Honda Fit Hybrid
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HybridCars.com reported in 2006 that Honda was planning a hybrid version of the Fit. That news flash was based on an exclusive interview with an unidentified source—but company officials denied the report. "We're not thinking of a Jazz (Fit) hybrid right now,” said Takeo Fukui, Honda president and CEO, in December 2006. “To us, the Jazz has sufficient fuel efficiency with the current gasoline engine.”
Fukui reversed his story in May 2008 when he told reporters that the spike in crude oil prices convinced Honda that "a Fit hybrid is now starting to make sense."
On May 26, 2009, Japan's Nikkei business daily reported that Honda plans to roll out a gas-electric hybrid version of the Fit in Japan in fall 2010—about a year and a half ahead of the original schedule. Despite the global slowdown in auto sales, hybrids are hot sellers in Japan. In April, the Honda Insight became the first hybrid ever to top the best-seller list in Japan. Toyota will resume overtime at its factory in Aichi, central Japan, in response to strong demand for its new Prius hybrid. According to Nikkei, Honda has not yet decided on the price or sales target for the Fit hybrid—and the story makes no reference to a US release.
The story in 2006 suggested that the Fit would use the original Honda Insight drivetrain. The wheel-hub to wheel-hub dimensions of the Fit and Insight are nearly identical. The Insight was discontinued in 2006, but was revived in 2009 as a practical four-seat hybrid selling for just under $20,000.
The current conventional Fit carries a 1.5-liter engine and averages 30 miles to the gallon. For the hybrid version, Honda reportedly is developing a 1-liter-class engine, according to Japan’s Nihon Keizai Shimbun. Reports that the Fit hybrid would sell in the $12,000 range seem exaggerated—but even with a hybrid premium of a few thousand dollars, it’s reasonable to assume that the Fit Hybrid would sell for considerably less than the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid—and maybe even less than the 2010 Honda Insight. At the same time, it’s likely that the Honda Fit Hybrid’s mileage would exceed all other hybrids.
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n/a MPG n/a L/100km
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BODY TYPE:
Sedan
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TECHNOLOGY:
Hybrid
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BASE MSRP:
n/a
Too small for my taste...some people are gpoing to love it like my wife cause she is 5.2'..hahaha
The 2010 Insight designs is very similar to the 2009 Fit so creating a Fit HEV Hybrid should be very possible given that the current Fit design has enough room for a secondary battery and electric motor. Such a design would llikely be on the same price-performance level as the proposed Toyota Yaris HEV hybrid or 3 cylinder diesel , e.g. Toyota Ayoga, (estimated FE would be about 50mpg to 60 mpg, range= 400 miles, cost about 16,000 us dollars ). With the USA putting the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology on hold - Honda must atleast temporariily mothball the Honda HCX Clarity and do catchup with Toyota with regards to HEV technology. However, currently Honda is the only company capable of mass producing vehicles that can compete with Toyota wrt to HEV technology. While Ford has the technology it lacks the ability to mass produce HEV technology - hence most of the HEV production has been focus on holding its market in California - which has tigher emission controls than the rest of the USA.
Hi!
I "fit" just fine in the Honda Fit, and I am 6'5". I have PLENTY of headroom and legroom in both the front and rear seats. It will fit four large adults no problem.
With the rear seats folded down, there is a LOT of storage room.
On the outside it is small, and some people don't like that it "looks" small.
cliff
Nairobi
We've been bugging Honda for a Hybrid version of the Fit since its Auto Show intro a year ago, where it was introduced at $15000 (and see where the real price is now!) We are older and don't have to worry about kids, but are always lugging stuff around. So it was perfect for us - except for not being a Hybrid. Honda may not want to introduce it so early in US as they may think it will steal some sales from the newly introduced Insight. Wrong. Insight just doesn't meet our 'traveling' needs. So we are hanging onto our old car as long as we can, holding out, but will need to buy soon. Speed up the US intro of the Hybrid Fit, make it reasonably priced, but with a good powerful hybrid engine system. And get some government incentives going to push them, please!
Definitely its going to do well when its released. There's alot of ignorance about the size of the fit inside. Its surprisingly large inside. Fred should test drive one.
My 6'4" husband loves the Fit and drives it quite comfortably...you should try it, you might find it actually does fit you. Good luck!
-Erin
We are in exactly the same situation as ChicagoGal. We're going to hang on to the old car I'm driving until the hybred Fit is available! I'm 6'3", so it sounds as if I would be comfortable in it. Guess I should really try the conventional Fit on for size.
