Honda FIT Sport with paddle shifters

Hello,

Does anyone have any experience with the Honda FIT Paddle shifters on the
Sport? I was just wondering if they really shift like a semi automatic and
let you bring the car up to a high rpm in each gear before shifting or is it
more a gimick?

Also what is the basic driveability and performance with that car compared
to a Civic? The dealers in my area never seem to have one in stock so I
can't seem to find any here. I've seen them on the road and they look
narrower and smaller than the Civic. I'm just wondering about comfort and
driveability and handling etc?

If I was going to get one it would be the FIT Sport with auto, which I think
would be about $16,400.00. Or for $3,000.00 more I could get a Civic EX with
auto. I am also wondering if the FIT Sport is worth it for $3,000.00 less in
terms of value for what you get in a FIT Sport Auto vs. what you get in the
Civic EX Auto.

I know that mileage is almost identical...

Thanks,

Al

 

in this instance, since the transmission is really a cvt, it's a
gimmick. but it does give you convenient two-hands-on-the-wheel control
if you want it.

if you want real handling, you need a wishbone accord or a pre-2001
wishbone civic. or integra.

 

i take that back - it's a 5-speed conventional honda transmission! the
fit was sold with a "7-speed" cvt transmission in other markets, but it
seems that for the u.s. market, traditional transmission is the way...

 

The paddles will let you shift manually as long as you stay within an
RPM range. You still have all of the inefficiencies of an automatic
transmission. Honda's more complex transmissions seem to get totally
confused by changes in throttle. At least you can skip one or two
seconds of the transmission being stupefied when you step on the gas.

German cars are starting to come out with a "DSG" transmission. It's a
hybrid of automatic and manual transmission design with stunning
performance. There's no mushiness from a torque converter and power
efficiency beats a manual.

 

Actually it is a 5-speed AT. They wouldn't have much purpose if they
didn't let you take it up to redline before shifting.

http://automobiles.honda.com/models/engineering_overview.asp?ModelName=Fit

Consumer reports tested the base Fit with the same AT but no paddles.
It was 2.5 sec slower to 60 (12.4 vs. 9.9) and got 2 less mpg than the
manual. I doubt it is any faster with the paddles but it might be
more fun to drive than the regular AT.

The Civic Si might not be bad. The Fit Sport does handle well also
but the Civic will be faster and more civilized. The Fit is the best
of all the new small cars.

Is the $3K the difference in street price or MSRP. The Fit is
apparently in such short supply that you won't be able to deal on them
like you could on a Civic. It the MSRP is $3K higher, I bet you could
get the Civic for about $1000 more than you would pay for the FIT. If
that is the case I would say it is a no-brainer to get the Civic.

 

Okay thanks everyone. I guess at this point getting a Civic is a better
choice. I just wanted something more fun to drive without actually getting a
manual transmission. I wish the accord or civic would come out with a
sequential sport shifter. Even hyundai's have that!

Has anyone tried the Accord 4 cyl Manual and compared it to a Civic Manual?
I was wondering what the differences are in 0-60 and control?

Thanks,
Al

 

Just so you know, there are no "speeds" in a Continuously Variable
Transmission.




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i know - that's why it's in quotes. the transmission control system is
however programmed to give the impression of seven discrete ratios -
somewhat stupid imo.

 

I agree IMO Honda spent way too much time trying to mask the characteristics of
the CVT trans. Rather they should have touted goodness of the design (such as
it is) and made it known that "this" is how they work and it's normal.


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couldn't agree more. trouble is, honda usa is infected with "detroit
marketing syndrome", hence red rear turn signals, ridgeline, no prelude,
no updated crx, rsx [integra successor] which is UTTER junk, no wagon
accord [or civic for that matter], mcpherson strut suspension,
anti-hatchback culture, etc. time was, honda used to lead, not follow.
now, not only do they follow, they're following the worst possible
examples.

need more? there was never any real plan to import the fit, but it
kinda-sorta turned into a necessity given that gas prices were high.
now, they find themselves completely unable to satisfy demand it's such
a success. honda usa marketing is /mind-blowingly/ out of touch.

