2007 Honda Fit - Review

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1999 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible

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1999 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24

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Honda really made its name in the U.S. with the little Civic hatchback in the ’70s, which later grew to be a well-rounded family of sedans, wagons, hatches, and coupes; but recently there’s been a notable absence of hatches in Honda’s car lineup. The Civic has gradually grown into a larger size and price class than it was originally placed into, and the Gen-Xers who slammed Civics and arguably started the aftermarket craze in the ’90s now have kids and family gear in tow. And the Civic’s clearly aimed at an older crowd now; Honda brought the last-generation Civic here in low-volume Si trim, and the automaker has no plans to bring the stunning four-door hatch version of the current Civic to U.S. shores.

This leaves a gap in the market that, with small cars and hatchbacks on a bit of a comeback, otherwise amounts to a loss of young, entry-level buyers to brands like Kia/Hyundai, Toyota/Scion, and others. So Honda is bringing in a new entry-level model, a tall little hatchback called the Fit.

Due to dealerships beginning later this month, the Fit is about three inches narrower and 19 inches shorter than the current Civic. But it’s not really that small; the Fit is about seven inches taller, seven inches wider, and 18 inches longer than the original 1973 Civic. But it’s about the same size, all around, as the Civic “Wagovan” of the late ’80s and early ’90s.