Fit Vs Sonic Comparion (the home edition)
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 230
From: Los Angeles, California
Fit Vs Sonic Comparion (the home edition)
As mentioned in a different thread, we have recently acquired a brand new 2015 Chevrolet Sonic LT as well as our Fit LX in our household. The Fit only has 4k miles, and both cars are direct competitors to each other
The LX Fit and LT Sonic are comparable trims, both are within $1,000 of each other in MSRP, the exterior dimensions are almost identical (length and height are within an inch of each other), horsepower ratings are only separated by six ponies, they're both manual, and, ironically, blue. I smell a Car and Driver/Edmunds style comparison!!!!
Here's my thoughts on both:
ACCELERATION: Both are within 6 horsepower of each other (132 vs 138) and I'd say the acceleration is similar in both given the Sonic's heftier weight. However, the Sonic just feels faster. Part of that is because of the Fit's short gear ratios and the Sonic can cover more distance between shifts while having more torque as well. But the Sonic is also much quieter. Accelerating on the freeway, the Fit just sounds like an overloaded Cuisinart and the engine is straining. The Sonic makes the task seem easier. Advantage: Sonic
TRANSMISSION: Both cars have forgiving and featherly light clutches, and the throws between gears are precise and short on both. Honda has always been good at this, and GM is pretty darn close. However, what hurts the Honda is the 6-speed's gear ratios. Sure it's got one more gear than the Sonic, but it all seems to be a marketing ploy. The six speeds are crammed into the same ratio spread as the 2014 Fit's five-speed. Meaning that first is way too short, requiring a shift not quite 1/2 way through an intersection, and 5th and 6th gear are almost identical. Downshifting on hills often requires dropping two gears. The Sonic's seem evenly spaced and make the most of the car's modest power. The shifter on the Fit does look ridiculously small, but...ahem....fits perfectly into your hand. The Sonic's is also easy to reach and do business with. The Honda's hill assist is much more proactive than the Sonics and nicer to parallel park on a hill Advantage: Sonic
HANDLING: The steering is good on both of these. From just a quick drive, the Fit has a slight advantage. Why? Although both are fun to fling around a corner and are consistent and communicative, the Fit's lighter weight shows. The Sonic does feel a bit heftier, while the Fit has a tossable demeanor. Although not bad, the responses through the steering wheel on the Sonic aren't as quick or precise as the Honda. However, both are still fun in their own ways with minimal body roll. Advantage: Fit
RIDE: The heavier weight pays off here in the Sonic. It feels like a more mature, grown up car. The ride is stiff on both, but the Sonic isn't nearly as affected by winds or road irregularities as the Fit. Noise suppression is also a huge Sonic perk. NVH on the Fit is relentless; even at idle the direct injection engine makes its presence known, and the car is bombarded by engine and wind noise at speed. The Sonic, while not perfectly quiet, is much more refined. At 65mph, the Fit's engine is screaming through the cabin at 3300rpm, while the Sonic is about 2600 rpm. Advantage: Sonic
CARGO: Hatchbacks are intended to be among the most practical cars on earth, and among hatchbacks, the Fit is untouchable. The cargo carrying capacity on this is almost small-SUV like, and the seats fold down completely flat with one simple step. The Sonic is respectable too and with the rear seats up, almost matches the Honda. It has a few tricks including the hidden floor shelf and (not standard on the Fit) a cargo cover that folds out of the way. Folding the rear seats does require moving the front seats forward, but there is a flat loading floor. But it doesn't come close to the ease of flipping the Fit's seats down in one step and the cavernous space. Advantage: Fit
REAR SEAT: Once again, the Fit is untouched here. It has been more rear seat legroom than the full size Accord. The seatbacks even recline slightly, and the magic seat is a neat trick for odd shaped cargo. The Sonic is pretty standard fare. Better than most subcompacts, it can accommodate two moderate sized adults in modest comfort although their knees will be touching the seatbacks in front of them. Advantage: Fit
FRONT SEAT: The packaging miracle of the Fit does have some shortcomings. The biggest sacrifice are the front seats. Rearward track needs to go back further by a few inches. Taller front passengers will find their knees rubbing against the low-slung dashboard in front of them. It is almost as though Honda focused too much on the back seat and the front seats were an afterthought. The Sonic offers much more legroom, and no obstructions. I'd say the Fit seats themselves are more comfortable than the Sonic and are covered in a nicer, softer material. But advantage to overall comfort goes to the Sonic
ERGONOMICS: The controls in both cars are straightforward, but they went different directions on how to do it. The Honda's controls are pretty traditional, and attractive. The radio has a crisp radio display, and the gauges are attractive and easy to read at glance. The Sonic's controls are equally easy to learn but have a little bit more downmarket feel. The motorcycle-inspired digital gauge is a love-it or hate-it affair. I personally like it a lot and it's unique. Although not as informative as the Honda display, it's got all of the important stats on hand. Quality material is good in the Honda with nice silver trims, soft plastics, and black, piano finsh. The Sonic's materials are also good, but not as upscale and is a sea of hard, grey plastic. Visibility is excellent all around in the Fit with its big windows and rear camera. The Sonic is fine to the front and sides, but the back roof pillar is thick and the rear window is significantly smaller. Advantage: Fit
Styling is truly subjective. I like both, and feel that the Sonic has more character than the Fit. The Fit has more creases than a pair of jeans and looks busy. The Sonic is unique and probably more cohesive. I don't mind either, but I think the Sonic is more eye-catching
After driving the Fit over 4k miles and spending some seat time in the Sonic, both cars are after the same market and are so similar on paper. But their approach is completely different.
