Autoblog

SCCA approves Honda Fit-based engine for Formula F

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Budget, Hatchback, Honda

Honda FF engine demonstrator - click above for high-res image

For 2010, Formula F is getting some fresh blood. The Sports Car Club of America's board of directors has given the thumbs up to Honda's proposal for a new engine in the class. Next year, competitors will be able to swap out their ancient Ford Kent engines for a new 1.5-liter four based on the Fit.

Honda Performance Development created the engine so that it was specifically able to bolt up to many contemporary Formula Ford chassis designs with minimal modification, all while providing comparable performance. The air restrictor and ECU calibrations can be adjusted by HPD to ensure performance parity with the series' existing engines.

The engine's electronically fuel injected engine promises significantly reduced service requirements compared to the Kent, along with better efficiency. The engines will be supplied complete with intake, exhaust and conversion kits. The kit for the Swift DB-1 including the engine and all necessary parts runs $11,750 with deliveries starting February.

Gallery: Honda Fit FF engine

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading SCCA approves Honda Fit-based engine for Formula F

SCCA approves Honda Fit-based engine for Formula F originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Honda likely to build Fit in the U.S.

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:33:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Honda

Honda Fit Sport - click above image for hi-res gallery

What goes up, must come down. And in this situation, Japan's yen has gone up when compared to our dollar -- about eight percent since August. And with the yen's rise in value, the profitability of low margin cars like the Honda Fit goes down. Built in Japan, with the yen up, the strong-selling Fit isn't making Honda any money. That's bad.

What if, like 80 percent of all other Hondas sold in the US, the Fit was manufactured right here? Well, that would certainly bring costs down and move Fit-related profits right back up. This switch could happen sooner than later, as Honda sales are down 25 percent over the first nine months of 2009, while Fit sales are only down 12%.

Honda president Takanobu Ito said the change from Japanese to American production a "highly likely possibility." Ito noted that Honda likes the current manufacturing ratio of 80 percent US/20 percent Japan, but says that more hghi tech models (such as hybrids, maybe even sports cars) should come from Japan while the more basic, Fit-like stuff gets built here. Makes economic sense, no?

Gallery: Review: 2009 Honda Fit Sport

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: Honda likely to build Fit in the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inside Line pits Ford Fiesta against Honda Fit in small car scrap

Chris Shunk — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Ford, Honda

If you're looking for a practical, fuel efficient subcompact, you've got a few options, and the Honda Fit remains a top pick for many. The five-door hatchback packs plenty of volume, while also providing just enough punch to deliver smiles on the open road.

Doubtlessly jealously eying the Fit's success, Ford officials are counting down the months until they can finally provide some competition in the form of their 2011 Fiesta - but does it have the goods to knock the Fit from atop the subcompact mountain?

The crew at Inside Line wanted to answer that question and brought the Fit face-to-face against a European-spec Fiesta in a battle for B-Segment superiority. The Fit came in for praise for its masterfully engineered interior and massive cargo area, while the Fiesta was lauded for its superb driving dynamics and higher end materials. Which subcompact all-star came out on top in the battle of the (little) bulge? Head over to Inside Line to find out.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Ford Fiesta (Euro-Spec)

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit Sport

[Source: Inside Line | Image Source: Kevin Wing]

Inside Line pits Ford Fiesta against Honda Fit in small car scrap originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IIHS tests roof strength on microcars, Smart Fortwo comes out on top

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Sedan, Safety, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Honda, Hyundai, Mini, Smart, Toyota

IIHS microcar roof tests - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has just tested the latest batch of the smallest cars on the market to determine the strength of their roofs in the event of a rollover accident. Coming out on top with a "good" rating was the Smart Fortwo, which isn't all that surprising - due in large part to the runabout's diminutive size, Daimler put lots of effort into the design of its so-called Tridion safety cell.

