Test Drove 2012 Kia Rio...
 

The specs look real good for the car...

Other threads...
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...ooks-good.html

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/off-...oks-sweet.html

But driving the car wasn't as fun as the Fit. It also had cheap jumpy factory tires like our car. But the biggest problem was the rear visibility (and overall visibility). The mirrors were heated, blink and fold in electrically, but they were a weird small triangle shape that made me keep looking for traffic.

While our car is almost like a fishbowl, the Kia has two large rear pillars that surely would create blindspots. They try and overcome this with a rear backup camera, but I want to see behind me more often than just backing up.

The engine seemed peppy. It wasn't the ISG (Idle Stop and Go) model, which the saleman told me wouldn't be out until summer (if you can believe anything from a salesman). The car cornered nicely and the bells and whistles were impressive.

One thing many people complain with the Fit is that the driver's door arm rest isn't very comfortable. This is probably because it is at the wrong height. In the Rio even though it was roughly the same material I found myself resting my left arm on the rest and steering the car with my hand between the 7-8 o'clock position. This seemed to be the most comfortable position.

But in my Fit and most of my other cars, I rest my elbow on the top of the door and steer with my left hand at the 10 o'clock position. The door sill was too high for this to be anything but awkward in the Rio.

The USB port for the stereo was right in the dash, which I kind of like. Seems clunky to change out my USB drives now in the Honda. The stereo sounded off, I tried changing the fader front to back and the bass, midrange and treble, but never received a sound I really liked.

Did not seem to have as many cupholders and such.

They only had the mid-level model on hand. It also had a right hand console and arm rest for the driver that was comfortable.

The dash for all the bells and whistles was still fairly clean, but the top of the dash looked kind of plain, like every other car a uniform gently sloping shape. It also had a more normal sized windshield, which I thought I would like, but driving it, I wished it was bigger. Although it had two normal sized wipers rather than a giant wiper and a tiny wiper that our cars have. Too bad the Fit designers don't take the great Civic wiper design and put it on our cars.

Driving the Fit made me want it more. Driving the Rio made me want it less-a lot less.

My daughter turned 16 in December, and by the time she is 17 will have her license and want to be driving full time, and I bought the Fit with the idea I would give it to her when she is ready.

I will have to go test drive the 2012 Fit, but without some of the improvements we hoped it would have (other than sound deadening) I am not that excited. Even if a major redesign happens for 2013, and spurred on by the Rio and others, Honda adds more of the stuff we want, it will be made in Mexico instead of Japan.

Very nice review! Thanks for posting it.

maybe on the 3rd gen Fit, honda will add more hp and improve its mpg...

Well...
 

Doesn't matter...they are going to build it in Mexico for the US market...

Good post. Go test drive a '12 Fit and let us know what you think. I like the looks and the interior seems to be upgraded in color.

nice review, blackbeard. :)

i suppose their biggest selling point is their warranty...(?) something to look at if your daughter's going to be using the car through
college and maybe a few years after getting her new job. 6-7yrs.

i know but aren't they gonna put some quality control?
which would you choose china or mexico?

It's true indeed. The design could compete with the fit the the inside quality may have a huge difference although there's nothing to question when it comes to performance since it was as well appreciated by folks. This could be the recommended vehicle for those who can't afford to have those hybrids out there.