The Sonic emphasizes a big car feel; it feels solid, refined, and quiet on the road. The front seats are big and space is plentiful in the front. But it does show its cheapness with cabin materials and does have some major blind spots
The Fit is focused on cargo and passenger hauling. It is unmatched for versatility and is extremely clever. The fuel economy is phenomenal too and it has a light, tossable feel. The trade-off for these perks are a lack of noise insulation, poor gearing, and a cramped front passenger seat and footwheel.
So it's all based on priorities; Fit if you want to haul, Sonic if you want smooth cruising. Both are good for the right people
The LX Fit and LT Sonic are comparable trims, both are within $1,000 of each other in MSRP, the exterior dimensions are almost identical (length and height are within an inch of each other), horsepower ratings are only separated by six ponies, they're both manual, and, ironically, blue. I smell a Car and Driver/Edmunds style comparison!!!!
Here's my thoughts on both:
ACCELERATION: Both are within 6 horsepower of each other (132 vs 138) and I'd say the acceleration is similar in both given the Sonic's heftier weight. However, the Sonic just feels faster. Part of that is because of the Fit's short gear ratios and the Sonic can cover more distance between shifts while having more torque as well. But the Sonic is also much quieter. Accelerating on the freeway, the Fit just sounds like an overloaded Cuisinart and the engine is straining. The Sonic makes the task seem easier. Advantage: Sonic
TRANSMISSION: Both cars have forgiving and featherly light clutches, and the throws between gears are precise and short on both. Honda has always been good at this, and GM is pretty darn close. However, what hurts the Honda is the 6-speed's gear ratios. Sure it's got one more gear than the Sonic, but it all seems to be a marketing ploy. The six speeds are crammed into the same ratio spread as the 2014 Fit's five-speed. Meaning that first is way too short, requiring a shift not quite 1/2 way through an intersection, and 5th and 6th gear are almost identical. Downshifting on hills often requires dropping two gears. The Sonic's seem evenly spaced and make the most of the car's modest power. The shifter on the Fit does look ridiculously small, but...ahem....fits perfectly into your hand. The Sonic's is also easy to reach and do business with. The Honda's hill assist is much more proactive than the Sonics and nicer to parallel park on a hill Advantage: Sonic
HANDLING: The steering is good on both of these. From just a quick drive, the Fit has a slight advantage. Why? Although both are fun to fling around a corner and are consistent and communicative, the Fit's lighter weight shows. The Sonic does feel a bit heftier, while the Fit has a tossable demeanor. Although not bad, the responses through the steering wheel on the Sonic aren't as quick or precise as the Honda. However, both are still fun in their own ways with minimal body roll. Advantage: Fit
RIDE: The heavier weight pays off here in the Sonic. It feels like a more mature, grown up car. The ride is stiff on both, but the Sonic isn't nearly as affected by winds or road irregularities as the Fit. Noise suppression is also a huge Sonic perk. NVH on the Fit is relentless; even at idle the direct injection engine makes its presence known, and the car is bombarded by engine and wind noise at speed. The Sonic, while not perfectly quiet, is much more refined. At 65mph, the Fit's engine is screaming through the cabin at 3300rpm, while the Sonic is about 2600 rpm. Advantage: Sonic
CARGO: Hatchbacks are intended to be among the most practical cars on earth, and among hatchbacks, the Fit is untouchable. The cargo carrying capacity on this is almost small-SUV like, and the seats fold down completely flat with one simple step. The Sonic is respectable too and with the rear seats up, almost matches the Honda. It has a few tricks including the hidden floor shelf and (not standard on the Fit) a cargo cover that folds out of the way. Folding the rear seats does require moving the front seats forward, but there is a flat loading floor. But it doesn't come close to the ease of flipping the Fit's seats down in one step and the cavernous space. Advantage: Fit
