2019 Honda Fit Preview
The subcompact-car segment has been struggling over the past few years, as compact-sized models benefit from more interesting finance and lease incentives, and small crossovers are taking over in the hearts of North-American consumers.
Still, and more than ever, subcompact cars are affordable, spacious and versatile. In the case of the 2019 Honda Fit. Its hatchback configuration provides plenty of cargo space, and Honda cleverly placed the fuel tank under the rear-seat area, allowing for a deep trunk. As a matter of fact, cargo volume is rated at 470 litres with the rear seatbacks in place as well as 1492 litres with the seats folded down—tops in its segment, beating out the Nissan Versa Note, the Toyota Yaris, the Hyundai Accent and the Kia Rio.
The Fit also boasts what Honda calls Magic Seat, a split-folding rear bench whose cushions can be swivelled upwards to increase the floor area, perfect for hauling tall objects such as plants, floor lamps or picture frames. Passengers will also enjoy more rear legroom than in any other subcompact car.
Up front, the 2019 Honda Fit offers class-leading shoulder room, while the large window surfaces provide great outward visibility. Cloth seat upholstery comes standard in the DX, LX, Sport and EX trim levels, while simulated leather can be found in the EX-L NAVI. Leather-wrapped wheel and shift knob can also be found in most versions of the Fit as well.
Standard features in the base DX, which starts at $15,490 before freight and delivery charges of $1,655, includes power windows, keyless entry, heated and power-adjustable outside mirrors as well as a 160-watt sound system with Bluetooth streaming audio and a USB port.
The $18,890 Fit LX adds air conditioning, a cargo cover, heated front seats, cruise control and a Honda Display Audio system with seven-inch touchscreen. Choosing the $1,300 continuously variable automatic transmission also equips the LX with the company’s Honda Sensing safety suite—collision mitigation braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, road departure mitigation and adaptive cruise control.
The $19,890 Fit Sport, a trim level added in 2018, gets 16-inch black alloy wheels, aerodynamic add-ons, fog lamps and a 180-watt stereo with two additional speakers for a total of six, while the $1,300 CVT and Honda Sensing package is available, too. The $22,190 EX benefits from the Honda Sensing suite, Honda LaneWatch passenger-side blind spot display, a power sunroof and an intelligent key, and the $24,290 EX-L NAVI piles on automatic climate control, navigation, HD Radio and SiriusXM satellite radio.
For 2019, the White Orchid Pearl paint colour is replaced by Platinum Pearl White.
Every Fit is equipped with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that develops 130 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque when matched to the six-speed manual transmission, 128 horsepower and 113 pound-feet with the optional automatic CVT. With the latter in the Fit LX, fuel consumption is rated at 7.0 L/100 km in the city and 5.9 on the highway, for a combined average of 6.5 L/100 km. In the Fit Sport, EX and EX-L NAVI, city/highway/combined ratings are set at 7.6/6.5/7.0 L/100 km. The 2019 Honda Fit is now on sale.