I have a Cube too, it's awesome. I'd recommend it over the Soul. You get the unique styling and Nissan reliability on top of that.

 

mmm considering the Fit is essentially a $15,000 car, I'd say yes.

You would be looking at a 2010 sport with navi and auto. $19,670 being list, you should be able to get $500 off that without trying very hard. Avoid paying dealer fees for additional unneeded items (protectants and sealers) or straight dealer profit (administration fees). But that goes for either car. If you have a costco membership (if not they're $50) see what the member price is, and use that as a basis for negotiating. Play the dealers against each other. Use email and fax (in person they control the process). The sweet spot seems to be a few hundred below invoice ($19,100 including transportaion). $18,900 plus tax and registration would be about right for a 2010 with auto/navi and no other add-ons.

The price for the dealer add-ons is very negotiable; they're high profit. Check the selling price for these accessories from an online discount Honda dealer. The bluetooth quote actually sounds reasonable (according to the online price, not what it's really worth). Don't forget the Fit doesn't come with floormats, cargo tray, and other stuff that might normally be considered standard.
electronics
Interior

Almost forgot, the F&I guy will try to increase the dealer's profits by a lot after you've agreed on the purchase price. Don't be suckered in to buying extended warranties (they can always be added later if you feel you must have it) or "nitrogen tire refills." If you're sold an extended warranty, negotiate that price too (it's about 50% profit for the dealer). If you finance the car with them (they make a lot on loans), make sure you know in advance what kind of interest rate you can get from a bank. This is negotiable too. If you have your own financing, don't tell them in advance. They may cut you a better deal if they think you're getting a loan with them.

At $420 for bluetooth and the $2000 you already have in the Navi system you're talking $2,500 for a radio! OK it includes traction control too. Not sure how useful this would be in TX but OK...

Consider aftermarket installation of a Navi/DVD player for about half that much (without traction control but with bluetooth!). They have aftermarket units that fit your car perfectly. Shrug.

I guess deep down I'm cheap; my back hairs raise up paying $2500 for a radio in an economy car: more if you consider the non-navi version comes with a pretty good unit!

Fit vs Soul? If you're going to keep it for less than the warranty period than get whatever your heart tells you. If plan on keeping it longer get a Honda. Well maybe get a Honda anyway, the poor resale value of the Soul might be a factor...

edit edit: I just noticed you're looking at an 09... With the 10's out I'd lop off another $500 from what I said above, say about $18,400 plus tax and registration.

 

The only thing the Soul has going for it is that cool commercial they played in theaters for a while.

18" wheels on such a small car is ridiculous...

 

Ignore the ignorant--the Soul is a very nice vehicle. The interior quality is significantly better than that of the Fit, with higher quality upholstery and a rattle-free dash. The Soul's interior is also wider--so some folks will find the Soul a lot more comfortable. Despite the dismissive attitude of many here, the Soul is a very strong competitor.

But I wound up buying the Fit for the obvious reasons--better handling, better mpg, and Honda reputation (resale value plus reliability). It will take a while for Kia to get to the point where the name isn't considered a handicap in the market.

Also: yes, there are Kia fans over at www.kiasoulforums.com.

 

Don't expect any deals on 2009 Fits; they're essentially sold out. Maybe you can get a deal on a 2010 at the end of January; it all depends on the state of the economy.

Installing the center armrest yourself shouldn't require much effort; you should be able to pick one up from an online source for about $175.

Review from edmunds.com:

In the end, the choice is whatever floats your boat. For me, the only cars uglier than the Soul are the Nissan Cube and the 2nd generation XB. I remember the first time I saw one, "What the hell is that??" Same reaction the first time I saw a Cube. Obviously, others feel differently, as someone is buying them, or I wouldn't be seeing them on the road.

 

Thanks for all the responses. I've flipflopped between the two so much I'm getting dizzy.

I went to the dealer and just sat in the car for awhile. The position is definitely not as comfortable as the Soul but not bad for a couple hour drive.

To the fella who pointed out the cost of the nav/BT. Great point. I can put in a top-notch Pioneer system for $1000. Add that to a normal Fit Sport at $17600 and I've saved $1500. Or just add a top-notch $300 BT and save even more.

My local dealer has 2 09 Navis and about 5 more Sports. I'm hoping I can negotiate a little if I go with the Fit. I just wish they had some financing deals!

Who has the center console? I saw the video but the company doesn't seem to have the console itself? Also, is there an aftermarket for the rear bumper applique? $58 installed from the dealer seems a little steep.

Finally, the timing chain vs belt is significant to me. We keep our cars forever and the chains are supposed to last as long as the car (although I had to change one on a Z-car) No replacement at 90k miles.

Thanks again.

 

Assuming your are talking about the OEM center armrest, I ordered one from CFL Honda on Wednesday afternoon, and it arrived today, although I haven't installed it yet. My initial impression is that it's nicely designed, and very substantial. I haven't actually weighed it, but I'm guessing 10 pounds -- there's a lot of metal in there. The fact that the armrest is wide, and slides forward is a nice feature.

