Posted on August 18th, 2022

The Honda Fit is a subcompact car that offers good gas mileage and practicality while being comfortable and spacious.

Throughout the years, the Honda Fit has been at the top of the Subcompact segment. It has a long-standing reputation for reliability, and that's why U.S. Car News ranked the 2013 model of the Fit number 1 in the 2013 Subcompact Car category.

The Honda Fit is efficient, enjoyable, and agile like a sports car. It has a four-cylinder engine that saves a lot of fuel compared to other vehicles in the subcompact class. It's an enjoyable little car that's affordable.

Furthermore, it's hard to find a vehicle that has the ability to be fun and frugal at a low price. However, some cars like the Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, and Kia Rio offer stronger brakes, powerful engines, and higher quality interiors. The Fit is still more affordable, and those features are not necessary if you're planning to buy a subcompact as your first car.

Focusing more on the 2013 model, let's find out more about the Honda Fit and why it's one of the best cars in the subcompact category.

The Honda Fit Isn’t Fast, But Its Handling Is Top Tier

Under the hood, there's a 1.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 117 horsepower and 106 pound-feet of torque. There's a five-speed manual transmission that works well with the engine, but for owners who want an easy drive, there is an optional five-speed automatic transmission. There's also a Fit Sport model that has shift paddles on the steering wheel.

According to My Car Specs, the 2013 Honda Fit comes with a five-speed manual transmission that can go from 0 to 60mph in 8.8 seconds and a top speed of 111 mph. These performance specs are not bad, but they are below average.

The Fit combines a lively four-cylinder engine and responsive steering to make it a fun car to drive. When on the highway, the automobile passes through traffic with no issue and has superb nimble quality, an outstanding feature of all small Hondas. The fit models with the manual transmission are more entertaining because they provide quicker acceleration than the automatic transmission models.

The Fit differs from other tiny vehicles that trade-off low-speed responsiveness for edgy steering at highway speeds. The car feels safe and comfortable at 80mph. The only drawback was that older Honda fit models had some engine road noise.

The Honda Fit Stands Out As A Small Hatchback Because Of Its Interior Design

The Fit's interior has a stylish design, but the quality of the materials isn't rich and premium. The seats are comfortable, and the rear seats can accommodate two adult passengers. The only drawback is that the driver seat lacks height adjustment, so some drivers might struggle to get comfortable.

Compared to other small hatchbacks, the Fit's cabin is refreshingly different and has plenty of space for passengers and cargo. The Fit's design is similar to minivans, crossovers, and wagons. Hence, in the rear, there's enough headroom and legroom. The Magic Seat feature allows you to fold the seats flat by lifting a single lever and pushing the seatback forward. What's better, you don't need to remove the rear headrests in the process.

The Fit's cargo space is 20.6 cubic feet, and the designers made the cargo floor especially low for easy loading. The cargo room allows the driver to put things like seats and bikes, which is very rare in a subcompact vehicle.

Additionally, there are two glove boxes (one higher, one lower), a ton of cup holders, and many helpful storage spaces across the center console, dash, doors, and under the rear seat.

The vehicle's driving position is upright but comfortable. It's a bit lower than other hatchbacks but has an excellent vision in front of it. On all versions, the steering wheel is telescopic, allowing drivers of various sizes to feel comfortable.

The ride quality is adequate but far from pleasant. The suspension is meant for urban streets and highways, but on pavements and off-road, it can be challenging. The switchgear is of excellent quality, but the Fit's cabin generally has a respectable appearance and feel.

The Safety Features Of The Fit Aren’t Top Notch But Adequate

The 2013 Honda Fit for example doesn't have high safety ratings like other subcompacts, but its safety features are great and advanced. It has features like front-seat side airbags, full-length side-curtain bags, electronic stability control, and anti-lock brakes.

The vehicle didn't get good results in federal NCAP crash-testing. The car earned four stars out of five in most categories, although in more in-depth tests, the automobile had a few lower scores, like three stars for driver side protection and only two stars in the side pole rating.

On the bright side, the IIHS gave the Honda' good' ratings across the board in the frontal, side, and rear impact testing, along with the roof strength test.

Source: Hot Cars