Looks like 2014 Fit testing is underway

 

Interesting that they seem to be doing away with the current GM City's snowplow front end.

FYI - the GM City is the contemporary of the GE Fit/Jazz; it's no longer listed as the same chassis code series as the GD1/3 Fit/Jazz and GD6/8 Fit Aria/City were.

 

That is not even recognizably a Fit or even a Honda. That's just pictures of a random car as far as the reader can tell. What kind of spy photographer takes close up photos of headlights but doesn't back up a few feet and capture the entire car? I call BS.

 

The first picture looks exactly like the front of a camry.

 

That front end looks somewhat like a mixture of the new 2013 civic rear end 2013 accord front end.

 

If true, it's easily explained... Honda is trying to keep up with Chevy Sonic sales by releasing a sedan model.

Sales stats show the Chevy Sonic, whether sedan or hatchback, is outselling ALL cars in the Honda Fit class. Sonic sales for 2012 almost doubled those of the Honda Fit, and beat all others such as the Ford Fiesta and Toyota models. At least that's what Edmonds reports.

So I have no doubts Honda is trying to counteract some of Chevy's Sonic sales.

On that note, I've driven several Sonics, and for roughly the same price as the Fit Sport with navigation one gets:

- Much better interior materials and design (cosmetically)... almost luxury-like without losing the sporty feel in some instances.
- Sonics get heated seats and leather option. And the seats feel like you actually want to sit in them. Better adjustment options too... even in the base Sonic model. Height adjustment is a wonderful thing!
- The Sonic will leave the Honda Fit in the dust, literally, power-wise. It's like night and day when one compares the two.
- Chevy now offers Sonic buyers a turbo engine option for both manual and automatic transmissions. Either engine however, turbo or non-turbo, has much more power than Honda gave the Fit. Like I said, the differences between the power of the Honda Fit engine and the Chevy Sonics engines are borderline dramatic in comparison. Sonic wins overwhelmingly in the power dept.
- A MUCH SMOOTHER, yet still sporty ride and handling
- In all models I've witnessed the Sonic has great paint jobs and decent colors to choose from.
- Sonic sheet metal isn't the "tin-like" texture found on the Honda Fit.
- Chevy now offers an RS model
- Double-DIN, touch screen display (with navi option and free future upgrades) is now standard on all Sonic models above their entry-level (stripped) base model.
- One can choose from literally numerous factory customization options including vinyl, wherever one would like it, and custom designs, including factory wheel customization and color. (Any model... not just the RS model)

I could go on about the advantages Chevy is offering potential buyers for purchasing a Sonic, but singing the Sonic's praises is not the reason for my response.

I'm just pointing out Honda has some serious competition to the Honda Fit now. So I have no doubt they are scrambling to offer something comparable to the Chevy Sonic.

A sedan model Fit would stand to reason, if so.

 

I think once the Mexico factory open, Honda Fit sales will jump big time in the USA. Honda just isn't importing enough FITs to the USA.

 

Perhaps where you are, the local dealers where I live have had a bunch of Fits on their lots for months.

Honda might need to refine their in-country distribution as well, I know one dealer who had 9 Fit Sports in TW at one point last summer.

 

Yeah that doesn't look much like the top pic of the city. Looks a 11 or 12 corolla and a civic back end.

Couple Honda dealers around me have been hoarding Fits. There's a dealer who has like 30 Fits and they've been there for months. He can't even give away a 50 inch TV with it to make people buy em. Lol..

Hidy Honda in Beavercreek. Lol he's screwed but he's dealership is snooty and filled with assholes.

 

Before I bought mine, I noticed that a bunch of dealerships in not just my area, but the surrounding states still had plenty of stock of Fits, especially sport models. I think maybe a couple sold during the month I was shopping. Although I went with a base model, it still seemed like dealerships were not trying everything they could to clear them out.

 

Well the one I spoke about, they are trying everything possible to clear all their cars out.

Giving away TV's with the purchase, owners grandkids in the commercials saying "It's going to be HUUUUUUUUUGE", taping the owner up in commercials, tent sales and every thing imaginable under the sun aside from holding a gun to your head and forcing you to buy them to sell new or used cars across the Hidy moniker of dealerships in my area.

He owns Ford, Acura, and Honda. I think he owns more but they're not in Hidy's name yet.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Hidyautogroup?feature=watch

Found some of his older commercials on Youtube. There's the link, the owner is the old man that's shorter. He'll do just about anything to sell a car.

 

if the sonic is hurting honda so much, perhaps it is time they remade teh old B16 with a enw L15, aka big bore small stroke high rpm motor.

Id love to see a 140hp/110tq L15 singing at 8500rpms

 

current (GK5) 1.5 makes 132 hp and being long stroke gives really good low/mid range punch (for 1.5 litres).

recent hot version DVD had a 136hp 10kg lighter Suzuki Swift sports Vs Fit RS. RS was faster and had its advantage out of corners due to better power curve characteristics


*also versed an zn6 (Toyota 86) and on a wet tight track was faster than that too!

(please note Im not a big fan of long stroke motors though) having a "vtec" motor that redlines just before 7k is a bit depressing.


what economy figures are they getting out of the Sonic? 140hp from 1.8 litres isnt really that amazing and you may find the new Fit is not that far behind (if behind at all) performance wise.

Saying that I think its far from a sports car but thats not why I bought it, for a daily driven shopping cart I reckon it has enough power and ok handling. Would have been interesting to compare the sonic but they are not sold in Japan (atleast none that I could find)