2007 Honda Fit S review from North America

When I got it from factory there was a weird string hanging out of door. Dealer said it was a marking tag string and to just yank it out, I did, have not had any problems, just kinda weird.

- This car was built to be a city car, you get good low end torque, great MPG, very roomy interior, and a short footprint which is very helpful when parallel parking. Sometimes I am amazed at how small the car looks from the outside after being in it. Rear passengers (even tall ones) have ample room, there is space for 5 people and a cart of groceries.

- The highway performance of this car is somewhat of a problem if you drive the speed limit. The 5th gear is long, and around 2000 RPM (55 mph) this car just does not have the torque to keep you in 5th. If you speed though and drive around 75mph or higher, you'll be in the car's power band and there will be little or no need to downshift when driving normally.

- Cruise control is shifty which to me is annoying. you'll hit a hill on the highway and it will drop 2 gears to accelerate you for a few seconds then up-shift again. It would be better if the cruisecontrol let you slip a few mph before shifting on grades.

- This car comes with most if not all the "must-haves" people tend to want in a car STANDARD. I got mine with a $500 alarm factory installed simply because I live in DC and well... you need one. Controls are nice, standard safety equip VERY nice, you get a LOT of car for $17k! Oil viscosity sensor tells you when you need an oil change instead of relying on distance or time intervals. My fit has 4000 miles on it now and the oil life reads 40%. Excellent value and Honda's usually have a good re-sell price.

- I was apprehensive about buying the first model year of any car, but this car has actually been out for a few years in Europe as the Honda "Jazz" and has excellent marks from there. The transmission I heard was different, but it is the same transmission as is in the 2006 Honda Civic so I trust it. This is unverified though.

- Spend the extra $1500 for the S model. You'll thank yourself when it comes time to sell, and the extra you get (Alloys, power windows/locks, body kit, etc.) are WELL worth it.