Somehow, we're equally as unsurprised that the Chevy Aveo scored the lowest of the six automobiles tested. Chevy's least expensive car earned a "marginal" rating from the Institute. Sitting in between those two bookends were the Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Mini Cooper, and Toyota Yaris, all of which scored "acceptable" ratings.

It's interesting to note that the Smart Fortwo fared quite a bit better in this kind of test than in the Institute's series of frontal offset crash tests versus a Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan. Click past the break for the official press release.

Gallery: IIHS microcar roof tests

[Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

Continue reading IIHS tests roof strength on microcars, Smart Fortwo comes out on top

IIHS tests roof strength on microcars, Smart Fortwo comes out on top originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2009 Honda Fit Sport is still frugal, slightly less fun

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Budget, Hatchback, Honda, Reviews

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

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.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Honda Fit Sport

Continue reading Review: 2009 Honda Fit Sport is still frugal, slightly less fun

Review: 2009 Honda Fit Sport is still frugal, slightly less fun originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda Fit dominates Consumer Reports subcompact test

Michael Harley — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:31:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Honda, Nissan, Suzuki, Toyota

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

The folks over at Consumer Reports have ranked the Honda Fit Sport top among tested subcompact cars in their March 2009 issue. "We found the new Fit the most practical and enjoyable car in this month's group," says Consumers Union. The world's largest independent consumer product testing organization, who don't claim to be enthusiasts, ran the small Honda against the Suzuki SX4, Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, and Chevrolet Aveo.

Compared to the rest of the group, the Honda Fit Sport 5-speed was the quickest to 60 miles-per-hour (an asphalt-melting 9.2 seconds) and sipped the least amount of fuel during testing (a not too shabby 33 miles-per-gallon overall). The CU testers were pleased with the Honda's versatile and flexible interior, but not with its dismal headlights. Of the five, only the Fit and SX4 were recommended. The Yaris and Aveo scored too low in testing to make the cut, and the Renault-based Versa sedan has proven too unreliable. Better luck next year, guys. Official press release after the jump.

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit Sport

[Source: Consumer Reports via PR Newswire]

Continue reading Honda Fit dominates Consumer Reports subcompact test

Honda Fit dominates Consumer Reports subcompact test originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automobile Magazine Announces 2009 All-Stars

Chris Shunk — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:59:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1

After what we're sure are thousands of miles driven and some undoubtedly heated round table debates, Automobile Magazine has chosen its 2009 All-Stars. The ten winners were chosen based upon attributes that include design, driving enjoyment, performance and value, with vehicles taken from a wide range of segments. This year's winners range from the econobox Honda Fit to the Audi R8, with the spaciously rectilinear Ford Flex somewhere in between. The Chevrolet Malibu was one of four vehicles to make the list for the second straight year, joined by the Corvette (this year in ZR1 trim), Volkswagen GTI and the trophy darling BMW 3-Series. With it's nod from Automobile, Jaguar's XF continues to bring home the hardware, with one tester calling it the best Jaguar sedan he's ever driven (not a stretch in our book). Other winners included the Porsche 911 and the stonking Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

Just like with Car and Driver's 10 Best list, the Nissan GT-R didn't make Automobile's All-Stars team - an interesting ommission considering that it was recently crowned their Automobile of the Year. (Note: no price cap got in the way of victory this time). In fact, the only Japanese model to make the cut was the Fit, while the Germans took home five spots. In all, we'd call the All-Stars a solid list, but we're more interested in hearing what you think. What's missing and what vehicle(s) need the boot?

