I absolutely love my US-market '08 Sport. Most "shortcomings" are inherent in a car of this size and cost and of a small 4-cyl., so I won't list those. The only items I've found thusfar that Honda could reasonably change are:

1. Add variable intermittent front wipers.
2. Add intermittent rear wiper.
3. Add mirror to passenger visor. (I replaced it with the JDM driver's visor).
4. Very thin paint.
5. Driver's left footrest. (I added an aftermarket rest).
6. Front seat armrests.

 

Yeah, no car is truly perfect, but the Fit still fits my needs very well, and while I could drive a Yaris (I hate the way the rear seats don't fold down flat--same problem with the Versa), my second choice was the Matrix.

The MP3 point is an issue for a number of cars, but at least the 2007 Fit came with the aux. plug--my 2006 Accord did not, and then when you get the FM transmitter thingy to use your MP3 player with, there's no ideal place to put it, and the sticky tab they supplied with that device would not stick to the plastic material on the dash or the console, so I have this little mess of wires instead.

The newer model Fit is impressive, but I don't like the long front glass which is really difficult to clean (especially when your back problems act up).

Nonetheless, comments and complaints found in this thread are sure to capture the attention of all the automotive companies, so it should help steer us closer to the most ideal car of the future.

I keep wondering about the next generation of cars--will the hybrids or the electrics be the answer? There's a lot of pros and cons no matter what solution(s) you look at, but the ultimate solution has yet to arrive!

Later,

 

not sure if i posted this here on this thread, but on my GE it has the AT and the silly shifter paddles that rotate with the steering wheel. stupid design. they needed to have the paddle stationary or just use the lever to shift up/down.

 

The spoiler hitting bottom too much.
Is there any aftermarket trim piece that can be installed along the front of the spoiler to protect it? An aluminum, hard plastic or steel strip?

 

That is what the Toyota Matrix is. It is considered to be the sporty wagon counterpart of the North American Corolla and is counted as a variant of it in Toyota's sales figures.
Automotive.com writes: "The 2009 Toyota Matrix is a new, second-generation design developed in tandem with the Corolla sedan. In essence, the Matrix is the wagon/hatch version of the Corolla. In fact, the company refers to it as the Toyota Corolla Matrix. With edgier styling inside and out and four versions to choose from, the Matrix makes a sensible choice for many people."

 

With about 2200 miles on a '10 MT Fit Sport, what I wish was different:

• needs a 6th gear for highway cruise.
• ride seems stiffer/harsher than is really needed
• too little sound insulation. Any body know effective options here?
• an option for interior color that's NOT black. It is not easy to see inside a black car at night. (Yeah, I know: more lights.) And the black shows every bit of dirt
• steering seems a little "dead" = not self-centering, but I'm dealing.
• mandatory A/C with any defrost setting. I'm grateful to those who described how to defeat this in this forum!
• finally (and sadly), I may have a defective tranny part. The first four gears shift so nice and sweet, but it's easy to crunch a little going into 5th. Shifting much more slowly helps, but I think I should see the dealer. Anyone else?

Notes: Since delivery in early December, I

• had the Fit oil-undercoated by a master.
• put on 4 steel rims (OEM) wearing 175/65/15 Blizzaks for the snow. They haven't had a severe test, but they are quiet and work well. I drive mostly 2 lane highways at up to 65 or so, and measure mileage carefully. I'm getting 34-35 mpg in cold upstate NY. I drive pretty moderately and shift early, no strong acceleration unless I need it.

I just sent my favorite older car, a '91 Civic 2WD wagon to salvage, still running, but only on 3 cylinders. Bought 2 yrs. old with 40K, put another 210K on 1st motor, then 40K more on used JDM motor before a piston went bad. 120 lbs. compression all around just before she blew. Those cars were loved by many in the NE and a few other places. She never lived in a garage, and oil undercoating saved the structure, though some body rust couldn't be stopped. The Fit is her descendant.

 

Re stiff/harsh ride on the Sport, I think the suspension goes through a break in process. Either that, or I have broken in, as the ride doesn't seem nearly as harsh at 6000 miles as it did at 60 miles.

