I am thinking of changing my Ford Focus for a MT Honda Fit. I test drove the Fit and loved the interior size and found the ride and steering work for me. However, the gear ratios seem to be for a different car. The box itself is excellent and even a novice could use the light clutch, but the 6th gear is way too low. It had the engine revving at around 3,500 at 75mph and it sounds coarse. If they had geared top to say 3,000 revs at 75, and spaced the other gears accordingly, it would be perfect.

 

I agree that its a tad goofy. However, I'm getting over 40 mpg crusing at 70mph, so it apparently doesn't adversely effect the mileage to be spinning that high. And it is convenient that high-speed passing maneuvers don't require a downshift. So, overall, I've quickly grown accustomed to it.

 

How about seat comfort on long trips? My commute is 200 miles a day.

 

I just drove back from orlando today which was about 100miles.
Did not complain one time the seats in my opinion fit me very nicely. Very comfortable driving i tried the fiesta ST which is great but i just was not liking the interior and it felt outdated tech wise.

Honda really step up in the tech department for 2015 which is what mainly sold me on the fit.

The gearing while not great is fine. Was mostly doing 75 back from orlando and got 42mpg according to my info screen.

 

Which is probably why Honda left the top gear ratio where it was. Heaven forbid some car mag writer put his foot down and find the top gear response "sluggish."

Unfortunately, everyone with the 6MT loses a couple of miles per gallon to avoid that possibility, even those who wouldn't have minded having to shift down to pass as a true overdrive would have them do.

 

The final drive ratio of the 6speedf is the same as the 2nd gen. It just shortens the gear spacing to shorten acceleration time to say 60 mph. This why the Manual Fit is 1.5 to 2sec quicker to 60mph vs. auto. This is also like the 2nd gen auto base vs. sport. There is about 1sec different to 60 and 1 less mpg than base. My 13' gets a very consistent 38-39 mpg.

 

It seems such a shame that the company that makes the best manual transmissions around does not believe the people that actually prefer manuals know how to shift down to pass. I have a few months to decide, but this gearing may be a deal breaker for me because I spend 90% of my time on fast roads.

 

I prefer the gearing as is. the car never feels underpowered and I don't need to downshift every time I want to pass. that said, I would not mind a 7th gear for long trips.


even at 80mph with the RPm's at roughly 4,000 the car is quieter than our 11 fit Auto. you can barley hear the engine as the tire and wind noise is far greater.

 

I have to agree that the manual stays relatively quiet even at prolonged high RPM freeway cruising. The short gearing makes driving the car pure joy!

 

I agree Fox944, The car never feels underpowered except if I let it go under 2.5k RPM, but that's my own fault, LOL. A 7th gear might make sense for really fast roads. But we don't see that opportunity much since I don't live in Utah where posted 80 MPH is available. I understand that inserting a 4.5 gear seems annoying to some, and it is marketing, but it also adds some opportunities as well. I use 5th in those mildly congested freeway situations.

To me the fit has an amazing engine, and a "appropriate" gear box. People need to rev this engine and be happy with that.

 

The gearing is very screwy and first is too short, 6th is too low.

Like you, I switched from a Ford Focus to the Fit. My biggest adjustment with this car from the Ford is driving on the freeway. The engine is revving by about 1000rpm more on the freeway mainly due the gearing, and the engine has a coarser, less refined sound. The cabin is much louder and theres a lot more road noise. For me, its an aggravation.

However, I can acheive 45mpg in the Fit, while the best I could muster in the Focus was 38, so there is some trade off.

Bottom line, if you do a lot of freeway driving, seriously consider how much this will annoy you because it is a big change from a Focus

 

The thread is 1 year old. I guess he made his choice already

Post-powertrain warranty I think I'll swap some gears in the transmission (or I'll be so used to it I won't bother, yeah that's more likely). This first gear especially sucks during the break-in period, since I don't want to go over 3500RPM, and that's like 15MPH - a very short 1st indeed. My last MT car was probably 30-40% longer in its first, and it was just about perfect: not too long but not too weak either.

 

The gear box is fine given what this car is meant for. In fact it works great. But if you want to pull out the transmission and spread the innards of it all over your living room floor in your pursuit of out doing all of Honda's engineers, go for it. Please post pics for pure entertainment value.