The Honda Fit: A practical compact car with unique features

The Honda Fit, which replaced the Jazz nameplate in South Africa offers an effortless driving experience with efficient and responsive performance as well as the option of a hybrid model which compliments its class leading levels of interior comfort and usability.

When redesigning the Fit, Honda’s engineers focused on a new design philosophy, based on the Japanese notion of Yoo ni bi, which recognises the beauty that exists in everyday items, which have been perfected over time to make them even more appealing and ergonomically satisfying to use for their specific purposes.

During the design process Honda’s engineers completely reimagined the Fit from the ground up and in the process created an all-new city car that combines exceptional efficiency with outstanding everyday usability and in that way makes it ready to meet the needs of modern consumers.

Clean, minimalist interior

The same design philosophy continues in the clean, minimalist interior which combines utility, practicality and functionality in a simple ergonomic cabin. Durable, soft-touch materials are used throughout the cabin adding to the well-designed yet practical offering.

With usability at the core of the design decisions, the central HMI nine-inch touchscreen, which is standard on Elegance and Executive grades and seven-inch full TFT instrument cluster which is standard across the range is easy to use. The system interface is navigated using familiar smartphone-style usability, with swipe controls. The comprehensive suite of built-in apps can be supplemented by smartphone mirroring via wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Ultra-thin A-pillars improve horizontal visibility, while hidden windscreen wipers and a flat dashboard offer an unobstructed view and allow natural light to flow into the cabin, creating a sense of spaciousness for occupants and giving the interior a bright, open feel.

The practicality of the Fit remains a big part of its appeal, luggage capacity is as much as 309 litres and increases to an impressive 1210 litres with the rear seats folded down.

The positioning of the fuel tank in the centre of the chassis beneath the front seats is unique in its class and enables the Fit to retain the exceptionally versatile rear Magic Seat configuration that offers both fold-flat or flip-up seat flexibility, offering optimum versatility to accommodate cargo of various shapes and sizes. The overall design also allows for a wider tailgate opening and new stepless flat floor that facilitates the easy loading of bulky items.

Under the bonnet

The traditionally powered Fit utilises a 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine generating a power output of 89kW at 6 600rpm and 145Nm at 4 300rpm and Honda claims that it uses just 5,5 litres per 100km.

With the introduction of the all-new Fit, Honda are re-entering the local hybrid market. The drivetrain offering includes a e:HEv system that consists of two compact, powerful electric motors connected to a 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine, a lithium-ion battery and innovative fixed-gear transmission resulting in a total power output of 80kW and 253Nm while using just 3,7 litres per 100km. 

Find out more about how to drive more fuel efficiently here.

As safe as it is practical

The all-new Fit incorporates a variety of premium active and passive safety features that make driving safer and easier.

The basis of this technology is Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure technology which comprises a network of connected structural elements which distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. Occupants are protected by six airbags.

Enhanced Honda Sensing active safety technology, which is fitted exclusively to the Fit Hybrid offers a broad range of driver assistance features as standard including the Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation and Auto High-Beam.

Find out more about the Honda Fit's safety features here.

Conclusion

The Honda Fit is a compact car that punches well above its weight in all areas including safety, practicality and efficiency thanks to a number of unique features. These features are combined with the choice of two innovative drivetrains that offer unique performance advantages while being extremely frugal and these factors all combine to create a car that will meet the needs and usage requirements of a wide variety of motorists.

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