REAR SEAT: Once again, the Fit is untouched here. It has been more rear seat legroom than the full size Accord. The seatbacks even recline slightly, and the magic seat is a neat trick for odd shaped cargo. The Sonic is pretty standard fare. Better than most subcompacts, it can accommodate two moderate sized adults in modest comfort although their knees will be touching the seatbacks in front of them. Advantage: Fit
FRONT SEAT: The packaging miracle of the Fit does have some shortcomings. The biggest sacrifice are the front seats. Rearward track needs to go back further by a few inches. Taller front passengers will find their knees rubbing against the low-slung dashboard in front of them. It is almost as though Honda focused too much on the back seat and the front seats were an afterthought. The Sonic offers much more legroom, and no obstructions. I'd say the Fit seats themselves are more comfortable than the Sonic and are covered in a nicer, softer material. But advantage to overall comfort goes to the Sonic
ERGONOMICS: The controls in both cars are straightforward, but they went different directions on how to do it. The Honda's controls are pretty traditional, and attractive. The radio has a crisp radio display, and the gauges are attractive and easy to read at glance. The Sonic's controls are equally easy to learn but have a little bit more downmarket feel. The motorcycle-inspired digital gauge is a love-it or hate-it affair. I personally like it a lot and it's unique. Although not as informative as the Honda display, it's got all of the important stats on hand. Quality material is good in the Honda with nice silver trims, soft plastics, and black, piano finsh. The Sonic's materials are also good, but not as upscale and is a sea of hard, grey plastic. Visibility is excellent all around in the Fit with its big windows and rear camera. The Sonic is fine to the front and sides, but the back roof pillar is thick and the rear window is significantly smaller. Advantage: Fit
Styling is truly subjective. I like both, and feel that the Sonic has more character than the Fit. The Fit has more creases than a pair of jeans and looks busy. The Sonic is unique and probably more cohesive. I don't mind either, but I think the Sonic is more eye-catching
After driving the Fit over 4k miles and spending some seat time in the Sonic, both cars are after the same market and are so similar on paper. But their approach is completely different.
The Sonic emphasizes a big car feel; it feels solid, refined, and quiet on the road. The front seats are big and space is plentiful in the front. But it does show its cheapness with cabin materials and does have some major blind spots
The Fit is focused on cargo and passenger hauling. It is unmatched for versatility and is extremely clever. The fuel economy is phenomenal too and it has a light, tossable feel. The trade-off for these perks are a lack of noise insulation, poor gearing, and a cramped front passenger seat and footwheel.
So it's all based on priorities; Fit if you want to haul, Sonic if you want smooth cruising. Both are good for the right people
Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 647
From: San Diego - Carlsbad, CA
Very nice review of both...
The CVT in the Fit makes up for some of that high RPM engine drone and eliminates the gear ratio problem as well. I would have preferred the manual had it not been for the increased noise at cruising speed even if the ratios were not ideal. I like to manual shift, so that would not have been the deal breaker alone. But the noise.... I already have that in my Integra and wanted a quieter car I could have a conversation in.
One thing nice about the Fit is the large rear cargo door and the fact that the side doors open REAL wide. We found that particulary useful on our camping trip loading and unloading our folding bikes. I don't think I could have done that easily in my Fiesta ST for instance. Do the Sonic doors open to 90 degrees?
The CVT in the Fit makes up for some of that high RPM engine drone and eliminates the gear ratio problem as well. I would have preferred the manual had it not been for the increased noise at cruising speed even if the ratios were not ideal. I like to manual shift, so that would not have been the deal breaker alone. But the noise.... I already have that in my Integra and wanted a quieter car I could have a conversation in.
