Remember how US bumper regulations ruined the design of 1970s Porsches and so many other cars? Although the U.S. now has integrated bumpers (that defeat the purpose of minimizing costly repairs from "fender benders"), we still have a requirement for butt uglification. In looking at pictures of Honda's upcoming subcompact car, the 2009 Fit, I realized just how much our regulations affect car design. In this particular example, the American version is much longer – especially up at the front, where it seems like there must be an extra two feet ahead of the front wheels. The example should serve to remind all of us of one of the litany of complications that comes with Americanizing a car for sale. And back on the topic of the Fit, the shorter Japanese version looks better.
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I agree that the JDM one looks better. I still think the US version looks good though and I’m eager to check these out when they’re available.
Is it US bumper regulations or is it the Euro regs for pedestrian safety? I think the latter, given Honda’s PR push for its ACE body structure.
I actually really dig them both, and think the US one looks better. Less egg-like :P
Anyway, I think I’ll be trading down to one in 2010, as the mix of utility, efficiency, and daily practicality are just awesome. Hopefully waiting that long will allow a Fit Si to hatch with the 1.8 from the current Civic!
The have roots type supercharger kits for the current Fit and likely there will be one for the new one. These should give it the grunt down low where it will make the biggest difference. Only running 3-4 lbs boost max 6 shouldn’t hurt the engine too much as it’s not higher compression.
I think in the US we have higher speed limits and the average car here is much heavier and larger than that of Japan or Europe (where most people drive small cars with lower bumpers and large 5000lb suvs with amateur drivers and higher bumpers making small cars have to add the larger crash absorbtion zones).
Everyone’s got their own opinion, but your opinion is obviously wrong — the US car looks much better. The Japanese version looks like something you’d see in Japan.
And unlike most TTAC’ers I very well might buy one of these things this year.
Wow, that Japanese Fit looks way better. Excessive front overhang never looks good; it looks like compromise.
Wow, the U.S. model looks awful. All that fat out front completely ruins the lines.
Oh well, at least we don’t still have that asinine sealed-beam headlight requirement too. IIRC, that requirement was basically a political favor to Westinghouse and ruined the look of a lot of USDM cars (imports in particular) until the mid ’80s.
Looks like a Japanese base Fit (wheel covers and no rear spoiler) and a US Fit Sport in the pic. If they had used the same model, the difference might not have been quite as pronounced.
Regardless, the Fit easily seems to be the ‘it’ car of the moment and I suspect that Honda will be able to quickly sell every one of the ’09 cars they can get into the hands of US dealers.
I’ll take the front of the Japanese Fit and the rear of the U.S. Fit.
I like eggs…
I vote for the reduced bumper version. Oh, wait, this isn’t something we can vote on is it?
I’m just happy we’ll be getting the new Fit. If it’s gotta get a little ugly (subjective in this case) then so be it. None of the big 2.8 make a car as efficient or well packaged as the Fit.
On a personal note I like eggs as well. Maybe that’s why I like the JDM version a bit more than the US one.
Can’t say I’m in love with either of them.
Mitsubishi has a small car along the same lines that looks better – can’t remember the name of it, begins with an i.
Heh… you’re probably thinking of the Mitsubishi “i”. It’s just an i actually. The i is a kei car though.
I like the look of the new Fit, but I like the old interior better.
I wish there were more players in that class of car here in the US. At this point Mitsubishi is kinda circling the bowl in the US though so I’m not expecting to see any new entrant in the US from them.
Having a bumper poking out that far eliminates some of the greatness of having small cars… Maybe the visuals just give the overhang a more dramatic appearance, but I’d put money that my xA’s nose is much shorter; moving around tight spaces with no front nose is a blessing, especially when two suburbans park beside you, both over their respective parking lines.
Hopefully the bumper doesn’t kill off the aerodynamics, negatively impacting highway mileage. But maybe the extra bumper space will allow easier placement of intercoolers ::grin::
Call me crazy, but neither one of them look attractive to my eyes.
Isn’t it called the Jazz everywhere but here?
It doesn’t matter, they are both fugly!
I doubt it’s just bumper or pedestrian regulations, I think it’s more than that. Look at cars like the Camry. The JDM Camry has the same short nose and short overhangs as the USDM Camry. It might be more of a lack of engineering prowess on Honda’s part. It seems that Honda was not able to develop a short bumper that meets US regulations.
I would certainly consider the Fit if I had to buy a new car, but not for its looks. Both versions are UGLY! Did I say UGLY? Yes!!! No prizes here for commercial art! This is commercial, but it’s not art!
Couldn’t they give it a face like an RX-whatever-the-last-letter-was or an integer? NO!!! Has to be FUGLY! Oh, well. It’s still a very high quality, low impact piece of machinery, with some fun-to-drive to boot.
Not going to appear in MOMA!
As much as I like the current Fit, there are too many tiny things wrong with the car that keep me from buying it- no telescoping steering wheel, no right armrest, no map lights, a bit short on power (15 more hp, please!) , that in the end make it a bit unpleasant for anything other than short scoots around the city. What a shame. Honda got the big things right, now c’mon with the niggling complaints.
