Hey Y'all,

My parents are being super generous by getting me my first car for Christmas. A bit about me: I'm a 21 y/o college senior in a somewhat-major city, and once I graduate in May I plan to attend a graduate school in the northeast. I need something that is easy to maneuver and park around the city but doesn't struggle to keep up on busy highways. My family is from the Mid-Atlantic so I'll be using the car for maybe 3x yearly short road trips between grad school and home.

Although I have been researching nearly all car-makes I'm terrified of having car surprises so I've only test driven toyotas and hondas. Once the car is purchased I'll be handling any incidental fees and maintenance fees so I want something that is reliable and has a low cost to own.

My parents are leasing for 2-3 years and then I will take over costs, whether that be an extension of lease or purchasing. My friends are saying since this will be my parents' initial purchase, I can afford to be less… pragmatic about my car choice.

Nevertheless I've narrowed down my choices to the 2013 Civic and the 2013 Fit Sport. I test drove both yesterday. What I found was that I love the handling and responsiveness of the Fit (but it seems that doesn't necessarily equal it being faster, since some of y'all have complained about it lacking performance) and that the Civic had similar handling but more horsepower. Neither has impressed me enough that it places ahead of the other.

To throw a wrench in things: I never wanted a sedan because it seemed too matronly for a first car. I've always preferred hatchbacks. But most "fun" "cute" hatchbacks aren't reliable and the Fit, although reliable, seems to be cheaply made and I'd have to invest some money into getting the amenities I'd like (sound deadening, arm rest, bluetooth & navigation). The Civic with the amenities is beautiful but again, not impressive and doesn't really fit my quirky personality. The Civic is a better package for the money.

My parents aren't car people so I can't talk to them about this decision. So, I'm asking two questions. Firstly, what types of qualities or amenities should I be looking for in a first car? Secondly, if you were in my position, which car (Civic or Fit) would you choose? I recognize, of course, that the results might be a bit skewed because it's a FIT forum but I wanted to ask anyway.

 

Are your parents looking to adopt?

I love my '08 Fit Sport, which works great as my commuter car/in-town runabout, but if someone else were paying, and if I had to have only one car (Fit v. Civic), I'd take the Civic for better and quieter highway performance. It will probably be worth more at sell/trade-in time, too. However, that could be partially offset by the Fit's likely lower (but not by very much) cost to run. Just don't try to stuff a 6' Xmas tree into the Civic like you could a Fit.

 

My decision was based on wanting a hatch. If they still sold a two door civic hatch (especially an SI) that would have clinched the deal.

Hauling your crap back and forth to school you'll wish you had a hatch if you go with the civic.

The civic is a better highway car: better mpg and more comfortable.

Still the Fit isn't bad; I've taken mine 3 times this year to the FL keys from Atlanta non-stop (well, except for gas and such). It gets about 36mpg hwy and about 33 combined around town. Rolling around the Keys at 45-50mph all day it got 45mpg consistently.

 

If you get a 2013 Sport Auto you can get Nav, bluetooth, armrest and the extra sound deadening (was added in 2012+) from the factory. I see you are leasing though so you might have to look around a bit to find a fully loaded Fit.

If you like hatchbacks get a Fit. Makes sense right

FWIW I drive mine all over the western US constantly on road trips. I have no complaints. My longest trip was about 5 days up and down the coast and it was comfortable enough. I have 75k miles with basic maintenance, no failures.

Never was interested in the Civic though, so i'm biased. I think the new ones look so pedestrian, Corolla status, no fun bones in the body.

 

i would do the fit, main reason..it can do a lot of carrying around.


im sure the civic is nice and all, but it's such a boring car these days.

 

I was in the same situation as you, wanted the refinement of the Civic but absolutely had to have a hatch (I'm a musician and carry drums, stands, guitars etc). I agree there is nothing less quirky and fun than a sedan, that's about all you see where I live. It's a very standard, sober looking car shape.

An interesting question is: are you looking for a manual car or a automatic transmission? Not that automatic is bad but a manual transmission can make an underpowered engine less of an issue since you have full control of when to shift. I'm a big fan of the manual transmission with the Fit.

Another consideration is the sitting position you prefer. The Fit is much more upright and is easier to get in and out of for short trips around town. Kinda like a mini-minivan . The Civic is much lower and has a more comfortable reclined sitting position. This is preferable for long highway trips but a little bit harder to get in and out of.

Lastly, I find the suspension and ride quality of the Fit rather stiff. I'm a guy so I like that direct, connected driving experience but sometimes I find myself struggling to offer my lady passengers a smooth ride (damn potholes)! If you want a smooth ride, I'd consider toyota also. I find their cars easier and more forgiving when shifting and their suspension much less sporty and more geared towards comfort. I'd say that Toyota also has as good reliability (and much better paint!) as honda.

 

I own a 2012 Fit Sport and my mom just bought a 2013 Civic (base) so I can speak from PERSONAL experience. OTD, they were practically the same. Despite that, as you already know, the Civic comes with far more creature comforts than the Fit: stock rear camera for example, armrest, bluetooth, etc.

