2009 Honda Fit
Honda hasn’t been tempted to chase profits by building big SUVs with flabby handling and thirsty V-8 engines. Instead, the Japanese automaker has pursued a strategy that features vehicles with frugal fuel economy and prudent use of space. The brand also has a reputation for quality and reliability.
That strategy has paid off. Honda ranks behind Toyota as the second-best selling Japanese brand in the United States. In these tough times for the auto industry, Honda is down, but far less than most brands. For example, Toyota was down 32.3 percent in September, but Honda only took a 20.9 percent hit. And while Toyota is down 10.4 percent for the year through September, Honda is off only 1.1 percent.
Honda continues to offer a practical lineup for 2009, while also improving many of its vehicles and pursuing new technologies that can lessen dependence on oil and eventually replace it.
Headlining 2009 changes for the Honda lineup are redesigned versions of the subcompact Fit and the midsize Pilot SUV. The Fit came to the United States for the 2007 model year, but it has been sold in other countries since 2001. For 2009, Honda introduces the second-generation Fit. The new Fit is 4.2 inches longer and half an inch wider than the original and its wheelbase has been lengthened 1.9 inches. Honda also says the new Fit is more powerful and sportier, thanks to improved suspension, steering and body rigidity.
Base and Sport models return. A navigation system with voice recognition and a 6.5-inch screen is a new option for the Sport. Under the hood, all 2009 Fits have a new iVTEC 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 117 horsepower, up from 109 horses in 2008. It is offered with a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. The automatic comes with steering-wheel shift paddles in the Sport model.
Honda says the new Fit has midsize car interior space. Cargo capacity is aided by a flip-and-fold rear Magic Seat, a fold-flat front passenger seat and an adjustable package shelf. The Fit seats up to five or the Magic Seat can be used to permit three different cargo-carrying configurations: utility mode, long object mode and tall object mode.
For those who need even more people and cargo space, Honda offers the eight-passenger Pilot. Redesigned for the first time since it was introduced in 2003, the new Pilot has more interior room, a revised cylinder-deactivation system and fresh styling inside and out. The new Pilot is one inch wider and about three inches longer in wheelbase and overall length than the last model. Honda says passenger room is improved in every seating position; the second row slides farther forward and the third row has enough knee room for an above-average-sized adult male to fit comfortably. The rear two seating rows fold flat to create an 87-cubic-foot cargo area.
All 2009 Pilots are powered by a 250-horsepower 3.5-liter, iVTEC V-6 engine with a five-speed automatic transmission. The engine has the latest generation of Honda’s fuel-saving variable cylinder management technology, which operates in six-cylinder mode when power is needed and four- and three-cylinder modes under light load conditions to improve fuel efficiency. The 2008 Pilot’s system worked in only six- or three-cylinder modes.
The 2009 Pilot adds a new top-line Touring model. The Touring comes fully equipped with features such as front and rear park assist, a navigation system, a rearview camera, an iPod adapter, a power rear lift gate and a wireless cell phone link.
Honda is offering a third new vehicle for 2009, this one providing a glimpse of the future. Available for lease in Southern California is the 2009 Honda FCX Clarity, a four-door sedan hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicle. The FCX Clarity comes standard with a navigation system that is programmed with hydrogen-fueling station locations. The seats are upholstered in Honda Bio-Fabric, a plant-based material that, according to Honda, produces less carbon dioxide emissions than standard fabric.
The FCX Clarity’s fuel-cell stack uses hydrogen to produce electricity, which in turn powers an electric motor that drives the front wheels. Regenerative braking generates electricity and stores that power in the battery. Total power output is 100 kilowatts, equivalent to about 134 horsepower. Water is the only exhaust emission. Honda says the FCX Clarity has a range of 270 miles, with fuel efficiency comparable to a car getting 68 mpg. The FCX is available only on a 36-month lease at $600 per month, which includes collision insurance and all maintenance.
The next group of Hondas, the Civic, Element and Ridgeline, get exterior revisions and other minor changes for 2009. The compact Civic’s face-lift includes a slightly revised grille, a new front bumper cover with larger air intakes and clear turn signals with amber bulbs for the headlights and taillights. Two new Civic trim levels are offered, LX-S and DX-VP, but the Mugen Si sedan does not return. A USB audio interface and a hands-free cell phone link are newly available. The Hybrid model adds electronic stability control and also gets more available equipment.
The Element compact SUV, which is more basic and rugged than the CR-V, gets a new front grille and bumper design, restyled front fenders (fashioned in metal instead of a composite material), a new hood, squared wheel arches, and new headlight and taillight configurations. Inside, the Element has brighter color schemes with titanium-look trim, and revised switchgear designs and gauge graphics. The LX model adds a restyled center console with a removable cooler/storage box, while EX and SC models are now available with a navigation system, a rearview camera, a USB port and revised overhead console storage areas with modular compartments.
The Ridgeline, Honda’s midsize pickup, has a revised grille and bumpers, and new color combinations for the headlights and taillights. Inside, the Ridgeline has new “three-dimensional-style” gauges, a revised steering wheel, and different buttons and controls. Models with the navigation system add a hands-free cell phone link and a rearview camera. The 3.5-liter V-6 engine gains three horsepower for a total of 250 and Honda also says the torque curve is broader and the transmission has lower gear ratios for improved low-end power. Also new for 2009 are active front head restraints and a standard trailer tow hitch. Last year’s RTX model is no longer offered.
Finally, there is a set of Hondas that are largely unchanged. These consist of the Accord midsize sedan and coupe, the CR-V compact SUV, the Odyssey minivan and the S2000 roadster. The Accord’s V-6 engine is re-rated for 2009 to more accurately reflect actual output. Horsepower is up from 268 to 271, and torque increases from 248 to 254 pound-feet. The CR-V gets three new exterior colors, and the CR-V EX-L model adds an eight-way power driver’s seat and a 270-watt premium audio system with seven speakers. The Odyssey EX-L model adds a standard power rear lift gate, and the available navigation system now comes with a hands-free cell phone interface. The sporty S2000 roadster carries over with no changes.
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