The LX has low rolling resistance tires for fuel economy, while the EX has "standard" rubber for better grip/traction. It's hard to say about the tire life on the lrr tire since this is a new model and there is no history as to how these tires fare on average with this particular car. They should last about the same as standards though. As with anything, it depends on how you drive, how often, and under what conditions. I personally am not a big fan of lrrs and prefer better traction/grip for safety to trade off a couple mpgs from my average.



Yes, the EX has steering mounted controls for volume and mode.

 

Thanks for the information. How useful are these paddle shifters. Is it going to work like manual gear box which can save gas without transmission lost.

 

They are more for fun than saving gas. You will probably lose mpgs using them. I personally won't be using it.

 

Not everyone wants all the bells and whistles in the EX.
-Sunroof. I'm tall, don't want the sun on my head, don't want a potential leak, and don't want to carry an extra 100 pounds around.
-Alloy Wheels. Factory alloys are not that attractive. Smaller wheels and higher profile tires provide a better ride. Frankly, I'd rather have wheels that are easy to clean like the Civic Hybrid alloys.
-Push button start. This works fine when everything is perfect, but I like to have direct control of the starter.
-Touchscreen audio. Not a good way to control things in a vehicle that is moving. You have to look at the screen to determine where to place your finger. Physical buttons and knobs are surer and easier to find. I don't care about all the inputs as I don't use them. Who wants to watch a movie on an 8" screen in a car?
-Chrome trim. Chrome plated plastic isn't all that durable and the black trim looks nicer on a white car.
-Proximity entry. I don't believe that you can open the doors from a distance away for another person with a clicker. Correction: The EX has the in-pocket clicker for this functionality.
-Fog lights. Not much fog in my part of SoCal and most drivers just run their fogs to look cool. They're annoying.
-Paddle shifters. If it had a DCT I'd want them, but they're just silly on a CVT econobox. I'm not a Walter Mitty F1 driver.

The rolling radius is very similar since the LX tires are higher profile.

Alloy wheels, with the exception of racing wheels, are generally heavier than steel wheels. The '13 steel wheel weighs less than 15 pounds. The alloy wheel is 17.7 pounds

The treadwear number on the sidewall should tell the tale. OEM rubber isn't usually all that durable.

An H rating is 130MPH. A T rating is 118MPH. A Fit will not exceed either of these figures.

 

I prefer the EX or EX-L packages. Those are the only levels I have purchased on any Honda. It certainly is a personal matter of opinion. I don't think you can go wrong no matter which trim level you choose. It is still a Honda and it will give you great service for a long time. But for me, I am at a point in my life where I can afford the little extra for more luxury and gadgets. Now as far as all the talk of performance and handling talk, I don't think it is really a huge difference between the two. If that stuff is the desire, then you should plan on spending the money to make it a serious tuner car or just go buy a sports car instead of trying to make a car into something it is not.

 

Just to clarify for other readers, the proximity "smart key" entry is also your standard lock/unlock/panic alarm clicker that you can use. So you can use regular clicker or grab door handle. Also, if the passenger door handle is grabbed it unlocks all doors.

 

Correction noted. Thanks for straightening that out.

 

I have an EX. I plan on keeping it for 15 years so the upgrades were worth it IMO. I really like the blind spot camera as there are increasing numbers of bicyclists in the city coming up on my right side. I like the keyless entry and push button start much more than I thought I would. No more fumbling for keys in the cold or dropping them in the snow. I have never liked the wind noise from a sunroof but any extra light I can get in our cloudy climate is welcome, plus it makes a small car feel a little bigger. When I bought my 85 civic hatch (which I loved, btw) I skipped the AC because I couldn't afford it 30 years ago. But now I wanted to treat myself to a few extras. These aren't extravagant extras, by any means, in the larger world of what's available on cars these days.

 

I am sure all the goodies on an EX are nice. I just don't use them. I had an '89 Civic Hatch, and loved that car. Got well over 40 mpg with it, and handled like a go cart. Not much concern for cyclists here in AZ. Temp will be 114 next week. Not too many crazies driving bikes then! In fact, not too many driving bikes on the main road here any time of year. Anyway, power windows, steering, Dics brakes, A/C, Cruise, power mirrors and electric door locks are pretty well equipped by my standards. LX works just fine for me. That $1800 will buy a whole lot of gas.

 

At resale or trade in an LX Fit should retain it's value better than a higher trim level Fit.

 

Not quite sure about that - from the picture one of the LX owners posted here, it looks like a Firestone FR710. Not a good tire really, and not low rolling resistance either. I think the EL470 on the EX is a better tire, if only slightly so... as far as rubber goes, it seems the Fit comes with pretty lousy OEM tires.

