longtime volvo 240 wagon driver here, sold my latest one few years ago. almost bought a 2015 Fit as replacement, but got worried about driving around in a small vehicle like this (occasionally with my young kids too), and occasionally haul lumber, building supplies, bikes, etc..... so ended up buying an extended cab base 4 cylinder 4wd tacoma new.

i find the tacoma boring and it feels rather big. i regret buying it, and would like to get into something a bit cheaper (truck is paid for, but would like to cash out some), more fuel efficient, and more fun to drive (want a manual transmission).

primary family vehicle is my wife's '14 forester.

really thinking again about the Fit. but find myself still worried somewhat about the safety implications of driving around in such a smaller vehicle.

Tacoma is ~4000 lbs. Fit is ~2500 lbs. i understand the safety ratings on the newer Fits are better, but it seems undeniable that the size and weight of a car impact real world safety.

most of my driving is around town city driving, some short stints on interstate, occasional road trips, maybe once/year. i'm a very safe driver (also have ridden motorcycles for years), never been in an accident now after 25 years of driving (knock on wood).


would really love people's opinions on this scenario.
thanks in advance.

 

YES.

i didnt read ur post but YES.

 

It is fun to drive, no doubt. Agile, yes. Acceleration, not so much really. Suspension is kinda rough so if smooth is your thing you've got the wrong car. Two years later and I still haven't gotten completely used to the 6MT, tending to over-rev sometimes for no real reason and still not used to making most normal-speed turns in third gear (and yeah I've had MTs since the '70s). I had a problem with A-pillar blind spot but now the head bob 'n' weave is second nature so haven't been surprised by anything in some time. The size thing you're going to have to decide for yourself ... like you said, real world safety. Sometimes I see a big raised Escalade and just say a prayer.

It's a real urban car. Mileage is great -- I can get mid-40s mpg just going around town but if I get a lot of red lights it will go down because launches are an mpg-killer no matter how light your touch. Some don't like that rpm is 4K on interstate vs. 2.5K or so for CVT but Honda engines always liked higher rpms and that doesn't bother me. Interstate mpg is lower if you're doing over 65 mph but it will hold the road at 70 mph-plus without wrestling the wheel unless it's windy or you've got trucks.

The Fit is very versatile as a cargo hauler but know that the upholstery (that felt covering) is very cheap and won't last long with even moderate wear. Also the rear deck support material isn't very strong and will likely collapse the first time you put something heavy back there.

 

I think The Honda Fit is perfectly safe, in comparison to other vehicles in it's own segment, small compact vehicle.

I'm hesitant to recommend flipping a paid off 2015 Toyota Tacoma for a product as opposite side of the spectrum different as a Honda Fit, for reasons as subjective as "Fun".

If you also own a 2014 Forester, and the Tacoma, that's two vehicles that cover a lot of driving and hauling needs. A lot of potential family needs. If they are both paid off? Isn't that hard to walk away from?

I don't know your financial situation, but it almost sounds like you just want something you perceive as being more fun...to drive for yourself. Would a 3rd, Nearly Weekend only vehicle purchase be possible?

You said you use to ride motorcycles. Could this be a subconscious desire to recapture some of that mojo?

I would speculate, trading in or even private party, there is no way you don't lose a lot of value selling a new paid off car in only two years. But maybe this isn't an issue for you.

You certainly can do this. You really don't need my permission. But my fear would be what happens in 2 more years, when the "Fun" of the Honda Fit starts to wain?
2 year new car/truck swaps are an expensive way to facilitate transportation.

But if you can afford it, and want to do it? Then...I suppose go ahead.

 

You mustn't be aware of Tacoma resale values. I owned my 2013 TRD Off Road access cab for 2 years and still owed 4 years of payments and sold it privately for $2000 more than I owed. Now, I wish I hadn't got rid of it but I needed a more fuel efficient vehicle and either it or my Mazda MX-5 had to go and there was no way the MX-5 will ever leave my possession unless it's for something like a Lotus.

To the OP, I would test drive a Fit and see what you think. I don't own a Fit yet but I'm most likely replacing a 17 year old Civic with a 2018 before winter. I have no issues driving smaller cars and since you have experience riding motorcycles then you know how to drive defensively. I like small, nimble cars as I'd like to avoid an accident instead of focusing on surviving one.

 

bach and fitchet- thanks for the thoughtful comments......

i hate the idea of selling the tacoma when considering the 'hit' taken on depreciation. that being said, at least they hold their value a bit more than the average vehicle.

i remember enjoying my volvos, even long after the novelty wore off----very basic, no frills, slow as molasses, but it was a driver's car. it had good road feel. IMO the tacoma lacks this (as many newer vehicles do)(and probably the tacoma is better than a lot of others out there). the tacoma automatic seems well built, but i'm really missing the manual.
it seems like there is a following with these Fits (perhaps more 1st and 2nd gen compared to 3rd, time will tell). i drove a 3rd gen manual last weekend and it seemed to have some personality.

i do have a motorcycle already, still riding, but not a commuter, just weekend rides and occasional trips. so not trying to replace the motorcycle per se, but looking to drive a car that also gives better connection to the machine and road.

i grew up w/o much care for fuel efficiency and the environmental impact of our driving choices. i have been rehabilitated, and this awareness has grown more intense even since i bought the tacoma. i'm disappointed in myself for buying a 25K new vehicle that only gets 19-20mpg in everyday driving. along those lines, really like the fit's smaller footprint.

really unsure about the safety considerations. the tacoma doesn't score great really, i don't think i did my homework well enough before i bought it. the new fits seems to do really well, but still don't have a good sense of real world safety....given all the big vehicles out there on the roads.

appreciate everyone's input.

