Thanks again for another great review!

I am impressed with the new Honda Fit and it's definitely an improvement over the previous generation and it's nice that Honda has continued to offer the flexibility of the first model. I do realise that it is a sub-compact but the thing I noticed is the comment on the hard plastic. I mean even the Yaris and Versa have hard plastics that do feel cheap and for me easily forgiven for their low-ish price (although the Versa in Canada can be loaded to a Corolla LE [XLE] in terms of price). I mean even parts of my smart have hard plastics (mostly the door panel) but thankfully the rest of the dash is covered in fabric so it doesn't look or feel cheap. Would you rather they improve the plastics or use the money on other things like engine/transmission or adding more features?

I consider these models as basic transportation (whether they have power windows or not) so for me, cheap plastics is ok as long as costs haven't been noticeably cut elsewhere (like exposed screwheads or poorly fitting trim). If I wanted a better inexpensive car, I'd take a compact.

Secondly, I noticed that you guys only get two models. We get a DX, LX and Sport with the LX sporting "Civic Hybrid" alloys which look out-of-place in a Fit. Also, what's your thought on the rather unusual tyre spec on the Fit? It's 185 width yet of 16" in diameter. Wouldn't that be a hard size to find? Also it's a downgrade from the 195 width of the previous model.

 

Sure. Anytime.


The Chevy Aveo 2LT (I don't know if it is available in Canada or if they call it another name there) proves that attractive, plush interior trim can be had for a subcompact's price. Of course, the Aveo is not a true Chevy or GM product; it is built for Chevy/GM by Daewoo of Korea.




I can't comment on how hard that tire size would be to find, especially in Canada. That, of course, would depend on the tire store. (Here in the U.S., we don't spell it tyre)

 

I'm just saying if it's just trim don't call it "Sport". There's absolutely nothing 'sporty' about the Fit. Good functional econobox though.

 

ALMOST nothing, bit.....see my previous reply. The 5-speed automatic SportShift with paddles is fairly sporty....and the 5 speeds one-up the 4 of some of the competition.

 

Great review as usual MMarshall...however, just one small flaw i would like to point out:

http://www.8thcivic.com/forums/mecha...d-pics-12.html

Honda's paint is HORRIBLE. and has been since the Complete lineup redesign in 2006. I do not know what they did, but the paint has been the worst quality i have ever seen since. True, the paint looks nice when new, but scratches, dings, peels, cracks and chips easier than any paint, on any car that i have ever had. PERIOD. hell, my 14 year old (at the time, now would be 18) Lexus had fewer flaws than my 2006 (2 year old) honda does currently.

I am absolutely amazed at the astounding amount of work it takes to keep up with this finish, and its not just me. Nearly EVERY owner on that board will agree with me 100% and some have been owners since the very first civic debuted in the US...this is the worst paint honda has ever put on its cars.

Again, Mike, this has nothing to do with your skills as a reviewer or with the fact that you do so out of your spare time. However I think it a valid point for anyone considering the purchase of this vehicle, who may read this review, should know about the inherent problems that come with the finish. Civic owners (myself included) find it nessecary to spend nearly 50 hrs a month just to MAINTAIN the finish on this car, and this does nothing for things like road rash, or when the guy next to you gets out of his truck with keys clipped to his belt loop on his jeans and bumps your car.

A car thats used every day should have a quality of paint that balances looks with durability. The civic has a paintjob you would expect to find on a $250,000 Ferrari: EXCELLENT looking paint as long as its garaged and never used. get it on the road for any length of time however...and you will notice the flaws. As an example a friend of mine with a Fit (previous gen) shut his door, and chipped a large chunk of paint off the doors edge. Come on honda? Whats going on here?

 

Unfortunately alot of modern paint is pretty bad with the chipping, scratching, orangepeel, dings, etc. My 01 GS430 paint is horrible with how easy it chips, scratches, dings, and etches from bird droppings/sap. The front bumper and mainly front portion and middle of the hood is covered in dings, chips, and etchings, and seems to pick up a few more after just a few weeks of driving. Every time you try to fix them more and more pop up and I don't drive fast or tailgate. My 94 Eclipse paint was much more resilient to rock chips and dings. There is alot of complaints about how easy the 2nd Gen GS gets chips and dings and other flaws in its paint.

 

I think some of the paint issues come thanks to environmentalists forcing changes in paint chemicals.

