In some other markets Honda offers the Fit with 4WD. In fact it's my understanding that many Honda models are available with 4WD in Japan, although, this mostly makes me think that Honda doesn't have a very good awareness of what winter looks like in the northern parts of the US :P

I'm curious about the form such a 4WD system takes. Does anyone know? Is it:

1. The real-time 4WD that Honda offers here in other models (a clutched or dual-pump mechanism, very simple but effective)? I wouldn't think there is space for the driveshaft.
2. An electric 4WD system (I know Nissan uses this in the Cube; there's no mechanical connection between the engine and rear wheels, the latter being driven by electric motors on demand)
3. Something else entirely?

Even a picture would help, even if not in English


Just curious! Thanks.

 

Have fun ---> Honda„*ƒNƒ‹ƒ}„*ƒtƒBƒbƒg„*ƒ^ƒCƒvE‰ΏŠi„*15XH#

 

AFAIK it's the same electric system like is used in the 09+ CRV. I couldn't find any definitive answer, but I highly doubt they'd put a driveshaft driven AWD on a Fit and not on a CRV.

 

fitster: awesome, although, i can't find any pictures relating to the 4WD system at all. compared to a US website this is very content lite; would not surprise me if the expectation in Japan is you have to go into a dealer to learn more than very basic facts about the car.

wanderer: I am mostly sure that the current CRVs have an electronically ACTUATED rear diff (ie the decision to engage the rear drive is done by computer and the clutches engaged by electrical current) but, there is still a mechanically transmission of torque through a center driveshaft. This is a replacement for the dual-pump hydraulic system which had more of a delay.

i am not aware of electric-motor 4wd except the cube, but there probably are more.

 

DAT FACE!

 

I wish it was possible to k-swap a 4wd Fit......oh my lord that would be too much fun

 

Ah
http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/files/rtawd.pdf
I see what they mean by "electronic", like you said, electronically engaged. I used to have a 2004 Element with RT4WD and it had a rear diff and transfer case, I thought this was something new they were advertising, I guess not LOL

Still have yet to find anything about the Fit's 4WD system.

 

Nice! I had a 2004 CRV. Mechanically, basically identical to the Element.

 

It's more than likely possible, but probably not worth it financially. An RDX SH-Turbo AWD swap would be unique to say the least...

 

On the swap idea ...

If you did manage to get it to work, you'd be left with a useful but not fun to drive car. The "real time 4wd" system is very simple; it doesn't engage quickly although the clutched system is better than the older dual pump, and it shifts torque only front-to-rear, and only in a 50% split. It doesn't torque vector side-to-side and there is no LSD (although you can actually add one; there's space in the CRV case for it). Note that for lack of better info I'm assuming the Fit uses a similar system.

I saw a gentleman who had modified his del Sol (!) to fit a first-gen CRV drivetrain for rallying. The car worked fine but he reported that the delay on the 4WD was so great it wasn't useful; he had to modify it to be always-on.

Basically, the system is designed to provide simple, cheap, bulletproof 4WD and it succeeds really well at doing that. This is what is offered in the CRV, Pilot, Ridgeline, RDX V6.

Acura's SH-AWD is the best thing on the market right now, but that has about 3x as many parts. The RDX shifted this year to the simpler, cheaper real-time 4wd system .. SHAWD was available with the turbo previously. Close runners-up behind SH-AWD are the Audi and Subaru systems, although not all Audi AWD systems are actually the same or even related. Land Rover clearly good for offroading; not for performance. And much worse than all these, in fact really no better than the RT4WD, are Lexus,Toyota,Nissan and many others, which shows that it's mostly marketing hype and you don't even necessarily get what you pay for. BMW is great on a track, useless in the snow.

That's my understanding of 4WD systems as they currently stand. It's actually hard to find detailed info on most, even the traditional leaders like Subaru and Audi. Usually it's the class leader who is willing to talk about it, and that, of course, is Acura. They don't talk very loudly though, which means they've invested a lot in building a system that most consumers don't differentiate from (for example) a far inferior Lexus system.

Last, you would actually have to fit the system in your car. If you get lucky there's space for the driveshaft to run back, but even if other models of your car have 4WD you still have to contend usually with a rear suspension that attaches at different points on the body in order to make room for half-shafts.

So basically. If you want AWD in your car. Go find a WRX. They are great :P

 

That del Sol, must've been quite the project.

Saw a modded WRX yesterday, they really are nice cars!

fujisawa, good info!
I noticed the JDM Honda Fit AWD is only available in automatic, would you happen to know why?

 

I don't know why. I believe automatics are very common in Japan, so it's either that or some mechanical reason (maybe only the auto box leaves room under the car for the drive-out-connection).

Unlike, say, Iceland where the US ratio of 95/5% is reversed into 95% manual / 5% auto. Again, no particular reason known.

I had the recent thought that one additional possibility for the 4WD in the JDM Fit is actually an off-the-shelf 4WD from another automaker. It's not impossible to buy technology from competitors, especially if you have some sort of cooperative agreement. Entirely possible Honda would use the 4WD from Suzuki or Nissan for a small-numbers application.

 

Well, imo, the k-swap for fwd probably isn't financially worth it either but :P i'd love to be the first ;P that would cost a FORTUNE though

 

re:AWD & Auto.... had a feeling it might have something to do with the AWD system.

hehe.. that SH-AWD Turbo would be a swap for the books, but can't even imagine the custom fab work needed to complete it. eh, we can always dream.

 

Wouldn't it just be easier to sell your car and import an awd fit from Europe or Japan? I have an 08 fit sport that I just made the last payment on. Let the modifications begin!!

 

honestly on an underpowered car like the Fit, AWD will just make it slower. just get snow tires and you're set. AWD would be great if the Fit can have a 260hp/280torque engine and used to eliminate torque steer.

FWD car with snow tires is superior over an AWD car on all season tires. i know from experience.

 

4wd fits are usually found in the mountainous areas of japan

 

You are now reading this in David Attenborough's voice

 

^ aw LOL

 

^^^ ahahaha...

They are a rare creature, with a unique habitat....