2011 Honda Fit

The 2011 Honda Fit used to be a no-brainer. The Honda Fit receives more standard equipment for 2011, including stability control, keyless entry, cruise control and an iPod/USB audio interface. First off, it’s worth explaining why the Honda Fit continues to be such a transcendent car. "Frugal and fun" might as well be printed on the Fit’s business card.

By relocating the gas tank under the front seats, Honda created a perfectly flat load floor with the rear seats folded down, opening an incredible cargo space of 57 cubic feet. Should you need it to actually carry people, the Fit’s rear quarters provide more space and comfort than its subcompact rivals and even larger cars.

So why is the 2011 Honda Fit no longer a slam-dunk choice? The 2011 Honda Fit is a subcompact four-door hatchback available in base and Sport trim levels.

The Fit Sport adds 16-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, a sport body kit, shift paddles (automatic transmission only), foglights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, map lights and a six-speaker sound system. A navigation system with touchscreen interface, voice controls, a digital audio card reader and steering-wheel audio controls is an available option for the Fit.

The 2011 Honda Fit is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder good for 117 horsepower and 106 pound-feet of torque. The latter gets manual-override shift paddles in the Fit Sport. In Edmunds performance testing, a Fit Sport with the manual went from zero to 60 mph in 9.5 seconds. A base Fit with the automatic required a snooze-inducing 11 seconds.

The manual-transmission Fit returns an EPA-estimated 27 mpg city/33 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined. The Fit Sport automatic returns the same.

Every 2011 Honda Fit comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock brakes (front disc, rear drum), front side airbags, side curtain airbags and active front head restraints. The Fit has not been rated using the government’s new, more strenuous 2011 crash-testing procedures. It got four stars for rear-occupant protection in a side crash. The front passenger seat also folds down, creating room for items up to 7 feet, 9 inches in length.

The manual transmission model takes full advantage of the Fit’s engaging personality, though the Fit Sport’s available automatic with shift paddles is a viable alternative.