For a bit of backstory, I originally ordered a Tidewater Blue LX on July 18. When I saw the Orange Sport online, I fell in love with it. Ironically my local dealership was getting 7 2009 Fits in their first shipment, one of them an Orange automatic! I immediately changed my order to that car.

So I picked up my Sport on Wednesday September 24 and had to drop it off at the dealership last Thursday for installation of the car starter. Long story short, this unit is defective so they have to order/install a new one, hopefully on Monday. In the meantime, I was given MY originally ordered Tidewater Blue LX to drive! I'm now in the unique situation of having driven the Canadian Sport for 8 days and now I'll have the LX for 4 days. I thought I'd provide some input for those Canadians out there unsure of whether to get a Sport or LX.

Exterior differences are that the Sport adds: lower body kit, chrome exhaust finisher, rear stabilizer bar, fog lights, 16" VERY NICE wheels (vs. 15" really ugly ones in LX), and chrome bezels behind the headlights. Interior differences are that the Sport adds: leather steering wheel, black material on seats and doors (vs. grey for LX), 2 tweeters, USB connector (to operate ipod through audio system), and a security alarm system. If these items don't matter to you, get the LX for $1900 less (on automatics).

From my personal perspective, both models drive exactly the same. I really have no idea what the stabilizer bar is supposed to do but I haven't felt any difference with it there or not. The LX also comes with the cruise controls on the steering wheel, so literally there is NO difference in driveability that I can detect.

For myself, I would have definitely gone with an LX except that I fell in love with the Orange Revolution color, only available on the Sport. That alone still wouldn't have swayed me to cough up another $1900. However, the fog lights, USB, much nicer wheels, and security alarm in my mind more than made up the difference. The leather steering wheel is also much nicer in looks and feel than the plastic LX one.

Ultimately it is a personal choice. The LX is the better "bang for the buck" if the above differences don't sway you. If anyone has any questions on either model, post them here! I have the LX until Monday afternoon then (hopefully) it's back to my Sport.

Word of advice, tint is a NECESSITY! Seriously, it's like being on display in a fishbowl with all the window surface. Can't wait to get back into my Pumpkin for that reason alone (tinted 35% front, 15% back).

 

A sway bar or anti-roll bar decreases the car's body rolling during cornering. It will feel more flat and stable as there is less side to side weight transfer.

As the Sport has a rear sway bar, it also makes the tail more lively, meaning it will want to swing around while turning quickly. But this is to negate the front wheel drive understeer (car wants to go straight while you want to turn), which is a good thing.

 

Thanks for the explanation! Since I'm aiming to maximize my fuel economy, I doubt I'd be cornering fast enough to ever notice a difference with or without the stabilizer bar...

 

Thanks for the detailed explanation on the differences.



On the contrary, going too slow around corners may actually hinder your fuel economy. The less you brake, the more speed you carry through the corner which means the less gas you have to apply to return to cruising speed on the straightaway once you exit the corner. Just like yield signs are better for your fuel economy than stop signs. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

However, cornering faster wears out your tires faster but it's so much more fun!

 

On the contrary, going too slow around corners may actually hinder your fuel economy. The less you brake, the more speed you carry through the corner which means the less gas you have to apply to return to cruising speed on the straightaway once you exit the corner. Just like yield signs are better for your fuel economy than stop signs. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

However, cornering faster wears out your tires faster but it's so much more fun![/quote]

You people are a BAD influence!

 

Canada_Girl, could you post some pics of the LX headlights from a few angles? I'm trying to find out if the Canadian lower models have grey headlight bezels or black ones.

Also, any other pics of the Tidewater would be appreciated as well. I haven't seen too many pics of that color, and very few pics of the non-Sport models in general. Thanks!

 

Here ya go...
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/show...&postid=429066

Actually, my window sheet says it's Sherbet Blue but that's another story.

 

Thanks for the pics! The base model looks good... a little more like the JDM model.

Unfortunately the pics confirm that the headlights aren't black but indeed a dull boring grey, just like the U.S. base model has.

 

No pictures (no digital camera right now) but I can TELL you that the headlight bezels on the LX are indeed dark grey. Those in the Sport are chrome colored. Found posted pics so see comparison below:




My Sport:

 

Sherbert Blue is apparently the Japanese name for that color (or I guess the english translation of what the Japanese call it!) I had no end of difficulty trying to pin down this color's name since it was what I originally pre-ordered back in July...

 

Hi Folks,
I am interested in trading my 2007 Fit Sport AT for a 2009 Fit Sport AT. I read in one of the posts that the 2009 Fit Sport no longer comes with Paddel Shifters. If this is true I won't be buying a 2009.
Would someone please let me know the facts on this? I have only had a quick look at a new one off the truck and did not look inside.
Scanner

 

Canadian Sport AT does not come with paddle shifters

 

Thanks for your reply Mega56.
Do you or does anyone else know why paddle shifters are not part of the Fit Sport package?
Scanner

 

My dealer told me it was to reduce weight to qualify for the gov't rebate as the 07/08 AT did not pass but the MT did. But not all provinces get that rebate so I don't know if that's true. The ecoAuto program ended with 08 fits also.

We are also missing:
- gear indicator on dash
- nav and vsa option and audio controls on steering wheel
- AT doesn't have a spare tire but MT does
- tire pressure monitor
- maps lights

probably more but that's all i can think of

 

And yet we pay more!

I was trying to find out why they removed the paddle shifters from the sport AT. Tks!