Yep, exactly. AWD helps you go, breaks and tires are what let you stop and turned, and last I checked, almost all cars have four tires and four breaks.

 

wow, you are smart!

 

I test drove a Focus and Fiesta (both hatches). Wanted to test a Versa and Mazda2 hatch as well but couldn't find them locally with a stick.

Very happy I decided to go with the Fit!

 

I tested the Focus, Mazda 3 sedan and hatch, Mazda cx-5, Forester, Impreza, Pilot, Jeep liberty, and a used Element before deciding on the Fit. It was a compromise but overall im satisfied with the Fit.

 

I worked in a busy Honda dealership service department for a while. I decided that after seeing no broken Fits coming in, that I would buy one (plus my 2011 Tacoma double cab V6 4x4 was killing me in gas). New Civics were coming in with weird things failing so I eliminated them. I miss my 09 Si terribly, but live and learn I guess. I have driven so many cars I have lost track. Honestly, the Fit was a compromise but the budget demanded it. I do like the car though, and it is well built.

 

I drove:

Mazda CX5: Nice but too expensive and obviously a different sort of car than the Fit.

Fiesta MT: Ok but no love there. Poor radio controls. Also for various reasons I'm forced to drive auto these days and would not buy a Ford auto anyway.

Accent SE: Don't scoff. New design really nice. Might have gotten it but too expensive in the SE level. (what kinf of a world is it when an Accent prices me out???)

Elantra GT: this one is so nice it might actually make you forget your budget. Again however, practicality ruled it out.

Ended up with Base Fit auto. Great car at a good price. Glad I got one while they are still made in Japan. Hope Honda will reconsider.

 

I test drove the Fiat, Yaris, Scion iQ, and the Fit.

With the iQ, the engine felt severely underpowered. The Yaris was okay, not bad but not great. I really wanted to like the Fiat. Based on looks I would've went Fiat over Fit, but after test driving a Fiat I never really clicked with it.

I eventually went with the Fit. Honda reliability was a major factor, but what really won me over were the magic seats. The amount of useable cargo space you get is unreal.

No car is ever perfect, but the Fit seemed like the best choice for me.

 

I tested the Kia Rio5 which I loved, but the dealer had 1800 ADM which drove the price up to 19k. Drove a Kia Forte that was priced right and I liked, but it looked like it had been wrecked and fixed. I also drove the Hyundai Elantra and liked it too, but they were 19k too. They had one Accent, but it was loaded up. Drove the Fiesta which I liked but all they had was 2012s. I put that on my short list because I really liked the Focus, but it was out of my price range too. I went to the Honda dealership and found a 2012 Focus that I liked with 2k miles, but it didn't have cruise. I drove a Mazda 2 which was okay, but only had 4 spd auto and not much trunk space. I drove Civic but no hatchback. I saw my Fit sitting there, test drove it and fell in love. It rode nice, had plenty of trunk space and since I can fold the rear seats up to haul all of my respiratory equipment and supplies that I need for my patients, had 5 spd auto as well as priced the same as the used Focus it made the most sense.

 

Aveo (I, know, but had to see how a $10k car drove), Civic, Fiesta, Versa and Yaris, all M/T low trim models. Fiat 500 and Mazda 2 were not yet on the market, would have tried both.

Aveo, Yaris = too slow
Civic VP, Versa hatch= too soft
Fiesta, Fit = finalists

I had a Fiesta on order because it handled best, but quality issues were starting to appear with early production. The Fit is a lot roomier and has proven Made in Japan quality, reputation and therefore resale value.

 

I didn't test drive any car. After a lot of research I decided on the Fit and because of all that research I felt pretty confident that I would be happy with it. There aren't many manufacturers whose vehicles I would buy without a test drive, but Honda is one of them.

First time I drove a new car the whole time I was looking for one was pulling off the dealership lot to take it home!

 

Good move on staying away from the Fiesta, my neighbor bought one and isn't happy after a few months. I drove it when it was just off the lot and it seemed ok but after driving my Fit it doesn't compare to me.

 

Had the Honda Fit not been available to take 1st Place, here's what i tested in rank order:

2nd Place - Prius C: Great fuel mileage and could carry two adults and two kids, but the truck was too small and a 5th person would be nearly impossible. Otherwise the car was actually fun to drive.

3rd Place - Ford Fiesta: tight interior but nice engine/transmission combo. I would have tested the new Focus but at the time there was none available.

4th Place - Mazda3 Hatch skyactiv 6sp: On paper this car looked great but driving it was a different story. I couldn't figure out the best shiftpoints as the gearing and powerband were mismatched. Cabin space was barely larger than the Fit and not as flexible.

Last Place - Kia Rio hatch: The 6sp is a unicorn; there was none available in my market and the dealer told me he had never seen one.

 

I test drove 2 GE Fits and didn't like 'em and I drove 2 GDs and fell in love. I liked the clutch/gearing better on the GD but like the exterior more on the GE.

I also tried a automatic Matrix with traction control, the latter gave me fits (no pun intended) in the winter! I tried a Scion Xd and thought the exterior was bleh but it actually drove very well. Really mushy toyota feeling though and no fun second gear like on the GD fit. I just get a kick out of flooring it in 2nd and getting up to 50 km/h in a split second, since I am a city driver

The Scion does boast a 130ish (don't quote me) hp engine and the interior tried really hard to be cool, like an older uncle wearing a jean jacket and shades at a xmas party. The tachometer is oddly affixed opposite the speedometer; the speedo needle goes from left to right as it increases but the tacho goes from right to left as it increases. Didn't like it from the get go but I didn't find it horrible like the centre instrument panel on the Yaris.

Toyota offers waaaay better financing options, customer service and warranty after purchase than Honda does in Montreal. If I had bought new, it might have been a toyota... then again, I was considering the subie for 25K taxes in, only marginally more expensive than a Fit Sport.

 

I didn't test drive anything. I knew what I wanted.

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head, here, in a few ways:
3 The Fiesta is just painfully small inside. I mean I know Jeremy Clarkson likes the car, but I'm 5'9" and 120 lbs and EVEN I feel unpleasantly shoehorned in ... and I cannot sit behind myself in the car.
4 Interesting to hear you say this. I drove the auto (dual clutch & torque converter on 1st), and I like the transmission action a lot, but the car felt very underpowered low in the RPM band. I assumed this would be better with the 6 speed but apparently not .. so that is of great interest to me. And yes, the cabin space was about equal to the Fit but a much less useful shape.
5 I have hardly seen ANY kia rios and I doubt any manuals. I bet an Accent would have been a lot easier to find.

 

back in '07:

Yaris: wasn't bad, but only two door in hatch, wanted a hatch
Rio: better than what I thought but I just thought there was something better
Versa: would've been my bet, but hated the intelligent key thing
Rabbit: not bad, not efficient plus I was kinda wary of VW reliability

Traded in a turbo PT Cruiser (which was junking on me every month before then,) for the Fit.