Hi, I am new to 3rd generation Fit, and wonder if someone (likely in Japan) already owns the new hybrid version (1.5L iVTEC + iDCD) & can answer some questions:

1. What is the real world fuel consumption (36km/Litre, really)? As the new car gets used, it would settle down to a realistic fuel efficiency figure.

2. Are there any special service interval/items for hybrid? Example: the Li-Ion battery - does the manual says anything to service/clean it, or has to be replaced at some fixed interval? In other words, can I bring my fancy hybrid to some non-Honda shop to get it serviced, as long as there are no specialized requirements, I guess.

Saving money for fuel would be lost totally if I am forced to service it at Honda, for specialize items (especially the "hybrid/electric" parts).

Better still, is there an online manual for this?

3. When driving a iDCD car, this being Honda's first dual clutch system (+non-IMA technology too), are there any hesitation, or jerkiness during launch, especially at slow moving, start/stop traffic situation? This is a common complain for say Volkswagen DSG, which is also dual clutch.

However, I believe the electric motor always move the car from stop position first, before needing to fire up the petrol engine and it can therefore make it possible to crawl at low speed smoothly (I think).

4. At low speed, assuming only the electric motor is moving the car, does it emit a whining sound (high pitch) that you can hear, perhaps quite loudly? Honda had not been good at sound isolation, just my own thought.

5. In the back boot, do they use a space saver tyre? Or nothing but a tyre repair kit? And does it appear the battery pack "eat into" the bottom space (below the lift-up panels where you get to the tools/jack)?

6. I drove a L13A (1.3L) Gen 1 Jazz/Fit before, and had some idea of how it drove. In the new Gen 3, does it feel better at handling, comfort (shock absorption), cornering, etc. - if someone could compare?

Thank you for any feedback on this.

 

have a couple of answers.

1. will depend where you drive the car, most of my driving with the RS is stop start 15kph traffic so the economy is terrible... but it is in any car.

3. they use the electric motor to start the car moving off the line then kick the engine in after, this seems to be the way honda over came that jerkiness.

4. the one I test drove did make electric motor noise but I didnt think it was particularly noisy or invasive.

5. no spare tire, repair kit only. the hybrid cars dont have the small storage compartment the gasoline cars do as the battery takes up room there.

6. Ive only been in a GD but by that stage the car was nearly 10 years old so not really a fair comparison but the car felt like junk compared to the GK.