Hi all,


Been seriously considering purchasing a 2015 Fit EX manual in either silver or blue with the last six digits of a the vin in the 76X,XXX range or higher (basically one that was manufactured early to april this year). That would have given Honda hopefully 9 months or so to work out the kinks at the new Celaya plant. And I look at it as a quasi way of saying it's a second year build of the model, even though the true second year build is starting late this year. I'll need a car by end of June so looks like I won't be getting the second year ones that are supposed to be made back in Japan, if that is true.


I test drove the manual (sales guy let me go by myself which is the best way to test IMO) and was surprised by how much space is in this tiny car when you're actually sitting in it. Drove it on the freeway and around the city. It was really windy here (bay area California) and did notice very prominent wind noise around the dash and the little triangle windows to the side of the dash, plus it was cross winds too, but it isn't something that would bother me, I just turn on the music like everyone should. What wind/road noise?? Only thing that felt sketchy was shifting into 6th, as I've always driven a 5 speed manual, but I'm sure a hundred shifts into 6th will suppress the fear of going from fifth to reverse, haha.


The engine sounded nice IMO during acceleration. Car accelerated very easily up to speed with the manual. It's crazy how a car this small seems so easy to drive and maneuver around traffic and obstacle, etc..I told people it's actually really fun to drive, because it was!


I didn't play with the features or check fit and finish because I save that for an hours time before I shake hands and agree to the purchase. I'm meticulous about that stuff. I did notice a loud rattle above the passenger head while driving and this specific one I would not purchase because of that. But all in all, from the test drive, it sounded and felt surprisingly nice.


My questions are for anyone who would like to chime in: Any problems with fit/finish or mechanical or electrical that you have experienced? Any glitches in the blind spot camera showing rearview when you put on your blinker or hit the blind spot camera button on the blinker? Stereo issues? Rattles developing after purchase? Anything that is a pet peeve of your about the vehicle, which doesn't affect it's normal function?


Thanks for reading this and hope to hear from you guys about your positive/negatives about this vehicle.

 

While most of us have had no problems, there is a thread called Quality Issues in the sticky section above your thread you may want to read.


Mine has been fine. Once it showed the backup camera instead of lane watch, but that never repeated.

 

Yeah I read that whole review, a lot of it was the same, especially fit and finish of the earlier productoin. Plus that thread was started long ago, some things have changed maybe...


How many miles do you have on yours? Do you feel that the lane watch is any more different than just looking in the mirror? Hondas have great visibility in the first place.

 

I haven't had mine for long, so I haven't really had time to develop issues. I'm around 600 miles already, and overall I love the car, but there are a couple of little peeves that I have with it. I'll say that I knew about most of these going in (after research), and they don't bother me much at all.

On the 6MT there's no overdrive gear. The 6th on the new models is the same ratio as 5 on the old MT. They played a bit with the other gears I think which are close and sporty, but there's almost no difference between 5 and 6. When you're on the highway at 65 mph the engine is at 3.5K RPM. At 75-80ish it's around 4K, and the redline's around 6800. It makes kind of a buzzing sound because it's such a small engine. The engine noise might bother some people, but playing music at a medium volume drowns it out completely. No need to blow your eardrums. Wind noise isn't terrible in my experience, it's more the engine and the tire noise on the highway.

However, this affects the fuel efficiency. A higher gear would make highway cruising quieter, but despite this at around 65-70 mph I seem to get close to 40 mpg. When I'm at 80 and going up and down hills on the highway it drops closer to around 30.

The silver lining - you don't really have to downshift to speed up. Yeah, it's pretty slow, but I find it enough for overtaking. The engine is already in a usable part of the power band while just driving.

Speaking of music, I prefer real buttons to the touch screen. That said, the touch screen is cool and easy to get used to. My girlfriend got used to where the main radio functions are over the course of a a day. Still, it requires you taking your eyes off the road, even momentarily, to change anything other than the volume / track which you can do from the steering wheel. I'm just happy the HVAC controls are physical dials rather than another screen like on the HRV.