 

keyless entry is pretty convenient. Keeping the keys in your pocket or bag is great.

lane watch is useful. I have it in the Accord and it actually helps. If you haven't experienced it before think of it the same as looking at your right side mirror except it's on the screen in the car and it shows a wider angle.
We use to live without it so obviously not needed but hey even if it helps out once in a while it's worth it.

As far as the dynamic guidelines for rear view camera... it's quite useful in my experience but I've never had it without dynamic lines so can't say for sure. It definitely is accurate because at least on the accord I can park alongside a curb okay

hmm, can't think of anything else I'd personally care about. But yea EX is the solid deal imho

 

I know most of you are probably guys, but keyless entry for a woman with a large or messy purse is AWESOME!! no digging around like a mad person standing next to a car!

 

yep, wife loves it. And so do I because as I get fatter it's harder to take keys out of my jean pockets.

 

Possibly, possibly not. If all the bells and whistles are still working the EX makes an attractive trade. If the car is older and the mirror cam fails or the pushbutton start has issues then it could be detrimental.

Ketterings's Law at work! "Parts left out cost nothing, require no maintenance, and do not fail."


Few cars come with good OEM tires. It's one place where manufacturers can squeeze the suppliers to supply the minimum product needed to get past the warranty time. Buyers don't comparison-shop tires. I'm very tempted to just replace the OEM rubber with higher quality (and slightly larger) LRR tires right off the bat.

And, you can't forget your purse!

I have a feeling that with all the recalls for ignition switches just about every car will have pushbutton start within a couple of years.

 

I think at resale time, you will receive more if you paid more, providing you take care of the car and replace or fix anything that breaks along the way.

Just sold a 2008 Base model fit for what I consider to be a fair price. Had I opted for the Sport version when I purchased it, I would have received more, to reflect the higher price when new.

What will really determine the resale price is what people who are in the market for a used car, want in terms of options. Since Honda feels the EX will represent the majority of sales now, anyone selling an LX will be competing with those used EX's when the time comes. Still, either will sell, if your car is in good shape.

 

I got a LX CVT. I do think you get a lot for just $1800, so it was very tempting. Comes down to personal taste of course. At the time I vacillated between LX/EX and finally settled for LX, and this is why:

1. MPGs are important to me, didn't want the (at least theoretical) penalty. Prefer smaller wheels for the same reason also.
2. Not a big fan of touch screens.
3. Like having the AUX input.
4. Lane Watch, though undoubtedly useful, is kind of useless to me personally - since I invariably check my blind spot, lane watch or not - as a result it sort of ends up confusing me, as now I have one more thing to look at. Again, that's just me.
5. Prefer the black trim to the plastic chrome.
6. Sunroofs, while nice to have, won't change my decision one way or the other. As in I'll take it - but it doesn't change my life. Same deal with the paddle shifters.

I do miss the proximity entry and push button start though. Also - I wish EX had the mirror integrated turn signals! I just might have sprung for a EX then.

 

I know the LX comes with 4 speakers vs 6 in the EX. Does anyone know if you can install tweeters easily in the LX--i.e. is there an empty space (preferably prewired) in the LX just waiting for tweeters? I know the LX also has less total wattage, but hopefully it would still be enough to run 6 speakers. Alternatively, I suppose one could swap out the front speakers with better 3-way speakers and get a decent audio quality that way.

 

Be careful what speakers you decide to get. OEM HU are notorious for claiming big numbers in wattage but the reality is the RMS is pretty pathetic. Usually around 7 - 15/ channel RMS max. Any speaker, after-market will sound better than OEM but to get the potential you should consider an amp to run it.

Also note that HU's are EQ'd in design to get the best out of those cheapo speakers. A DSP unit will clean up the unwanted EQ to give your speakers the clearest sound possible.

After-market high quality speakers will definitely sound better than Oem stuff but to get the full potential you'll need a decent DSP plus an amp.

Surf the DIYmobileaudio.com. Lotsa of good postings there!!!

 

Wife hates, hates, hates, my new EX, and is putting a damper on my enjoyment, frankly. She took it for a test drive this evening, and essentially took it out the garage, around the block, and back to the garage. "I can't deal with the screen or the keyless" she says.

Verdict is still out. I'll be honest, its tough when you enjoyed two sports w/out navigation, and marvelled in the simplicity of the old "regular v. Sport " choice, not to be a bit suspicious of all the things that could go wrong in this EX.

Oh well, looks like we won't be sharing. Which may have been my plan all along....