I previously had a 2012 Fit Sport. I wasn't very happy with it. It was too small, too cramped, too underpowered, and very short on features. I test drove the 2015 Fit when they came out and it was very much improved. It really impressed me. I almost traded in for one, but the turbo Civic caught my eye and I decided to get the EX-T.

My lease will expire in June of 2018 and I am again thinking of the Fit. They have come a long way since my old one. I see a lot of them on the roads and people seem to really like them. If I did get one, I would go for the EX-L trim.

I would be losing some things from my Civic that I enjoy, but I would be saving money also.

Would the savings between the two be worth the things I would lose? I really don't remember what the Fit has, but I like the heated seats, dual climate control, brake hold, lower profile, extra room inside, the whole infotainment system, auto lock/unlock, and especially the turbo.

Does the Fit have most of what I like? I know I can do research from the Honda site, but I don't have time right now as I need to leave for work very soon. Has anyone drove the Civic and decided on the Fit? How happy are you?

Thank you!

 

Why not test drive a Fit right after driving to the dealership in your Civic Turbo? You'll get a back to back comparison. The Civic will be more spacious and definitely have more power because of the turbo.

The Fit does NOT have dual climate and no support for Android Auto or Apple Carplay if that's a deal breaker.

 

It is strange to me that all or most of the auto magazines preferred the gen 2 Fit over the new rendition, because they felt the last Fit was more nimble and sporty. Well, I felt just the opposite. The gen 3 has more feature, softer ride, more space inside, magic seats, and with the CVT. The Fit is a utility car, not a sport or sporty car. If you recognize what the car was designed for, you will enjoy it for what it is. If I want to tear up the road, I would go to its sibling in the garage, the 911 Turbo, 6 spd.

 

Where's the "Like" button?

 

May I add that the Fit is a great trip car for 2. Lots of space and gets 40+ mpg. It can carry 12 ft long lumber (yes I saw someone in the forum who did just that). Now, try doing that in a Civic Turbo. I pondered over the 6 spd but finally bought it with the CVT simply because I didn't want to roll my own, and with the CVT, the Fit is quieter at cruising speed by running at a lower rpm, and as the result, gets better mileage. Buy the car for what it is and you will love it.

 

The EX-L does have climate control. Dual? K don't know, but given the small size of the Fit, is it necessary. Actually I could do without the leather. NC's climate isn't that much different from TN's and hot summer days and leather don't go together all that well especially with the Fit's window acreage.

 

To complicate matters the 2017 Honda Civic Hatch is also available, though more expensive than the sedan. The Civic Hatch has a better finish but less hatch space than the Fit.

You just bought the new Civic and you're already looking? You have a roving eye...

 

Honda should have built a Civic Wagon instead. I think it would smash the sales chart, because all the grey-haired baby boomers would buy one.

The Hatch is too similar to the Sedan, and not practical enough.

 

It's not auto climate control right? I think that's available in Canada but not in any trim levels of the Fit last I checked.

 

I see it as a sports car of sorts.

Driving a modern VW, a car that is quiet, accelerates quickly and would happily cruise all day at 100 miles an hour is a constant exercise in remembering not to speed. It's a sort of torture.

I'm looking forward to a Fit with skinny tires that I will be able to slide around a bit on public roads without risking jail time.

 

If you get the manual, it's a great car to thrash around, particularly in a city setting. Love the thing.

 

Thank's everyone for your replies. I don't dislike the Civic nor do I regret getting it, I just miss the utility of the Fit. I feel like the Fit has come a long way since my old one, and it for what it lacks, I don't feel like it's a deal breaker. The Fit just seems to feel bigger inside, plus in my Civic, it's really hard to see out the windows.

 

Not necessarily looking, just thinking ahead. I have a lot of problems with my Civic, and they can't figure it out, so they just tell me to call Honda and talk to them. It should be their responsibility to fix problems under warranty, especially things they can reproduce.

I never had a single problem with my Fit, mechanical wise. All of my problems were my being unhappy with it. With the new Fit, they seem to have resolved those problems, which is why I am thinking about them now.

I like the looks of the Civic hatch, but I'm not sure I would like it more or less than my current car. If I had to choose between a Civic hatch and a Fit, I would take the Fit because of the utility nature of it. I could fit things in that car that I could never fit in my Civic. It was highly useful to put the back seats down and have a ton of room.

Just looking ahead so when the time comes to decide, I can be well informed.