Also - not many people do this at all these days, but I like burning CDs when I don't want to bring one of my ipods somewhere. I don't like leaving an ipod in the car in the heat or in freezing temperatures, and I don't always have somewhere to stow it. When changing tracks on a burned CD the system takes a few seconds with a noticeable pause. Not when just playing through tracks, but when skipping through. Never had this happen on any other car, including a 2005 Honda. Also, older ipods don't seem to connect (only charge) through the USB, unless I'm doing something wrong.

The stock tires are shitty firestones. On my car at leas - stock tires seem to vary a lot. They're not that quiet, not that grippy but fine overall I guess. I'm not using this as a sportscar, but the car stays nicely planted and pretty flat on curves, and the limitation is actually the tires and not the car itself. It feels like it could take a curve faster than the tires allow.

Finally - the center armrest. There is none. There's a center console with an opening top that looks a lot like an armrest. But it's too low to rest your arm on it. It hasn't bothered me so far, but the longest I've driven the car is about 60 miles straight. There are aftermarket "fixes" for it, but they look ugly.

BUT... overall:

Everything works perfectly. No electronic glitches, no mechanical trouble. Touchscreen is pretty responsive and works well. A/C is good. Heat is good. I like that the car gets up to operating temperature really quickly (A/C comes on fast).

Fit (heh) and finish for a $17.3K car (my price before tax etc on an EX 6MT) is very good for the price. It's not a Benz. The doors aren't hefty and close with a reassuring thud (but don't feel like they're made of balsa wood either). The sheet metal is a little thin (see the thread about the guy who dented his metal while resting an elbow on it to wash the car). The rear seats are very light. I have a Honda Element with seats that fold similarly and they definitely felt more hefty. Usually hefty is a sign of quality, but I don't really see any "quality" problems with the seats. It can be a good thing because my girlfriend and sister had trouble lifting the Element seats. Part of the point of the car is that it's light, so I don't see these as negatives. The dash trim is nice and well-made. It's faux-luminum, but its not haphazardly slapped on, crooked, misaligned, or out-of-place looking. The shift boot is leather, and if it's not then damn I can't tell the difference. The front seats don't have much adjustability, but are overall comfortable. The driver seat can be raised up or down.

In terms of lanewatch, I often find myself now looking at the mirror first, then glancing at the lanewatch to make sure. It takes half a second from when you turn on the signal for it to come up, so first I look in the mirror as I turn the signal on, then turn on the lanewatch to gauge the distance better and just make sure nobody's there. It became a very fluid and natural process after less than a week.

And in terms of your fear of going from 5th to Reverse - the car is smarter than that. It physically won't let you push the shifter into a gear if your foot isn't on the clutch, and it won't let you go into reverse unless you're stopped. Or at the very least, it requires a very intentional and more forceful movement to move it into reverse, and the position is wayy to the right.


Edit - oh yeah. My TPMS light came on after a particularly hard corner the second day I owned the car. When I checked the tires' cold temperatures they were overinflated by about 3 psi from the dealership. Not a problem with the car at all, because I like the tires a bit overinflated, and when I reset the light it never came back. I assume that the TPMS has a range that it "allows" and during the hard turn, the pressure in the outer tire peaked out of whatever range that is. Not a single problem since.

 

I'm retired and live in a very walkable city, so only 3300 miles in 11 months.

Lane watch saved my bacon twice with cars I didn'the see. I'm very happy to have it.

The car is so intelligent and thoroughly thought out.

 

No issues, the car is brilliant particularly in Passion Berry Pearl.

What is sketchy shifting? I'm unfamiliar with such a problem.

 

Love mine so far (4000 miles). Only noticeable issue is a rather poor "fit" of the three pieces of plastic at the junction of the "A" pillar, quarter window and dashboard. Otherwise, everything works just like it should. By the way mine was built in 9-14, series number 26,7xx.


I'm getting about 39-41 MPG, but then I'm not really trying to get maximum mileage, as it's just too much fun to drive the car "briskly". I can't comment on mileage at 80 MPH, as there's no place in New York State where you can legally go 80 MPH.


As for the stock Firestone tires being "shitty", be glad you didn't get the Bridgestone Turanzas. I had them on my '09, and they were truly AWFUL. Good for a swing and not much else once they were about half worn.


Yeah, 6th gear could be a bit taller, but in the hilly country in which I live, it's not really a problem. Gear the car as tall in 6th as the automatic, and everybody wishing for a taller sixth gear would be griping about having to downshift over every bump in the road.


