Evolution's a funny thing. We like our thumbs, enjoy walking upright and are thankful Ivanka Trump doesn't have a tail (although there's some debate about where she hides her horns), but when adaptation turns to automobiles, Darwin's dictum occasionally goes astray. There's a long list of vehicles we would love to see stay the same, but we understand that consumer demand and government regulation forces automakers to add amenities and tack on the pounds. The 2009 Honda Fit Sport is a perfect case-study.

Compared to the original Fit that landed on our shores in 2006, Honda's sophomore effort is larger, more spacious and marginally more powerful. But when you sit down with the spec sheet there are only a few "improvements" worth getting excited about. After spending a week with the 2009 model, we found that while evolution is good, some things need to stay the same. Make the jump to find out why.




Photos copyright ©2009 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for our high-res gallery of the 2009 Honda Fit Sport

Honda has announced that its all-new 2009 Fit, which we just drove for the first time, will go on sale next week with a MSRP starting at $14,550 (plus $670 destination), while the more premium Honda Fit Sport will start at $16,060 (plus destination). The standard powerplant will be a 1.5-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder rated at 117 hp mated to either a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic (with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters on the Fit Sport). The five-passenger Fit also earned EPA fuel economy ratings of 28/35 (city/highway) with the automatic transmission, and 27/33 with the 5-speed manual or automatic in the Fit Sport. All models feature standard air conditioning, AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA audio system with four speakers, power windows, power mirrors, and power door locks. The Fit Sport (shown above) adds alloy wheels, aero kit, alarm, keyless entry, and an upgraded audio system. In fact, the top shelf Fit Sport with navigation and a 5-speed automatic starts at $18,760, which makes it one of the greatest bangs for your buck in our book.

Gallery: 2009 Honda Fit Sport

[Source: Honda]

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Honda Fit Sport

When Honda introduced the first generation Fit to the North American market in mid-2006, its timing couldn't have been better. The entry level hatchback appeared just as fuel prices in the U.S. were heading skyward. Ever since then, the Fit has been selling as fast as Honda can bring them in from Japan. The Fit (or Jazz as its known in some markets) debuted in 2001 and the second-generation model went on sale in Japan last fall. Honda showed the new U.S.-spec Fit at the New York Auto Show last spring and we had our first opportunity to drive it on the roads north of Ann Arbor, MI last week.

As is typically the case with new models, the updated Fit has grown a bit (about 4 inches in overall length), but it's only about 44 pounds heavier than the outgoing model. Also in the usual fashion, Honda strove to increase the refinement of the Fit while not losing any of the fun-loving qualities of the original. In the process, it has had to deal with rising raw material and shipping costs while keeping the price from getting out of hand. Read on to find out if the spiritual descendants of Soichiro Honda have succeeded.

Gallery: 2009 Honda Fit Sport


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for more high-res pics of the 2009 Honda Fit

The 2009 Honda Fit has landed, and done so with everything the previous Honda fit was lacking. Judging by the sales numbers of that previous Fit -- over 2,000,000 globally in six years -- it wasn't lacking too much. The car gets Honda's voice-recognizing satellite-linked navi; 3-mode, single-motion dive-down Magic Seats in back (parents, it's not what you think); a revised suspension and more rigidity. And with the addition of a USB port for MP3 players and another storage bin -- because there simply wasn't room for all your stuff before -- the new Fit comes with even more fun. The lone engine is an updated version of the current Fit's 1.5-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder mated to a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed automatic transmission. The Fit Sport model also includes paddle shifters on the steering wheel, though we doubt shifting will be as much fun as turning in this car. Check out the gallery of hi-res pics below, and you can read the official press release from Honda after the jump for more details.



[Source: Honda]

Click above for more high-res shots of the JDM Honda Fit

The 2009 Honda Fit is ready to make its big American debut, so it's packing its bags and heading to New York in search of fame and fortune (read: customers). The new car, which made its world debut last October at the Tokyo Motor Show, gets a pod-like, Priusy makeover that gives it interior space equal to that of a midsizer. While the Japanese version is available with 1.3L and 1.5L engines, we'd assume that the 1.5 i-VTEC will be the sole engine in the US. In Japanese trim, it's good for 118 horsepower (120 PS) -- a 9-horse bump over what the engine in the current car delivers. Even with that extra juice, the Japan-spec 1.5L Fit can achieve fuel economy of 46 mpg (19.6 km/l). Not shabby. We'll be on hand in NYC to bring you all the official details on the US-market car after the new Fit is driven onstage.


[Source: Honda]