 

This is correct, but the biggest changes were in the early 1990's when the EPA forced big changes in the way factory paint procedures were done, to paint vapors down in the application drying process. There were some real problems back then, not just with a few chips here and there, but with entire paint jobs fading, pelling off, and the car left with nothing but the primer......sometimes not even that. Millions of vehicles were repainted free, under warranty. Though a number of manufacturers were affected, Ford, Chrysler, and Mazda, from what I remember, seemed to have the most problems.

The problems since then have been minor in comparison.

 

nice review -- I think you would have much happier test driving a manual tranny (as you mentioned).


too bad the rest of the Aveo is junk...crappy drivetrain/reliability/ etc.....bound for rental car lots.

 

Thanks.

Honda's paint, when new, seems to be as smooth and well-done as almost anyone else's in the buisness, including Lexus (and I have to call it like I see it), but, as you note, several years can make a difference.

Of course, you also live in a part of NY state (or did) that has some of the toughest and most damaging winter road conditons in the country. Almost nothing is worse on paint (while driving), than sand, salt, and (especially), gravel-like abrasives. The abrasives, especially, will damage and pockmark paint, glass, and trim. I have done whole threads, in the past, on how best to deal with this.....or at least keep it to a minimum.

 

Can you link m eto one of those threads? (although i think i do pretty much everything one can, might be something im missing though).

and yes Mike, you are right, the years take their toll. But one person in that thread i posted lives in Oklahoma City, one of those (climatewise) neutral places i can think of...little-no snow, no salt, not terribly excessive heat in summer, and his hood is cracking and peeling...his car had (at the time of noticing) 1500 miles and was less than 3 months old.

Mine has the cracks in the paint that developed under the clearcoat. It also has etching and rockchips where there should be none. the paint on my drivers door handle was peeling off (honda fixed for free) and these are all common issues on hondas made after 2006. Acuras seem to have much fewer problems...and the problems dont seem to be directly related to any one type of color (dark solids, metallics etc).

I just think to get a paint job right, you have to balance durability and smooth "wet" look. you cant always have both. My sister-in-law's 08 Kia Sedona Minivan has MUCH more reseiliant paint...but she has orange peel in some spots...

 

I can quickly go over a few of the main points right here.

Best way to keep sand, salt, and grave/abrasive damage to your car down if you MUST drive on winter-treated roads is:


1. Use accessories like bras, splash guards, masks, etc.... They won't protect everything (and don't protect the glass or the sides of the car), but they are a start.

2. Wait as long as possible after the trucks dump the stuff on the roads for traffic tires to scatter and disperse it.

3. As much as possible, keep your wheels in the center of the lane (or in the twin-tracks) where the road is clearest. That will cut down on the amount of crap your own wheels pick up and toss against the sides and underbelly of your own car.

4. Keep your own speed down. That will lessen the force that your tires toss the gravel/abrasives against the paint, lessening the amount of damage it does.

5. After traffic has been on the road for awhile, on a multi-lane road, most of the sand/abrasives will be left between the lanes, while the center of the lanes are pretty much clear. If you see a car switching lanes and cutting in front of you (which often happens), slow down and put as much distance between you and him, especially as his wheels cross the edges of the lanes, where most of the sand/abrasives still lie. That will cut down on the amount (and speed) of the gravel that his tires kick up into you.

6. If possible, never follow a big truck, a dump truck, or a truck with big multi-rear wheels.....they kick up a LOT of stuff behind them.

7. Whenever temperatures are above freezing, or in a heated building, get a hose and flush off everything underneath and in the wheel wells....especially the inward lip of the wells where things get trapped. There will be a lot of sand in hard-to-get places that is often difficult to get out.....this is why I recommend hand-washing over automatic car washes. Automatic washes do only a rudimentary job and don't get all the sand off.....that sand ends up getting scratched onto the paint. This is also one reason why I place emphasis on ground clearance in my reviews.....it makes this job easier to do with a hose.

Make sure engine, exhaust, and brakes are cool before hitting the car underneath with a hose.....otherwise the instant cold water can damage them.

 

Ah, thank you very much!

 

The Aveo is sold here both in sedan and Aveo5 hatchback form. We also get the G5/Wave twins too. The picture does look very impressive much like the 03 Corolla LE when it came out. It's also a lot better than the cheesy wood interior of the Lancer.