 

I'd Disagree. The QR25 in the Cube is the same one used in the Altima and has been plagued with issues and is unrefined. Part of the reason I bought the VQ35 in the Altima. Fortunately, the issues haven't been major ones yet but it is a relatively recently redesigned motor and has no long term data... and issues popped up quickly. and the CVT... I'm reading about issues with it on the Nissan Forums (still a regular member over at a nissan forum) Not reading alot of issues but they are there.

Also, From a personal standpoint, I think the Cube is a niche vehicle which will be seen with lots of small company logos on it for things like messenger carriers etc... It has unique styling but that is all VERY subjective.

From a previous experience standpoint. AVOID NISSAN FINANCIAL. When we traded the 07 3.5SE, Honda paid off our altima. Nissan claimed they needed 7 days to cancel automatic withdrawl from our account so they couldn't cancel our auto payment. EVEN AFTER THEY VERIFIED THE CAR WAS PAID IN FULL they took out another month's payment. Then they couldn't cut us a refund check for 21 business days AFTER I verified by faxed Bank Statement that it had actually been withdrawn. (they have no toll free fax and like many, I have no long distance on a land line). It took me over a month to get back money that I had to overpay because it takes them 7 days to cancel auto-withdrawl. - oh... and and the Reps have no power to do anything or look up anything and neither do Supervisors. It took them 5 days to verify that my refund check had been cut because they had to e-mail another department and it takes 2-4 days to get a response - They called me to tell me the check had been cut 5 days prior... and later that day.. it arrived. and... you talk to India and instead of using their real names like Ankur, Rupinder, Kamal, etc... I got to talk to Ruth, and Cindy, and Jim. I'm an I.T. guy whose in charge of programmers (half of course are from India and honestly, I could care less where the reps are located... but for God's Sake, use your real names.)

My wife called honda to move the payment date. It was done and available online in less than 24 hours. She asked what it would take to cancel autopay... he said about 5 minutes... but it might not show up online until the next day at the latest... Asked if they have a toll free fax line... YUP!... Honda Financial FTW... A BIG F'n WIN!

oh... end rant... sorry if I went off Topic.

Back on topic; I like the soul's styling. It's the Cube/xB alternative that's got some decent looks. It's not for everyone but it isn't just ODD (cube) and doesn't look Cheap (xB). also, Hyundai makes some Good motors and Transmissions and has for a number of years. Most Post "reniassance" Hyundais and Kias are still on the road today and their customer service is pretty decent from what I've heard.

~SB

 

get a corolla.

 

specboy, I had the same issue with GMAC they pulled money for my Saturn even though it had been paid in full like a week prior by Honda. They put the money right back though. As for the engine, I haven't heard of any issues with it, but I'm only on the Cube forums and it's too new still. I got the extended warranty specifically because the cube is new to the US, so hopefully it comes in handy if problems arise in the future.

blyndgesser, I was kidding about the Kia enthusiast. But, it kind of makes a good point, and it's something I had to deal with the entire time I owned a Saturn, and that's the stigma of owning such a car. Whether Kia makes good cars or not they still have that bad car reputation. Same goes for Hyundias and I've known a few people with well over 100,000 miles on their Hyundai and no major issues to speak of.

 

The Soul is an interesting vehicle. To me the Fit will always be the more enjoyable car to drive no matter the HP advantage the Soul has. The motor in the Fit is an amazing piece of engineering.

Honda is basically an engine company and they build some of the best in the world. They have beaten the best in the world. I know this doesn't mean jack squat to most folks looking for an economy car but it means a lot to me.

There's something to be said for history too..












YouTube - F1 Honda Engine Test Center

 

i think if you like the boxy style of the soul i would consider the scion xB or the cube. Kia has never really been too reliable in my view. I had to rent a new accent last summer and it didnt even make it 15 minutes before somethin goin psycho in it and the ride was rough as hell. Also you should put into factor that the Fit gets the best resale value out of any car in 2009. And when you go to trade in your Fit the dealers are goin to know that there has been some miles put on it cause thats what it was built to do.

 

Nissan Financial is a nightmare. You can't talk to anyone who has any potential of helping you in a timely manner.

As for Kia & Hyundai, their reputation is growing leaps and bounds. Hyundai, with the release of the last Gen Sonata, tiburon, SantaFe and now the Veracruz and Genesis has definitely moved their image WAY upscale from where they were. With the purchase of Kia and Sharing of components, Hyundai has moved Kia into the realm that they themselves once held (a cheap, reliable alternative to the Japanese market.) Many people who would never have cross shopped Hyundai and Honda are now cross shopping Kia and Honda.

Personally, I've had a few Hundai & Kia Rentals... (Never the bottom end ones though) an I've always been way more than satifsifed for a rental. when My Altima was hit two years ago, we had a few vehicles Two american and one Hyundai. The Hyundai (sonata) was much higher quality and felt much more solid than the Equinox or the PT cruiser. The The PT felt decent from an engine standpoint too (it's a hyundai motor). The equinox felt so Cheap inside and very underpowered. And the economy was awful. It was the worst of all possible options... so I took it back for a different rental.

~SB

 

i'd go wth the FIT. because it's a honda.