 

Well good for you.
But I'm still going to say that is the exception not the rule.
With most vehicles the brand new, drive it off the lot depreciation hit, is enough to keep a 2 year swap from being anything close to equitable.

Which is why most dealerships will hunt you with offers to do an early trade in.

But it is what it is. If you can own a vehicle and drive it for 2 years, THEN turn it around and break even or sell at a profit, then that's a good deal.
For most people in similar situations I don't think that is the common reality.

 

To the OP?
I've owned 2 Honda Fits and in the past 6 years, so maybe shouldn't be a hypocrite when talking about losing money and making quick depreciation costly changes.

But I would say BOTH were/are fun to drive.
To be honest? I kind of liked the firmer more direct feel of my 2010 Honda Fit slightly better. Maybe slightly less refined but a bit more fun. I also liked the unique look of the 2010's interior better.

The 2016 interior is beautiful but from behind the wheel kind of looks like anything and everything else.
While the Gen 2 had dual glove boxes, an insane amount of cup holders, and some hard plastic dash styling ques that made it look different than a lot of vehicles on the road.

 

You claim to be a safe driver, but you have concerns that a smaller vehicle is less safe in the event of an accident. You are right, you cannot violate the physics in our 3 dimensional world. The first thing you need to do is to overcome your fear of being in a potential accident. It can happen regardless to how careful you drive. The other person can be at fault. That is something that you can't avoid. There is definitely trade offs between driving a Tocoma and a Fit, but the real issue here is not whether one is better than the other. The issue is that you need to overcome the possibility of getting into an accident. Since you are doing everything right as a cautious and careful driver your likelihood of getting into an accident should be smaller than an unsafe driver. If that is so, then your decision on which car to buy will based solely on your needs.

 

I regret buying my Fit. You're asking on a Fit forum so the majority of posters are going to say it's a great little car and ignore all the threads about people having issues. I'm sure they'll quote JD Powers, Consumer Reports or some other magazine that no on reads that it's best in class? Who cares, the class sucks. The subcompact class sucks. Obviously by owning a Tacoma money isn't an issue? Do yourself a favor and buy a Civic, Optima or something nicer and larger that gets almost the same milage

 

Gee, Rob H., why not give some specifics? I'll quote no one, but I will state my reasons for buying my Fit. I'm not quite a Honda fan boy. I've owned 4 including the Fit (one Civic wagon, 2 Civic coupes ... EX and Si). If the whole segment is crap, why did you buy the Fit in the first place?

The gear set in the manual is weird to say the least and the hatch area flooring is lousy. Other than that I have no complaints. The build quality in the first batches from Mexico were spotty, but mine was assembled in Dec. 2014. I bought it in May 2015.

I traded in a 2008 Suzuki SX4, a good little car no one knew about. I rationalized the trade since Suzuki withdrew from the US market. The Fit is smaller, lighter, more "tossable", six speed rather than 4 speed automatic.

Complaints are much more common in forums like this than folks singing high praises. If folks are satisfied, they rarely moan and groan. The ones who have problems and are ticked off generally let the world know, moan and groan and make unreasonable demands of the manufacturer.

 

Sums it up quite well, from my point of view. Just like anything else in life, it is what it is, and ya either get along with it or ya don't. The Fit works well for us - am not a "fanboy," this is our first Honda, in fact, but have always driven small imports, typically Toyotas. In fact, our youngest has finally flown the coop, and I look back at making it through 2 kids growing up without ever feeling a "need" to have a truck/SUV/minivan....

 

Yeah, wouldn't want to quote two industry leading sources, when you can get such bedrock personal opinion such as "The Subcompact Class Sucks".

In North America the subcompact class isn't particularly popular as more people drive...Tacoma's and large SUV's.
But I personally like small vehicles. I think they are fun to drive. And The Fit is so versatile in it's hauling configurations, I feel like I get the fun of a small vehicle along with a lot of the benefit of hauling capacity of a much larger vehicle.
In a lot of parts of the world, subcompacts are much more popular just due to smaller more congested streets. I visited Ireland years ago, and was impressed with the sheer number of subcompact vehicles, many not even available in the USA, that existed in some small towns. The streets were so narrow that they were the best vehicle for the environment.

Is the advice in here prejudice? Well as pointed out, This is a site called Fit Freak, so yeah, you are going to have a predominance of Pro-Fit opinion.

But I sincerely wouldn't recommend The Fit, if I did not like the Fit.

