Filed under: Car Buying, Economy, Hatchbacks, Honda
Honda: 2,000,000 Fits sold worldwide
We've only had it here in the US since April of 2006, but the plucky little Honda Fit has been on sale in Japan and other markets since as far back as 2001. Suffice to say that the subcompact found an audience, as Honda has formally announced that as of the end of June, over 2 million Fits (including the name-engineered Jazz, which it's called in Europe and Asia/Oceana) have been sold worldwide. Unsurprisingly, Japan accounts for the lion's share, with almost half that number (962,000 to be exact) sold in the home market. Europe is next with 417,000. The US accounts for 77,000 cars since introduction last year. The next-generation Fit/Jazz is (finally) expected to bow at this year's Tokyo Motor Show.
[Source: Honda]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Avinash machado 8:18AM (7/18/2007)
It is callled the Honda city in India and Thailand.
Reply
BLS 8:22AM (7/18/2007)
FYI Alex you have this filed under Holden not Honda.
Reply
Alex Nunez 8:30AM (7/18/2007)
Thanks, BLS. Fixed.
judd 8:34AM (7/18/2007)
And still we don't have a competitively similar car from the big 3. I wish they would put something together that is worth comparing to this car. I'd be willing to take one. If you beat the Suzuki Swift to it, I'd give you my money.
Reply
bmoredlj 9:03AM (7/18/2007)
Yes; take note, Ford...hatchbacks JUST DON'T SELL.
;)
Reply
Tim 9:57AM (7/18/2007)
Looking at the numbers, this is quite a problem for the domestic Big 3. Considering that Ford, GM and Chrysler has almost no chance in breaking into the Japanese market (50% of fit sales) and GM/Ford/Chrysler already have subcompacts in Euro (25%), it's a hard business case to introduce a subcompact for the US (7%). I agree that the domestics must have a representation in this market but given the current cash pressures, it's no likely the domestics will bet their next cycle plan on a Honda Fit competitor.
Don 7:07PM (7/18/2007)
They sell...but unfortunately, Ford can't afford to build them or sell them in the States because of thin margins.
Dave 10:14AM (7/18/2007)
There is no business case for the domestics to produce cars smaller than the Ford Focus and Chevy Aveo for the US market.
But GM and Ford could certainly do a better job with them.
Reply
psarhjinian 12:11PM (7/18/2007)
The business case for a good subcompact car is this: you stand a much better chance of keeping buyers loyal if the first taste of your brand doesn't suck. Nothing puts a buyer off more than the impression that the company woudl rather not have your business.
GM and Chrysler don't understand this (which is why the Cavalier/Cobalt and Neon/Caliber aren't up to snuff). Ford does, but doesn't have the money (the Focus was a good car, but there's no money left to follow through).
Toyota and Honda likely lose a lot of money on the Yaris/Scion and Fit. They make it up (in spades!) when people buy Accords, Camrys or (hopefully) Acuras and Lexuses. The Fit (and the Yaris, to a lesser degree) don't give the impression of being the cheapest product possible. GM and Chrysler have shown a pattern of being unable to eat the cost on the low end, resulting in a "My first Cavalier is my last GM" attitude on the consumer's part.
And GM wonders where their marketshare is gone. You have to get people young to keep them hooked.
You can see this in their entire lineup: the higher the margin on the car, the better a product they make. Toyota and Honda don't play this way: the margin on some cars is negative (Prius, Fit) but they still throw money at it.
Avinash machado 11:00AM (7/18/2007)
Well Chrysler will be selling a Chinese made car in this segment.
Reply
Dave 11:02AM (7/18/2007)
Chrysler does need a smaller car.
The Caliber is big and thirsty.
brandegee 11:44AM (7/18/2007)
What I don't understand is why Toyota's hatchback Yaris is such a miserable car. I was interested until I found out you can't even get a tachometer in it. The Yaris sedan is better, but pricier. I would definitely step up to a Civic for the sake of enjoyment/style.
Reply
JC3 12:28PM (7/18/2007)
I heard Honda will be re-introducing the CRX built off the Fit in 2011.
Reply
johdaxx 1:22PM (7/18/2007)
Funny thing is here in California, if you talk to a Honda dealership, they only get a few each month, and they sell out immediately. They could sell more Fits here, but do they want to?
Reply
Pud 1:33PM (7/18/2007)
Scion dropping the xA will probably be one of their worst moves ever. It's basically a better looking Fit with more options and comfort for a few grand cheaper. They released it too early, and now that these car have become popular, they don't have anything to offer other than the gas hungry and ugly xD.
What a shame.
Reply
Bruce 2:16PM (7/18/2007)
I love the Fit. Its loaded with features, especially safety features. Excellent fit and finish for the interior too. Except its slow as hell with the 5 speed Auto, its pricier than its competitors (well, its a very good car), and the looks are quirky IMO. But the 5MT solves the "slow as hell" part.
Reply
gary 2:25PM (7/18/2007)
IF Detroit could make or import a small car that came close to the long lasting quality of this Honda then Americans might buy them.
Reply
Xcountryflyer 3:48PM (7/18/2007)
Other than wishing that they had kept the Jazz name in the US, I am glad that this car has been a success in the US and globally. Perhaps, it'll convince other makers (Mazda (Mazda2) are you listening?) to bring their smaller cars over here. Enough of the bling bling Navigators and Escalades.
Reply
Barney 6:14PM (7/18/2007)
The Fit is what the Civic use to be. Hopefully Honda will not start making it bigger as well.
Reply
Galley 9:06AM (7/19/2007)
I finally got the chance to test drive a Fit Sport with an automatic tranny a few weeks ago. A very impressive car for $16,565.
Reply