The Honda FIT has long been a go-to vehicle for a buyer who wants a compact, easy-to-maintain, versatile, dependable and fuel-efficient car that can stick around in the family garage for a while. With those foundations covered, over and above, the FIT has character to it rather than just stopping at being an appliance. Cue the facelift FIT e:HEV, which we had over the 2023 Festive Season; we chucked on 1000km over three weeks and found a few things we loved. We have a full review of the FIT e:HEV, which you can check out here as well.
Related: Honda FIT e:HEV Facelift now available in South Africa
A refreshed exterior guaranteed to turn more heads and a power bump by 10kW while keeping what made the original FIT e:HEV special: efficiency. Our first time seeing the facelift FIT interestingly was when we were in Japan for the Japan Mobility Show while prowling the streets of Tokyo. When we saw the announcement of the facelift coming to South Africa, we rejoiced. We picked the top 3 things we liked about the FIT Hybrid.
1. It uses next to no fuel.
One of the huge selling points of the FIT e:HEV is the hybrid drivetrain. The FIT uses Honda's i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive) hybrid system. This is a combo of a 1.5-litre non-turbo i-VTEC petrol engine paired with two electric motors and a lithium-ion battery sending power to the front wheels using a fixed ratio e-CVT 'gearbox', which functions as the power control unit. In total, you get 90kW and 253Nm. From this system, you get a claimed fuel consumption of 3.7l /100km, and during our December driving, we managed to get the fuel consumption down to 4.0l /100km. The FIT e:HEV is incredibly frugal, but the car also feels spry. Is hybrid or ICE better? You can see here.
2. Family reactions to the FIT.
The FIT has been known to use cabin space cleverly thanks to well-considered design. The cabin of the FIT e:HEV embraces the lounge feel and provides a comfortable cocoon. This writer's family praised the space on hand inside the FIT and were impressed by the Magic Seat System as we didn't find ourselves wanting more space. Praise also went to the refinements and gentle ride quality of the vehicle. The build quality was well appreciated, and even minor convenience items like cupholders placed in front of the air vents were taken note of. From young to elderly, the FIT e:HEV was appealing to all. The elders enjoyed the comfort and space, whilst the youth enjoyed the technology and aesthetics, while this writer loved the craftmanship and considered design.
3. It's a looker.
The refreshed exterior, in our eyes, is quite attractive, with praise given to the revised front fascia with larger grilles, bumper slots and trim pieces finished in a satin grey. That also spreads to the car's rear with a sculpted bumper complete with satin grey valance. Besides the revised exterior, the FIT, even in the pre-facelift form, already had a nice compact shape to it. The colours on offer also make this vehicle stand out from the rest, with our test unit's pearlescent paint complementing the exterior design well.
If you're sold on a Honda FIT e:HEV after reading this, you can search AutoTrader for the latest used and new offerings and sell your car too.
