This is likely a loaded question given the forum I'm in, but should I buy a 2017 Fit LX?

I know next to nothing about cars. Really. Haven't owned one since 1994, and that was a 1976 Chrysler Cordoba. Living in downtown Toronto you don't need one, but being back in Trumpland in a smaller city in Western NY after 27 years, I need one.

After countless hours of online research, I've settled on the Honda Fit. I like it very much. Has incredible cargo space. It won't rival my old Cordoba where you could haul 12 bodies in the trunk, and 9 more in the back seat, if you are a busy serial killer. But for a subcompact, I'm very impressed from what I read and seen online.

So my question is, how do the new 2017 models compare to the two older generations? The biggest difference I see is that the 3rd generation has 130hp, while before it 117, then 109. I like the extra power and was considering getting a used 2015 or 2016, but there aren't that many in my neck of the woods. Plus, those that are are nearly the price of a new one! Which tells me the Fit holds its value well and that I might as well get one without a history.

Soooo.... what do y'all think? Is 2017 an improvement over previous years? And for those of you that have bought one, what did you pay?

I'm aiming at the LX automatic (ie, CVT) because the EX, etc, just have extra stuff I can live without. No extras at all, I can add those later if I want. Dealership add-ons are 2X the real price of things. And no rustproofing. Heard that is no longer necessary with today's cars, right? (You should have seen my old Cordoba - I had duct tape over the worst of the rust holes just so I could keep warm driving in the winter...)

 

Price aside, the advantages I see to the LX over the EX are:

1. No sunroof.
2. Smaller wheels with taller sidewall tires.
3. A real volume knob on the radio.

I wouldn't mind a push button start or the extra couple of speakers, but having the three listed above is more important.

 

You got this right, NOBDY. I've never known a sunroof that didn't leak and who wants the annoying sun blaring down on you? Never understood the sense of it. But didn't know about real knobs on the radio. Big bonus. I absolutely hate digital and worse, touch screens. I'm old school. Give me back push buttons on the radio stations!!

 

I've known girls with Acuras with sunrooves that never leaked, but they do always reduce headroom.

The EX has only a touchscreen and wheel control for volume, no knob.

 

Can't speak for the CVT - 6 sp manual here - but, yeah the LX is a great "model level" ....am anti touch screen here as well, I like physical knobs and buttons. The car is a "perfect compromise" for me .... fun to drive (I added a Progress rear anti-sway bar), manual tranny, plenty of hauling room (we're almost empty nesters), can't argue with the mpg......there are other choices out there, but the Fit is a good one, if you're in the market for a subcompact hatch

 

The hauling room, the MPG, and relatively cheapness of insurance are the main reasons I'm looking seriously into this car, FUELISH.

Always liked hatchbacks. Suppose it was when I'd lie in the back of my mom's Pintos when I was a kid, staring up through the hatchback window as she drove. Back in the 70s, who used seat belts to strap kids in? I can still hear the pneumatic hiss as the hatch was opened and closed.

 

We have a 2016 LX with CVT and like it very much. Lots of headroom, like having knobs for the sound system, and the stock wheels are fine. I hate the CVT with the Econ button engaged, the engine is boggy accelerating from a stop. Skip the Econ and the engine response is nicer. The single greatest drawback is the lack of driver legroom, the seat tracks just don't go back that far. Really dumb design flaw. It's a great economy car...but it is only an economy car, it's not built like a premium product. We paid $16,600 plus taxes and fees and are happy with the purchase.

 

Is there any other subcompact with a back seat like that?

This isn't a DX/LX/EX distinction, but if you for a very small car that can serve as a taxi for teens, the Fit may be the only one. The Chevy Spark back seat seems to be an insurance inspired afterthought unless you anticipate giving rides to double amputees. The Focus and Fiesta back seats are hard to use even for small people. The Mazda3 backseat is OK and the Golf a bit better, but those cars are significantly larger and still don't have a back seat as large and easy to use as a Fit's.

 

Only sunroofs I ever heard leaking were all aftermarket. I've had a few ('82 Volvo, a crank; '02 GTI) and never had any trouble. The shade works well too but I only use it when screen glare is a problem.

As for EX vs. LX, I was really Team EX when I bought my car but if I knew then what I know now I'd be real tempted to get the LX and save the cash. I don't regret the EX one bit and most of the upgrades are nice but like it's been said already nothing is really necessary. And who knows, the fragility of the technology could come back to bite me in the ass down the road if, say, the starter button goes out and costs megabucks to fix.

 

I believe that starter button is a money saver for Honda.

A traditional keyed mechanism itself is complex and expensive. I wore one out once (the contact that completed the connection to get power to the starter), and bypassed it with a lamp cord. All it took to start was opening the ashtray to find the lamp plug and touching a penny to both prongs.
It's simpler mechanically.

 

How tall are you? Will you have passengers on a regular basis? What kind of driving will you mostly do? Highway, around town? Do you want a sporty-ish car? What is your budget?

I really like my Fit, but there are others. You should test drive the Mazda3 and the VW Golf. I found the Mazda3 has better handling than the Fit but significantly more expensive and less fuel efficient. Each car is a compromize, so you need to fidn the car that fits you and your needs best.