Yeah, shifting into 6th gear (a first for me, too), was a bit of a learning curve at first. I'd sometimes get 4th instead. The trick is to grab the lever with your palm facing slightly outward, so you are pushing a bit to the right as you pull the lever back into 6th. After a week, you won't even think about it anymore, it will be second nature.

 

i love my fit ex 6mt got it in passion berry pearl knock on wood no issues so far got it early this month already got 2200 miles. i love it i switched from an elantra gt and as space goes the fit has a lot more room passengers in the back constantly ask me if i had to move my seat up I'm like no not at all. as far as the features the cameras are nice but I'm old fashioned still look in the mirrors. the radio sucks i wish it had more features like satellite radio but that can be fixed i might change out the radio yes i know ill loose my backup and lane watch but id rather have built in nav. the gears are a lil short before i know it I'm in 6th gear sometimes i skip shift right into 6th from 2nd if I'm at a high enough speed. I love the fact i can lay down the seats flat and if i need to transport some thing there is a ton of space.
being in florida we get a lot of rain the the stock firestone tires are ok i didn't hydro plane at all car kept the car straight are there better tires oh yes lol but I'm ok with them for now. i get excellent gas mileage i drove last week 200 miles a day and it only cost me 14 to 15 bucks and i was only filling up from half a tank. overall I'm very happy with the car its a joy to drive everyday. best part is the dealers down here fill the tires with nitrogen not regular air so i don't really have to worry bout constantly checking tire pressure. hope this helps.

 

I'll be looking for your Fit! There's two of us on this forum who live in Dunedin. I've got a red EX, and the other guy has Modern Steel. I love the car.

 

exl500 haha i live in palm harbor by boot ranch. we should start a meetup....

 

Have my 2016 Fit EX CVT for about a month now. Just over 1000 miles. I wanted a manual but there were none in the DC area when I was ready to buy. The CVT has grown on me. This after driving manual VW's forever. The CVT is silky smooth. Great gas mileage and the sport mode is nice. My only complaints are, the tiny gas tank and lack of a dedicated volume knob. Other than that, I really like driving this car. Tons of room, sleek styling, awesome standard equipment. As long as I realize it's an econobox (a nice one) and not the GTI i drove for 12 years, I'll be happy.

 

My wife and I picked up a used "Honda certified" LX 6 spd manual about a week ago - new owners, but we did put 1100+ miles on it on a weekend trip from east TN to southeaast MI and back....using cruise and setting it maybe 8 mph above the speed limit (which ranged from 45 to 70, depending on where we were on the perpetual road work project known as I-75), with a couple of quick bursts up to 85 for passing or getting outta the way of tailgaters....we averaged 41.1 mpg on the way up and 39.9 on the way back (way back included 15 miles of bumper to bumper traffic, stop and go up to 10 mph if lucky...that part of the drive sucked).
I love this car to death...obviously, it is what it is, and it ain't a luxury highway cruiser, but it's way more than adequate at speed, same issues as noted (6th gear too low, engine drone, using music as a "noise buffer" which is a given, gotta have music on a 10+ hour trip). This LX ticks all the right boxes for me....no touch screen stuff, no switchblade key, no keyless entry/pushbutton start, no LED lights on the front end (hate them, for some reson), manual tranny, fun to drive, handles well, AMAZINGLY versatile interior, has a spare tire and jack, has a CD player.....absolutely great lil car for the $$$.....I'm a retro grouch, I guess, I like knobs and switches, stickshifts, and an actual spare...rented a Kia Soul for a week while car shupping, and honestly, it's a well put together piece - handles better than it looks like it would, well built, but .....had a pump and "fix-a-flat" instead of a spare, the satellite radio "expired" after one day - rental company said they could reactivaate it of $5.99 per day, or something, and no CD player!!!!!! Left me at the mercy of metro Knoxville's FM radio community, which ain't the greatest. I love my Fit.

 

I have the Canadian equivalent of the US 2016 LX 6MT. I find the car shifts flawlessly, but on the highway, as others have said, the gearing could be higher thereby dropping the rpms down. There is more than sufficient acceleration to keep you entertained, and you will not risk your license.

