Initial Quality – The 2009 Honda Fit is a redesigned model and had not yet been included in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Initial Quality Study (IQS) when this review was originally published.

Performance and Design – The 2009 Honda Fit is a redesigned model and had not yet been included in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout Study (APEAL) when this review was originally published.

Predicted Reliability – The Honda Fit was a new model for 2007 and is too new to have been included in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which measured dependability of 2006 model-year vehicles. However, based on the performance of previous Honda models in both our Initial Quality and Vehicle Dependability studies, the predicted reliability rating for the 2009 Honda Fit is 4 out of 5 Power Circle Ratings.

Fuel Economy – The 2009 Honda Fit is equipped with a 117-horsepower, 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels through a 5-speed manual, a 5-speed automatic, or a 5-speed automatic with paddle shifters. The most fuel-efficient Fit is the standard model with the optional 5-speed automatic, rated to achieve 28 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. Models with a manual transmission and the Honda Fit Sport with the paddle-shifted automatic are rated to get 27 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.

Our review vehicle, a Honda Fit Sport with the manual transmission, averaged 31.1 mpg in mixed driving with an emphasis on highway travel. Combined with the Fit’s standard 10.6-gallon fuel tank, this actual fuel economy figure results in an approximate 325-mile range between fill-ups of regular unleaded.

Safety – According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the 2009 Honda Fit gets 5-star crash-test ratings for the driver and front seat passenger in a frontal impact, a 5-star crash-test rating for front occupants in a side impact crash, a 4-star crash-test rating for rear occupants in a side impact crash, and a 4-star rollover rating.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety calls the Honda Fit a “Top Safety Pick,” but only when equipped with its optional stability control system, which is offered only on the Sport model with the optional navigation package. Otherwise, the Honda Fit received a “Good” rating in the offset frontal impact crash test, a “Good” rating in the side impact crash test, and a “Good” rating for rear impact protection.

Environment – According to the EPA, the 2009 Honda Fit consumes 11 barrels of petroleum annually with the 5-speed automatic, 11.4 barrels of petroleum annually with the Fit Sport’s paddle-shifted 5-speed automatic, and 11.8 barrels of petroleum annually with the manual transmission. The resulting carbon footprint ratings are 5.9, 6.1, and 6.3 tons of air pollution per year, respectively.

All versions of the Honda Fit receive a national air pollution score of 6 out of 10 and a California/New England air pollution score of 7 out of 10. Honda does not offer a Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV) variant of the Fit.