In Japan they offer the fit with 4WD, ive always wondered if these models came with rear disc brakes and or independent rear suspension, how does that rear suspension layout even work? I cant tell if it has independent rear suspension or if it has torsion beam with a rear diff in the middle, it just looks weird. The only pic Ive found...it still appears to have a torsion beam but just goes over the driveline?

 

I doubt that it has a torsion beam; on full extension it would knock against the differential. It also sort of appears to be independent in the picture. The one thing I can say for sure is that the Fit's standard torsion beam is not used in that picture. (I can't say for sure that is the underside of a Fit, but we'll assume for the moment that it is).

In my mind there are two possibilities. The first is that diff assembly/frame bolts straight up to the existing unibody, and the suspension arms bolt to pivots that are part of the diff assembly. (You only need that one arm on each site, because the driveshaft can act as a third locating link). I think this is the most likely possibility, because it looks like they've thrown together a mount that looks something like an afterthought. The other possibility is that there is a different floorpan entirely, like on the Fit EV.

I have consistently been unclear as to what the supposed utility of the 4WD Fit is, and I still am. The reason it that the differential looks like it negatively impacts ground clearance - maybe as much as an inch or so. And that doesn't even mention the fact that 117hp is barely sufficient for TWO wheels, much less four. Maybe it's designed to appeal to people who have a great fear of snow but have never actually driven in it ... or they would know that insufficient ground clearance is a bigger problem to have than lack of 4WD. 4WD is not going to help if your rear differential is dragging in the snow. :P Or maybe it would help someone who lives on a hill, gets lots of ice, but no snow (which seems odd).

Can you post more pictures? Very interesting

 

It does indeed appear to be a torsion beam but how it's done is the beam is designed with a bend in the middle to clear the propeller driveshaft (much like how sway bars bends are on rwd cars) and the differential is mounted on the subframe. So it's possible to do a 4wd without independent suspension, I was hoping this wouldn't be the case but it appears so. I wasn't after the fact on 4wd possibility but more of the fact it might open up ways to do a IRS rear suspension but it appears not.

 

looks like a trailing arm to me...

 

Here in VT, a 4WD Fit would work jut fine as most of the driving isn't on deep snow but just 3-5" or less, but with lots of little hills. The little bit that hangs down wouldn't be an issue much even in deeper snow unless it was rock solid where any drag would cause problems.

As for the 117hp engine, many forget the Subaru Justy that was pushing 73hp to all four wheels and came in at over 2000 lbs. That's about 2/3 of the hp of the fit at 80%+ of the weight. The fit would have a better Power/weight ratio.

Also the late 90's impreza was over 3000 lbs with just over 130hp. Not much of a power/weight difference from an AWD Fit.

It it had been available here, we'd have considered a 4WD Fit.

~SB

 

+1, an AWD, 4wd, Fit will be on my list in the next few years. Not sure if anybody has noticed but honda is releasing the "Fit Twist", as a Fit suv here in the states in 2014. the twist already exists in Brazil, and theres a huge market for them up here in the north. Anybody who has driven all season tires on a fit in snow will know that its a terrible snow car. Im excited for this thing.its not going to be the Twist by the way, it will have a different name.

 

Euro market cars don't always make a big hit in the states. Case in point, the Nissan Juke, it's a success In euro countries but a fail here in contrast. Hopefully the new fit cuv won't be that kind of fail.

 

Here in VT, We see a decent number of Jukes so it is likely more "Regional" in the US than most people think. Decent Fuel economy plus AWD is a Huge WIN/WIN in New England. Anything 4WD/AWD sells well here, especially if it is small/medium size. the CR-V and the Subaru Legacy/Outback are the state vehicles of VT so a 30-35mpg combined AWD vehicle I think would work well. The FIT 2WD for commuting more than 15 miles netted me an average of 38+mpg. Now my commute is 4 miles, i'm down to about 33-34mpg. AWD would likely drop that 3-4mpg which is still pretty good.

~SB

 

Speaking of underpowered 4WD's, anyone remember the Suzuki Alto Works Kei cars from Gran Turismo? 63 horsepower, around 2000 pounds and all wheel drive. Now THAT's a car I don't understand why it was made into 4WD. Give the Fit another inch or two of ground clearance and the engine out of the Civic, and we'd have a winner.

 

Think it's possible to convert the fwd to 4wd?

 

Any things possible if you threw enough money at it.

 

4wd fits can almost only be found on the mountainous regions of japan

 

Impreza