The paint is thin. I scratched the car backing up too close to a cardboard box. Other than the paint issue, the car functions very well. Last year I rented the Nissan Versa Note, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, and as many different compact cars as I could. I preferred the Fit.

If you are a smartphone lover and want Carplay and Android Auto integration, the Fit's infotainment system is retro. As I prefer simple, this has not been an issue. The Fit has bluetooth and a USB input, so I have not had any issues. The LX model also has an aux in, missing in the EX and up models. The LX has a volume knob, which I prefer over the touch slider volume on the EX.

The Mazda3 came up on top, but it has less cargo and rear leg room than the Fit, worse gas mileage but much better handling. They are also more expensive.

I have loaded tires, 3 bikes, chest of drawers, large composting bin, and other items and am constantly amazed at how much you can fit into this seemingly deceptive vehicle. It is a tardis, a word I did not even know until I bought a Fit. The Fit has more cargo room and leg room than the Accord.

Because it is summer one thing that has not been discussed is winter driving. The Fit has 5.5" of clearance and is low. With winter tires, -1 14" rims, the Fit really handles well in the winter. Even with the driving nanny (VSA) on I can still break the rear end when there is snow or ice on the road.

Others are saying that a 2016 6MT might be hard to find. You'll need to order one and wait. I waited 2 months for mine. I told the dealer, in contract, I'll wait a max of 3 months or all my deposit back. If I could not find a 2016 Fit 6MT I would probably go with the Mazda3 MT, and not the Fit CVT. I am unprepared to give up the fun driving experience of a manual.

 

There are a few "horror stories" on the forum, but my own car has been pretty flawless (build number in the 19,5xx range, purchased September 2014). I've had it back for two recalls: the CVT reprogram and the rusty door bracket replacement - both handled quickly and with no issues.

I have right at 40,000 miles on it so far, and am averaging a hand-calculated 37-38 mpg (I live in the Middle West, mostly flat, but windy, and don't do any hypermiling). I've done a good bit of modding (see my mod thread linked in sig), which has really transformed the ride and handling of the car.

If you do buy, do a thorough pre-delivery inspection and check the rep of the dealer, as that's the key component you'll have to deal with in the future, either for regular maintenance or if issues do pop up.

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Know your area a little. Mother was from Bulls Gap. Father was from further south, Cleveland, TN. They met in my hometown of Nashville. I have a red 2015 EX with the 6 speed manual. Not a big fan of the touch screen, but the seven inch screen is great. 1st gear is too much of a granny and 6th is way too close to 5th. Handles well and the Fit's fit and finish is acceptable IMHO.

Bluetooth to iPhone keeps me well within TN cell phone usage laws and I loathe texting.

 

It's been a while since I last post but here's what I've been experiencing so far with my 2015 Fit EX manual.

Quick recap: purchased in November 2015, drove 250+ miles to get it (I'm located in socal and the dealer was about an hour north of Santa Barbra), it's a late 2014 production model, and about 15,xxx miles on the car so far.

VSA - once in a while driving on a straight path down the street, (nothing spirited or Formula 1 type driving,) regardless if the road is smooth or bumpy, the Vehicle Stability Assist light will come on by itself. After about a mile or two of driving after the light comes on, it'll turn off by itself. As if nothing happened.

Audio Source - probably happens once every other month but once you start the car, whatever previous source you were listening to, (FM radio, AM radio, bluetooth, USB) will stay locked onto that source and will not allow you to switch out UNLESS the car is shut down and restarted back up. After the first time of freaking out, you'll notice it right away if it happens again.

Window Squeak - this may probably on a case-by-case incident but after I took my car in for the door panel rust recall, I began to notice a squeaking sound from my driver's side front door window when being rolled up. It's coming from the window track which just may need additional lubrication or could be something that the technician that worked on my car forgot to do when putting back the panel. Either way, it's annoying at times.

Other than those minuet inconveniences, I love it. Nothing better than telling your friends that it took less than $25.00 to fill up your gas tank. Plus with all the standard features on the EX, it's worth it.

 

VSA-I've only seen the light come on once, and that was starting up in snow.


Audio Source-happened to me exactly ONCE. Not only couldn't I change source (FM in this case), but I couldn't change stations or access my station presets. It's as if the system didn't "boot" correctly upon startup. Next time the car was started, it was fine and the issue hasn't recurred.