Hey guys, glad to have found this forum!

My 2004 Civic DX Auto is going to be turned in next month when its lease is up. I am really interested in buying a new Fit Sport Auto (wife doesn't drive a manual tranny).

It certainly seems that over the last 15 years the Accord has moved upscale in the market, the Civic has moved up to where the Accord was maybe 10-15 years ago, and the Fit was introduced to be in the market where the Civic once was.

This will be a second car, used 90% of the time for one person commutes to work. My main interests are gas mileage and reliability.

The Fit and Civic seem very close in price and gas mileage. Here's my big question, why should I get the Fit over the Civic? The versatility of the Fit's interior does seem like a big plus.

All insights and advice much appreciated, thanks in advance!

Chris

 

"The Fit and Civic seem very close in price and gas mileage. Here's my big question, why should I get the Fit over the Civic?"

My 2004 Civic VP was totalled in August, and I replaced it with a SSM Fit Sport on Oct. 20. I looked at the new Civics, but the DX trim had no AC, no radio, pretty much bare-bones wheels and an engine for about the same money as the fancy-shmancy do-dadded up Fit Sport. And the EX was more than I wanted to pay for a radio and AC

I'm not much for fancy-shmancy do-dads, but AC and a radio are staff-of-life basics here in the wilds of Iowa. The last car I bought without AC or radio was a '92 Festiva, and it cost about $8k brand-spanking new.

Not a very technical or performance-oriented answer, but you should get the Fit over the Civic because you really will get more for your money.

 

The '07 Civic Coupe is a real "Looker"! IMHO there are few better looking cars at any price, BUT... the Fit is probably an easier car to "live" with because of the utility of the interior space.

Four Adults can travel in the fit in realtive comfort with over 21 Cu. Ft. of cargo. There aren't many vehicles that can do that!.

If you go shopping and have large boxes, the Fit with it's fold down seats and low tail gate will make getting them home much easier. You can probably get an nice size tree in the Fit with the passenger seat down. It's like Santa's sleigh, it can carry almost anything.

It really is hard to beat the space available in the fit without buying a SUV and spending $10k more. I almost forgot, you get 32 ish mpg if you just relax and travel with traffic rather than trying to be the first car at the next red light.

The Civic is prettier and probably faster but if you owned BOTH, over time the car that you would probably drive the most would probably be the FIT.

Both Honda's are great cars and excellent choices, it just depends what you want and how you will use the car.

 

Thanks very much guys, I appreciate it.

 

The fit has better mileage than the new civics, but slightly less mileage than my bro's 97 civic. But the fit is way faster, bigger, nicer inside, and much more useful.

 

I actually like the looks of the fit better. I really love hatches.

I think the technical term for people like me is "weird." :)

 

Not at all, I like them too. :D

 

 

I'm getting older and don't want to "lean back" in the civic seats. At 6' 2" +, I can sit up straight in the Fit.

The civics with features have a sunroof which reduces the headroom for me ( messes up my hair :-)

Also like the features etc.

 

MORE SPACE! for both people and cargo..can't go wrong there.
The Fit does a slalom faster than a corvette ZO6 (according to C&D) ..so that's kewl right?

 

Wow, that's good to know. I had no idea there was that much room!

 

I have both FIT sport AT and 2006 Civic EX 4 door sedan AT.

Gas mileage
Both are fairly close when driving automatic transmission- real world numbers for both about 32 mpg for mixed urban and highway travel. Slight edge to the FIT for longer drives about 36+ mpg. Civic does have the hybrid version but it's $4700 more than the Civic LX sedan.

Reliability
Civic is new for 2006, FIT has been out in the world as the Jazz for 5 years. Both are fairly new to the US at this time, expect similar reliability.

One person commuting
Civic is more luxury, looks nicer, but is more conservatively styled.
FIT is more spacious especially in the back seat, has a better stereo than either the CIVIC EX or LX, and can get a little better mpg and is fun to drive.

Other considerations
Check on availability in your area- Civics are easy to find except for the Si. FITs are hard to find and often will sell for at or above MSRP with limited selection of colors. Civics go for about MSRP or slightly under except for the Hybrid or Si models which can go for slightly more.
Alot depends on demand in your area. In my area the Civic LX 4 door sedan with AT is the best value and is similar in price to the FIT sport AT based on MSRP. But in my area the FIT sport is selling for $2500-$3000 over MSRP so now you get to compare it with the Civic EX sedan.

FIT advantages-
Very versatile for people moving or storage/hauling. Very safe. Good visibility except for the back C pillar. Has better handling than the standard Civic sedan and is more agile and fun to drive. Trunk is larger.

Comes with paddle shifters (but no stereo controls on the steering wheel) when ordering the AT.

Civic sedan advantages-
Many body styles- you didn't mention if you were looking at 2 door vs 4 door. Styling is better with the 2 door coupe but doors are then larger and heavier and the rear seating access is poor and cargo is decreased. For performance the Civic Si in 2 or 4 door is both in demand and costs more.

Only with the EX sedan do you get split foldable read seat back, rear cupholders and rear armrest. You also get the power sunroof- not available with the FIT

 

For me it came down to cargo hauling, headroom, ability to recycle my Spoon rims (4x100 lug pattern), fuel economy and compactness - the Civic is fuel efficient but is no longer compact. The Fit is compact but roomy on the inside.

 

They make it easy for us in Australia. The Civic is a sedan and the Fit / Jazz a hatch. So if you want a sedan you buy one and a hatch you buy the other.

 

So, you guys don't get the Honda City?
That's probably good cause it's pretty darn ugly....

 

As of this post EVRYONE out there has a Civic....how many Fit's have you seen on the road lately? Very few. Be Different - Have a Fit!

 

I can park the fit way easier in the city than the civic. Also have a tighter turning radius... (I think...)

Sit up higher and closer to the front bumber, another plus for city driving. The bad part is, is that if someone is tapping their foot... it literally shakes the car.

 

One Word: Hatchback.

Fit has it, Civic doesn't.(in the US) That did it for me.

 

side by side, i like the way my Fit looks over my sis-in-laws Civic.

Advantage Fit for real world flexibility. Fit also is more fun to drive than the Civic, with the exception of the Si of course.

 

Went to Alberta (from Montreal) 10,000 km for 3 weeks this summer with my Fit. I go back for sure in Fit next year ! I really love my MT Red Fit.