New styling and sophistication
The third generation Honda Fit gets a shot of mid-cycle rejuvenation with the arrival of a Sport grade for 2018. The new model boasts a few aesthetic additions, a funky new colour option, and an attractive price point intended to continue the appeal of the car with the younger demographic.
“With sporty new styling and additional feature content, the 2018 Honda Fit ups the ante with new styling and sophistication not typically found in the subcompact segment,” says Jean Marc Leclerc, Honda Canada senior vice-president of sales and marketing. “Fit has always represented a great value for subcompact customers and the addition of available Honda Sensing to its fun-to-drive performance and unmatched versatility will keep the Honda Fit as the industry’s benchmark subcompact.”
In addition to the universal changes such as a two-piece chrome and piano black grille, metallic accenting, hexagonal foglight surrounds, and more aggressive rear bumper, the Sport adds a body kit highlighted by an orange-striped front spoiler and unique black-finish 16-inch alloy wheels. A special Orange Fury colour is also offered exclusively on this trim level.
As you might have guessed, orange is the theme colour here. The interior is all black and there is orange contrast stitching found on the seats and elsewhere. A seven-inch Display Audio touchscreen now controls the infotainment system and is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allowing handsfree manipulation of messaging, navigation and audio entertainment.
On vehicles equipped with the CVT transmission, Honda Sensing is standard for the first time. The safety technology suite includes adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and more. A fantastic six-speed manual transmission continues to be offered, which our loaner came with. Gear changes are predictable, smooth and really increase the fun factor of driving the small hatchback.
Underneath the hood is still the same efficient and perky 1.5-litre four-cylinder i-VTEC engine rated at 130 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque. The pre-facelifted example already handled twisty bits of road well, but Honda has been hard work retuning the suspension and adding body reinforcements. The result is a tighter car overall that can carve corners quickly.
I thought the ride sounded quieter than before, and it turns out the window glass is acoustic laminated (i.e. thicker) and is much better at filtering out road noise. In addition, there is further use of sound deadening materials throughout
the vehicle.
If you can manage to keep your foot off the accelerator, the manual transmission Fit has been tested to yield a combined fuel economy rating of 7.4 L/100 km in mixed city and highway driving, which is very respectable for its class. But that wouldn’t be very Sport-like, now would it?
Highlights (As Tested)
MSRP: $15,190
Motor: 1.5-litre four cylinder
Horsepower: 130 @ 6,800 rpm
Torque (lb-ft): 114 @ 4,600 rpm
Gearbox: Six-speed manual
Layout: Front engine, front-wheel drive
Fuel economy: 7.4 L/100 km mixed city/highway (manufacturer estimate)
