The Fit is coming to the US in Spring 2006, as announced by Honda's CEO.

"Honda will introduce the fuel efficient Fit as an entry level model in North America. Fit models manufactured in Brazil will be introduced to Mexico in October of this year, and the Japan-made Fit will be introduced to the U.S. and Canada next spring. Honda will further expand its product lineup in order to respond to increasing customer demands for vehicles with high fuel efficiency."

Source: http://world.honda.com/news/2005/c050720_a.html

 

[Homer Simpson Voice]Woo Hoo!!!!![/Homer Simpson Voice]

 

I spoke with a local Ohio Honda dealer and they confirmed the news--said they've already gotten ORDERS for the car before the announcement!

 

I remember another member posted wither there will be a wait list or dealer markup on the FIT when it comes to the US… Now I wonder...….



Did the dealer in Ohio have any marketing info on the FIT yet?

 

When I used to live in MD, all the Honda dealers marked up the S2k by 10k or so when it first came out. Hopefully, the dealers in GA won't do the same on the Fit.

 

Yeah well the Fit is no S2000, far from it. The dealers would be INSANE to mark up a bargain-based economy car because it would turn off the target customer base.

I would buy a $12K Fit to use as my daily driver but I wouldn't buy a $12K plus $5K markup Fit.

 

Dealer mark up will turn off potential buyers, especially if Honda is trying to get a chunk of the Scion xA and Chevy Aveo market. I'm sure there will be an edict to all dealers not too get greedy on mark-ups for an entry-level model. I'll be asking my friend who works at a Honda dealership as a mechanic to see what info he can get about the FIT.

 

The Ohio dealer has no marketing materials yet, but insists they were told the Fit (but not using that name!) is coming!!

 

Do they have a USA name for the FIT yet?

 

dasteph,

I wonder if Honda has decided on the name that they are going to use for the US yet. Do you think your dealer knows? Could you find out?

Is it common that car manufacurers release cars as different names in different contries? Honda Fit in Japan, Honda Jazz in Europe, Honda ??? in the US -- seems like it would hurt brand recognition to do this sort of thing.

 

Well if the trademark registrations provide any clue, Honda has the Fit and everything related to the Fit trademarked in the US since 2003. My guess is that they will keep the Fit name.

Also the biggest news in this Honda Press Release for me isn't the Fit, but that Honda will develop a V10 for the next generation NSX. Where do I sign?

 

from what i've heard, the Fit should come to US shores earlier than 2006..earlier like "this year" earlier..i hope im right

 

Not gonna happen, all dealers will be getting their 2006 stock in late August, Early Sept.

 

aww..next year?!

 

I told my local honda dealer's manager about the fit/jazz and he looked at me like I was from Mars. He didn't know anything about it. Not even the guy that sold me my 2004 SI. I'm looking forward to the fit. The question is what fit are we going to get? The current fit or a redesigned 2006 model? I'm thinking of getting one just for the mileage. Cut my gas bill in half. If they put the new civic i vtec engine in it I don't think it will get 45-60 mpg like posted.

 

From the News section it looks like the FIT coming to the US will be made in Japan. So we will probably get whatever Japan is getting for model year 2006.

 

...what engine will Honda use for the US-market Fit?

Will it be the 1.5-liter I-4 L15A VTEC rated at 110 bhp? Or maybe the L15A i-DSI variant probably rated at around 95-100 bhp with very good fuel economy? I think if Honda emphasizes fuel economy with the US-market Fit the 1.5-liter i-DSI variant could be the main engine we'll get.

 

With the release of the new Civic, I highly doubt this.

Some models are release mid-year, like the Ridgeline this year.

My guess would be the 1.5L version. The critics will kill the Fit if its anything less.

 

If I remember correctly, the Fit/Jazz sports four available engine types:

1.2-liter I-4 i-DSI (76 bhp)
1.3-liter I-4 i-DSI (83 bhp)
1.5-liter I-4 i-DSI (circa 92-95 bhp)
1.5-liter I-4 VTEC (110 bhp)

The 1.3-liter engine is the most common of the Fit/Jazz engines--and in fact is the gasoline engine used on the US-market Civic Hybrid sedan when paired with the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) electric motor.

From what I read on Honda's press release of the new hybrid drivetrain used on the 8th-generation 2006 Civic sedan, they now have a new 1.3-liter I-4 engine with SOHC three-stage i-VTEC in an IMA hybrid drivetrain, where the gasoline engine is rated at 95 bhp. We may just see a 1.5-liter variant of this new engine in the US-market Fit (minus the IMA hardware, of course) rated at around 105 bhp with either 5MT or CVT-7 automatic transmissions.

 

the Ohio dealer I spoke with is a longtime dealer and says he heard they won't be using Fit as the name--but wasn't told what the US name would be--Honda doesn't always use the same name in different countries and let's face it, FIT doesn't FIT the USA!


Maybe they could call it the Quantum or something JAZZY to compete with SCION

he he