Gallery: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

[Source: Trading Markets]

Continue reading Automobile Magazine Announces 2009 All-Stars

Automobile Magazine Announces 2009 All-Stars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All-new 2009 Honda Fit priced from $14,550

Michael Harley — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Hatchback, Honda

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]

Continue reading All-new 2009 Honda Fit priced from $14,550

All-new 2009 Honda Fit priced from $14,550 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit Sport

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Honda, First Drive

2009 Honda Fit Sport - Click above for high-res image gallery

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: First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit Sport

Continue reading First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit Sport

First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit Sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Number of sub-$15k cars in U.S. falls by one-third

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Trends, Budget

Click above for more high-res shots of the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo

Every year, cars get just a bit more expensive. There was a time, which doesn't seem too long ago, that ten grand and a signature was all you needed to walk out of a dealership as the owner of a brand new car. Today, not so much. In fact, according to J.D. Power and Associates, $15,000 gets you just two-thirds of the choices you had just two years ago. Holding up the bottom of the list is the Chevrolet Aveo, which, along with the base-model Cobalt, makes GM the only American player in the cheap-car sweepstakes. The 2009 Aveo, however, has a higher base price than before thanks to the elimination of the lowest price value model. The Koreans in the form of Hyundai and Kia offer three choices, and the remaining five slots are ably filled by Japanese manufacturers.

While there may be a few more vehicles that have base prices below the $15,000 mark, J.D. Power's numbers actually reflect transaction prices rather than MSRPs. Some vehicles, like the Honda Fit, are able to maintain some driving enjoyment to go along with their low prices, and these cars often command higher prices because of the demand for them.

Gallery: Autoblog Garage - 2007 Chevy Aveo

[Source: JD Power via Winding Road]

Number of sub-$15k cars in U.S. falls by one-third originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2008: 2009 Honda Fit gets in shape

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:55:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Budget, Hatchback, Honda

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.

Gallery: 2009 Honda Fit - Live Reveal

Gallery: 2009 Honda Fit

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading New York 2008: 2009 Honda Fit gets in shape

New York 2008: 2009 Honda Fit gets in shape originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automakers win: Canada dropping ecoAUTO rebate program

Michael Harley — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:03:00 EST

Filed under: Green, Honda, Toyota, Canada

After a controversial two-year run, the Canadian government has announced their ecoAUTO rebate program will be ended next year. The ecoAUTO plan offered a $1000 to $2000 CDN rebate to owners of new cars that consumed gas at a rate less than 6.5 l/100 km. Although the ambitious plan sounded like an excellent way to reward drivers of frugal transportation, the mathematical line in the sand snuffed those whose vehicles were still very efficient, yet just under the threshold.

One of the most vocal protests came from Honda. Unfortunately for them, their Canadian-market Fit was "unfit" for the rebate, yet the competing Toyota Yaris was approved. It didn't take long for the Japanese automaker to call out the Ottawa government in protest. Honda took their message public, and even offered their own version of the rebate to match the government's offer.

To mend the wounds of this green-rebate-gone-awry, the Canadian government has pledged $250 million to the auto industry for the development and research of environmentally-friendly technologies.

[Source: Autoblog Green]

Automakers win: Canada dropping ecoAUTO rebate program originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda recalling 34,300 Fits

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 09:31:00 EST

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Hatchback, Honda

Up to 34,000 Honda Fits from 2007 and 2008 are being recalled for a faulty sensor that detects child seats or out-of-position passengers. In states that use road salt, the salt-infused water from melting snow on the driver's shoes can leak beneath the carpet and corrode the wires for the Occupant Detection System (ODS). Severing that connection means that the passenger's front and side airbags will go off even if a child is in the front seat. The recall is in effect now for cars sold or registered in these states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

[Source: Carscoop]

Honda recalling 34,300 Fits originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Jan 2008 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2008 Tokyo Auto Salon: Honda Fit F154SC concept by Mugen

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Japan, Hatchback, Honda, Tokyo Auto Salon

Click the image above for a gallery of live pics and a few high-res press shots.

The Honda Fit has established itself as a viable platform for tuners in Japan and with the apparently minimal amount of love being heaped upon the new Civic Type-R, aftermarket firms are focusing more attention on the Civic's younger brother.