The Fit's back seat has more room than the Accord and most other compact cars. This is at the expense of a smaller trunk when the back seats are upright. It has the largest hatch, only second to the VW Golf.

 

In the US market, Mazda sells a two liter with automatic that the EPA method assesses as just about as efficient as the Fit, but as you note it is quite a bit more expensive.

I think the back seat in the current fit may afford even more legroom than is found in the Golf. The Golf and Fit are quite different in character. The Golf is relatively fast and hushed, with the sense of vault like solidity one associates with modern german cars. One can cruise at 100mph without having to turn up the radio to hear the news.

If one looks around, he can find some steeply discounted Golfs with manual transmissions.

ImhavingaFit, it might be worth your while to give into the third pedal whatever you choose.

 

The Golf is a compact class car, and larger and much more expensive than the Fit. That said, the Fit might have more rear passenger legroom but less trunk space. When you put the rear seats down, the Golf has a smidge larger hatch. While the Golf is a bigger and more expensive car, it is surprising that the Fit can compete so closely. The Fit is a Tardis and can can swallow a washing machine, or in my case 3-4 bikes, or 6 chairs. You can put down a layer of sponge and sleep diagonally with the rear seats down.

For sure the Golf is a very different car, more solid and quiet than the Fit.

If you can consider a manual transmission you will save $1,500US or so on the Fit or Golf. On the highway the CVT Fit will be quieter as the engine RPM will be lower.

While this is a Fit forum, people here are not all Honda fanboys. We have had great comparo discussions about other cars. Some Fit owners have left for other cars and that is Ok here. The Fit is not for everyone, and this should be obvious!

 

Thanks for stating what you paid, PITCHA. Headroom is important and what you say about the lack of driver legroom scares me. I'm 6'3. I'll be looking at that during the test drive for sure.

 

Not sure how comfortable you'll be in this car at 6'3. I let my coworker who is about the same height borrow the car to do a lunch run and he said he was cramped. Kept wishing he had another inch or so to go back. But people also have different leg lengths so may not be the same problem.

That being said, someone posted this place that has a kit to give more room: Honda FIT (2013-Present) Seat Brackets - Extend My Seat Store

 

TorontoBoy, I'm 6'3. Very few passengers on a regular basis. I'm now in the suburbs and might need to highway once in awhile to go to downtown (Rochester is quite small compared to T.O.). Sporty-ish I care nothing for, just functionality, fuel economy, ability to haul larger items once in awhile. Budget: I'm paying cash for the car, won't even get collision insurance, just minimum state mandated. Right there cuts annual insurance costs in half )my quick estimates put it under $400 a year). Never was a believer in collision insurance nor going into debt of any kind. If you can't pay for something, you don't buy it. Simple as that. Old school. I also plan to drive the car into the ground. 10+ years. Hopefully longer. So I care nothing for resale value to another.

Kinda miss T.O. already. But with Rob Ford gone and mini-Trudeau in power, I'm also glad I'm back with Uncle Sam.

 

2RISMO2, thanks for that link. I'll be looking into that if it appears to be a problem. Hoping not. My legs don't really extend straight out when I sit upright without back pain anyhow. So my hamstrings have always been tight to protect my back and I end up driving with my legs kinked. I can imagine on a cross country trip it would be nice to periodically stretch while you drive, but nothing beats a pull over into a rest stop anyway.

 

I'm 6'2" and believe I could adapt to the Fit's modest front legroom, but I drive with my legs folded and knees pointing outward.

If you ordinarily haven't any passengers, you might look at a Chevy Spark. There are places selling them for 10,000USD and they have better driver's legroom.

 

As the Fit has, for me, too much rear passenger leg room, this kit might do the trick, and still have similar passenger leg room to the Civic and Accord.

It sounds like the Fit will complement you. The LX has the 5.5" non-touch screen and a volume knob. It also has an aux in port, missing on the EX, as well as 2 USB ports. The EX has the 7" touch screen and no volume knob, but has one more USB port. There are good Youtube videos demo-ing both radios.

The EX has 16" lower profile wheels. The LX has 15" wheels. Almost all generations of Fits have had 15" wheels. Either wheel size will fit, but with different tires.

You are a big guy. Both the LX and EX have a center console arm rest that is too low. Note this when you do a test drive. The fix is a DIY job, or buy a small cushion and stick it on top. There are a lot of creative DIY armrest fixes on this forum.

CVT vs manual shift? There are holy wars fought on this and other forums! Your choice, just read and decide what you like.


I can't comment on Rob Ford, but Trumps is certainly colourful! I watch more US politics than boring Canuck ones. My insurance here in T.O. is $1,400CAD/yr.

 

I've had several cars with a sunroof. None of them leaked -- and I live in Ohio where we get a lot of rain, snow, ice, etc. I agree with you about not wanting the "sun blaring down on you." But most of the time the sun is not directly overhead where it would be a problem. More often than not, the sunlight comes at an angle. I usually don't open the roof when the sun is high overhead. In fact, my favorite time to open the roof is after the sun goes down...... Maybe that's why Honda calls it a MOON ROOF!