Things I feel the Fit does better than the Civic:
-vertical storage (like someone above said, you can store drums in the fit a bit easier than the civic if you put the seats down/up and remove the cargo cover)
-smoother lines (this comes from a detailer: as much as I love detailing any and all cars, the fit's lines and curves are far less intricate than the civic's)
-hatch (easier to get things in and out)

Things I feel the Civic does better than the Fit:
-more comfortable (the seats are far more cushioning, for the driver, and ESPECIALLY the back-seat passengers)
-more options for the same price roughly (mentioned this above)
-slightly more zip than the Fit (this is auto compared to auto too)

Other than that, there aren't many differences other than form over function. As others have said, know what you need the car to do and what you want out of your car. Going to just chauffeur? I'd say take the Civic. Going to be a mover? Take the Fit. Looks, well you know what you like best.

Personally, I love my Fit. Absolutely love it. I would only get the Civic Si if I were to get a Civic, only because the Fit fits just fine for my daily needs and if I'll spend just a few more grand, I want to make sure there's a noticeable performance difference to offset the lack of "function" in daily transportability.

 

I had the same issue when I got my first Fit in '07 (but I was the one paying for it, haha). I ended up with the Fit because I liked the style, the fact that it was hatch, and the price. For what my needs were, spending the extra $ on the Civic would've been unnecessary.

If it's any indication, I'm on my 2nd Fit now, and I love it more than my first one.

 

If you're dead set on getting a hatchback I'd definitely wait for the redesigned 3rd-generation Fit due out in Spring 2014. It's expected to come with a 130-132hp 1.5 DOHC i-VTEC engine. Paired with the new Earth Dreams CVT fuel economy will be outstanding! It's expected to perform much better on the highway compared to the current Fit. It will come on an all-new platform that'll be shared with the Urban SUV and the City sedan. The new Fit will be coming with a lot of new technology and connectivity that the current Fit just doesn't have or can't match. One of the big knocks on the current Fit is you get worn out driving it long distances on the highway.

The 2013 Civic is an excellent car and Honda adds to this excellence for MY2014. The Civic receives some substantial enhancements for 2014, i.e. new Earth Dreams CVT, 7" in dash touchscreen display (standard in EX / EX-L), new premium seating and door panel fabric, push button start on EX and EX-L, extended view drivers mirror, LaneWatch on EX and EX-L, etc. The Civic is an excellent value. By the way, don't be scared of this CVT. The new Honda Earth Dreams CVT is like no other CVT you may have experienced in the past. I've thoroughly tested several 2013 Accord's with this new Earth Dreams CVT and it performs flawlessly.

Hope this helps.

 

Get the Fit. They tried to sell me on the civic SI when I was at the dealer too, but they just look funny now to me. No regrets with the fit, love this car more then the other cars I've ever had.

 

Popular thread. I drive a 2007 fa5 and my wife drives a 2013 ge8 with navigation. We take her car everywhere. I prefer to daily drive the fit because it is more comfortable and economical. I love my civic and autocross it a lot. Let us know your choice!

 

On Thanksgiving day here in Phoenix each year we have the new car show. Always fun to go and see the cars in person. I was looking at the cars in the same class as the Fit, like Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, etc etc. Some have technology newer than Fit and get better MPG, but the big thing the Fits wins with is interior space. It is the only car in it's class with rear seats that fold flat. You can carry a ton of stuff in the Fit, and that is what wins me over. It is a nice little city car and is all you need for school. It's also easier to get in/out of than the other cars, and that can make a big difference if you're trying to get in the car carrying a load of stuff. BTW, you're getting a lot of great info on this site. This is a great site to lean from.

 

Thanks for all of your replies!

I think that I am actually leaning towards a civic at this point, especially since they're doing a FIT remodel soon. I think that although the FIT fits my immediate and more aesthetic wants, I'll be happier with the Civic in the long-run through its amenities and highway comfort.

I'll keep y'all updated on my final choice.

 

The fit is much more flexible than the civic and way easier to park . You are not going to fit a bookcase in your civic. Or your bike. Or your dog. Or skis. Or a kitchen table. The civic is a little more comfortable and a little quieter but not so much more. Fit has better visibility. Resale value (at least around NY ) is comparable.

We went camping a couple weeks ago and I could actually sleep in the fit with the magic seats.

My mom has the civic and I like it, but fit allows you to do a lot more.

 

I too had a choice of a fit or civic. I got the 08 fit personally due to the fact it is much more practical. I'm 6ft2, and plenty of headroom. And if you were a Tetris player back in the day, you can seriously load up a fit.
The fit is slow, just put some lightweight wheels on her. I wasn't looking for speed, just a practical daily. I really is a great car, zero issues.
I have a boosted ef si for speed anyways

 

I would imagine that the original poster has already made his decision and is visiting the Civic Message Boards.


I purchased a pre-owned 2011 Civic in August, and a pre-owned 2010 Fit Sport in December.


On weekends, I almost always reach for the keys to the Fit. I like the Civic a lot, but I just prefer driving the Fit. I like the slightly higher seat position, the large windshield, the cup holders....


During the week (100 mile round-trip to/from work), it's sort of a toss-up. The Civic is quieter on the highway (75% of my commute) and gets slightly better gas mileage.