hi all. first post on this site. i'm looking into trading my 2005 evo in for a fit. i really like my car but my plans to buy a condo soon along with more upcoming commuting means that it probably isn't the best car to keep so i'm looking into a fit and then a project car down the road. on paper i love the utility and gas mileage. my concerns are really power and handling. i haven't test driven one yet but my gf has a yaris so i have a feeling i know what it will feel like. my question is really can i adjust? what has everyone else's experience been if people have come from a significantly more sporty, powerful car?

 

i came from a 2006 civic Si with 260whp. it took a little getting used to (ive only had it for a few weeks), but i think it was a great choice. for the money its a great car. its by no means fast. my main concern was being able to enter highways safely with only 100hp, and its just fine. but dont expect ot speed around anywhere.

 

There's been a few threads on this already, and so far, most people find it a nice change. I came from a Type R and an S4 and I'm fine with the Fit's power. it's not the power though that makes the Fit fun to drive... it's everything else. It's comfortable, nimble in corners, and gets great gas mileage. Also, with sport kit, it cleans up nice with the addition of just wheels. It's the only mod I have so far. Get out there and test drive one, and let us know what you think.

 

I know what you mean... I come from Fiat Coupè 16v turbo 300hp, sold when I got married....
At the beginning I was very sad with my Jazz, but with +30hp you can feel better...
Jazz can be a great car with some mods....

 

Alf,

what mods have you done to get your extra 30 hp?

-piper

 

coming down from a sport truck fit was a surprising car love the handling and the way it drive... fit will be def be a good car to own

 

First of all, dont u dare compare the fit to a yaris (or YEAHris as we say in NJ)... i can promise u will have no gripes about the handling, and as far as fun factor goes, i would take my fit over just about ANY car you can think of....

 

Simply, there's NO adjustment coming from Mitsu Lancer Evo. You might as well take public transportation..

I have a 2000 Integra GSR that I'm transplanting into a 5th gen Honda Civic Hatch. That is still not comparable to your Evo. I consider the EVO, STi and GTRs the top of the Japanese food chain...

 

You are going to get opinions from both sides of the spectrum here. The question really is can you handle going from an EVO to a Fit? They are two very different vehicles, designed specific consumer segments (economy vs. performance).

Hence if personal economics is more important to you, the you will appreciate the Fit and what it offers. But dont kid yourself, because if performance is on the top of your list, then may as well not kid yourself and keep the EVO.

In case you are wondering I came from a 1991 Integra GS which I owned for 17+ years. It had about 130hp. Moving to the Fit compromised a little performance but I gained better mpg, safety, room, and thats just fine with me.

My two cents.

 

I had a 1997 Passat VR6 5-speed...she could haul a$$...

I have to say, I enjoy the Fit much more...for me it's like driving a go-kart...

 

comming from a VW R32....the ONLY thing I miss is the 6 speed, 4 motion, and that power on tap on the highway. But with a few mods the Fit can make up on the slacking power.

If you can live without those things you'll be fine.

 

I have a VW R32 as a weekend car and the Fit is my commute car. Sad to say, at this point, I drive my Fit a heck a lot more than my R32. My girlfriend prefers the Fit due to softer suspension and ease to get in and out of the car. She also likes the fact that I get less attention driving the Fit compared to the R32.

Anyways, to answer your questions given that you're getting a Fit Sport MT (the AT just feels sluggish unfortunately, and the Base model is far too bare IMHO):

Power - There's more than enough power to get on the freeway, given that you shift properly. I have no trouble hitting triple digits in the car either (just a lot slower compared to the R32). But realistically, how frequently are you going to get to drive at that speed during the commute to work?

Handling - Without a doubt, the Fit has the best handling in the class (I totally agree with the article having test drove all 3 cars myself), and it's nothing like the drive of the Yaris. The chassis is light and tight enough that the car feels agile and responsive. Due to people falling asleep on the LA freeways, the maneuverability + ABS on the Fit has saved me a couple times from nasty accidents. With that said, it's not going to be a track star or auto-x king in any way shape or form.

The Adjustment Factor -
My Gripes:
1) The shifts are slightly longer; this can be fixed with an aftermarket short shift kit.
2) The light clutch, it's definitely not as grippy. Again, plenty of aftermarket parts to solve this problem.
3) No dead pedal, this can be solved with the dead pedal kit from zetaproducts.
4) The noise level, the R32 has much better sound insulation. This can be solved by insulating the car like what invisible21 did.

