yeah, but the mileage isn't that good, the power's terrible, and there's not a lot of room to FIT stuff in. . . .

--d

 

the fit can fit more than a HCH can. The seats all fold down making the cargo space bigger.

 

Fine, if you want to talk "how much space to carry home a TV," an advantage that essentially goes away as soon as you have people in those back seats. And of course hatchbacks always have more cargo space than a sedan even when the sedan has (as the Civic does) more total passenger space.

To me, moot point anyway: it's still a tiny car that doesn't even get 40 mpg. A regular Civic (which of course *does* have folding rear seats) will close to match it on mileage. You have to really be grinding an anti-hybrid ax, I've got to think, to insist the Fit is a better choice in any category except price and tiny parking spaces. But whatever.

--doug

 

Hauling to me this is a really dubious argument. IF you commonly carry very large items (i.e. commonly carry tvs, lumber, large items from Home Depot, etc. etc.), my guess is that neither a Fit nor a HCH (nor for that matter the hatchback Prius) is your choice. Maybe some of you guys, are big haulers, I don't know. And to me this is the reason that some people get SUVs, is that they think they have a whole life of hauling stuff (or maybe they long for those trips to the edge of nowhere that they don't take anyway.

I don't have any trouble putting groceries or work stuff in my Corolla. And that's mainly what I would haul. I will never put a hitch on the car.

IF I carried a tv home, I could not even pick it up to get it out-- I'm just not strong enough. I would pay the service charge and have them deliver. Or I'd look for a friend who could carry and LIFT it.

I don't really need to carry more than one other passenger anyway. I'd buy an Impulse if I could find one at a good price-- and could afford it. I think a coupe isn't a terrible idea in my case.

Now frankly I don't know if I'll like a Fit, but it seems like a plausible idea at least.

I don't know why a hypermiler needs lots of power. I generally go under the speed limit if it is possible. Sure it might be nice to pass up those trucks, but frankly I have never been able to really do it anyway. I don't think I would miss what I have never had. OTOH, I should be able to exceed EPA with any car.

Price is a consideration. If they put hybrid into a Fit, I might go for it. BTW, I find it interesting how scornful some people here are about price as a major consideration. We aren't all in the same income level. (As for parking spaces, it doesn't much matter. I have paralleled parked once out here in 6 years.)

--des

 

dude. chill. no where do you see such a claim being made. price is a big selling point for desdemona, a fit doesn't cost as much as a hybrid yet gets near hybrid like mileage (that's my only claim).

 

Space is definitely an issue for me: I often transport stuff between my home and dorm and help others move their things, but having non-foldable rear seats on the HCH becomes somewhat of a pain. If Honda does come out with a Fit-like Hybrid (small 4-dr hatchback with folding seats), I'd trade in my HCH immediately for it.