I'm with you. I drive a Honda Fit (automatic), but would like to drive a hybrid version. I'm only getting about 20 or so mpg in city driving, but want to do better. How do you go about "bugging Honda" about this? I think there must be quite a lot of people in the U.S. who would go for a small hybrid. And government incentives would help!
DenisSan - If you are only getting 20 mpg around town, I would be inclined to get your dealership to take a look at your car. I have been driving a 2008 Fit Sport manual for nearly 2 years and routinely get close to 40 mpg on local trips. My mileage actually suffers a little when I do any high-speed highway driving. For my purposes, this car is all I could ask for and more!
We have a Honda Civic hybrid and are anxiously awaiting the Fit Hybrid. We have been very pleased with the Honda line and still have our 1989 and 2000 Civics. I have been surfing for information on the Fit hybrid for sometime and was very encouraged when I saw that it would be released overseas next Fall. I really want to buy a car now but will wait until the hybrid Fit arrives. It's going to be a hot car for sure. I hope I don't have to wait too long.
I agree with Bootponder, get that car looked at. The Fit gets extremely high gas mileage, I can at time get 44MPG when careful.
The Fit hybrid should be a perfect fit for a lot of people. When non Fit owners see how versatile the car is they are amazed. I think in price, usability, MPG this would be the best hybrid so far.
I have a fit- I'm over 6 foot- and only can say that I wish the seat had a lumbar support. Price to quality and comfort can not be beat.
I am waiting for a hybrid to come out and I'll be in line to get mine.
We will need a new car in the near future and want to "go Hybrid". So we went to the Honda dealer to see the Insight. Although we are both under 170cm., we felt enclosed, especially when trying the rear seats. But we felt at home at once in the Fit (called the Honda Jazz over here).
We too can hardly wait for the Jazz Hybrid to come out and we too will be in line to get ours. If our current car won't last that long, we may even consider getting an older Jazz temporarily...
The Fit Hybrid will sell like wildfire. It will be a generational thing. Those older drivers with their V-8 Chevy Subdivisions will never let go their grip on that steering wheel. BUT when it comes to a younger - maybe first-time car buyer that was brought up in the "new era" of energy responsibility - - I'll bet my bottom dollar they will suck this car up faster than it can be produced.
Actually, I have seen a Jazz in Croatia.. but not too sure if it's hybrid though! I'd love to see one in the US!
I have no idea why auto CEOs think a small car like a Fit wouldn't be a good hybrid because it already gets good fuel economy. Duh. Small-car buyers WANT the best fuel economy possible. Also, when will they learn to quit super-sizing small cars. The reason we buy small cars is because we WANT small cars. The Fit was adorable in its first year (ditto the Prius). For some reason, auto execs think that the way to make it better is to make it bigger. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Hope to see a hybrid Fit - and don't make it any bigger than it already is, please. Plus, we want a center console...
I own a 2003 Jazz and it's great.
My only concern would be that when they do release a Hybrid version, the battery will have to go somewhere, most likely under the rear seats, therefore we would loose the magic seats feature.
Although the Honda design engineers will surely come out with a magical way to maintain the current high practicality.
I can't wait to see how they do it!!
Fred, I'd like to take this opportunity to correct your perceived bias against the Fit. My wife is 6'2" and she loves the Fit for its HUGE interior size. The car has deceivingly small look, that's the trick. However, the interior is very well designed, and has plenty of room for anyone 6"3" and under. That means you brother =) I dont know if you've ever test driven one...but please take one for a spin...and I think you will be pleasently surprised. Take care.
@Mark_80
I wouldn't expect honda to rid the fit/jazz of the magic seat. It is the main selling feature of that car... seriously. My thinking is that they may have run-flats installed and place the battery where the spare tire is. Or they may make the fit a 4-seater placing the battery between the rear two passengers. I'm guessing the rear of the fit hybrid will be a "40-20-40" with a missing "20" section. The two outboard sections could still use the whole magic seat feature and the cargo area could still be absolutely flat when the outboard sections fold down. I think honda will do this because just look at how they treated the first 2 generation Honda Civic GX's (natural gas civics). Even though they were sedans they were "4-seat-ers." Honda could market it as a more luxurious rear seating area for carpooling. I think that is how they marketed the GX's rear seats... Anyway. No matter how honda does it, the Fit Hybrid is going to be one hot seller.
Hey Fred, tell your wife I said thanks!
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