My Civic lease is up and I went in today to take a test drive of the new Fit (2nd test) and the current Civic. I've owned four Civics (95, 98, 2009 Hybrid, 2012 EX) and no Fits.

I'm debating which to get and would like your thoughts. Here are mine about the pros and cons.

FIT PROS

Drives much sportier than the 2014 Civic (which has had all feel tweaked out of the car)
More cargo room (not vital, but nice to have)
Something new for me (I've owned four Civics)
Looks cooler (or not, depending on your point of view.
Rear seat seems more spacious.
Cheaper
Maintenance cheaper

FIT CONS

Front to back driver room seems more cramped (I'm 5 11, over 250)
The left foot rest seems to be closer in than the Civic, to the point it is noticeable.
Fit and finish not as crisp. The fit I drove had a piece of trim missing/broken off, and the interior looks cheaper.
Passenger side is tight.
Climate system looks/feels like it came from a 70's car.
Louder
Armrest
Unknown reliability / First year of car/New Plant/Built in Mexico

CIVIC PROS

I have always loved the two tier dash.
Feels roomier in some aspects for the driver.
Automatic Climate Control
IMID display (used to it and I like it better than what's on Fit)
Roomier for front passenger
Better fit and finish.
Quiet
Known entity/reliability
Front left leg feels a bit more comfortable.
Armrest
More inventory to choose from.

CIVIC CONS

Pricier
It's another Civic.
Less utility/ Cargo space.
Slightly harder to park

 

IMO, gotta stick with what works for you. On ergonomics alone, you determined that the Fit is not as spacious in the driver's seat footwell area. On this one item alone, I would take the Fit out of your choices.

All of us are different, but just because I'm a Fit guy doesn't mean it works for everybody else.

Don't buy a car that you have to fit in, rather buy one that fits into you.

Fit - Sub-compact, Civic - Compact. Two different products designed to hit different buyers.

Happy shopping!!!

 

Pros and Cons.....no one size fits all. What works for some does not work for others. It's great we are not all the same personally I gave the Civic a ho hum pass...just no wow factor for me. I agree with ROTTBOY buy what you like and enjoy!

 

Part of the reason you make PRO CON lists is to see how long they are.

Enjoy your new Civic

 

And they still always seem to differ!

 

5'11" 390 here. I don't feel cramped in the car, in any seat.

 

Wow! Good for you!

 

Surprisingly fit interior dimensions are pretty close to Civic. It has rear leg room like Accord. Only confusing this is rear hip room which is lot smaller than shoulder room. For most of the cars, these numbers are very close.

 

I fully admit that I wonder if my mind was playing tricks on me about leg room. The left footrest felt odd for some reason. That's why I want to go back tomorrow.

 

The driver space as a whole felt bigger than the Civic. Just that left foot/leg bothered me.

 

Who is that directed to? If it's me, seems remarkably full of condescension.

 

Maybe. Was the seat back all the way, and down all the way? When the seat is lifted, it actually seems to push the seat forward a bit each time. Then of course there's the steering wheel adjustment if there's not enough leg clearance.

 

Again, my opinion, but if it bothered you the first time and your going back to convince yourself it really doesn't? That is not the best approach.

You may have your reasons for wanting the Fit more than the Civic at this point, but if any part of your body feels different the first time in any car, I would'nt ever think of it again.

Let's just say you convince yourself otherwise, that decision could be the wrong one if you live with the car for years to come. You'll be kicking yourself for not picking the "right" car that actually makes all your physical dimensions feel comfortable. Sitting in a car for a few minutes/hours as opposed to living with one for years could give very different results.

Good luck and happy shopping!!!

 

As others have said, only you can make the right choice. But I own a '09 Fit and a '13 Civic. I think if I was going to get another car, I would get a Fit. It has most if not all of the options available to it as the Civic has, is cheaper, more versatile, and more fun to drive in my opinion. My Fit has been the most maintenance free car I have ever owned. Unfortunately, it is a double edged sword because I know that at this pace it's going to be another 5 years before I will be able to justify buying a new car

 

You are right about Civic front leg room. It is slightly better than Fit (42" vs 41.4"). Fit has bigger rear leg room (39.3" vs 36.1"). Civic is wider. It has bigger shoulder room.
Probably Civic is your threshold comfort point in terms of shoulder/leg room.

 

I'm in almost the same thing in my family. I have mom in a '13 EX-L w/ Navi Civic and i have the '13 FIT Sport w/ Navi and I always seem to have less real estate for my legs (I'm 6'1 170) than my car.

 

Fit is a subcompact. Civic is a regular compact. They are two different classes of vehicles. Subcompacts are intended to be entry level vehicles and are smaller all around. Compacts are a step up in most categories. It sounds like you are favoring the civic so you should go that route. You did the right thing test driving both and weighing the pros and coins of each.

 

My wife has the 2014 Civic LX auto and I just got the 2015 Fit EX manual.

For me, I like small cars with a manual. What I like about the Civic more is the front display and it's quieter. The Civic though did not come with the rear camera with the wide view option, and for me that is a BIG deal backing out of parking spaces with my view blocked by bigger cars, trucks, SUVs and the blind spots backing out of my driveway. The Civic looks better and is more refined. Hwy driving is more relaxed in the Civic. All that aside, give me my Fit!

 

Appreciate everyone's responses. It's tough to tell from a short test drive, and that's my problem and why I want to go back. I really was surprised at how unsporty the Civic felt in my test drive compared to my 2012. I like a car that gives me a feel for the road, and the 2014 seemed to have that completely dialed out of it. I'm not sure if it was just the one I drove or the way Honda has it tuned. It felt more luxurious, but not as enjoyable to drive. I'm really not sure what is more important to me. That's why I'm going back today to drive them both again.

 

You're definitely doing the right thing by being careful and checking it out multiple times if necessary. Cars are too expensive these days (although the Fit is certainly less expensive than most) to make a rushed decision you'll regret in short order. I actually started out trying to rent a Fit for a few days or a week, but nobody in our area has any Honda's for rent. Good luck with whatever you decide!