2012 Honda Fit Total Car Score Analysis

The 2012 Honda Fit earned the best Total Car Score in its segment, a testament to the Japanese automaker's ability to make the subcompact five-door functional, reliable and fun to drive. 
 
Reviewers praise the Fit for its interior room — Honda's Magic Seat allows comfortable transport of everything from mountain bikes to plants to five passengers within its spacious cabin. Drivers also welcome the long list of standard amenities, including full power accessories, and the Fit earns kudos for its fun-to-drive suspension tuning and responsive engine, despite having only 117 horsepower. 
 
Most of its derogatory comments are aimed simply at the styling — function over form means some feel the Fit looks like a miniature minivan. 
 
The all-new second-generation Honda Fit arrived three years ago. Now in its fourth model year, Honda has made minor updates to exterior styling, increased sound insulation for a quieter cabin and added console ambient lighting.  
 
In addition to a new front fascia, the 2012 Fit Sport receives steering wheel-mounted audio controls, an upgraded Bluetooth system with streaming audio and a new color scheme in the cabin. 

2012 Honda Fit Model Line-Up

The 2012 Honda Fit is a subcompact five-door hatchback. It is only offered in one body style. 
 
Keeping things simple, there is only one engine offered in the Honda Fit. Displacing 1.5-liters, the four-cylinder powerplant is rated at 117 horsepower and 106 pound-feet of torque. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual, with a five-speed automatic offered as an option. It is hardly a sports car, but the automatic-equipped Fit Sport has steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters for more driver involvement. All Honda Fit models are front-wheel drive. 
 
There are just two Fit models: base and Sport. Despite the nomenclature, base models arrive with air conditioning, keyless entry, cruise control and full power accessories. The Sport trim is upgraded with 16-inch alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth phone connectivity and more. Optional on the Sport model is a touchscreen navigation system with voice controls. 
 
Because Honda has tuned its base Fit to earn slightly better fuel economy, there are three unique fuel economy estimates. In base trim, the EPA estimates the 1.5-liter inline-four with the standard automatic transmission will earn 28 mpg city, 35 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined. This same trim, with the five-speed manual gearbox, will deliver 27 mpg city, 33 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined. With the optional automatic (that includes steering-wheel mounted paddle shift buttons), the 2012 Fit is rated at 27 mpg city, 33 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined.

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