2008 Honda Fit Overview
The appeal of the Honda Fit has always been its clever seating choices giving loads of cargo space, roomy interior and very reasonable price. You don’t always need to overspend to get what you want. The 2008 Honda Fit delivers and well within budget. The 2008 Honda Fit has the same superb cargo/seating configuration choices as last year's model with a slightly improved fuel economy rating. It now has a combined rating of 42 mpg. In size, this subcompact is just a tiny bit smaller than the Honda Civic sedan but offers more cargo space.
For drivability, it is hard to beat the 2008 Honda Fit. Small, easy to maneuver, easy to park and just plain fun to drive, the Fit is great for most drivers. It’s not big on power but offers sporty handling and quick cornering.
The Honda Fit is ideal for busy people with busy lives. The hatchback design makes it ideal for many different activities and a variety of different types of people. Everyone from singles to families will love jaunting around town in this flexible and functional and yet still a pleasure to drive vehicle.
Exterior
The Honda Fit has a sporty look to match its speed on the road. It was completely updated in 2007 with no changes for 2008. After all why fix what works so brilliantly. It’s tiny but intelligent with superb looks and aerodynamic design. A highly functional vehicle, the exterior is easy on the eyes and easily matches the spiffy fun loving interior. The Fit Sport offers a body-colored underbody kit and for some extra pizzaz, a rear roofline spoiler.
Now available in the colors of Blaze Orange Metallic, and Storm Silver Metallic, there is a color that is sure to put a smile on your face. Not only that but the Honda Fit is still one of the lowest priced vehicles on the market for its size and what it offers.
Under the hood of the Fit Dx is a 109-hp 1.5 liter four-cylinder engine paired to a five-speed manual transmission. Additional features include electric power steering, front disc/rear drum brakes with ABS technology. There is no shortage of airbags having dual front, side, and curtain airbags. The Interior offers 160 watt AM/FM single CD stereo with two speakers and an auxiliary jack. There is a title steering wheel for easy driving, power windows, split 60/40 rear folding seat and ‘Magic Seats,’ a unique aspect to the Fit. This popular car was hard to keep in stock last year at $13,950 and with a new ‘look’ coming in 2009 it’s liable to stay as one of the top sellers.
Interior
The 2008 Honda Fit is surprisingly ‘big’ for a small car. It offers enough space to easily get in and out of the vehicle for driver, front passenger and even the rear seat passengers. The vehicle can easily hold four full size adults and there is sufficient headroom for the six foot adults in your group. There is a middle rear seat for this five-person passenger vehicle but it’s quite small. There is a three-point seatbelt and head restraint if the center seat is required. It's an ideal space for a child but will hold an adult if necessary.
The cargo space is impressive with the Fit’s unique ‘magic seats.’ These seats can be folded in four different ways allowing for excellent utility space configurations. The first configuration, called the 'tall object mode,' allows for items up to 50 inches to be loaded behind the front seats. The ‘long object mode’ folds the front right seat and the back right seat flat and allows an item 94.5 inches long to be loaded. The ‘refresh mode’ allows the right rear passengers to stretch out comfortably, which is good for the driver who needs a nap on long trips.
Even with the seats in their normal seating position, the cargo area holds 21.3 cu. Ft.
Safety Features
The 2008 Honda Fit carries impressive safety features for the low pricing. Of particular importance for a small car like this is the use of side and curtain airbags for protection against side impacts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) testing gave the vehicle five stars for the driver and front passenger in frontal crash tests. The Fit was awarded five stars for the front passenger in side crash tests. However, one area of concern is that the rear passenger only received a three star rating.
Standard safety equipment includes:
| • 4-wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS) w/electronic brake distribution (EBD)
|
| • Driver & front passenger dual stage, dual threshold airbags (SRS)
|
| • Driver & front passenger side airbags w/passenger seat occupant position detection system (OPDS)
|
| • Side curtain airbags
|
| • 3-point seatbelts in all seating positions w/front automatic tensioning system & adjustable seat belt anchors
|
| • Outboard lower anchors & tethers for children (LATCH)
|
| • Child proof rear door locks
|
| • Side-impact door beams
|
By: Dale Mayer, Autotropolis
2008 Honda Fit Numbers at a Glance
|
|
Starting MSRP:
| 2008 Honda Fit 5dr HB Man: $13,950.00
|
| 2008 Honda Fit 5dr HB Auto: $14,750.00
|
| 2008 Honda Fit 5dr HB Man Sport: $15,270.00
|
| 2008 Honda Fit 5dr HB Auto Sport: $16,070.00
|
..............................................................................................
Base Technical Specifications:
| SAE Net Torque @ RPM: 105 @ 4800
|
| Engine Order Code:
|
| SAE Net Horsepower @ RPM: 109 @ 5800
|
| Fuel System: MPFI
|
| Engine Type: Gas I4
|
| Displacement: 1.5L/91.4
|
|
| 