 

the only thing (interior wise) that i HATE!! SO MUCH on my ge is that the drivers side is the only side with an arm rest, so whenever someones riding shotty they always steel it and i always get pissed at them when they do, its like going to the movie theater and sitting next to your friend and fighting for the armrest except you're driving, and you can yell at them without other people getting mad at you. anyone know where i can get a right hand drive drivers seat? haha. i would get the center armrest console, but personally think its ugly..

ive rode in the passenger seat once, and it was really spacey. ive never rode in the back of a fit, but theyre comfy to sit in at least

its also hard to fit larger cups and bottles in the cup holders cause the ones on the dash are pretty small and the ones in the center console are larger but are to far back under the radio and the ac controls (but then again most cars are like that). also the ones on the dash are pretty deep for cans

 

its probably u loss some PSI from your tires more so than the suspension breaking in.

oh my car, the suspension is still as stiff as it was new.

 

I'm at 55,000 on my 07 and the "feel every expansion joint" feeling is gone... Mine left at 5,000 miles of "spirited" driving.

the centering of the steering will improve, or you'll get used to it...

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I can state from experience that the center armrest console works beautifully. A benefit that I didn't anticipate initially is that I lean my right forearm on the center console when getting in the car, as an aid to getting seated. This is really, really convenient. The center armrest is more than wide enough for two arms. The center console is probably the single most useful mod I've made to the car to date, although plastic mesh behind the lower grill (to protect the A/C condenser) is the most cost-effective (free, since I had the materials on hand).

 

On my '09 base the only thing I really don't like is the way it pops out of 1st on it's way to second. Only solution I've found is to shift slower but I still do it when I forget. Another post said something about a delay valve on the clutch being the culprit. Best thing I did was keyless entry for $30. Far cry from the $$$ the dealer wanted to do it.

 

I have a 2010 Fit Sport with Auto.
1. No water temp gauge.
2. Should shift gears in a bit higher RPM (about 500 revs) so it gets into a better power range under normal acceleration. Car tends to downshift if easy peddle pressure applied.
3. Gas mileage is great, what do you want out of 117hp? Years ago, you got 25mpg out of a 70hp engine!!

 

The mileage is good now, and I hope for better in warm weather with summer tires. But a 6th gear that provided about 2200 rpm at 60 would be even better, and cut down the noise and engine wear. I have to admit, my '91 Civic went 250,000 miles before the power dropped off noticeably and it started to use more than a little oil. And that car also turned around 3000 rpm at 60, on 91 horsepower. It weighed about what the Fit weighs, so a gear that tall would have been a dog in the Civic.

 

I can't say I really disliked anything about my fit, except maybe the somewhat unimpressive gas mileage.

 

The stock horn is best fit for a motorcycle, so is the stock muffler. The stock speakers is looks like it came from a 70's transistor radio.

 

 

well hmmm, lets see...

low torque on acceleration.
very very low ground clearance. (unpaved roads in the city will freak you out)
I have to agree with an earlier post, the sound insulation is virtually non existent.
braking( rear drums, cmon! )
cheap material feel on the interior. don't feel particularly safe driving in it since i moved to the 2010 honda sport from a 2000 ford contour.

i admit that car has some faults but it has many nice benefits. parking is one of them. small form factor with plenty of space. pretty cozy too. doesn't seem to difficult to work on if needed. Its also difficult to judge it so early on since i only had for about a month.

 

Welcome to the world of economy, lower price and good handling! I've driven the Contour as well (rented them while traveling). Quieter and cushier ride than the Fit, with reasonably decent pick-up thanks to the V6. But the land-yacht sponginess, poor fuel economy and rather vague handling left me glad the car wasn't mine.

To those who prefer more sports-car-like features in their rides being asked to pay MORE for a car lacking these features seems just as daft as it would for someone who likes soft and quiet rides with a (perceived) safety advantage being asked to trade it in for a Corvette and pay the difference in value.

The Fit is an entry level car, designed to compete with entry level contemporaries like the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa and Hyundai Excel. Hence the rear drum brakes, lack of sound-deadening, cheap(er) upholstery and lack of leather seats among other creature comforts.

The fact that the Fit blows these competitors away in all the categories that count (and arguably competes well with several models one class above itself) speaks very well for the design. But as the bar in even this entry-level category gets raised to include these items you can be sure Honda will meet or more likely exceed the challenge. If they don't, we'll all be looking elsewhere.

 

Hmm..in 2 months of ownership of a 2010 I'd say The Fit has actually grown on me. I liked it when I bought it, but have learned to like it much more as I have owned it.

The only negative I perceive that I did not expect is perhaps in regards to the quietness of the entire vehicle, road noise and engine noise. It's passable...but IMO if it's not abnormally loud? It isn't abnormally quiet either. I wish it was a little quieter.

I might throw a tad bit more lower lumbar support for the seats...but that is very personal...and easily adapted with a pillow or cushion.