Thanks for the reply, Ranger fam. And I somewhat recently paid my 09 Ranger off, and will not be trading it in. That way I'll have the truck for truck things and the Fit for everything else. I think it will be a good blend of vehicles to have.

 

The Honda Fit was retuned in 2015 to ride like a cushy American car. It is very much compromised between CVT and manual drivers. In 2018, instead of providing bit more excitement with engine modifications, the Sport model only added some "aero parts" to look cool. If you want to feel sporty, buy a Miata instead.

 

 

As an owner of a GD, I do agree with you to some extent. Except I could say that about the '09 Fit as well. My Mom's '11 sport is cushy and soft compared to our GD. Every model change has "americanized" the car.

That being said, I bet a 2018 Sport manual would come alive with a simple spring swap, progress rear sway bar, good brake pads, good brake fluid, and maybe a shifter improvement. Wheels and tires to ditch the pizza cutters would help a bunch also.

The GK chassis is the strongest yet and the motor is the most powerful yet. It's just a bit let down by having soft spring rates and narrow tires. Those help the efficiency and make it more appealing to the average commuter though. Not many Fit owners actually want it to be sporty.

 

that a lone will help getting MT.

in total ive owned 4 Fits. the two MT ones were fun to drive on local surface roads, but the AT/CVT ones were/are night and day no where near as fun as its MT counterparts, like a completely different car.

highway is a completely different story. not enough power for any 'fun' driving. if your driving is mostly surface roads and tight space, i think youll come to like it.

 

Interstates are not what I call "fun" driving anyway. They're what you use when you need to get somewhere and don't mind being bored on the way.

 

i was referring to local expressways (not cross country road trips), but at least you get great mpg regardless.

 

Back when the first gen fit sport was out and at the dealerships I took an automatic out for a test drive beacause I liked how it looked. Wasn't thrilled with the driving experience and ending up getting a used 2005 EP3 down the road at another dealership with only 18k miles on it for around the same price I would have paid for the Fit. Well I have always wanted one since and really liked the looks of the GK Fit Sport so I pulled the trigger and bought one. Really enjoying it for what it is now...a versatile city car that has alot of handling potential. Have yet to install my Swift springs and Progress sway bar since the springs haven't arrived yet.

 

Are there cars that are more fun to drive than the Fit? Heck yes, of course there are. However, most of them cost a LOT more $$$$ and/or require serious compromises in utility and fuel economy.

For what it is, a small hatchback with excellent mileage, that’s “bigger on the inside,” the Fit is a blast to drive.

 

It is consider a fun car only because it is small and light in weight, which makes it agile and seem peppy.

 

I find I have to be in 3rd gear in order to merge with the Fit. 4th doesn't get up to highway speeds fast enough like it does in my other cars.

 

If you do a lot of highway driving you should definitely compare the MT with the CVT. I didn't drive the MT when my girlfriend was shopping for her Fit but from what I've read there is a big difference in RPM at highway speeds between the two transmissions. Supposedly, the MT is turning higher RPM and is not as quiet as a result. No doubt the MT is more fun but there are trade-offs.

The other issue I've found when driving my girlfriend's '18 LX is that it does get tossed around quite a bit on windy days and the wind doesn't even have to be all that strong. My '08 Civic Coupe does too but not nearly as much.

Good advice to test drive a Civic too, especially since you're keeping your truck and have another way to haul bigger items than the trunk can handle.

 

To the OP, and original post I would say whether a vehicle feels sporty to you, is pretty subjective to the individual driving the vehicle.

But I think the Fit IS fun to drive and has a "sporty" feel.

I would say compared to- "a Mazda B25 pickup, a 2004 Honda CRV, and currently, a 2009 Ford Ranger. " The Fit should feel very sporty.

To a real sports car aficionado, of course a 4 cylinder, sub-compact isn't going to BE a sports car, but I think it more than fair to say the Fit feels sporty.
I do think it embraces the "it's more fun to drive a slow car fast" concept. Which to me, means the Fit feels like a sports car, more often in everyday driving, than a sports car does in everyday driving.

IMO the Fit is a great, real world, sporty feeling vehicle. Which is a great payback. You can invest into a "real" sports car, but IMO unless you have routine access to open roads or a race track, driving a real sports car in most urban driving situations, just feels frustratingly like trying to ride a thoroughbred race horse through a shopping mall.

No, the Fit isn't a sports car. But it is a sporty urban vehicle. Enjoy.

 

Compared to other compact and sub-compact cars, the Fit feels sporty, but this is subjective. Try the Mazda3 in manual, as it has better handling but less hatch space and higher initial price.

You really cannot compare the Fit to a sports car. As stated, try putting in 4 bikes into a Miata? Or a dining room table and 4 chairs?

The CVT really turned me off the Fit. I found it boring. The MT, while it has its negatives, is fun to drive, but not on the highway. The Fit MT has the feeling of acceleration from a stop and at low speeds. Handling is fun. On the highway the MT is somewhat loud, but I don't drive highway much. And just because it is a 6MT does not mean you need to use them all, as I regularly skip 4th on the way up and skip 5th on the way down. If you wish to be engaged in your driving, while not getting speeding tickets, the Fit will be suitable.

It is better to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. If you wish to add en extra $5-10k to your purchase price, there are a lot better options than the Fit.

 

unfortunately slow cars dont go fast. but yah, MT is definitely the way to go if fun driving is primary.

 

Eh. Even a slow car today would have been something quick in the 80s.

 

There's more to fun than just outright acceleration and fast top speed. You really cannot do that when going for groceries, or picking up the kids, at least not legally. There are limits of legality on city streets where, if broken your neighbours and the police do not appreciate your "fun" display. While there is weekend fun, there is also fun to be had on a daily basis. This cannot be legally done in some cars when you wish to not exceed the speed limits and road laws.

Bigger is not always necessary, required, or wanted, to make the experience sensuous.

 

It's quite fun if you ask me!

 

haha! yes, 0-60 in 7.5sec was fast back then.

 

I wanted a Porsche 944 back in the day. 0-60?: 9 seconds. Slower than a GK with the CVT.