Honda Fit verus Minivan (any minivan)
#1
Honda Fit verus Minivan (any minivan)
So, if I've made any friends here in my short time at FitFreak, this is where I may start to lose them...
I have had my Fit now for a little over a month; not that long. However, in the that time I have grown very fond of this car, even with its much maligned CVT (yes Ken, I did it for my wife too). I like this car a lot. I have also been spending some money, time, and energy personalizing my Fit, putting some Sport into my Sport.
That being said, I named my build thread "Rick's 2019 Fit Sport Poser Build" for a reason. While I think my Fit a very cool car, and I find it really fun to drive, the car is clearly (?) not a performance car (even with a "6MT"). I am curious to know if any Gen3 Fit owners out there have Fits that will outperform a stock minivan. Some Minivan 0-60 and quarter mile times for reference... I haven't looked into skid pad data but...
Again, love my Fit, cool car and fun to drive, but whether its a 6MT, CVT, has this exhaust, that intake, etc., it just seems pretty clear that this car was not built to surprise any unsuspecting real performance car drivers. The Ford Focus ST driver I encountered on my morning commute last week will testify to that; dropped me like a bad habit...
In closing, it IS more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow; love my Fit. Flame shields are up and I am standing by for incoming fire...
Did I mention that I love my Fit?
I have had my Fit now for a little over a month; not that long. However, in the that time I have grown very fond of this car, even with its much maligned CVT (yes Ken, I did it for my wife too). I like this car a lot. I have also been spending some money, time, and energy personalizing my Fit, putting some Sport into my Sport.
That being said, I named my build thread "Rick's 2019 Fit Sport Poser Build" for a reason. While I think my Fit a very cool car, and I find it really fun to drive, the car is clearly (?) not a performance car (even with a "6MT"). I am curious to know if any Gen3 Fit owners out there have Fits that will outperform a stock minivan. Some Minivan 0-60 and quarter mile times for reference... I haven't looked into skid pad data but...
Again, love my Fit, cool car and fun to drive, but whether its a 6MT, CVT, has this exhaust, that intake, etc., it just seems pretty clear that this car was not built to surprise any unsuspecting real performance car drivers. The Ford Focus ST driver I encountered on my morning commute last week will testify to that; dropped me like a bad habit...
In closing, it IS more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow; love my Fit. Flame shields are up and I am standing by for incoming fire...
Did I mention that I love my Fit?
#2
Firing Squad! Make ready!! Just kidding...
My only showdown with a van... We drive everywhere in the Midwest for cycling. My fiance's teammate has a 2017 Odyssey. Both of us are almost always full loaded, which means whatever cycling gear I have, the Odyssey is carrying about three times that much. ROLLING ONTO THE INTERSTATE, I HAVE ZERO CHANCE. Her rolling torque from 35-80 is awesome. She's also a heck of a bike racer and knows how to throw a vehicle around on a twisty road. We drove through some back country Virginia highways and it was a blast. I could not believe she was in a van.
I have also wondered how the other cars at this price point would compare in showdown... I know you are seeking against van info, but maybe if anyone would say how they have compared to other cars..
Back in the day... my 1995 neon with pretty much every bolt on mod was a threat to any un-modded mustang around the same era or before. A 4.6 car had to have a true driver if it was going to win a 0-70 race. I had a few times where I know a few Camaro guys even puckered for a moment when they had a bad launch, but of course their hungry horses came looking for dinner at 50mph..
Enjoy!
My only showdown with a van... We drive everywhere in the Midwest for cycling. My fiance's teammate has a 2017 Odyssey. Both of us are almost always full loaded, which means whatever cycling gear I have, the Odyssey is carrying about three times that much. ROLLING ONTO THE INTERSTATE, I HAVE ZERO CHANCE. Her rolling torque from 35-80 is awesome. She's also a heck of a bike racer and knows how to throw a vehicle around on a twisty road. We drove through some back country Virginia highways and it was a blast. I could not believe she was in a van.
I have also wondered how the other cars at this price point would compare in showdown... I know you are seeking against van info, but maybe if anyone would say how they have compared to other cars..
Back in the day... my 1995 neon with pretty much every bolt on mod was a threat to any un-modded mustang around the same era or before. A 4.6 car had to have a true driver if it was going to win a 0-70 race. I had a few times where I know a few Camaro guys even puckered for a moment when they had a bad launch, but of course their hungry horses came looking for dinner at 50mph..
Enjoy!
Last edited by CyclingFit; 08-06-2018 at 02:54 PM.
#3
I don't care it has a infamous coined name "mom soccer mobile". Vans are practical. If it wasn't for the economical Fit, I would have a van for my 2nd car.
Last edited by wasserball; 08-06-2018 at 12:18 PM.
#4
I was under the impression that every single male Fit owner knew our cars were completely incapable of hanging with any other type of car/van -- and that no modification available, sans engine-swap, would ever alter that statement.
