Hey everyone, did a search and didn't really find all the answers I need.

I bought a Fit Sport about 5 days ago and with only 100 miles on the clock, I KNOW I made the right decision getting this car (I do 320 mile trips to work and back).

The GF likes the car very much too. Her pos Focus Wagon is paid for (so it's cheap) and was going to hold off getting a new car til Dec when she graduates nursing school. But with the current 0.9% financing, I offered to get her a Fit like mine or a Civic EX and I'd make the payments until January when she starts bring home some bacon. Fwiw, she doesn't require any of the benefits the Fit's hatch and cargo-ability has to offer.

My questions are basically for any of you who have owned/own or have experience with the new Civics......(Sedan)

-Are there any areas where the Civic is better? (MPG, Ride, Road/Wind Noise, etc)?

-Are there any reasons you guys can think of that would make it completly stupid to get a Civic EX instead of a 2nd Fit Sport?

-Any reasons you guys think that would make it smarter to have a Fit and Civic combo in the garage?

Her car would be for mostly around town, but I could envision us using the Civic for any long road trips where the 'possible' better ride and less road noise and possible better mpg might make it a better over the road car.

The insurance rate is the same so I'm just looking for any and all reasons you guys can give me for chossing one car ove rthe other.

Thx

 

lets see... the civic has more horses, more torque, more comfortable, quieter, better seats, matches the fits mpg (or a bit worse depending on how you drive), a tad bit more room for people hauling, bigger fuel tank (less often fill ups).

the downsides are, more expensive, looks and handles boring, everyone has one, doesn't have noticeable amount of more interior space than that of the fit.

it's really just personal preference as I was looking at the civic ex and the civic si when searching for a new car.

i came to the conclusion that the civic ex is too much money for what it is and i have heard from si owners that the transmission has problems down the road.

for about $20,500 for the ex and the si for about $21,400 (the prices that was agreed on with the dealers when i was out searching) i just couldnt get over the boring and aging body work and design of the 8th gen civic. the fit on the other hand looks quirky, aggressive, cute all at the same time and the car was so fun to drive.

i lurked through fitfreak and found out all the positives and negatives of the fit before i made my decision to buy a fit over the two civics i initially had in mind. i do wish the fit had some si power at times but, the fit wins in all categories of handling and fun behind the wheel.

i bought my fit for $17,000 out the door and my insurance rates lowered and my gas expenses decreased.

civic or fit, both are great reliable cars with low maintenance and overall ownership cost.

with all the money im saving on gas and routine maintenance i can add value to my fit's fun factor by modifying areas which will make the fit more enjoyable. once im done with working on my fit ill save up for a weekender such as an sti or s2000.

 

All good info......thanks.

I guess you're right, the cars are so similar (save for styling/hatch back) that it would boil down to her overall preference. The Si isn't an option for her, btw.

-When are people saying their auto trans is crapping out? Within the Warranty, hopefully?
-Is it safe to say the Civic is any more "refined"?

Not that the Fit is unrefined, but if the Civic is a little more of a Cadillac (pardon the comparison, but you know what I mean), the Civic may be the better choice for her.

Luckily, however, if I told her right now "I'm going to go pick up a Fit in the color of your choice," I think she'd be pretty 'Jazzed.' I just want to make sure I pick her up the better option for her.

 

I guess i didnt really emphasize when i was speaking of the transmission issue.

the civic si's 6spd mt would pop out of gear at times and this is the issue i didnt want to deal with later.

can't really say civic is more or less refined than the fit. i would think the civic is more comfort oriented than the fit though. if your test drove both cars back to back the civic feels like a cruiser(your comparison to caddy is spot on) compared to the fit's ride and handling.

one more thing, I really didnt feel for the center console and the rest of the dash in the civic.

you really should take your girl out to the dealership and have her molest the hell out of both the fit and the civic so she can get a feeling for what she likes and prefer. i love my fit to death but, some people would appreciate the small difference in the civic than that of the fit and vice versa.

 

That all makes sense and Thanks! Just one last question:

In your reading and research, did you find there WERE any issues with the auto trans on the new Civics?

Otherwise, I think I know what direction I'll be going...........

Thx again dude!

 

the civic's auto transmission is smooth and just as reliable as the fit's. I have never had any problems with mine and have never heard of any of my 7 friends that drive a variety of civic trims with automatic transmission having any problems.

good luck with your purchase!

 

Thanks man, you've been a good help..........time to deal!

 

A few plusses to the Civic:

- Lower seat height (though it's still rather high compared to older Hondas, even the SI seat feels like it's a bit high at its lowest setting)
- Fully enclosed, lockable trunk; secure valuables if you have to give it to a valet, leave it at the shop, etc.
- Smoother suspension (classic Honda double-wishbones in the rear instead of a Chevy Aveo-style twist-beam), better highway tracking and ride due to longer wheelbase.
- No handling trade-off for extra comfort:
+ Edmunds tested the current gen Civic in 2006 at .79g's, Fit at .78g's
+ No Consumer Reports emergency maneuver speed (54 mph vs 53 in the Fit... note that this isn't a huge difference; the Pilot maxed out at 47.5, and the Mini Cooper S at 57.5, just for reference on opposite ends of the spectrum)
- Civic available in Coupe form (I like coupes more than sedans... I don't care if rear access is easier... I like being able to look to the side and not see pillar, and have the door armrest come back far enough for my elbow).
- Moonroof. Always wanted a moonroof, and I finally got a car with one. I don't know that I'll ever own one without it again.
- I would say more comfortable seating position, but Honda goofed it up on this generation, with a handbrake designed to jab you in the leg. Still, the seats are a good bit more comfortable.

Other than that, it's mostly a matter of taste. Everyone else will fill you in on the reasons to buy a Fit. I found the Fit uncomfortable in the long run, but it seems tailored to shorter drivers, and your girlfriend probably isn't over 6' tall.

 

Thx boys for the info. Although I totally love my new Fit Sport, I went ahead and bought the GF a Civic EX sedan. I know it's not an exciting car, but we both really like it for what it is, and when you factor in the deal I got plus 0.9% financing, it was a slam dunk. Plus we found one in White and I think the color sharpens the Civic up a bit. I drove it home 200 miles from Phoenix and I like it quite a bit (still like my Fit better tho).

Can anyone here recommend a similar forum to this one for Civics? It needs to be a pretty active forum, if you don't mind.

THX

 

8thcivic.com is the forum I use.

 

I had a Fit and now drive a Civic. The Fit I miss and wish I had both. The Civic gets a little better mpg in the summer but the Fit gave me better mpg in the winter. The Fit handles better and had more fun driving it. The Civic has more power and because its a little wider it stays in the ruts on the road better. That might have been because the Fit had wider tires.

 

I definitely like them both. If I was choosing ONE car for me, it would be a really tough choice for sure. I guess the Fit would win based on styling alone. Here's the new Civic I bought her:

 

Thx TurboMan, I'll check that out. I'm assuming my Civic is the 8th gen and that forum is specific to those?

 

sweet... taffeta white FTW!!!

 

Yes sir 2006-2011 Civics are 8th gens.