 

last mayish my wife got the civic touring and a few days later I got the fit EX-L. She is very happy with her Civic and I am very happy with the fit. depends on what you want in a car. the civic drives better and has more features. the fit is more utilitarian.

 

The car magazines want a car with a hard suspension that can corner well, has an overpowered engine that can peel rubber, and has a sporty look (who cares about a cramped interior?). I stopped reading these magazines decades ago when I was no longer in my 20's and realized that their priorities in a car no longer matched my interests and needs.

No they wouldn't. This isn't the 1950's. Today the baby boomers want SUVs not station wagons.

 

I'm just going to say No.
Whenever somebody justifies the purchase of a vehicle with the hedge of I'd be saving money...but I'd be compromising....

Then I just think that is a formula for pretty rapid dissatisfaction.

Get the vehicle you WANT the most.

If that's a Honda Fit in the EX-L trim? OK.
But don't get it immediately thinking of it as a compromise.

If your lease doesn't expire until 2018 then there is really no excuse. You have time to investigate, compare and decide. A luxury sometimes people don't have.

I'm really not going to give you an answer...This is Fitfreak, I own a Fit...so obviously I like them...I owned a 2010 Sport..and now a 2016 EX....

I did NOT find my 2010 to be under powered or cramped. It's was/is a subcompact but IMO amazing in it's illusion of space...and REAL cargo configuration.

As far as features...yes in the entire market the bar has raised in the past decade. The subcompact hatch market...now comes with the possibility of many features that simply were NOT available just 10 years or less ago.

My 2016 EX has many more bells and whistles.
I like them.....but that IMO doesn't necessarily make it a better vehicle than
my 2010.

If you ultimately felt "cramped" in a 2012? I don't really see why that feeling wouldn't remain or return in a new Fit.

It may be my imagination but I thought the "roominess" feel was actually marginally better in the 2010 Honda Fit.

Anyway..the OP has the luxury of time.
My bottom line advice? Get what you WANT.
And you should be able to determine that before you have to sign any lease or purchase agreement.

 

Times are achanging. Many luxury brands offer Wagon format.
And with gas prices on the way up.
Boomers are getting older, and wiser.
They want to down size and save money.
Wagon is perfect...utility of SUV...saves gas and comfortable like a car.

 

Agreed. I see more crossover compact SUVs than station wagons on the troads.

 

About being cramped. I am 6'5" and my knee pressed against the dash with the seat all the way back. I tried adjusting how it sit, but nothing gave me any more room. The Fit was my family's only car. With my wife sitting next to me, our arms were always pressed together, even without using the arm rest.

About the power. As this was our family's only car, it was always me (I was very big at the time, around 340 pounds), my wife (also big, but no where near my weight at the time), and my son (who was a newborn) in the back. Sometimes my wife would need to sit in the back to tend to our son. I had to put the car seat behind the passenger seat and pull it up so he could have enough room, plus his car seat hit the back of the passenger seat.

With her sitting behind me, and my seat needing to be pushed all the way back, she was very cramped and uncomfortable. She is only 5'6", yet she had basically no room.

When I test drove the 2015 Fit, the backseat had much more leg room, enough that I could comfortably sit with the front seats pushed all the way back. My knee no longer hit the dash, I had about 2-3" of room to spare. I test drove with me, my wife, and the sales rep who I would estimate weighed about 400 pounds. I had lost weight by then, but there was still a lot of weight in the car. I took it up and down ramps to the interstate, and had no problem reaching the speed limit to merge. In my old Fit, I was lucky to hit 50 mph when I reached the end of the on-ramp. Also, I live in the mountains so there are a lot of long steep hills to climb. One time I took it to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and as I was going up the hill, I had the gas pedal pressed as hard as I could, and I was actually losing speed up the hill. That's when I said enough is enough, we are getting a car with more room and more power. I was set on buying the new Fit, but when the Civic with the turbo was announced, I changed my mind. I test drove it and it was amazing how much power and room I had. But I still missed the utility of the Fit.

I am not unhappy with the Civic, but it was a rash decision. I don't regret it, but I may come back to the Fit since everything has improved so much.

 

The price difference between a Fit EX-L and Civic EX-T HB is about $2500. The Civic would give you a bigger vehicle which sounds like you may appreciate and more power. To me that would be a no brainer. If the monthly payment is a matter of $50, it would be worth it.