2009 Fit
Honda Fit at the 2009 LA Auto Show
Last weekend my friends and I went to the LA Auto Show to check out the new cars for 2009. I was particularly interested in some of the new Hondas like the CR-Z (I’m guessing they went straight from -X to -Z because -Y would’ve made it the CR-Y and that just sounds weak). One of the cars getting the most attention though was the Fit. This was actually the first time that I’d seen the new model closeup and while I didn’t feel like waiting to sit down in it, I did check out the interior and was impressed. The integrated navigation system is very clean, additions like cub holders in the dash and armrests were practical, and like I’ve said since it came out, the exterior modifications are also very nice. I wasn’t too fond of the purple color this model was shown in, but that’s just me.
Honda Fit Best Selling Car in Japan for 11th Month in a Row
For the 11th straight month, the Honda Fit has ranked as the best selling compact car in Japan.
Up 52% in September, the Honda fit has sold 16,350 units, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said in a release today. Toyota Motor Corp.’s Corolla ranked second with 12,176 vehicles sold, and the Vitz took third with 9,972 sold.
Demand for Honda’s Fit and the new Freed minivan boosted the Tokyo-based company’s domestic sales, excluding minicars, by 12 percent in the fiscal first half. The Fit, revamped last October, helped Honda defy the industry’s 2.9 percent drop to the lowest level in 34 years.
Japan’s first-half auto sales slumped to 1.54 million vehicles as rising unemployment and decade-high inflation sapped demand for new vehicles.
Here is a ranking of the top 10 Japanese subcompact’s for September:
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No. Model
1. Honda Fit
2. Toyota Corolla
3. Toyota Vitz
4. Honda Freed
5. Mazda Demio
6. Nissan Tiida
7. Nissan Serena
8. Toyota Prius
9. Nissan Note
10. Toyota Passo
——————–
Bloomberg.com Comes Down on the Honda Fit
Unlike the LA times and many recent publications that seem to have a glowing review of the new Honda Fit, Jason Harper from Bloomberg.com didn’t seem to like it quite as much. Harper states that people might take the many positive reviews that the car has been receiving as an indication that it’s a “refined and grown-up sort of car.” Harper thinks it isn’t.
He said that in his 400 mile test drive the meek 117hp engine struggles up hills and while the chassis has been stiffened in the 2009 model there is still significant body roll through turns. Harper states that the seats are cheap, uncomfortable and don’t offer proper lumbar support, the interior looks cheap and overall he thinks the car is ugly. While the “ugly” is just an opinion, he’s right about most of his complaints, although he *is* talking about a $16k car.
The article didn’t only have bad things to say about the Fit though. Harper liked the cabin and cargo space, the large windows with no blind spots, navigation system and other amentities that have made the car so popular.
Read the full article on Bloomberg.com.
A Look at the Physical Differences Between the 2008 and 2009 Honda Fit
The physical changes between model years 2008 and 2009 of the Honda Fit might be minor at first glance, but when viewed side-by-side, they become much more apparent. Wheel size went from an optional 15″ to 16″, the body became more curvaceous, while at the same time looking more aggressive with a profile similar to the honda si hatchback from a couple of years ago. Personally I love the changes they made, especially when looking at the car front-on, but to each their own. -kent
The 2009 Honda Fit!
Looks like Honda has created a new site for the 2009 Honda Fit. Check it out here.
As a recent 2008 Fit owner, I’m a bit saddened that I no longer have the new hotness, but honestly I think I prefer the look of the older Fit over the 2009. I do wish the satellite linked navigation and iPod controls were an option when I bought, but I’ve been eyeing the Pioneer Avic F700BT, which should do everything the stock Honda Sat Nav system does and a lot more.
One interesting thing to note is that it appears Honda has squeezed a little more horsepower out of the going from the somewhat underpowered 109HP to a more average 117HP.
…and Honda has apparently abandoned the “Fit is Go” campaign, now going with a comic book inspired campaign. That bums me out a little bit. Sadface.