One thing nice about the Fit is the large rear cargo door and the fact that the side doors open REAL wide. We found that particulary useful on our camping trip loading and unloading our folding bikes. I don't think I could have done that easily in my Fiesta ST for instance. Do the Sonic doors open to 90 degrees?
Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 938
From: Toronto, ON, Canada
Thanks for this head-to-head review. I've driven both cars and mostly concur with your observations.
I'm torn with the Fit's 6MT. The 6MT reminds me of riding my motorcycle, in that you need to wring it's neck to get torque out of the small engine, you need to shift a lot, and the engine is made to rev. I do like shifting, but when you can't even get through the intersection without the need to shift up, or revving the engine, it gets tiresome. I'm actually not using 6th gear very much, as it is so close to 5th, and often shift from 3d directly to 5th. I do like the ability to finely choose my gear, but they are spaced too closely. And, you are correct, the 6th gear should have been an overdrive gear that, like the CVT, at 65mph/100kph drops your revs from 3,200 rpm down to 2,500 rpm. I do acknowledge that if 6th was geared better, when you hit a hill you might need to gear down.
There are very few small cars out there that come even close to the Fit's magic seats and cargo capacity. For sure Honda has a good thing here. If only they can take more care of the fit and finish.
I don't know about reliability. I could not sell GM quality to my wife. So far my Fit has been mostly great. I hope that you luck into a reliable Sonic.
I'm torn with the Fit's 6MT. The 6MT reminds me of riding my motorcycle, in that you need to wring it's neck to get torque out of the small engine, you need to shift a lot, and the engine is made to rev. I do like shifting, but when you can't even get through the intersection without the need to shift up, or revving the engine, it gets tiresome. I'm actually not using 6th gear very much, as it is so close to 5th, and often shift from 3d directly to 5th. I do like the ability to finely choose my gear, but they are spaced too closely. And, you are correct, the 6th gear should have been an overdrive gear that, like the CVT, at 65mph/100kph drops your revs from 3,200 rpm down to 2,500 rpm. I do acknowledge that if 6th was geared better, when you hit a hill you might need to gear down.
There are very few small cars out there that come even close to the Fit's magic seats and cargo capacity. For sure Honda has a good thing here. If only they can take more care of the fit and finish.
I don't know about reliability. I could not sell GM quality to my wife. So far my Fit has been mostly great. I hope that you luck into a reliable Sonic.
Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 37
From: Ohio
Thanks for this head-to-head review. I've driven both cars and mostly concur with your observations.
I'm torn with the Fit's 6MT. The 6MT reminds me of riding my motorcycle, in that you need to wring it's neck to get torque out of the small engine, you need to shift a lot, and the engine is made to rev. I do like shifting, but when you can't even get through the intersection without the need to shift up, or revving the engine, it gets tiresome. I'm actually not using 6th gear very much, as it is so close to 5th, and often shift from 3d directly to 5th. I do like the ability to finely choose my gear, but they are spaced too closely. And, you are correct, the 6th gear should have been an overdrive gear that, like the CVT, at 65mph/100kph drops your revs from 3,200 rpm down to 2,500 rpm. I do acknowledge that if 6th was geared better, when you hit a hill you might need to gear down.
There are very few small cars out there that come even close to the Fit's magic seats and cargo capacity. For sure Honda has a good thing here. If only they can take more care of the fit and finish.
I don't know about reliability. I could not sell GM quality to my wife. So far my Fit has been mostly great. I hope that you luck into a reliable Sonic.
I'm torn with the Fit's 6MT. The 6MT reminds me of riding my motorcycle, in that you need to wring it's neck to get torque out of the small engine, you need to shift a lot, and the engine is made to rev. I do like shifting, but when you can't even get through the intersection without the need to shift up, or revving the engine, it gets tiresome. I'm actually not using 6th gear very much, as it is so close to 5th, and often shift from 3d directly to 5th. I do like the ability to finely choose my gear, but they are spaced too closely. And, you are correct, the 6th gear should have been an overdrive gear that, like the CVT, at 65mph/100kph drops your revs from 3,200 rpm down to 2,500 rpm. I do acknowledge that if 6th was geared better, when you hit a hill you might need to gear down.
There are very few small cars out there that come even close to the Fit's magic seats and cargo capacity. For sure Honda has a good thing here. If only they can take more care of the fit and finish.
