The rising cost of fuel is having a significant impact on many of us, and unfortunately, it appears that things will only get worse. Naturally, there is a growing appetite for cars that are fuel-efficient, and it is crucial to find the perfect balance between a well-engineered engine and an affordable sticker price.
While mild hybrids are not a novel form of technology, the advancement of these power units is on the rise, and Honda's latest Fit may have achieved the perfect balance. It’s a cool-looking hatch with plenty of space and, more importantly, a stupidly efficient system under the bonnet, which sings at lower speed on the daily commute.
Due to the compact nature of the Fit, the interior is a little on the cheap side. The occasional scratchy plastic show face and the cabin experience is relatively dull. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but there are a lot of neutral hues scattered about the cabin. Fortunately, the windscreen is huge and provides a good amount of natural light into the cabin.
The Fit e.HEV comes with a 9-inch infotainment screen, which provides an easy user experience and supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Fit also comes with a wireless charger and digital driver display, which is aesthetically simple yet pleasing on the eyes.
The way Honda designed the battery percentage display on the left side of the digital cluster makes driving efficiently more of a game than a chore, as it encourages you to get charge back into the car by filling that charge bar.
The Fit is surprisingly roomy, with plenty of headroom and good legroom in the back for taller passengers. The expanse of the dashboard in front of the driver, which speaks to the sheer size of the windscreen, further supports this spacious sensation.
You don’t get behind the wheel of a Honda Fit with the intention of being wowed by its performance and handling, but the Fit e.HEV will most certainly leave you in shock at how easy it is to drive efficiently.
The Fit e.HEV sports a 1.5-litre i-VTEC motor with hybrid support and produces 90kW and 253Nm. These stats are about what you would expect from a grocery-getter but the way the Fit e.HEV delivers its power makes the driving experience that much more pleasurable compared to a traditional ICE motor paired with what is an otherwise average CVT transmission.
At low speeds, the electric motor drives the front wheels in full EV mode, which allows for rapid throttle response. Yes, you won't fly off the line, but the power is ready and waiting when you need to put your foot down. It quickly runs out of steam, and that's when the ICE motor takes over. The CVT gearbox doesn’t add to the equation as the power is consistently slow under acceleration, and of course, the CVT's tendency to be noisy is consistently present.
Yet what makes this car so impressive is how quickly it can regenerate battery power. One long downhill and the right amount of brake pressure can charge the battery completely. Although Honda claims a 3.7-litre/100km consumption, I did an economy run over 8 kilometres of suburban areas, and after correctly applying the brakes on the downhills and feathering the throttle on the uphills, I managed to average 0.8l/100km which is truly mind-blowing for a mild hybrid.
With the motor out of the way, the car is a breeze to drive, and the ride quality is smooth and comfortable, which makes it the perfect addition for road trips. Add the massive windscreen, and the Fit has a rather unique driving feel.
The Honda Fit comes in three models, with the first being the Comfort at R379,900. The second model is the Elegance, priced at R415,900, and provides a slightly more advanced cabin than the comfort model. These two specs provide you with the same 1.5-litre motor and CVT gearbox without the hybrid support. The model with which we spent some time was the e.HEV, which comes in at a whopping R544,900.
On the surface, this does seem like a steep price for a Fit, but the development that went into this battery technology is impressive and will save you money in the long run. Plus, the added benefit of driving a modern, planet-saving car does add to your peace of mind.
The Honda Fit e.HEV is an impressive little hybrid hatchback. It provides a playful driving experience that is impressively light on fuel and looks modern and simplistic. The excessive use of plastic in the interior does detract a little from the car, but the sheer amount of space inside the cabin belies the seemingly compact exterior.
Yes, R544k is quite a steep price for a run-around hatch, but it provides a compliant ride quality, a simple yet techy cabin experience, and a reliable hybrid system, which will save you money in the long run while looking funky in your trendy Honda.
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