F= M*A.

 

I think it's really good as long as you get good snow tires on it. I have Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60s. I live in Indiana, and we got tons of snow this year, but never had a problem. Even with those two huge snowstorms, I only got stuck once. I was able to back out and plow through it.

 

With good tires it's fine. The stock tires stink in the snow.

 

It's great with snow tires. I've been through some huge storms, no worries.

 

Michelin Ice X II's all around,almost bulletproof to 9" light snow,7" wet snow,and pretty good on ice with Ice X's on. One of the best small cars I owned recently for winter driving. Haven't gotten stuck yet. Tried stock tires first snow,and agree,were crap in the snow. Got a real deal on the winter Michelins,and haven't been sorry so far.

PaFitter

 

In the blizzard of 2011 (all GA shut down), my wife was happily ferrying her co-workers (she's a nurse) to and from work in my Fit (her car, a Solstice was not suitable for the task). They thought she was crazy (the police were providing 4WD SUV transport too). Well she is from MA so maybe. The snow was as deep as 4 inches in spots (giggle). This was on the stock Dunlops.

 

-good set of snow tires on all around.

-driving easy on the fuel and brake.

-anticipate what is happening around and adjust the driving.

I've been able to drive through many winters with all kinds of vehicles
from tiny cars to semi trucks and remain accident free.

However, sometimes despite the best of driving you end up in the wrong
place at the wrong time and get smacked by someone doing something
foolish for the conditions. So, when the driving gets bad re-evaluate your
need to drive and stay off the road if possible.

As well, don't lower your Fit if you want to increase your odds of trouble
free winter driving.

 

I pretty much concur with all opinions here. We had the stock tires which were ok, the first winter and then moved to dedicated snows (general arctic altimaxx) on 15" acura alloys. Had no problems however If it was really nasty out, I took the Ridgeline - no problems there.

~SB

 

The OEM tires suck on ice. With decent tires, should be OK, especially since so much weight is on the front wheels, although a Fit can't compare with an AWD vehicle like a Subaru.

 

Get some Blizzak or Winterforce tires and you'll be just fine.

 

The back end still feels way light compared to other (though heavier) FWD cars I've driven, but I'm realizing just how much the OEM tires suck now given the happy reports from those who used snows.

 

I've had no problems with mine over the past two upstate New York winters. Of the stock tires, I think the Dunlops are better than the Bridgestones (I haven't found anything the Turanzas are good for-maybe a swing). I run the stock all-season tires, and the car does fine. Then again, I have many years of experience driving lightweight front wheel drive cars in the snow. I haven't owned a set of snow tires since 1991.

 

wow, paseo, huh? a friend of mine had one long ago.

the Fit does VERY WELL if you have snow tires. I use Bridgestone WS60's.

 

I recently moved to Minnesota and also have some questions about winter driving in my Fit Sport. I'm planning to buy a separate set of wheels and put snow tires on them. For those that have done this, how do you deal with the TMPS issue? Do you just run your snow wheels without TPMS sensors and ignore the TPMS light during the winter?

 

What year fit do you have (and trim level)
2009-10 NON-Navi - Just get a set of Integra wheels off of craigslist (or some other 15" Honda 4x100 wheels from a civic, FIT, Del sol, etc...) and deal with the TPMS light or put a sticker over it.
2011 or a 09-10 Sport with NAVI - you'll want to get a set of TPMS sensors and likely the quickset tool (check on tirerack.com) so that you can re-calibrate the TPMS without making a $$ trip to the dealer every time you swap wheels.

One other thought, check with your dealer to see if they'll offer a lifetime TPMS calibration option for a price. Tell them it might be in their best interest to offer a service that they can "add on" to a new car as incentive if they don't have a service. - Talk to the Service Manager.

~SB

 

Thanks for the reply. I've got a 2009 Fit Sport with Navi. Maybe I'll look at getting an additional set of TPMS sensors and the quicktool. I'd like to run with the TPMS if it's not too much of a hassle.

 

You'll want tpms so you can disable the VSA. Without the Sensors, VSA cannot be disabled on the VSA equipped FITs. Since you have Navi, you have VSA and in the winter, disabling the VSA can be very handy when you are stuck.

~SB