The Plus:
1) The car is 10x more practical than my R32. I still can't get over the magic second row seats... it truly is magical.
2) The gas mileage is as good as the paper says.
3) The stock stereo HU from the Sports model comes with MP3/WMA capability and an AUX jack, so I don't have to carry as many CDs.
4) The insurance is a lot cheaper with the Fit.
5) I tend to think I'm going faster than I actually am. This is actually a good thing because this way I get in less trouble with the law. With the R32, when I actually feel like I'm going fast, I usually am going way too fast.

In the end, the pros outweigh the cons. I think you'll be just fine with just the Fit. However, I do recommend keeping you Evo as a weekend car if that's at all possible.

 

I think you will adjust to the Fit without a problem.
Its handling is amazing, if you drop it and put a RearSway bar you are set and will pretty much handle as good as anything.
Power is what it lacks. Its power is enough to get you safely on freeways, and its not like you cant accelerate up hills, you just cant be afraid to rev lol. If your really in need of some extra power, full exhaust and a SuperCharger or Turbo are always an option, that will really make a BIG diffrence in power. Go check out the KraftWerks SC thread. Tons of info on there new SC which is about ready to hit the market. I plan on one down the road!

Tyler

 

I traded in my 2007 STI in for a Fit and maybe because I'm turn 27 it doesn't bother me like when I was 20.The STI/EVO's are great in performance,but I got so many ticket's(And I don't street race anymore)that the Fit is a great combo of gas/handling/look's like Honda(and most Japanese companies)made in the 90's,I just couldn't pass it up.It all come's down to where you are in your life.Keep us updated on your decision.

 

thanks all. i really do need to get out there and test drive one i just really hate car salesmen. i'm not planning to mod the car at all if i get one, just getting the sport and keeping it stock until the engine falls out. i'm secretly hoping to do a monster miata project on the side but i digress. i'm sure the handling is decent i just hope it doesn't feel like a cadillac after 2 years of an evo DD

i wish. the plan is to buy a condo in about a year. to do so i need to save as much as possible for a down payment. 2 cars isn't the way to do that

 

if you want to be fast in a fit, it takes a different kind of skill set. you have to be very precise with your braking (and the modulation/ release characteristics of the stock system isn't all that great, for me at least).

the significant reduction in power means you have to stay well ahead of the car - develop techniques and timing that minimize brake usage in general, but in particular when in and about traffic and trying to merge.

can you get used to it? absolutely, though it depends on how you look at it. i love driving the fit because it's so low on power. it's rewarding when you get it right. for reference, my other car runs a 12.6 and has a robispec setup, which you may have heard of. in light of that, i love the handling of the fit on swifts with a rear bar. strong power and lots of tire turn drivers that aren't yet skilled enough to really put it to use into sloppy drivers over the long run.

the fit is a very rewarding car, if a tad slow on occasion.

 

nice, i've heard nothing but good things about robispec. do you track your car (real track not drag)? my only mods are a TBE and a dynoflash mail in retune on my 05

 

You might not have to... if the housing market dips enough...

Not that it's a good thing for the overall economy...

 

I completely agree with you on this one. Skill really does pay off on the Fit because the Fit is less forgiving when you make a mistake. You can't just accelerate your way out of a slump...

However, this doesn't quite apply for the Yaris... that's just a sloppy car. Even if you hone in your skills on that one, it'll still be sloppy IMHO.

 

I think it depends on your daily driving routine. I find the Fit to be incredibly enjoyable around town or on the two lane mountain roads around my house. So enjoyable that I select it over my sport bike most days.

That being said, I'm miserable in the Fit on the Interstate. It accelerates up to merging speed with little trouble, but has NOTHING left for quick, easy passing at 70+. Any time I'm traveling more than an hour away from my house, I take a different car.

With the cruise set at 78-80 it doesn't even get very good fuel mileage due to working so hard (high 20's). Going up and down hills at that speed requires near full throttle. The DBW setup will fool you into thinking it's doing ok, but go ahead and floor it and you won't accelerate. My v8 Explorer gets 20+ mpg and can go up those same hills sitting on the 106mph speed limiter in near silence and total comfort.

Basically, the Fit is a FANTASTIC car and I'm glad to have one. It's a well built, very fun to drive, quick at low speed, slow at high speed car.

Side note...I have a 532whp Mustang and keep thinking that it's drivetrain would be better in a Miata