Mugen's close ties to Honda have yielded yet another concept that takes the Fit to the next level. Typical for the Fit and Mugen, the F154SC has a supercharger slapped onto the L15A that boosts the power of the 1.5-liter four to 150 hp and 136 lb.-ft. of torque. Everything that could have been modified has, including a full coilover suspension, exhaust, intake and upgraded brakes, along with the prerequisite body modifications that widen the track and feed more air into the engine bay.

Autoblog Chinese grabbed some shots of the F154SC on the show floor and we've added a few press pics to the gallery, thanks to our friends at LeBlogAuto.

Gallery: Mugen Honda Fit F154SC

2008 Tokyo Auto Salon: Honda Fit F154SC concept by Mugen originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda Fit named Japanese Car of the Year

John Neff — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:27:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, Hatchback, Honda

click above image for high-res gallery of the 2008 Honda Fit

The second-generation Honda Fit (a.k.a. Jazz in some markets outside the U.S.) has been named Japan's Car of the Year. Reuters reports that the little Honda hatchback beat out such heavyweights as the new Nissan Skyline (a.k.a. Infiniti G37 in the U.S.) and the new Subaru Impreza. Chosen by a 60-member panel comprised mainly of automotive journalists, the Car of the Year award in Japan has gone to Honda five times in the last 10 years. Last year's winner was the new Lexus LS sedan. You can check out the entire list of past winners here on Wikipedia. While we in the U.S. aren't able to purchase the new Fit yet, it's on sale in Japan and flying off the lot. Expected to sell around 12,000 units per month initially, Honda sold more than 20,000 in the car's first two weeks of availability. The new Fit's larger size and smoother looks should help it find a few more buyers in the U.S. as well when it goes on sale sometime next year.

[Source: Reuters]

Gallery: 2008 Honda Fit (JDM)

Honda Fit named Japanese Car of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda gets 20,000 orders for redesigned Fit in Japan

Dan Roth — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:04:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Japan, Honda

Honda has received a flood of orders for the newly redesigned Fit in the two weeks since its launch. That's a good thing for Honda in its home market, where its sales have been flagging. Instead of the projected 12,000 Fits per month, there have been 20,000 orders for the roomier and more efficient Fit since its announcement. The deluge of demand for the new Fit could help Honda take over the top spot as Japan's best-selling car, toppling the Toyota Corolla. It's important to note, however, that in Japan, new model announcements are routinely followed by initial order numbers that exceed expectations (which are then trumpeted by the automakers). In the United States, the clamor around the Fit remains hot, as well, so when the new one makes it here - reportedly within a year - it should equal further positive numbers for Honda.

[Source: Guardian Unlimited]

Honda gets 20,000 orders for redesigned Fit in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tokyo Motor Show: 2008 Honda Fit gets Civic-minded makeover

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:56:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, Tokyo Motor Show, Hatchback, Honda

Click the image above for a gallery of live and press shots of the new Honda Fit.

Honda's redesigned Fit was on the floor for all and sundry to kick tires, snap photos and enjoy the economy-class interior provided by the Big-H's sub-compact offering. Although the Fit apes the styling of the Euro-Civic, much of what's aft of the A-pillar will look familiar, with a few subtle tweaks to differentiate it from its predecessor. Powertrain choices include a 1.3- or 1.5-liter four, with an all-wheel-drive option.

Our previous post has all the details and the gallery below has a selection of live and press images.

Gallery: 2008 Honda Fit (JDM)

Tokyo Motor Show: 2008 Honda Fit gets Civic-minded makeover originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mugen lays hands upon 2008 Honda Fit/Jazz

John Neff — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:02:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Budget, Japan, Hatchback, Honda

click above image to view more pics of the Mugen Honda Fit

There's usually less than a week between the time a new vehicle is introduced by Honda and Mugen debuts its own hotted up version. Such is the case with the 2008 Honda Fit, also known as the Jazz in other markets, including Japan. The 2008 Fit was revealed by Honda last Thursday, and not four days later do we have the Mugen version. The splash page on Mugen's website is of course in Japanese, so we found out the details elsewhere and can tell you that Mugen will be offering two body kits for the Fit. The RS body kit (shown above) will be aggressive, or at least more so than the L/G Aero kit, and both will include new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, a roof spoiler and chrome exhaust tip. Other accessories like alloy wheels, aluminum pedals, different gauges, a sports exhaust, stiffer suspension and the like will also be available. No word on any force fed assistance for the Fit's little 1.5L powerplant, but we'll keep you posted if we hear anything.

