Honda fit review in Kenya

Revolutionary spaciousness and ease of use are reasons why it is a bestseller

The Fit is Honda’s compact car that debuted in 2001. This is a model that embodies Honda’s “MM philosophy (man maximum/mechanical minimum)” of “maximizing space for people and minimizing mechanisms”. The symbol of this idea is Honda’s unique center tank layout, which places the fuel tank in the center of the body. Thanks to this layout, the Fit has become a best-selling model, with a top-class interior space among compact cars and a variety of seat arrangements that rival minivans.

The third generation that overcame repeated recalls

The current third-generation Fit was launched in 2013. It inherited the spacious interior space and user-friendliness of the center tank layout that has continued since the first generation. For the third generation, a gasoline car and a hybrid car equipped with Honda’s original system were set. However, immediately after its introduction, the elaborately designed transmission control system of the hybrid vehicle backfired, resulting in numerous recalls. The image down was quite good, but now we are firmly taking measures. And in June 2017, we made a major improvement, and this time we will introduce the appeal of the refreshed fit.

Added trendy LED headlights and striking interior colors

The first is the interior and exterior design. The front and rear bumper designs have been changed, resulting in a low center of gravity and wide exterior design. In-line type LED headlights are used for the headlights to emphasize sportiness and innovation.

For the interior, we adopted interior colors that make the character of the grade stand out, such as setting the “Premium Brown Interior” using materials that have the texture and feel of genuine leather in the “Hybrid L Honda Sensing”.

In addition, the audio system has been updated by supporting “Apple Carplay” and “Android Auto”, which allows you to play music and operate map applications using the navigation screen or voice by connecting a smartphone such as iPhone or Android to the USB. It is planned.

Enhanced body rigidity and improved comfort through the adoption of sound-insulating glass

The pursuit of quality extends not only to design, but also to driving performance. Reinforcements have been added to the body itself to strengthen the rigidity of the car body, and improvements such as optimizing the suspension dampers have realized a more solid ride. In addition, quietness has been improved by adopting a sound-insulating front window glass.

Equipped with a 1.3L, 1.5L in-line 4-cylinder gasoline engine. And the 1.5L + motor hybrid system called “Sports Hybrid i-DCD” has been modified in detail, and the hybrid car has improved fuel efficiency to 37.2km / L in JC08 mode fuel efficiency.

Attention is focused on the enhancement of advanced safe driving support devices

And the most important thing in this improvement is the enhancement of safety equipment. Honda’s safe driving support system “Honda Sensing”, which was installed in high-end models such as Odyssey and Legend, is standard equipment in many grades of gasoline and hybrid vehicles. Honda Sensing is a system that recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle using two different devices, a millimeter-wave radar and a monocular camera, and supports safe and comfortable driving and accident avoidance by controlling the brakes and steering when necessary.

What is installed in the Fit is adaptive that follows the preceding vehicle on the highway, including collision mitigation braking (CMBS) that recognizes pedestrians as well as vehicles and activates warnings and automatic braking when there is a risk of collision. It is the latest version equipped with 8 functions such as cruise control.

Smooth and quiet running that you can feel when you ride

What happens when you actually ride it? The grade I test drove this time is “Hybrid L Honda Sensing” with premium brown interior specification. When I started the car, the first thing I noticed was how quiet it was. Since it is a hybrid car, it starts running with a motor, but even the whistling sound peculiar to the motor hardly enters the car. The control of the transmission’s 7-speed DCT has also been changed, resulting in even smoother acceleration. The test ride was conducted mainly in the city, but the reinforced body and optimized suspension suppress the impact of rough road surfaces and bumps, resulting in a very flat ride. The previous model was unsatisfactory in terms of smooth acceleration and quietness, but this minor change has improved everything.

The recommended grade is “13G L Honda Sensing” for gasoline vehicles. If it is a hybrid car, it is “Hybrid S Honda Sensing” which adopted a sporty seat. Both are grades with a good balance between equipment and price. Note that Honda Sensing is available as an option for 13G/F gasoline vehicles and hybrid F.

The third-generation Fit has reached perfection

Originally, the third-generation Fit was known for its high performance. With this minor change, the appearance and driving performance have steadily evolved, but the most satisfying thing is the adoption of Honda Sensing. Even compact cars of the same class are equipped with collision avoidance mitigation brakes, but there are still few models equipped with adaptive cruise control (ACC), which is effective when driving on highways. The installation of Honda Sensing, an advanced safety equipment, was a great advantage for Fit. Of course, the easy-to-use interior space that adopted the center tank layout, which is a feature of the Fit, is still alive. There is no doubt that it is one of the cars to buy now.

*The content of the article is based on information as of December 2017.