Brand loyalty I would imagine.

That and most people don't read car reviews or do any researching before they buy a car for whatever reason. Maybe they don't know about them or maybe they don't trust them. Maybe they care less about practicality and reliability than looks, image, or power/acceleration figures.

People drive what they drive, treating their cars like appliances, many of them still believing that 100k miles is nearing the end of a car's life.

 

Oh, I think many people do research, especially through Consumer Reports, because when CR rated the Fit highest for high-mileage cars, and at the same time, gas prices went up A LOT, suddenly the supply of 2008 Fits dried up...of course, I had waited until I really needed a car before deciding on the Fit, and chased the last of my color choice all over the US...Every time CR rates the Fit highly, more of them get sold...I see the paper plates in my area that correlate. The crash ratings don't help, but no one actually believes he or she will get into a nasty crash, so...

If you drive an American car, you'll be lucky to get 100K out of it...

 

Ah, that's interesting. So perhaps it's like this -- you see a car, fall in love with its style. Then you focus only on the positive and ignore the negative: It'll be OK, I'll get used to the noise, I'll learn to love the color, the fuel economy won't matter because my cost of living allowance will outrace the price of gas, I'll always wear my seat belt so if there's a crash who cares.
Oops! that sounded like a marriage. Let me go back to the drawing board ...

 

Here's my youth elixir! whaap

 

verrrrrrrrry naaasssss...

 

we have 3 fits in the family. The youngest being me at a ripe old age of 23, and my grandfather and uncle have one as well. They love their fits and they came from the newer saab and mercs.

 

I also believe that Honda and Nissan do not want cut into sales of their higher margin cars, and trust that shoppers looking for the lowest cost or highest mpg will naturally find them on the lot.

I also don't think Honda really knows the demographic for this car, or how to market it. The interior style is a bit edgy or agressive(probbaly to compete with scion), yet I see mostly seniors driving around in them in my town.
Look at the versa... smart key, leather, interior color options, wood grain, and a softer ride that has been described as the cadillac of economy cars. This car was made for the right demographic... too bad it's a nissan!

 

i think that the Versa is down right ugly too, regardless of all the extras and add-on's. And your right its a Nissan, we've had nothing but problems with Nissans!

 

Yeah, I don't prefer the styling of the versa either, but in honesty, I bet most average folks not familiar with these cars would not be able to tell the versa and the fit apart upon first look.

I especially find the threads regarding the 07 and 08 owners hating on the 09s to be hillarious. They look so similar, that to call one version ugly is really calling both versions ugly.

 

I’m 46, but am convinced that I am still 35 (or younger) due to the fact that I never had any kids. Kids will age you faster that any car will. And not having them will keep you younger than owning a convertible. How do I know, I traded my Mr2 convertible for the Fit, and have not aged a bit.


Although my wife is fond of saying the only thing fit about her husband gets left in the garage.

 

No, the previous styling is different in HUGE ways from the new! To me, it looks like a completely different car. It wasn't just changed a tiny bit but the whole shape of the car is different. The new one is OK for most people, but not my taste at all. It looks like a hamster to me.