The 2007 Honda Fit

Rated by Car and Driver as Top 10 of 2007

It is no secret that I like Honda’s, and it is no secret that I think big tanks on the road are of no use. So when I started to read up on the Honda Fit I started to get pretty excited.

Here is what some of the experts are saying…

According to Car and Driver…. ” the Fit raises the bar for small-car expectations. Not only is it endowed with an impressive array of standard features and an upscale interior, but its dynamics rival the responses of cars with much fancier pedigrees and price tags. As an example, the Fit that ran away with our econocar comparo last year [“Cheap Skates,” C/D, May 2006] posted a lane-change number — 71.4 mph — that edges the best run by the Ferrari F430 Spider F1 we tested last June [“Divine Wind”].

A car with 109 horsepower won’t generate acceleration measurable on the Ferrari and Corvette scales. But it does run up attractive fuel-economy numbers — 33 city, 38 highway, per the EPA. Factor that in with affordability (one F430 equals 11-plus Fits), room for four adults, exceptional cargo adaptability with sports-car agility, and you have an econobox with a unique appeal. Here’s one small-scale urbocar we can imagine folks driving not only because they can afford to, but also because they want to.

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon

BASE PRICE: $14,445

ENGINE TYPE: SOHC 16-valve 1.5-liter inline-4
Power (SAE net): 109 bhp @ 5800 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 105 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

TRANSMISSIONS: 5-speed auto, 5-speed auto with manumatic shifting, 5-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 96.5 in
Length: 157.4 in
Width: 66.2 in
Height: 60.0 in
Curb weight: 2500–2550 lb

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city driving: 31–33 mpg

Car and Driver aren’t the only ones with rave reviews. Edmunds boasts “Fun to Drive”…. The 2007 Honda Fit is a triumph of creativity, proof that good ideas don’t have to be expensive. Within the Lilliputian dimensions of this five-door hatchback is a world of imagination that knows few limits. It seats four comfortably (five in a pinch), offers great fuel economy (above 33 mpg), and is as easy to live with as your best friend.

Let’s daydream for a moment about a world where all the cars are like this little Honda. Picture highways with traffic that flows freely. Imagine twice the number of open parking spaces. And best of all, see gas stations with tumbling fuel prices. That may be a coming attraction if the world catches on to the benefits of small cars.

That’s what I am talking about!