Sport 4dr Front-wheel Drive Hatchback
2009 Honda Fit

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-47255% Photos copyright ©2009 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc. It's tough to say which Fit is more attractive. We liked the simple honesty of the outgoing version, but as fans of the Euro Civic, the 2009 model's frontward aggression is a welcome addition. The fascia is more angular and less anonymous, and matched with the sculpted swage lines, over-styled hatch and dainty spoiler, the Fit Sport has ditched most of its mini-minivan character in favor of a dynamic shape that lends some familial cohesion to the lil' runabout. Praise be to Honda for erring on the Euro side of its recent stylistic endeavors, as we can't imagine the rhinoplastic horrors that would have afflicted the Fit if a Pilot/Ridgeline facelift found its way up front. On the inside, the revisions are just as apparent and equally divisive. The leather-wrapped steering wheel on the Sport model is suitably chunky and the perfect diameter to live up to its trim's namesake. But for those who prefer a low wheel placement to compliment the Sport's high-riding seats, be prepared for the top of the center-mounted speedo to disappear from view. The two-tiered stereo and climate control cluster has been dropped in favor of a singular slab of clickity-clicktastic plastic to house the audio system, and the fan, temperature and directional knobs apparently suffered a bout of elephantitus when they migrated to the left side of the stereo. While their placement might be more "driver oriented," pleas from the passenger seat to turn up the heat will be forthcoming. Thankfully, Honda got it right with the five-speed manual's shifter placement, which falls subconsciously to hand and delivers the smooth and solid action that comes with anything carrying an "H". The front seats are what you'd expect in anything under $20-large, offering enough adjustability and padding to remain comfortable on the daily commute, but lacking the serious bolstering you'd require while tackling the bends. The rear "Magic Seats" still fold up to reveal a clean pass-through and a flat floor …
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