Honda boosting Fit production to meet U.S. demand
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Honda Fit
Like most other manufacturers doing business in the U.S., Honda has been caught by surprise by the sudden shift in demand to smaller cars. When the Fit debuted in the U.S. two years ago, it proved more popular than expected then and allotments were increased for the upcoming redesigned 2009 models. However, the spike in fuel prices has caused a corresponding increase in demand for small fuel efficient cars like the Fit. Sales of the old Fit from January to May of this year jumped 64 percent compared to 2007. Honda has now decided to bump production from 60,000 to 80,000 cars for the 2009 model year. The 2009 Fit has been rated at 28/34 mpg city/highway and will start at $14,620. U.S. production is limited because Honda only has capacity to build 500,000 Fits a year right now for the entire world, and if we get more in the U.S., someone else has to get less elsewhere in the world.
Gallery: 2009 Honda Fit
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
2004m3driver 12:38PM (6/23/2008)
This is almost as obvious as SUV sales decreasing.
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mark lee 12:00AM (6/24/2008)
Yeah, I hope Honda can shift their production capacity from the ugly '09 Pilot to the new Fit so that we don't have to keep paying MSRP (or more) for it. I'm sure 80,000 is not gonna be enough for the next model year.
Red 12:40PM (6/23/2008)
Those mileage numbers have to be a typo. The 2009 Fit (Japan) is larger and has more equipment and is still more fuel efficient than the first gen model. Those numbers are even lower than the Civic, and that makes absolutely no sense.
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itguy08 1:10PM (6/23/2008)
Smalller engine working harder to move the metal = lower fuel economy...
Red 1:16PM (6/23/2008)
Again, the Japanese model (with larger and smaller engine) have far better fuel economy than the previous model. These numbers make no sense.
zmf001 1:23PM (6/23/2008)
The MPG numbers aren't a typo. The EPA2008 fuel mileage estimates are just screwy.
I am sure if you take a Civic and a Fit on a road trip together, the Fit will use less fuel. The EPA numbers would have you believe the Civic will get better mileage.
Jobu37 6:08PM (6/23/2008)
You bring up a point that has baffled me as well. The Fit, Yaris and Versa do not offer any semblance of improved mileage. However, people are flocking to them. This may have more to do with the discount they sale at compared to a Civic, Corolla or Sentra. I for one would not be willing to give up the moderate space of a C car and go down in class to a B car. Well at least not until the Fiesta arrives and redefines the B segment.
Flashpoint 12:40PM (6/23/2008)
I can't wait till Congress grows some balls and stops the ridiculous destruction of American jobs and the unfair trade deficit.
Honda fits SUCK. I'd like to use those on the F-16 firing range to test A-G missiles.
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SeanT 12:47PM (6/23/2008)
Seems a bit drastic. Maybe you could just buy a Ford Focus and call it a day.
DKB_SATX 1:06PM (6/23/2008)
The only significantly unfair part of our trade deficit at present is the artificially low value of China's currency. If the Yuan floated, suddenly all that made-in-China crap at Wal-Mart wouldn't be so cheap. Honda's advantage at this point is that a) they have a long history of selling relatively fuel-efficient cars, b) the Fit is already in production, and c) US manufacturers are scrambling to come up with an economical car that doesn't deserve the pejorative "pentalty box."
If you don't like Hondas that's fine. They don't excite me much more than Toyotas (with a couple of significant exceptions like the S2000 of course.) Still, not liking them doesn't make Honda guilty of unfair trade practices.
The Talking Hamburger 3:54PM (6/23/2008)
Many complain about the 'evil, lazy unions' on one hand, and then lament the loss of American manufacturing jobs.
Flashpoint, Autobloggers can't have it both ways.
mark lee 12:15AM (6/24/2008)
Flashpoint, I bet the Congress and Honda Fit both stopped you from going to school too. (Ok, the first one might be true since they spend a lot more money on...)
ASEVENSEE4 12:41PM (6/23/2008)
Why is anyone buying this over a Civic? I mean it's great on gas but it's not safe when you collide with a 3500lbs Mazda6.
It's not a great looker either... nor is it feature packed.
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yacoub 12:48PM (6/23/2008)
14.6k instead of 18-19k for a civic. but you're right that the civic is a much better vehicle with about the same level of fuel economy.
2004m3driver 12:50PM (6/23/2008)
It has more space than a civic. The seats can all fold completely flat for space or for naps. It scored above average in crash test results.
http://www.automobilemag.com/am/2008/honda/fit/crash_tests.html
Its NOT a civic or corolla so that means..... its different! some people like that I don't know.
I did that with 1min of googling. No, I don't work for honda.
Red 1:16PM (6/23/2008)
Three words: ACE Body structure
Look it up.
dietfluffy 1:19PM (6/23/2008)
the fit is 5% lighter than the civic coupe, but has 7% more interior space
boneheadotto 1:27PM (6/23/2008)
It may have ACE but it still has poor crash test ratings. The rear side impact is rated 3 star by the government
and IIHS rates the rear impact (from behind) as poor.
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?honda
For this reason i cant purchase one. I plan to drive my kids and the rear crash test protection is poor. So i am relegated to looking at a civic or a scion, both with 5 star in the rear.
Dustin 1:27PM (6/23/2008)
ASEVENSEE4, how many Fits have you crashed into Mazda6s to come to that conclusion? Perhaps it's not as unsafe as you think.
ASEVENSEE4 1:37PM (6/23/2008)
Yes because I know I want to rent one of these to move me out of my apartment. The low on power 4cyl and small payload just makes this a hauler.
Not to mention the tank is puny! 10 gallons, what a range, all for seats that fold flat into the floor.
The Fit is only safe compared with cars in it's class, pitted against ANYTHING larger and expect the Fit to look like a crushed soda can, Honda only refined the Fit to pass regulations, the fit before it came over was crumpling into the cabin just at Japanese standards, there isn't enough area to absorb the crash, and this aint no Smart.