[Source: Mugen via Carscoop]

Gallery: Mugen 2008 Honda Fit/Jazz

Mugen lays hands upon 2008 Honda Fit/Jazz originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2008 Honda Fit bows in Japan

Dan Roth — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Japan, Hatchback, Honda

UPDATE: 60+ images added to the gallery.

Click the image above for more high-res images.

The second-generation Honda Fit drops in Japan on October 26th. The new Fit refines the basic recipe of the current car, marrying innovative packaging and a carved-out interior with efficient mechanicals. Honda has also added a sportier "Road Sailing" trim level that adds a larger engine. The A-pillar has moved forward and stretched the wheelbase two inches, utilizing that space to add four-mode "Ultra Seats" that flip and fold in a variety of ways to increase cargo capacity, or even create a bed when set to "Refresh mode." They've also found room for ten (!) cupholders in there somehow, but Honda swears that the interior volume is equivalent to one of its mid-size sedans.

Five new exterior colors bring the available hues to a total of 12, and the exterior design has evolved into something more handsome than the current Fit. It's still not terribly stylish, but for its homeliness, but we doubt that anyone would argue that the outgoing Fit looks better. A 1.3-liter i-VTEC engine is the base powerplant, upgradeable to a 1.5-liter unit, and both powerplants are available with an all-wheel-drive system when mated to a 5-speed automatic. There's also a CVT and a five-speed manual available to transmit twist to the road. Prices start at about $9,800 (1.14 million Yen) and go up to about $14,600 (1.7 million Yen).

Honda's full press release is posted after the jump.

[Source: Honda]

Gallery: 2008 Honda Fit (JDM)

Continue reading 2008 Honda Fit bows in Japan

2008 Honda Fit bows in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By Jove, they've done it! Honda adds a few more MPGs to Canadian Fit

John Neff — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:18:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Green, Hatchback, Honda

Autoblog regulars will remember the ongoing feud between Honda Canada and the Canadian government. The conflict centers around Ottawa's new budget that contains the ecoAuto program, which offers between $1,000 and $2,500 rebates on certain fuel efficient vehicles and up to a $4,000 penalty on gas guzzlers. The Honda Fit, which is very popular in Canada, missed the cutoff for being eligible for a rebate because it consumes 6.6L of fuel every 100 kilometers, just one tenth of a liter more than the federal criteria for the rebate. The Civic misses the mark, however, by one-third to a half liter every 100 kilometers.

Honda threw a fit at what it saw as a federal endorsement of fuel economy over safety, as well as the unfair advantage it gave to competitors like the Toyota Yaris, which did qualify for the rebate but performed less well in crash tests. Honda even went so far as to offer its own $1,000 rebate on the Fit in protest.

In the meantime, Honda engineers have been going over the Fit to eek out a few more miles per gallon, and they've done it on the Fit equipped with a manual transmission. While confirming that they did not reduce the vehicles weight by deleting safety options to achieve the fuel savings, Honda was mum on exactly how it was achieved except to say "internal tinkering" was involved.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look they'll be able to perform the same miracle with the Fit that's equipped with an automatic, though in Canada the manual Fit sells more anyway. The Civic, which is less fuel-efficient than either Fit, has pretty much no hope of ever meeting the governments criteria for the rebate.

Thanks for the tip, Steve!

[Source: The Star]

By Jove, they've done it! Honda adds a few more MPGs to Canadian Fit originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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