I don't know about reliability. I could not sell GM quality to my wife. So far my Fit has been mostly great. I hope that you luck into a reliable Sonic.
Agree with your comments on fit and finish to. Sonic and Fit build quality....I feel the Sonic being an older design probably has a lot of kinks worked out. And that's me apologizing for the Honda. I'm noticing higher than normal condensation in my Fit. I would only see this amount of condensation in my Ion when the sunroof drains would plug up resulting in water leaking into the car. I can't find any water in my Fit, but man is it foggy. Almost unacceptable.
I can't believe you can't sell your wife on GM quality? Michigan built vs. Mexico. First/second year run vs. 4th year on platform. Send your wife to the Fit and Sonic forums. I feel I'm putting quality behind the versatility of the Fit....hands down but still went with the Fit.
For me choosing the Fit was a tough pill to swallow because the Sonic I believe is built right here in Michigan. That matters to me, but I justified it by buying my '15 Fit barely used. It was already in the market. I can still wake up one day and say screw this double foreign POS. If it was built in Japan that's one thing. Mine wasn't.
I need to double check my numbers but believe I'm still at 2,700 RPM's pushing 75mph in the CVT on flat roads which is nice.
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 230
From: Los Angeles, California
One thing nice about the Fit is the large rear cargo door and the fact that the side doors open REAL wide. We found that particulary useful on our camping trip loading and unloading our folding bikes. I don't think I could have done that easily in my Fiesta ST for instance. Do the Sonic doors open to 90 degrees?
The Fit still trumps it for rear space (as seen in this picture) and for overall interior flexibility
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 230
From: Los Angeles, California
Yes. Very good review. My choice was narrowed down between these two vehicles. I test drove a manual and CVT back to back and remember being pleased with the CVT given the manual. People on here make a habit of apologizing for the manual. Average speed on my commute in traffic pushes 80 mph. If people are afraid of cops and tickets up North or anywhere else then it's great the standard shift works for them. Drive 65 mph. That's not everyone. If I wanted to rev at 3,500+ at cruising speeds I would of bought something sportier than the manual Fit.
Agree with your comments on fit and finish to. Sonic and Fit build quality....I feel the Sonic being an older design probably has a lot of kinks worked out. And that's me apologizing for the Honda. I'm noticing higher than normal condensation in my Fit. I would only see this amount of condensation in my Ion when the sunroof drains would plug up resulting in water leaking into the car. I can't find any water in my Fit, but man is it foggy. Almost unacceptable.
I can't believe you can't sell your wife on GM quality? Michigan built vs. Mexico. First/second year run vs. 4th year on platform. Send your wife to the Fit and Sonic forums. I feel I'm putting quality behind the versatility of the Fit....hands down but still went with the Fit.
For me choosing the Fit was a tough pill to swallow because the Sonic I believe is built right here in Michigan. That matters to me, but I justified it by buying my '15 Fit barely used. It was already in the market. I can still wake up one day and say screw this double foreign POS. If it was built in Japan that's one thing. Mine wasn't.
I need to double check my numbers but believe I'm still at 2,700 RPM's pushing 75mph in the CVT on flat roads which is nice.
Agree with your comments on fit and finish to. Sonic and Fit build quality....I feel the Sonic being an older design probably has a lot of kinks worked out. And that's me apologizing for the Honda. I'm noticing higher than normal condensation in my Fit. I would only see this amount of condensation in my Ion when the sunroof drains would plug up resulting in water leaking into the car. I can't find any water in my Fit, but man is it foggy. Almost unacceptable.
I can't believe you can't sell your wife on GM quality? Michigan built vs. Mexico. First/second year run vs. 4th year on platform. Send your wife to the Fit and Sonic forums. I feel I'm putting quality behind the versatility of the Fit....hands down but still went with the Fit.
For me choosing the Fit was a tough pill to swallow because the Sonic I believe is built right here in Michigan. That matters to me, but I justified it by buying my '15 Fit barely used. It was already in the market. I can still wake up one day and say screw this double foreign POS. If it was built in Japan that's one thing. Mine wasn't.
I need to double check my numbers but believe I'm still at 2,700 RPM's pushing 75mph in the CVT on flat roads which is nice.
Thanks for the comments.
2700 rpms would be soooo nice at 75mph. This is one car where the CVT is the better choice. There's a sense that Honda is really wanting to push people into buying the automatic.