My former 2006 Honda Odyssey (v6) could spank my Fit silly but I like the Fit more. I will say one thing, that van was a great driving van.
Steve
My former 2006 Honda Odyssey (v6) could spank my Fit silly but I like the Fit more. I will say one thing, that van was a great driving van.
Steve
Last edited by Shadow Smith; 08-06-2018 at 12:30 PM.
#5
Regardless, the topic here is: Honda Fit is not a performance car and without significant massaging, it will lose in almost any category to a minivan (assuming drivers equal). As for others in its category, some data. Frankly I wouldn't own any of these other cars. As I mentioned, love my Fit...
#7
In a drag race the Fit would get crushed by a minivan. I think where the Fit will beat it is in a twisty section with lots of curves. The van's weight is going to be its hindrance. After a while the van's going to cook its tires and brakes.
#11
I just put it into perspective....it's a fun to drive (at least with a manual), utilitarian little car that, if you go back in time, is about as quick as some mid-'70's American "muscle cars." It is what it is, nothing more, nothing less.
#12
Thanks Ken.
BTW everyone, Ken's other cars:
2016 WRX STI - PERFORMANCE CAR
2017 Golf-R -PERFORMANCE CAR
2019 WRX Limited - PERFORMANCE CAR
Also BTW, performance cars with or WITHOUT a manual trans...
It's fun to drive even with the CVT, it really is. In fact it is waaay more fun than the 6MT in heavy, bumper to bumper traffic. And I like paddling it in sport mode from stoplights; an unsuspecting minivan driver doesn't have a chance (unless they mash the gas pedal).
#16
i had a dual clutch 2016 GTI due to a left ankle injury a few yrs back and while the thing was a rocket i could never luv da car.. i’m just not into AT cars.. but that’s just me. never mind me
#17
My 6MT Fit feels so much like my 3rd gen. Civic that I bought new 30 years ago
Fit was the only car available new right now I could find that has the very rare "time machine" quality to it.
Cheap, reliable, practical fun transportation with a Honda badge.
This is why I bought it.
It's small, it's light, it's not slow, it handles great and it makes me feel happy when I drive it.
To me it is all that it needs to be.
We had a "fully loaded" (god I hate this term...) Plymouth Voyager long time ago, when the kids were little.
I drove it once.
My previous daily driver had 2.5 times the power and 3 times the torque. Did 0-60 under 5 sec. stock. It wasn't a minivan but I still couldn't fall in love with it just the same.
I must say though, I dig beautiful station wagons with manual transmissions.
I also don't mind that crazy Bisimoto Odyssey... but that is batshit crazy in my book.
Fit was the only car available new right now I could find that has the very rare "time machine" quality to it.
Cheap, reliable, practical fun transportation with a Honda badge.
This is why I bought it.
It's small, it's light, it's not slow, it handles great and it makes me feel happy when I drive it.
To me it is all that it needs to be.
We had a "fully loaded" (god I hate this term...) Plymouth Voyager long time ago, when the kids were little.
I drove it once.
My previous daily driver had 2.5 times the power and 3 times the torque. Did 0-60 under 5 sec. stock. It wasn't a minivan but I still couldn't fall in love with it just the same.
I must say though, I dig beautiful station wagons with manual transmissions.
I also don't mind that crazy Bisimoto Odyssey... but that is batshit crazy in my book.
Last edited by vinylengraver; 08-06-2018 at 05:56 PM.
#19
Not slow? Handles great?
The 5 stages of Honda Fit Ownership:
1) Denial - My Fit is not slow and it handles great, right?
2) Anger - My Fit is slow and it doesn't handle that great; what the @#$%?
3) Bargaining - Maybe if do some mods to my Fit and put red H's on it, it will not be as slow, and maybe it will handle better.
4) Depression - I can't believe I did all this stuff to my Fit and I still get dusted by minivans.
5) Acceptance - I don't care if I get dusted by minivans, Hyundai Accents, and most other cars on the road. My Fit is more versatile, has way more character and class, and is way more fun the drive than those other cars, and many cars costing far more. I love my Fit...
#20
Hey, I knew exactly what I am getting myself into when I bought my Fit.
So lucky for me the above 5 stages do not apply.
Besides, where I live it seems like I am always the only one not driving below the speed limit.
So all those crazy fast minivans present no challenge whatsoever.
I laugh in the face of minivan power.
I was considering a Rio or an Accent, but they do not look dorky enough for me.
And I really do like red badges on the white car. It's not like they say "Turbo" or anything like that...
So lucky for me the above 5 stages do not apply.
Besides, where I live it seems like I am always the only one not driving below the speed limit.
So all those crazy fast minivans present no challenge whatsoever.
I laugh in the face of minivan power.
I was considering a Rio or an Accent, but they do not look dorky enough for me.
And I really do like red badges on the white car. It's not like they say "Turbo" or anything like that...
Last edited by vinylengraver; 08-06-2018 at 06:57 PM.