Brian Chee’s Advice about the 2007 Honda Fit:
The 2007 Honda Fit may be a better buy than a Civic. It’s a neat little car that drives big, lives big and, after a brief test drive, feels like a big value. You can luxe up the Fit to more than $16,000 – a big sticker – but this may be one subcompact that’s worth the premium, thanks to its zippy performance, excellent fuel economy and innovative interior. It’s not all chocolate bananas, though, as the Fit has some quality issues and is LEV rated – that’s LEV rated – which isn’t very clean for a class of cars that usually get at least ULEV-II ratings. Then there’s the price: if you’re budget shopping subcompacts, this may not be the car for you. If, on the other hand, you can afford two or three grand more, and want a fun sub with some cool interior innovations, give the Honda Fit a close look.

Christian Wardlaw’s Advice about the 2007 Honda Fit:
The 2007 Honda Fit, which has been heralded as the affordable solution to gas pains at the pump, is over-hyped in my opinion. We got 27.2 mpg during a week of driving, which is less than the 33.2 mpg we averaged in the larger, more powerful, and more comfortable Honda Civic EX sedan with an automatic. Add the fact that the Civic is one of the most crashworthy vehicles in its class, and that its 140-horsepower engine is ULEV rated while the Fit’s 109-pony motor burns dirtier with a LEV rating, and the $1,500 walk from the Honda Fit Sport to the Civic LX sedan seems like a worthwhile investment. Still, the Fit is a nice little car – roomy, useful, fun to drive, and equipped with a more appealing dashboard design than the Civic. Plus, it’s got youthful appeal, and everyone knows how easy it is to sell a young person’s car to older people, but not vice versa. Still, I’m not entirely sold on the idea, but that’s probably just because I never got comfortable in the driver’s seat.

Thom Blackett’s Advice about the 2007 Honda Fit:
There’s plenty to admire about the 2007 Honda Fit Sport, from the capable handling to the versatile and spacious cargo area. And then there are negative points to consider, like the sub-par build quality of our test car and the misguided automatic transmission. Even so, with gas prices continuing to rise, I find myself among many V8 drivers considering a more efficient alternative, and the Fit Sport is on the list. Get used to the lack of power and the drive can be somewhat entertaining, there’s plenty of room for the driver and a mountain bike or two, the price is right, and fuel economy should be excellent.

But, to be sure, I’d go over it repeatedly to check build quality and it’d definitely have a manual transmission. And if Honda decided to grace this little ride with a moonroof and a driver’s armrest, well it’d have those, too.

Ron Perry’s Advice about the 2007 Honda Fit:
As much as I loved my past Honda cars, the 2007 Fit leaves me longing for more, even in this price range. I feel Honda could have given it a bit more power and some better styling, but there is no doubt the Fit will be a success for Honda based on the stares and interest of other drivers that I encountered on the streets and freeways of southern California. I also feel it lacks the excitement I used to get driving my 1987 Civic Si. Like all impressions, though, personal taste is subjective and if the specs and design interest you, a test drive is definitely in order.