Just recently joined fitfreak... previous lurker. I've looked at a couple other threads referencing these two cars but I haven't found much information on how the second generation fit compares to the elantra GT. I'm specifically only looking at hatchbacks and only manuals transmissions.

Here's a little background info. I currently own a 2011 vw golf tdi. It was a wonderful little car till it was hit on thanksgiving day. It's currently undergoing repairs and won't be ready to go till January (if they don't total it before then) but since then I've realized I need to get a car with 4 doors and a hatch (we have a little one on the way). The golf tdi is a great car in nearly every aspect accept that it's expensive to repair and maintain and since I'm newly married and now have a kid on the way I'm looking to own something a bit more affordable for the next couple of years at least.

My gut is to go with a used second gen fit sport manual. But my eye has also caught the relatively new elantra GT since it also has a hatch. I've also considered a used mazda 3 but I just don't dig the looks of it as much (excluding the newest generation). Has anyone had experience with both cars or have thoughts? If my current golf isn't totaled I'll likely sell it and then use what's left to put down on another vehicle.

 

You may want to check and see if a baby seat will work in any car you want to try.
My grandson has kid, they had a Sentra and found it too small for carrying a young kid.


Clifton

 

If the Jetta must go, the Fit is a wonderful car. I'm partial to anything between 2007 and 2013.

If you get a manual, you can look forward to an easy 40ish MPG.

Both my fiance and I drive Fits, and look forward to utilizing their space once we start a family.

 

i would look at the reputation of hondas reliability and resale vs the hyundai. That alone should give you your answer.

 

I work with elantras on a regular basis, wouldn't own one....ever.

 

Wow, that bad huh? Coming from a german made car, I figured something Japanese made would be moving the in right direction reliability wise...?

 

Fit was hands down a great reliable vehicle that looked really good with a few mods. One reason we got rid of ours was the car seat issue. With the car seat in the rear of the passenger front seat the was hardly any room for our knees between the dash. Then one stroller takes up the whole back cargo area

 

I guess I should say that whatever I purchase next will be my daily driver (to and from work mainly). It won't be our only family car. We will likely be purchasing a CR-V for my wife in the next year or so. She's a nanny so she already needs a very kid friendly, spacious car. I on the other hand want a smaller, sporty vehicle with good handling abilities but also useful for loading up music gear (I'm a part time musician). I just wanted 4 doors for the times we might need to put a car seat in the back.

 

Elantras are Korean.

The Fit is everything you're looking for.

Go drive one, I think you'll enjoy it. As long as you don't expect an S2000-like experience, it'll suit you well from your description.

My Grandma used her GE (2009-13 Fit) to haul around 3 kids under 3 years old.

No issues were had.

 

The Honda Fit has the magic seat feature. The Hyundai Elantra GT has a clumsy fold down lever for the rear seat that the salesman did not know how to operate.

 

And we seem to be forgetting the FIT is in the same sub compact class as the Accent. Elantra = Civic. Compact class. I'm just saying... ;-)

 

I looked at both the Fit and Elantra GT. Both very good cars, and both are commonly around the same price with Hyundai's rebates


Looking back on it now, go with the Elantra GT. It's a more substantial car, more well planted on the road, still very roomy, and has a lot of features for the money. You have the piece of mind with the much longer bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties. Looks are subjective, but the GT has a more eye-catching and less awkward design than the Fit's bizarre micro-van look. You get 43 more horsepower (173 vs 130 on the Fit) but at the expense of 3mpg on the manual and a substantial 8mpg with automatic. Lastly, the reliability ratings from the Elantra GT have been above average on Consumer Reports, while the 2015 Fit is still up in the air and has had a shaky start. Everyone I know who has had a Hyundai (including my parents) has loved it and they have been trouble free. Funny as it sounds, I would feel more confident in Hyundai's quality at this moment than what's coming out of Honda's Mexico plant


At 169 inches, it's only nine inches longer than a 2015 Fit, so it's not a massive leap in size. Granted, the Fit better utilizes its small footprint better


The Elantra GT does have some faults. As someone mentioned, the rear seats are a little clumsy when it comes time to fold them down. The different steering settings are a little gimmicky and don't really change the feel too much. And lastly, I noticed the manual shifter on two of the GT's to be a bit notchy, almost like an old pickup truck shifter.


You can't go wrong with either and it's all based on which one you like better. However, since I had to make the same choice a few months ago and my Fit ownership experience has been a nightmare, I would go with the Hyundai

 

Not what I was expecting to hear coming from the fitfreak fanbase... but good to take into consideration!

 

Probably not the answer you were expecting from a Fit Forum, but do you really want biased answers?

Don't get me wrong; I like my Fit a lot (otherwise I wouldn't have put my hard earned money into one), but the quality issues have been disappointing and have put a damper on the experience. However, for the car itself, the Fit remains one of the best subcompacts out there.

Both of the cars you're considering are somewhat near the same price once rebates are involved. And they are both good cars. It just comes down to your preferences. Neither of these cars are going to match your VW's performance but will be better in the reliability frequency/cost department. In size and overall presentation, the Hyundai is going to be closest to your car.

As someone stated, the Elantra GT is technically one class up to the Fit. But it isn't much bigger than the Fit. It just happens to be based on the larger Elantra sedan, but is the European spinoff (the i30). Because of that, it is smaller than a Civic or Elantra sedan, yet still carries the larger powertrain from that category of car. Luckily, because of its European roots, the GT has a spare tire, which is missing on all of Hyundai's other compact offerings.

That being said, the GT does feel like a more substantial car than the Fit. It's more powerful, is less noisy, but does drink more fuel. So if a solid road feel, quiet cabin, punchy acceleration, more refined ride, and a longer warranty for piece of mind are your priorities, than go for the Hyundai.

If you want more fuel efficiency, a more flexible cargo area, a better gearbox (if you choose a manual) and you park or drive in really tight spaces where every spare inch counts, than the Fit is the better choice.

It's a tough choice and both are good options. Just don't base your purchase solely on the promise of "Honda quality" though on the '15. The second gen, that you may be looking at, is built in Japan and seems to be troublefree and live up to Honda's reputation

 

No I agree, I would rather have unbiased answers despite it being a fit forum. I think I just need to drive them both as they are both seem like good buys. It's hard because my golf is such a fun car to drive, got it back about a week ago from the repairs and it seems as good as new. I feel like a manual fit would be almost as fun to drive with honda's transmission... but the road noise makes me leery. The golf does excel at highway speeds and I'm thinking the hyundai would too.

 

The best thing to do is try them on for size and take both for a spin. You can listen to everyone's experiences with either car, but what really matters is how you feel in them.

The Hyundai is going to feel the most Germanic, being a Euro-inspired model that wasn't really originally intended to be sold in the US. However, your VW was born and bred for the autobahn, and neither of these two cars were. The Hyundai will come closest to the stability, quietness, and solid feel of your car, but it's still not on the same par. There's just a solid bank vault solidity that the Germans can do that the Koreans and Japanese can't quite copy.

If you do like to shift, the Fit does beat the Hyundai hands down. It is one of the best shifters I've ever driven. The Elantra is decent, but just was too notchy and not slick enough for a car with the "GT" badge on it.

One of the things I love about VW's are the little, smart details, and both cars have them. The Fit knocks it out of the park for its back seat versatility, but I do have a soft spot for the GT's air conditioned glove box.

Just try them both and see how you like them. You'll like them both, but I do feel the GT will remind you more of your VW. Have you also considered the Focus hatch? It has very Germanic road manners, but is a lot more cramped than any of the cars you're looking at