2015 Honda Fit 10 month review

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Well, it's been 10 months now since I purchased my 2015 Honda Fit EX w/CVT.

Things I like so far:

The mpg's are astoundingly good. Easily 45 plus on road trips and 37 average all around.
Reliable...at least so far. No issues with anything mechanical.
The interior space and hatchback design has been useful and well executed.
The looks of the car I still find attractive. No blemishes found in the paint.
Fit and finish has been excellent.
The sunroof is nice and of good quality and function.
The toughness of the interior materials is nice.

Things I don't like:

The ride is somewhat rough and noisy. Pavement irregularities are almost magnified over other cars I've driven. When I hit minor bumps, they don't seem to be absorbed as much as they are amplified with a 'bang'.
The front drivers seat is tiring and hard after about an hour. The positioning as well as the armrest/steering wheel reach is never....well...right. Just feels off.
The A/C seems a little bit on the weak side on hot days. I'd not be so sure it would be up to snuff in a place like Arizona.
The 7 inch display screen is rather annoying to me and distracting. Maybe I'm just old school....but I don't like the lane change camera view at all. It's far more safe to always turn and look and NEVER depend on it. The rear-view is ok but not really needed on a vehicle this tiny.
The radio/entertainment touch screen....a real pain. I prefer dials. I use the steering wheel controls most of the time.
Paddle shifters? I played with them a couple of times...but really kind of pointless. I just leave it in auto-drive eco mode.

Recalls:

I just read online that Honda will be recalling thousands of Fit and Civic models (mine included) that have a CVT transmission. Seems a software glitch could cause some piece in the transmission to break with stress caused from the malfunction. Anyway...not what I wanted to hear being that I was a tad bit leery about the CVT to begin with. I have an extended warranty anyway.

Verdict?

Too soon to say. But if given a chance all over again to buy a solid, high mpg commuter car.....I think I would choose the Toyota Corolla.
 
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Corolla over the Civic? I suppose the Corolla would be softer even than the Civic though. More comfort for a commuter maybe but I'm a confirmed Honda lover for that role. Thank you for the input.
 
How does the CVT handle revs at highway speeds?? I test drove a 2013 Fit and the instant deal killer for me was how high-revving it was at 65-70 mph versus some of the competition. My understanding is that this unpleasantness wasn't fixed with the 2015 update at least where the manual tranny was concerned.
 
Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
Corolla over the Civic? I suppose the Corolla would be softer even than the Civic though. More comfort for a commuter maybe but I'm a confirmed Honda lover for that role. Thank you for the input.


Well....yes. The Corolla rides smoother and gentler. No, not as sporty as the Fit, but Honda has always thought sporty means a rough ride.
Also, the L model of the Corolla still has a traditional auto transmission available. That might (and I repeat...MIGHT) make it more reliable than my CVT in the long run.
Lastly, the Honda has direct injection and the Corolla does not. That COULD also be a long-term concern.
Really, I hope my Fit proves reliable in the long run. I'll be satisfied. I will however change out the tires when needed for a smoother rolling, more quiet ride.
 
Originally Posted By: Vuflanovsky
How does the CVT handle revs at highway speeds?? I test drove a 2013 Fit and the instant deal killer for me was how high-revving it was at 65-70 mph versus some of the competition. My understanding is that this unpleasantness wasn't fixed with the 2015 update at least where the manual tranny was concerned.


While the CVT takes some getting used to, it's perfectly fine and unmentionable at higher speeds. Where it seems odd is fast acceleration and when passing a vehicle. It kind of makes that higher rev sound that some may find weird. It's not as bad as others I've heard about though. I can certainly live years with it...I just want it to be reliable.
 
It's a very fine and efficient design. I admire it for its space utilization and even like the way it looks. You might consider, at some point, heading to an interior shop and have them put Dynamat or similar in the interior and doors to quieten it down. If you're handy you can do it. If you're like me and lazy, well... It's not a cure-all but might be of help.
 
Ride and noise, wait until you get to your first tire change, and a tire change can help.

As far as comparable to the corolla, depends on if you value the cargo ability and the fit's ability to fit a lot of things in it.
 
Originally Posted By: raytseng
Ride and noise, wait until you get to your first tire change, and a tire change can help.

As far as comparable to the corolla, depends on if you value the cargo ability and the fit's ability to fit a lot of things in it.


If I wasn't feeling like wasting money....I'd change those tires out right now. I did that with another car I had and it made things much better. Honda...at least some models they produce...seem to care very little about road-roar or a harsh ride. They often handle well...I know that part. But on a daily commute, with the pavement conditions being varied from potholes and rough patchwork to new blacktop....it would just be better for me to have things quieted down a bit. I'll be looking forward to new tires in a couple more years.
The cargo thing? The Fit is very nice for that. But in reality I could do just fine in a Corolla.
 