To that end? If the OP was looking at used Fit? I would recommend they try to avoid some of the early Mexico plant builds, due to the start up problems that seemed to exist.

But my 2010 Fit was a bullet. And I'm hoping for similar reliability from my assembled in Japan 2016.

 

Because I changed jobs and turned in my company car a Chrysler 200S that got 39mpg average. My other car gets about 20mpg and I only use it on weekends and is garaged from late October through March. Anyway I wanted something with similar gas mileage to the 200S and something that I wouldn't have a payment or one for very long. I was about $1-1.5K short on paying for the Fit outright and other than the Mitsubishi Mirrage everything else new was more expensive. I took it for a test drive and it didn't seem that bad. That's the difference between a 10 minute test drive and actually have to live with it. It's probably fine for what it is? I'm just not a subcompact owner even though I own one. I guess our spouses know us? When doing the paperwork she said "are you sure you want to buy this?" My response was that it will be fine I just need some crapbox to get me to work. If I could go back in time I'd take a. $5-6K loan and buy something nicer that would have got mid to high 30's for gas mileage since that was the range I was comfortable with for my driving needs. The other back in time option would have been to buy the Mirage since that was $12K out the door. Probably equally as miserable but cheaper. Another year or two if suffering and it will be my sons college car and hopefully out of my life forever. If not I'll trade it. All the fanboys keep Honda's resale value up

 

I had the first gen US fit (GD3) and it got T-boned a year and a half ago by a red light runner at high speed. Hit the quarter panel just ahead of the driver's side door. Three air bags deployed, car completely totaled, but it gave its life for me and did exactly what it was supposed to do. I walked away from that crash with just bumps and bruises.

So what did I do? Buy a '16 Fit LX. Of course, you can't control everyone else's driving, but I have no qualms about driving a small car. I do it more carefully now, but it doesn't scare me in the least.

The bigger question for you might be, I'm really downsizing, going from a Tacoma to a Fit. Can you haul the same stuff in the Fit? Probably not. But on those occasions where you need to haul stuff the Fit won't handle, you could rent or borrow a truck. If you're hauling stuff a lot, the Fit won't work for you. But if it's only an occasional hauling run, you could make do. It's whatever works for you.

 

A Chrysler 200S? Talk about a POS, but then you didn't own it, right? 39 mpg? For some reason, I doubt that. Chryslers in general have a lousy rep for gas mileage. But as they say, YMMV.

Judging from the distain for the Fit, you must not like your son much. BTW, Mitsubishi's have an even worse reputation that Chryslers, according to a one time neighbor (not a magazine). He liked the way they ran WHEN they ran.

No wife to express an opinion. The now ex drives Cadillacs, thanks to her new husband's late sister.

 

Oh hella yeah!!! I traded my 11 y.o. HHR for a 2015 Fit with 6spd and a moonroof and am having so much fun driving. About to amp up the sound system and looking into coilovers down the road for a sportier feel and more grip.

My Chevy was long paid off and I resisted a car payment for too long. Unfortunately I was buying a new car (via repairs) from the inside out and that created more irritation and stress than a car note.

 

The 200S was a way better car then the FIT. Assembly quality along with fit and finish were WAY better than my Mexico built FIT. Drove it 53K miles in one year without any issues. Everything worked the way it supposed to work. Cant say that about my FIT's entertainment system that locks up if I use the phone and GPS at the same time. Wont reset without shutting the car off.


My son hates the FIT. Doesn't want it. Says he rather do without a car. Recognizes it's a horrible car.

As for the millage the HEMI cars don't get the best milage. I live out in the country so my combined or average MPG are heavily highway speed influenced. Mine was also a the 2.4 four cylinder engine with the 9 speed automatic. At 55 mph the engine was turning like 1700 rpm.

I've owned or had as new work vechiles 87+ cars. I have no brand preference. Obviously you're a fanboy who listens to too much reviews. Last 5 work cars were Chrysler's. I'd put them as good as anything I've driven. Actually other than the FIT that I rank as the second worst car I've ever owned next to the 1976 Chevette that I owned as a kid. Only reason the FIT isn't the #1 worst car is that the Chevette didn't have bluetooth or any other modern electronics. Anyway, I don't believe anyone makes a very low quality car anymore. All the cars I've driven in the last 15+ years have had very little trips to the dealership for warranty issues. My Honda ranks 2nd from the bottom and barley above the VW CC that I owned. None of the Chrysler ever had warranty issues, nor the Fords, Subaru, Mazda, Toyota , and the one Mitsubishi. Only the VW and Honda have had to go for warranty complaints.

Anyway, it's useless to argue with a fanboy so this will be my last response to you

 

Yes, because someone who says a Chrysler 200S is God's gift couldn't possibly be a fanboy.

 

Sounds to me like you want more power in your truck. The tacoma 4 cylinder is a weak car that toyota need to scrap already. (not very fuel efficient either) Have you ever think of looking into a use Tacoma Xrunner or a V6 manual Tacoma? I would of gotten the V6 tacoma manual before a Fit but my budget wasnt that high.