2007 Honda Fit

Brian Early

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

When it originally entered the automotive marketplace, Honda was known as the manufacturer of small, quirky cars.

There was the CVCC engine, engineered to meet tightening emissions standards but without a catalytic converter.

Later, Honda somehow incorporated a compact but sophisticated double wishbone front suspension into the Civic.

In the '90s, Honda would effectively predict the rear seat design of nearly every future minivan when it stowed the third row of seats in its '95 Odyssey tall wagon in the floor.

The Fit is the latest Honda to carry the mantle of innovation.

Although the little five-door was new here just last year, it has been around since 2001 elsewhere in the world.

The Fit's novel design idea is the location of its fuel tank, which resides under the floor beneath the front seats, instead of below the rear seats, as in most modern cars.

This allows for a lower, longer footwell area in the back seat.

As well, the rear perches not only have split, flat-folding seatbacks, but also bottom cushions that can be folded vertically.

This manoeuvre opens up a storage area between the two rows that's more than 120 cm tall – ideal for potted plants or even a bike.

The cargo area floor is fairly low and deep, so there's room for a week's worth of groceries even with the seats in place.

Pity, however, that there's no provision for a cargo shelf to create a second tier.

Nor does the Fit come with a cargo blind to conceal your valuables (it's available as an accessory).

If having the fuel tank directly beneath you is a worry, consider the amount of attention given by any automaker to protecting the front seat area and its occupants; it's likely the strongest part of the car.

Fit's Tardis-like interior space means its entire underbody is pretty low.

I bottomed my tester's midriff while (slowly) traversing a particularly nasty restaurant driveway.

The fuel tank – which is protected by a thick plastic shield and one of the unibody's structural rails – emerged unscathed.

This is not, however, a car into which you'd want to install lowering springs. As it is, the factory springs are quite stiff, providing an almost choppy ride that definitely favours sporty feel over comfort.

More suspension travel would help.

My Fit's otherwise sharp steering felt vague at around 80-to-100 km/h, yet the little Honda remained steady and planted, even at elevated highway speeds.

Its relatively tiny 14-inch Dunlops were asymmetrical like many high-performance tires, and they stuck better than their size might suggest.

The chassis's manners are in keeping with the Fit's youthful persona. The attractive backlit gauges feature an 8000 rpm tachometer.

Dimpled surfaces found throughout the cabin add to its modern and contemporary look.

Sure, there are some places where the cost-cutting is pretty obvious. This car has a base price starting under $15,000 after all, slotting in below the larger Civic in Honda's model range.

You will have to ask yourself, "Can I live without a locking glovebox? How about a passenger side vanity mirror? Map lights?"

Honda does provide power windows, an auxiliary audio jack and a rear wiper as standard features.

And all Fits, even the base models, come with six airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners and ABS.

Five-star frontal (from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and "good" frontal and side impact ratings (U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) are the result.

On paper the Fit's 109 hp 1.5 L L-series engine seems a bit underwhelming.

But when matched with the light and accurate five-speed manual (as was my bright Milano Red tester), it works quite well, offering decent acceleration and respectable economy. I saw 7.4 L/100 km despite my heavy-handed driving style.

A five-speed automatic – unusual in this class – is also available.

The Fit is proof that subcompact cars need not be dull-handling penalty boxes with creaky windup windows and poorly-executed construction.

Clever, versatile and enjoyable to drive, the Fit may not be the least expensive in its class.

But it is a convincing all-rounder with plenty of merit.

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