“None of the big 2.8 make a car as efficient or well packaged as the Fit.”
Thank God! Both are hideous.
As someone who has had the distinct pleasure of owning a Fit for the past 25,000 miles, let me just say that it is by far the most enjoyable vehicle I have owned. I have driven through a flood with 600 pounds of flooring from Ikea in this car, been camping with two other people and all of our stuff in this car, and driven through the snowy mountain passes on the way to and from Montreal at crazy high speeds in this car.
Is it gorgeous? No, but it does grow on you.
I have the Fit Sport with the manual-shifting automatic, and it works far better than I could have hoped for. I have gotten as much as 39 mpg with it, and have had no problems with it. None. Zilch.
After about 15,000 miles, it seemed to get more power. Maybe I broke it in? Figured it out more? I have no idea. But how much power does one need? I still get out ahead of city traffic, out turn and outmaneuver just about anything.
This is the only car I have ever unreservedly recommended to anyone who asks. End of story.
Skooter :
They might not be your cup of tea, but my point was that nothing in the domestics’ respective lineups even compete on merit, let alone aesthetics.
Regardless of which one looks better (definitely the US Fit) which one is safer?
My sister has one of these cars. That thing reminds me of a clown car at a circus everytime I see it. I expect a bunch of clowns to come piling out of it.
Lower price and better fuel mileage from a Corolla then a Fit. I’d prefer a Prius though over either of those two cars.
A hybrid FJ Cruiser or H2 or H3? That’s eco right? Would help with their green image right?
Put the Volt drive line in a H2 and H3? That would pacify the eco nazis right? Would they still burn hummers?
Bring back the Insight driveline and put that in everything? That car got like 90mpg right?
Rav4 EV…. They still make Rav4’s and at one time, made and sold electric models that got over 100 miles per charge using something other then lithium batteries! Imagine the range on a lithium version. A fully electric Prius? Toyota is chicken shit like no other on offering a plug in Prius. I asked the guy at the auto show and he was shaking in his boots about it. He knew exactly what I was talking about, yet could hardly answer on why not. Fully charge it up at home and have extended range with the electric motor! Like the Volt…
For the past two years in a row, when I enter the hummer area, the GM rep approaches me and acknowledges my presence in such a way as if I was a potential eco nazi there to vandalize their vehicles. Like a bold intentional forward approach and says “how are you doing sir” while bolding looking right at me(as if to say, don’t you dare mess with our display hummers).” It’s just obvious when what occurs at their display never and has never occurred at any other display. Two years in a row with the same type of approach and being carefully watched. I was just looking. I was interested and glad to see a V8 in the H3! Something about my image and demeanor though. How I come across. Hard to read perhaps. Still annoying though.
No question. JDM looks better. What a bulbous front nose on the U.S. version! Still want one though…or a Fiesta…or a Mazda2.
Think of it as a go-kart that can haul an Ikea living room; looks are subjective – these cars are a blast to drive, are very efficient, and the new model has better driver ergonomics.
I test drove an auto a while ago and enjoyed the driving dynamics, but the ergos killed it for me.
They’ll sell like hotcakes when they come out.
One of the issues of designing a car for JDM vs US is that US Americans are much taller on average than a Japanese person. So you need to add a few inches in every dimension to accomodate us.
It’s time to end the 5-mph bumper requirement. Mr. Berkowitz has it right — with overhang bumpers, it does not reduce the costs of being involved in a low-mph crash. With my 1998 Civic, the plastic covering the back bumper cost $400 to fix in a 5-7 mph hit from behind. My previous Fusion had overhang in the front (luckily no accidents). And the rear bumper of my Mazda3 is just plain ugly.
Roundaboutguy:
Re: “I have gotten as much as 39 mpg with it, and have had no problems with it.”
Is that U.S. or imperial gallons (you mentioned Montreal so I don’t know if you’re Canadian)? My wife drives a four year old Mazda3 and we get about 43 mpg (imperial) on the highway.
rtz :
Some people (like me) appreciate hatchbacks and not just the “green-ness” of a vehicle.
The Corolla is a sedan. The Corolla is more expensive. The Corolla is larger.
The Prius is more expensive by $5k – $10k on average.
Hybrid H@/H3/FJ don’t exist and if they did would *still* be less efficient and much larger/heavier than I need. In addition, they’re already expensive and would only become much moreso as hybrids.
I don’t know where you live, but where I live, and where I drive, a vehicle as small as the Fit along with its’ other virtues really shines. It may not be for everyone, but it’s a fine vehicle in its’ own right. None of the alternatives aside from a Corolla can come close to competing with a Fit on price, and none compete on the overall package.
There are very few competitors to this car, and this one, to me, stood out last gen, and this will continue that. I still think the USDM one looks better, and I’m surprised to be in the minority. Sure, there’s more overhang, but I think it helps even out its visual weight. But, it could just be that a JDM Sport would erase this difference.
John B – that is in U.S., not imperial gallons. I live in Maine, which is not quite Canada (but sometimes close!)
You guys think Honda can move 200,000 Fits in NA?