Did your car come with Dunlops or Bridgestones? Ours came with Bridgestone Turanza EL 402's. Those tires were noisy from the start and were even noisier when they wore out by 30k miles. It was like riding in a jet next to the engines. Thankfully one of them bubbled a sidewall after a year so we could ditch those horrid things!

If you want a quiet, good-riding tire that will last a while, the Michelin Premier is the best choice in 185/55-16. Those tires smoothed out our Fit's ride a noticeable amount when we put them on earlier this year.
 
Your dislikes are typical of all Hondas
They are noisy and ride over bumps instead of absorbing them.
Subject to booming as well.
Bad "basic" radios too.
Very tiring on long drives.

I did 15 hrs straight in my 2013 Honda Accord Sport.
The seat was fine but the road noise was a killer.
I have had 11 new Acuras-Hondas
I'm leaving them for awhile
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: sciphi
Did your car come with Dunlops or Bridgestones? Ours came with Bridgestone Turanza EL 402's. Those tires were noisy from the start and were even noisier when they wore out by 30k miles. It was like riding in a jet next to the engines. Thankfully one of them bubbled a sidewall after a year so we could ditch those horrid things!

If you want a quiet, good-riding tire that will last a while, the Michelin Premier is the best choice in 185/55-16. Those tires smoothed out our Fit's ride a noticeable amount when we put them on earlier this year.


I've got Firestone FR740's on mine. It will be a while before these wear out. I'll keep those Michelins in mind. Typically, before I buy, I'll check as much info online about what tires are smoother and dampen road noise best before purchasing.
 
Ii
Originally Posted By: andrewg
Well, it's been 10 months now since I purchased my 2015 Honda Fit EX w/CVT.

Things I like so far:

The mpg's are astoundingly good. Easily 45 plus on road trips and 37 average all around.
Reliable...at least so far. No issues with anything mechanical.
The interior space and hatchback design has been useful and well executed.
The looks of the car I still find attractive. No blemishes found in the paint.
Fit and finish has been excellent.
The sunroof is nice and of good quality and function.
The toughness of the interior materials is nice.

Things I don't like:

The ride is somewhat rough and noisy. Pavement irregularities are almost magnified over other cars I've driven. When I hit minor bumps, they don't seem to be absorbed as much as they are amplified with a 'bang'.
The front drivers seat is tiring and hard after about an hour. The positioning as well as the armrest/steering wheel reach is never....well...right. Just feels off.
The A/C seems a little bit on the weak side on hot days. I'd not be so sure it would be up to snuff in a place like Arizona.
The 7 inch display screen is rather annoying to me and distracting. Maybe I'm just old school....but I don't like the lane change camera view at all. It's far more safe to always turn and look and NEVER depend on it. The rear-view is ok but not really needed on a vehicle this tiny.
The radio/entertainment touch screen....a real pain. I prefer dials. I use the steering wheel controls most of the time.
Paddle shifters? I played with them a couple of times...but really kind of pointless. I just leave it in auto-drive eco mode.

Recalls:

I just read online that Honda will be recalling thousands of Fit and Civic models (mine included) that have a CVT transmission. Seems a software glitch could cause some piece in the transmission to break with stress caused from the malfunction. Anyway...not what I wanted to hear being that I was a tad bit leery about the CVT to begin with. I have an extended warranty anyway.

Verdict?

Too soon to say. But if given a chance all over again to buy a solid, high mpg commuter car.....I think I would choose the Toyota Corolla.


If your Fit is like other Hondas, you can disable the lane change camera so it doesn't display with the right turn signal. It will still respond to a push on the button at the end of the turn signal stalk, though.
 
I think swapping out the OEM tires is consistently the single best thing to do on a newish car...especially a subcompact or compact.

I have a 2013 Hyundai Accent SE as a commuter vehicle and I swapped the tires about 9 months after I bought it. This car rides well to begin with but it was "transformative" when you put on something that you researched and actually want. I don't doubt that putting on a good tire in the "grand touring" category, for example, will change the experience versus the OEM Firestones.
 
The (un)comfort level/noise is exactly what should be expected for a tiny to small car. That is why I won't do less then a family size/midsize sedan.
 
Originally Posted By: Vuflanovsky
I think swapping out the OEM tires is consistently the single best thing to do on a newish car...especially a subcompact or compact.

