While the subcompact Honda Fit was first introduced to the US in the 2007 model year, it was first released in Japan way back in 2001. The Fit produces solid gas mileage figures, with highway ratings in the mid-thirty mile per gallon (MPG) range. The diminutive five door is remarkably popular in the UK and Europe, where it’s known as the Honda Jazz. The Fit ably fills the entry-level niche in the Honda lineup, long held by the Civic.The 2008 Honda Fit is equipped with a 1.5 liter four cylinder VTEC engine that produces 109 horsepower and 105 foot pounds of torque. The Fit can be configured with a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission. In Fit Sport trim, the automatic tranny is controlled via steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
An all-wheel-drive version of the Fit is available in Japan. There’s no word if or when an AWD Fit will become available here in the States.