</endrant>

 

What a great quote: "American Honda Motor Manufacturing's marketing is
MIND-BLOWINGLY out of touch." I will steal that, no question. It needs
to be said early and often.

Remember the CRV? It first showed up at the Detroit show in January
1997. The story goes that Honda corporate came up with this car, and
offered it to everyone. Japan was happy to take it, but American Honda
declined.

Then the permance of the SUV craze became very apparent, and American
Honda came back and said, "uh, guys, we'd like that car." But by then
the corporate design was fairly well fixed and there was no
accommodation for the American market and its regulations, let alone
customer preferences and feature sets.

Therefore, there was a big delay while Honda sorted it all out. When it
finally came to market, some big items were still awkward--the window
switches on the dash, the rear door swinging open the wrong way for
those of us who drive on the right side of the road, etc.

Now let's talk about American Honda and their beancounter engineering,
where they stuck the actual engineers on the bench and let the
beancounters make engineering decisions. V6 transmissions, anyone? In
one fell swoop Honda managed to turn itself into Chrysler, and the only
thing that saved them at the last minute was someone's decision to buy
their way out of it. Unlike Chrysler (who denies any problems and tells
the customer to go screw himself), Honda decided to commit what some
shareholders would call coroporate hara-kiri and own up to the situation
and issue the largest recall ever for these things.

They're still paying out goodwill money for transmission replacements,
and will until the last of the early 04 Odysseys get turned into beaters
and get put into the hands of people who would never know to ask a Honda
dealer for assistance for the junk transmission.

American Honda spent at least 10 years dinging their reputation for all
the reasons you outline, and more--all based on the fact that they let
the beancounters run the system.

I did notice that the corporate CEO now is the brilliant engineer who,
back in the very early 70s, invented CVCC which allowed Honda not to
spend the money on catalytic converters while still achieving federal
emissions regulations. This gives me great hope that engineering will
reign again at Honda.

Also giving me great hope is what they did with the 06 Civic. It looks
like it's an engineer's car, MUCH more so than any Civic in the previous
10 years.

And look what happened with the Accord. The 03 model comes out, and it
LOOKS like a Buick. Blech. Then a couple years later the same people
who let real engineers and designers loose on the Civic redesign, let
similar designers loose on the mid-cycle re-do of the Accord. And in
one fell swoop, by fixing the rear end, the Accord became a nice looking
car.

And now the next gen Accord is going to look like what we've come to
expect from Acura, and nothing like what we've come to expect for
America's mainstream family car.

In fact, the fact that they showed the new Accord before it hit
showrooms in the fall--which is unprecedented for Honda--tells me it's a
new era at Honda.

Only Honda could slide to the Chrysler level, recognize their mistake,
and manage to come back. That great feat alone should give one
confidence.

But my fear is that these changes are DESPITE the American Honda
marketing machine, not because of it. I think the marketing team still
holds out for the Detroit syndrome, and could yet sabotage further Honda
efforts to be what we all know they can be--makers of the greatest cars
on the planet.

Honda, send out a press release that you've fired the entire marketing
team and all your ad agencies who have produced the last 10 years of
disasters, and have replaced them with people who know how to market
your engineering prowess (instead of telling the engineers what to
build) and turn that into 5% sales increases every month. That'll tell
the world you're serious.

 

- snip -

The 05 Accord Hybrid in an example too. No colors outside, no colors
inside, no manual transmission, insane understeer, 25 MPG, and the worst
engineering I've seen outside of American cars. I was shocked when I
bought the repair manual and read just how h4x0r this car is.
Dealerships must work with Honda tech support over the phone while they
fix HAHs.

My HAH is in the pre-arbitration negotiation phase of being lemon lawed.
Several problems have been fixed with the engine but none solved its
rough idle or blinking engine light at full throttle. I can't sell the
car as it is and I'm really scared about repair costs when the warranty
ends. I bought a Honda to avoid disasters like this.

I miss my 97 Civic HX. It was a pleasure to drive and the engineering
was superb. Technology was used to make the car simpler and more
reliable, not burdened in complexity.