It’s now been over a decade since the first little Honda Fit was released. When Honda first introduced it, the Fit captured the small, compact city car segment by storm. This unique supermini was perfect for the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Honda had finally found the ultimate one-size-fits-all recipe. Over the years Honda gave the Fit small upgrades here and there, but nothing too dramatic or significant. When the competition is so far back it’s easy to take a breather and relax a bit. Now though they’ve decided to further improve it with the 2018 Honda Fit, which introduces a host of new upgrades, making this year’s model the most appealing Fit ever made!
PERFORMANCE AND DRIVE
The 2018 Honda Fit is offered with only one engine – a 1.5L four cylinder outputting 130hp and 114 lb-ft of torque. It’s happy to rev its heart out, but since the car is so light it rarely requires full throttle. There’s plenty of torque to get moving at any speed, especially since the brilliant CVT is in charge of the gears. You can opt for a manual transmission, but I think the CVT suits the car’s character a lot more.
The nimble handling of the 2018 Honda Fit is a welcomed surprise for a vehicle that wasn’t directly designed to offer a sporty driving experience. The 2018 Fit’s low speed agility and go-kart like direct steering make it a pleasure to zip around town, while it’s compact size make for easy maneuvering in tight spaces.
For 2018 you can get the Honda Factory Performance (HFP) kit which gives you a couple of visual upgrades, including bespoke suspension which benefits handling without ruining ride comfort. I would recommend the upgrade for the added shift knob, floor mats and black wheels alone, but the tweaked suspension takes things over the top.
As expected, the compact Fit delivers excellent results on the fuel economy side of things, with a consumption of 7.0 L/100km in the city and 5.9 L/100km on the highway for the 2018 Honda Fit LX with a CVT.
EXTERIOR DESIGN
Honda is in a design sweet spot at the moment, with the perfect balance of sleekness and refinement as seen on the Civic and Accord. The new 2018 Fit uses the same corporate fascia found on other Honda models, but the square, sharp lines suit this little compact perfectly. The small wheelbase and short overhangs, the stubby, square-ish stance all come together creating an aggressive and sporty design. The front fascia compliments that beautifully, with sharp V-shaped headlights/grille.
While the same profile silhouette continues over from the last generation, the 2018 Fit’s is now much sharper and more focused. A large indented accent line runs alongside the top of the side panels, and accompanies a crease near the bottom of the doors. The rear is perhaps its most ordinary side, but that’s not a bad thing. It looks great even in base form, but with the optional wheels it becomes even somewhat sporty.
Most people get a Fit in black, white or silver, but this is supposed to be a fun little sub compact car, so I recommend going all out on the color choice. Be bold and get blue or green. It will make the car stand out more and you’ll definitely appreciate it each day you wake up to see it. If you want to take this theory one step further, then opt for the orange or yellow exterior because they really make an impression!
INTERIOR FUNCTIONALITY
The 2018 Honda Fit is available in many trim levels such as the DX, LX, Sport, EX and the flagship EX-L. While many of them will suit the majority of buyers just fine, it’s nice to have the variety to select the exact right features for your situation. Upgrading to the Sport will give you plenty of sporty styling upgrades, while the EX introduces a sunroof and push-button start. The top of the line EX-L adds leather upholstery and a few other perks.
The 2018 Honda Fit is not meant to be the most luxurious of cars out there, but it’s not what you’d call spartan, especially the EX-L model. The things that really matter however are well designed in all trim levels. The materials used are great, even the plastics which are soft. The build quality is second to none and you get the feeling that the 2018 Fit will far outlive you and several other generations after you. It’s that well-built, and anyone who’s ever been in one can testify to this.
It will comfortably sit four adults, or five on a shorter journey. Luggage space is limited as per the class of vehicle, but it’s still the segment benchmark. Not surprisingly, you have a ton of headroom thanks to its high structure. The seats themselves are comfortable and supportive, and the driving position is top-notch. The Fit’s versatility is top of its class as well with seats that fold, slide and recline in all kinds of positions to accommodate the most awkward sized cargo.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The 2018 Honda Fit remains the segment benchmark for a good reason. Several good reasons actually. It’s affordable, practical, economical, and a pleasure to drive. The reliability and ability to hold its value come with the Honda name tag as well as a stellar reputation and their wonderful customer service, because there isn’t a drive in the world who isn’t familiar with that by now.
