Fit nimble, fun despite practical intentions

Saturday » January 20 » 2007



Fit nimble, fun despite practical intentions

Charles Renny
Special to The StarPhoenix

Friday, January 19, 2007

Several years ago my father-in-law wanted to buy a plain version of a car. He didn't want power windows, heated seats, a sun roof or a V6. The car had to be special ordered form the factory. That particular company admitted they sell two cars like that in Canada per year. I interpreted that to mean there are two people in Canada each year that are stubborn enough to stick to what they want in the face of adversity because getting the dealer to order the car was very hard work.
Now I get a Honda Fit to drive and it is plain and I'm checking to see if there is an option on the car. It seems that Honda takes a slightly different approach to selling cars. They actually have a base model and you get one easily. My Fit was the basic DX model, but if you want to spend a bit more you can step up to the LX or go all out with the Sport. A five-speed manual is standard and a five-speed automatic is optional at extra cost.
As a four-door hatchback, the Fit falls on the cute side of design. Front end design is short and sweeps up over the headlights to across the short hood to the base of the windshield. From there, the lines go up smoothly to a slightly arced roof line (for head room) to where it drops stylishly to become the rear hatch. Door openings are as large as possible to make getting in and out as easy as possible. At the rear the hatch lifts up to expose a luggage space (with the back seat in place) suitable for a couple of airline sized roll-on-cases and computer bags.
Inside the Fit, space is well utilized. I was able to find a comfortable driving position quite quickly while my passenger took a few seconds longer due to her unfamiliarity with the seat controls. Back seat occupants had plenty of head, shoulder and thigh room. The only tight spot for the tallest of my kids was in leg and foot room if he sat behind me.
Honda has also seen fit (no pun intended) to equip the car with many of the safety items that we take for granted in larger cars. Dual front air bags are standard while side and side curtain air bags can be installed. ABS brakes are on the list as well. LATCH system for anchoring child seats in the rear is standard and keyless remote entry can be had for a fee.
Actually getting in and driving the Fit reminded me more of what Civic used to be all about. With the Civic going "up market" so to speak, the Fit is a basic car for people with basic needs. That is why a five-speed manual is standard and the hi-tech, SOHC inline four has 109 horsepower and 105 lb.ft. of torque. Not surprisingly, power robbing accessories such as air conditioning make a noticeable change in fuel economy and the power available.
None of this changes the fun quotient that this little character can provide. Driving on bare pavement turned up a zippy little car that would have the nose start to push out if I went a bit too hard into a corner.
Backing off the throttle would bring the nose back into line and if I did have to brake hard, the car just slowed down. The tail did not try and rotate around to come out the front and embarrass me. The nice part of this is that it behaved the same way if I was on snow or a bit of ice.
Tires play a large part in getting about in winter and the Blizzaks that were on the car are not stock. Honda Canada upgraded them from the regular all season tires because the company believes in being as safe as possible on the road. As a consequence, my test Fit will handle a bit differently than a car off the lot. My recommendation would be that for any deal you make on a Fit, have it include the cost of four steel rims and four winter tires. The extra cost is considerably less than the cost of two fenders, a hood and a radiator.
Driving in town showed me that the fit was a well put together package that had a good heater, and comfortable seats. After all, you could do yourself a mischief with all the ruts and holes that are on our winter roads. Parking such a nimble car was easy and it didn't seem to matter where as I could get the car to fit into nearly any place I chose.
It's not often I get to drive such a practical car that is both stylish and able to put a grin on my face.
AT A GLANCE:
Configuration: Four-door hatchback
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder, SOHC with variable valve timing (V-TEC) that has 109 horsepower and 105 lb.ft. of torque.
Transmission: five-speed manual is standard and a five-speed automatic is optional.
Fuel: Transport Canada's EnerGuide rating for the City; 7.3 l/100 km. Hwy; 5.8 l/ 100 km.
Suspension: Front: MacPherson struts with gas shocks; Rear: Torsion beam axle with coil springs ands gas shocks.
Brakes: Power assisted front discs and rear drums are standard.
Safety: Dual front, side and side curtain air bags are standard. ABS brakes with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBS) are standard. Keyless remote entry is available. LATCH system of anchoring child seats in the rear is standard. Three-point seat belts are used in all seating positions.
Special Features/Options: Throttle control is by wire and power steering is fully electro-mechanical rather than hydraulic. AM/FM/CD stereo is standard. 14-inch wheels are standard,15-inch are optional. There is a full line of dealer installed equipment to help you personalize your Fit.
Ran with fact box "At A Glance" which has been appended to the story.

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