As far as quality with Michigan vs Mexico, neither match 1980's Japan, but I do feel more confident now with the four year old design. It may not have been wise to buy a 2012 Sonic in their first year, just like a 2015 Fit could have mixed quality too
There is something gratifying about buying an American made vehicle. People may not care here in California, but it's noticed in Michigan for sure!
Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 261
From: Saltillo, Coahuila. México
Nice post.
How many hp does the sonic have in the USA? Here it has 1.6L MFI, DOHC, VVT de 115 HP. So that's 15 less than the fit. A topic you did not post was about fuel economy, how do they compare? Here gas prices are too expensive like a lot.
About quality USA vs Mexico? Are u srs? That it is just racist with no fundamentals to back it up.
About fogging. I thought it was only me. When it rains or it is cold the visibility is almost none because of the fog inside the vehicle. A defect maybe from not draining properly as other fit owners had mention it before?
This is my first honda product and even tho it is a nice car it has a lot of flaws and it is not in pair with some other vehicles in the segment. At least here it has no security like vsa, hill assist, air bags, mind minder, and such on. Also in the dealers they are so aggressive it event want me to do the diy maintenance but then I will lose my guarantee. =(
How many hp does the sonic have in the USA? Here it has 1.6L MFI, DOHC, VVT de 115 HP. So that's 15 less than the fit. A topic you did not post was about fuel economy, how do they compare? Here gas prices are too expensive like a lot.
About quality USA vs Mexico? Are u srs? That it is just racist with no fundamentals to back it up.
About fogging. I thought it was only me. When it rains or it is cold the visibility is almost none because of the fog inside the vehicle. A defect maybe from not draining properly as other fit owners had mention it before?
This is my first honda product and even tho it is a nice car it has a lot of flaws and it is not in pair with some other vehicles in the segment. At least here it has no security like vsa, hill assist, air bags, mind minder, and such on. Also in the dealers they are so aggressive it event want me to do the diy maintenance but then I will lose my guarantee. =(
Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 37
From: Ohio
I've only put 3 tanks in my car so far and the one tank was averaging 40mpg for the entire tank until a friend test drove it. Downfall of no longer having a manual...lol.
My fundamentals are comparing a half dozen Mexican built to Japanese built models. I have pictures of scratches and flappy dash panels on the Fits from Mexico. Maybe it's just the small sample size, but given the choice I don't think anyone would choose a Japanese car built in Mexico over a Japanese car built in Japan. That's probably a fact.
My Fit from Mexico doesn't didn't have the flappy dash, but it's not perfect. I've had some rubber molding just replaced yesterday because it was falling off. I don't plan on seeing the people at Honda until I need an oil change....fingers crossed.
And for the record...I don't drink soda...but when I do drink soda it's a Coca Cola Classic. And when I drink Coke I want it from Mexico! Cane Sugar and a glass bottle the way it was intended to be! If the same Coke was made in the U.S. I'd want it from here. Just as I always want my Jamaican Ginger Beer to come from Goya in Mexico! I want the best product at the best price. And I'm sure one day nobody will be talking about the Mexican plant once they correct their issues.
This is assuming you're not getting moisture in the car from a leak. Luckily my car feels dry on the floor and my Fit has the sunroof.
This is my first honda product and even tho it is a nice car it has a lot of flaws and it is not in pair with some other vehicles in the segment. At least here it has no security like vsa, hill assist, air bags, mind minder, and such on. Also in the dealers they are so aggressive it event want me to do the diy maintenance but then I will lose my guarantee. =(
Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 37
From: Ohio
Thanks for the comments.
2700 rpms would be soooo nice at 75mph. This is one car where the CVT is the better choice. There's a sense that Honda is really wanting to push people into buying the automatic.
As far as quality with Michigan vs Mexico, neither match 1980's Japan, but I do feel more confident now with the four year old design. It may not have been wise to buy a 2012 Sonic in their first year, just like a 2015 Fit could have mixed quality too
There is something gratifying about buying an American made vehicle. People may not care here in California, but it's noticed in Michigan for sure!
2700 rpms would be soooo nice at 75mph. This is one car where the CVT is the better choice. There's a sense that Honda is really wanting to push people into buying the automatic.