I have a 2013 Hyundai Accent SE as a commuter vehicle and I swapped the tires about 9 months after I bought it. This car rides well to begin with but it was "transformative" when you put on something that you researched and actually want. I don't doubt that putting on a good tire in the "grand touring" category, for example, will change the experience versus the OEM Firestones.


I'm sure you are probably right about that.

I had a Ford Focus a few years ago that had a lot of road noise and rode like the tires were made of plastic. I replaced the OEM tires with Bridgestone Ecopia's....and it was far better.
Right now I just can't justify new tires. But as soon as wear indicates...I'll be getting rid of the stock ones.
 
Originally Posted By: madRiver
The (un)comfort level/noise is exactly what should be expected for a tiny to small car. That is why I won't do less then a family size/midsize sedan.


Actually, many small cars have different rides. Not all sub-compacts/compacts have a harsh or noisy ride. I've even been in large sedans that rode like freight cars. I think a lot of it has to do with low-profile tires that don't absorb much shock or road noise. Those are found on all sizes of cars with performance in mind.
 
Originally Posted By: andrewg
Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
Corolla over the Civic? I suppose the Corolla would be softer even than the Civic though. More comfort for a commuter maybe but I'm a confirmed Honda lover for that role. Thank you for the input.


Well....yes. The Corolla rides smoother and gentler. No, not as sporty as the Fit, but Honda has always thought sporty means a rough ride.
Also, the L model of the Corolla still has a traditional auto transmission available. That might (and I repeat...MIGHT) make it more reliable than my CVT in the long run.
Lastly, the Honda has direct injection and the Corolla does not. That COULD also be a long-term concern.

Really, I hope my Fit proves reliable in the long run. I'll be satisfied. I will however change out the tires when needed for a smoother rolling, more quiet ride.


I owned a 2014 Corolla and now own a 2015 Civic. The Civic is NOT direct injection 9the Fit is - wasn't sure which Honda you meant, the upcoming generation will be. The Civic rides significantly softer than the Corolla LE Eco I owned (the S rides even harsher), it is also significantly quieter, the Corolla has next to no door insulation, so there is a LOT of wind noise. My wife owns a 2015 Fit. It does indeed ride very harshly and is noisy, also has a LOT of rattles. I can't believe she spent 7k MORE for the Fit than I did for the Civic.
 
Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
Your dislikes are typical of all Hondas
They are noisy and ride over bumps instead of absorbing them.
Subject to booming as well.
Bad "basic" radios too.
Very tiring on long drives.

I did 15 hrs straight in my 2013 Honda Accord Sport.
The seat was fine but the road noise was a killer.
I have had 11 new Acuras-Hondas
I'm leaving them for awhile
smile.gif



Wow, I wouldn't use ANY of those statements to describe my 15 Civic, and its a base model stick shift. In fact, I feel pretty much the opposite about it on each of those points.
 
Originally Posted By: dlayman
Originally Posted By: andrewg
Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
Corolla over the Civic? I suppose the Corolla would be softer even than the Civic though. More comfort for a commuter maybe but I'm a confirmed Honda lover for that role. Thank you for the input.


Well....yes. The Corolla rides smoother and gentler. No, not as sporty as the Fit, but Honda has always thought sporty means a rough ride.
Also, the L model of the Corolla still has a traditional auto transmission available. That might (and I repeat...MIGHT) make it more reliable than my CVT in the long run.
Lastly, the Honda has direct injection and the Corolla does not. That COULD also be a long-term concern.

Really, I hope my Fit proves reliable in the long run. I'll be satisfied. I will however change out the tires when needed for a smoother rolling, more quiet ride.


I owned a 2014 Corolla and now own a 2015 Civic. The Civic is NOT direct injection 9the Fit is - wasn't sure which Honda you meant, the upcoming generation will be. The Civic rides significantly softer than the Corolla LE Eco I owned (the S rides even harsher), it is also significantly quieter, the Corolla has next to no door insulation, so there is a LOT of wind noise. My wife owns a 2015 Fit. It does indeed ride very harshly and is noisy, also has a LOT of rattles. I can't believe she spent 7k MORE for the Fit than I did for the Civic.


Yes, I was speaking mostly about my Fit. I did assume the Civic was a DI engine though. I didn't know either way....but it looks like they will be in the near future. Honda must have some confidence in them or I would think they wouldn't risk lowering reliability. The Civic ride BETTER than the new Corolla? I have heard differently....but not personally compared the two. In hindsight I wish I'd have purchased the Civic sedan then. Oh well. The Fit looks nice...but as discussed, it rides as rough as a child's wagon. I don't have any rattles....yet. Actually, so far the overall quality of the car seems pretty good.
 
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