My source at Honda Torrance CA who has been there for 10 years has just revealed to me that the engine Honda will use for the Fit in the USA will be the 1.5 Vtec..Also was informed there will be 2 options the base and the "s" expect the top of the line to peak at just over 15K

 

Essentially, we're getting pretty much the same car as the the one that just started sales in Mexico last month. Hopefully, Honda will offer both the five-speed manual and CVT-7 automatic (the CVT-7 automatic is standard on Japanese domestic market (JDM) Fits)

 

CVT transmissions will be the soup de jour..out numbering the manual 2 to 1

 

This is good reason why I'm seriously thinking of trading in my 1998 Honda Civic HX CVT coupé for a 2007 Honda Fit with the CVT-7 automatic.

 

So what is the fuel economy on that than? I'm looking into getting a fit to use as a commuter car and was hoping for the 1.3L from the new civic hybrid (minus the IMA)

 

http://www.vtec.net/forums/one-messa...sage_id=445171

If this is good info or not I'm not sure but that mpg mentioned ain't that hot...

 

Well, if the mpg from the above-posted link is true, then the milage isn't as good as a new Civic on the highway (40 manual, 38 auto), on par with the Scion xA (32/37 manual; 31/38 auto), and better than an xB (30/34 manual; 30/33 auto).

However, I'll bet you can get loads more into a Fit than a Civic.

 

I think the news in the Vtec forum was very disappointing:

Honda sent us a video teaser about the Honda Fit coming in spring, in the video a few very distinct points were made;

*Is going to use a 1.5 Liter with 105 HP

*Mileage rated at 32/37

*Magic seats were mentioned and demonstrated

*No CVT trans, it will use a 5 speed automatic, but still retains paddle shifters.

Thats about all I got from the Video, but still some very good info about a great car thats about to hit our N.A. shores.

I was hoping for better stats for the North American Car. If the Fuel Economy numbers stated above are correct, I hope the Fit is really quick. And I'm puzzled why Honda would give the US a 5 speed auto when the CVT seems to do so well in every other market.

I guess we will have to wait and see what actually comes to the states.

D

 

I'm kind of disappointed that 1) they won't be using the CVT-7 automatic and 2) the fuel efficiency was a bit lower than I expected.

I wonder is the five-speed automatic a variant of the same unit used on the 2006 Civics?

 

I think some of you are overlooking the fact there are going to be 2 trim levels and hence 2 engine options..All I know with certainty is the 1.5 will be in the "s"..Can't rule out the possiblity that the 1.3 may be offered in the base..

 

I really doubt honda is going to import the FIT with 2 engine options in the US after consolidating the civic line to 1 engine. Those fuel economy numbers just plain suck. I hope they are wrong.

 

Halo, two trim leves are just that, trims. As far as I can tell, both trims will come with the same engine. It seems like 1.5 will be offered. The engine is fine but I am disappointed that CVT will not be coming over to the States. I keep hoping.

 

I can't imagine Honda ditching such a key selling point as the cvt..I would wager we will see the cvt!

 

I wonder if Honda is giving the fit a bigger engine with not so great fuel economy to protect sales of the Civic hybrid...

if the Fit got 48-50MPG (highway) and was $13,000, why pay $21,000 for the civic hybrid and get 51MPG(highway)? see what I mean?

 

I kind of doubt it, given that the mpg measurements reported from Europe for the Jazz are based on the British Imperial gallon, which is 20% larger than the US gallon.

My guess is that the Honda Fit with the L15A VTEC and the CVT-7 transmission will be around 33 mpg city, 40 mpg highway using the current EPA fuel mileage tests. If Honda does take my suggestion of using the SOHC i-VTEC valvetrain engine from the 2006 Civic Hybrid (minus the IMA hardware, of course, and in 1.5-liter displacement) and team it with the CVT-7 transmission, the EPA rating will (taking an educated guess) be about 36 mpg city, 44 highway.

 

made me go to the UK site to check it out... yer right, with the 1.3 from the civic hybrid it should only get around 33/46 or there abouts.

Of course I had to go drool over the 06 civic again... the new UK civic is sooooo much nicer than the US one *sigh* even comes with VSA standard on all models (a feature I'd love to have in the winter here.)

 

Disappointing specs from Honda, if true. Hopefully a manual transmission will still be available in both trim models.

 

I think a manual trans on the 1.5 would be very dissapointing..The cvt is what this engine needs..

 

I drove the CVT. It's not that great. In full-auto mode it feels slushier than your average auto. In the 7 speed mode it's a little more fun, but still about as thrilling as driving a golf cart. Unless you are revving the hell out of it, you need to keep checking the indicator to see what gear you are in. Also in 7th gear the engine is revving higher than in the top gear (or whatever you call it on the CVT) in full-auto mode. The manual will be the best way to go. If CVT's and autos are so great, why do the most powerful and efficient engines (motorcycles) still use manuals? No need to pull the F1 card. Nobody here will ever get a sniff of driving one of those. A sequential-shift box like they use in the WRC would be nice, though

 

well they could always give us a 6 speed auto if we don't get the 7 speed cvt. it shouldn't be that bad with it considering it being light and thrifty