As far as quality with Michigan vs Mexico, neither match 1980's Japan, but I do feel more confident now with the four year old design. It may not have been wise to buy a 2012 Sonic in their first year, just like a 2015 Fit could have mixed quality too
There is something gratifying about buying an American made vehicle. People may not care here in California, but it's noticed in Michigan for sure!
Member
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 93
From: Tri-State Area
Nice comparison the only thing I'm confused about is that shorter gear ratios actually make a car faster (with a fuel economy and top speed penalty), and even the sport oriented sonic RS tests almost a full second slower to 60 than a Fit 6MT. However I do realize that it is entirely possible to subjectively feel faster. I briefly looked at the sonic and wasn't really impressed, though the funky looks did appeal to me. To each their own.
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 230
From: Los Angeles, California
Haha! So true! Why doesn't the Fit come with a cargo cover? Even my 1988 Daihatsu Charade came standard with one, and my Ford Aspire in college had one too. They're on almost every other hatch from the past 20 years (the only one I can think of without one were the Chevy Metro/Suzuki Swift twins in the 90's) so why not on the Fit?
It occured to me within the first mile of driving the Fit after buying it off the lot that it didn't have one. I looked in my rearview mirror, saw the big, empty chasm between the hatch and rear seat, and thought to myself "oh yeah, these don't come with a cover."
It isn't a huge deal, but seems like either a cost cutting measure or a way to make some extra money in the accesories department
It occured to me within the first mile of driving the Fit after buying it off the lot that it didn't have one. I looked in my rearview mirror, saw the big, empty chasm between the hatch and rear seat, and thought to myself "oh yeah, these don't come with a cover."
It isn't a huge deal, but seems like either a cost cutting measure or a way to make some extra money in the accesories department
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 230
From: Los Angeles, California
Nice post.
How many hp does the sonic have in the USA? Here it has 1.6L MFI, DOHC, VVT de 115 HP. So that's 15 less than the fit. A topic you did not post was about fuel economy, how do they compare? Here gas prices are too expensive like a lot.
About quality USA vs Mexico? Are u srs? That it is just racist with no fundamentals to back it up.
How many hp does the sonic have in the USA? Here it has 1.6L MFI, DOHC, VVT de 115 HP. So that's 15 less than the fit. A topic you did not post was about fuel economy, how do they compare? Here gas prices are too expensive like a lot.
About quality USA vs Mexico? Are u srs? That it is just racist with no fundamentals to back it up.
Interesting that they sell the Sonic with the 1.6 liter down in Mexico. They do the same with the Holden Barina, the rebadged Sonic, in Australia. I've heard pretty bad reviews about that the engine
The US spec Sonic gets a base 1.8 liter, and that has 138 horsepower. It's a small boost in power over the Sonic.
I haven't driven the Sonic enough yet to accurately rate fuel economy, but so far in 90 miles, it averaged 30mpg. However, the first 40 miles were freeway and I averaged 42mpg in that time. In comparision, I can get about 44-45mpg in the Fit on the same type of run on a freeway, and in mostly city driving, the Fit has averaged about 35mpg. So early results indicate that the Fit does get about 3-5mpg more than the Sonic, which is not surprising given the Honda's lighter weight.
That weren't any intentions of racism with US vs Mexico, at least that wasn't the goal. Two of my prior Fords, an Escort and a Focus, were Mexican made in Hermosillo and were pretty solid cars. I don't doubt their quality. However, there is a nice, gratifying feeling about having something made in Michigan
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 230
From: Los Angeles, California
Nice comparison the only thing I'm confused about is that shorter gear ratios actually make a car faster (with a fuel economy and top speed penalty), and even the sport oriented sonic RS tests almost a full second slower to 60 than a Fit 6MT. However I do realize that it is entirely possible to subjectively feel faster. I briefly looked at the sonic and wasn't really impressed, though the funky looks did appeal to me. To each their own.
Good point about the short gear ratios. The gears in the Fit feel so short that they don't propel you far and fast enough before having to shift again. It feels like there's more time shifting than accelerating. And that's where it's important to stress that without any official time measurements, the Sonic just feels faster because of the noise levels, and that getting up to speed is less dramatic. Both are pretty close, and neither are rocket ships.
Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 514
From: cascadia
I thought I'd buy or make cargo cover right away, but after five months of driving, I think it would only be in my way. Now, if I want something out of sight, I just throw a grey blanket over it that I store in the car.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post