From my perspective, the car that competes with the Honda Fit Sport is the Scion xB. I’m looking for mileage over 30 mpg, four passengers and cargo space to haul a pinball machine (30"x30"x58"). From what I’ve seen, the Fit and the xB are my only choices.
I’ve compared the features of both as best I could. I found a list of features for the xB and matched it up with the features of the Fit. I made a few assumptions on the Fit specs but it’s pretty complete.
I think that the Fit is clearly superior overall. The xB has more passenger room, more options, more instrumentation and more colors. Everything else about the Fit comes out on top, including more width for passengers (shoulder and hip room).
I’m still not positive that I can haul a pinball machine in a Fit. I read that a guy hauled a refrigerator in an xB (29"x30"x66"). Anybody with a Jazz haul anything big around?

 

I test drove the xA and thought the ride was extremely rough. Thats one comparable that I am hoping the Fit improves on.

 

Me too!

Even though the xA might be a more appropriate match, I'm not even considering that vehicle, but the xB is definitely on my list. Haven't driven or even sat in a Fit yet, but I find the interior room in the xB pretty luxurious (6'3" / 230 here). How both cars roll will obviously be a deciding factor.

The Scion falls behind by not even offering side / curtain airbags, but seems pretty fully equipped otherwise. I think the interior materials and quality are quite comparable between the two cars. But I suspect the lunchbox is going to feel slightly less nimble or peppy on the road.

Also, it *is* kinda ugly, but so am I and the dogs I'll be hauling around. If it looks like 33 clowns or Shriners should tumble out when I park at the minimart, so be it.

Let's see:

Fit sport with Automatic @$16K + destination.
xB comparably equipped @17K + destination.

But they both have the "aero" skirts I'd prefer NOT having. The Fit has better airbags, the magic seats (which I haven't butt-tested yet :rolleyes: ) and the potentially cool paddle shifter gizmos. I think both have very nice build quality, decent door-thuds etc. Lotta car for relatively little money.

Just my 2/5 of a nickel.

 

Glab you brought this up. the xA may be the closest an4logy (had to use a 4 not to get censored) to the Fit, but it's the Fit and the xB I'm trying to decide between. I plan to drive both in the near future (when both are available to be driven) and will post back with pics and thoughts.

 

I drove two xB’s today.

The first had 18” wheels, thin tires and had the lowering kit installed (one of your “high end” xB’s?). It was a lot of fun to drive, moved around pretty good and accelerated OK with some engine noise. It drove down the road pretty nice until you hit a pot hole in the road and you get a hard thump. On a street with seams, it sounded like a train, clack, clack. The car I drove was a demo and didn’t have a sticker on it but I did see one xB with a sticker price of OVER $23,000!

I then drove a low end xB with 15” wheels and regular tires and it wasn’t smooth as silk but it wasn’t anything like the first one. A little rubber on the side walls makes a big difference in road noise.

I’m OK with the xB’s looks, it kind of grows on you. From a drivers perspective (inside) the car looks great. If the Fit turns out to be less than expected. I could be pretty happy with a “low end” xB.

 

Nope.

The Double OverHead Cam (DOHC) configuration relates to the number of physical camshafts on the engine, not to the number of cam profiles. DOHC = 2 camshafts, one on the intake valves, one on the exhaust valves. Number of camshafts is independent (mostly) of any VTEC/VVT set-up on the engines.

The variable valve timing setup on a DOHC engine *can* be more flexible, if tuned that way, because the exhaust timing and intake timing can be varied independently, so it does have that advantage over a SOHC engine, in a theoretical sense.

 

You must have completely misunderstood me, I know very well what SOHC and DOHC stand for. DOHC 99% has a clear advantage over SOHC theoretically and otherwise. It would have been nice if Honda went with a DOHC VTEC motor over a SOHC but Honda based on there previous cars only seems to use DOHC motor's in there high performance cars mostly Integra's and a few special edition Civic's.

 

If Scion would put the TC engine (160 HP) in the Xb, they would have a screamer. I could even get used to that center guage setup if the power was there.

 

I wouldnt go as far as to say it'd be a screamer but it would definitely get up and go alot quicker then it is with its current engine. As far as the center gauge cluster, I doubt I could ever get used to that.

 

You fall behind by not conducting thorough and accurate research... side curtain airbags are available options on both the xA and the xB for about $650.00.

 

The Fit looks way more sleeker than the xA . The xA's front doesnt compliment its short body, making it look akward.

 

I know that are available for the xA, but they dont seem to be for the xB. At least in the US. I checked and I cant find the option for side/side curtain airbags.

 

I almost bought an xA. The deal killer was opening up the back hatch and the boss says: there's not enough room for groceries back here. The ride was also pretty rough. So we are waiting to take a look at the Fit.

 

Two different Scion salespersons confirmed that side curtain airbags were NOT an available option on the xB. Verily I say unto you (unless they were misinforming me), LOL.

 

Well your initial post seems to indicate that you have the VTEC aspects and the number of cams intertwined, but whatever. :)

If Honda can achieve their performance goals (mpg as well as hp/tq) with a SOHC VTEC, there's no point in adding weight, complexity, and size with a DOHC set-up. Size being particularly critical in the Fit application.

 

Hi, new here. If you want to know about the xB, ask away -- I've had mine for almost 2 yrs now and know a fair amount about it technically and from everyday driving. I'll do my best to answer any questions you field if you want to know something specific.

 

Can I put a pinball machine in the back (30"x30"x56") of a xB? I said 58" long in my earlier post, 56" is correct.

 

I went and took a quick measure for you. With the rear hatch up, width at the narrowest point is ~40-41" (which is pretty much right at the top of the hatch opening), height from the cargo floor to the lowest point on the top of the hatch opening is ~35", and with the seats down, rearmost point of the cargo area to the back of my driver's seat is ~55". I'd say length is your enemy here, but I'm 5'10" and I'm sure you could find a couple of extra inches if you're willing/able to bump your seat up a bit when hauling your machine. Otherwise, the xB is very square and linear inside too, so getting the machine in w/o having to worry about snagging the roof, door handles, etc. is a cinch.

 

What kind of hwy mpg does the xB get? (please post speed and transmission type - thanks)

 

mmm, good question -- I'd say it really depends on your driving style, vehicle setup, and your roads. Average mileages that I see most on various forums range 28-36. Me, I have an aftermarket exhaust, stock 5spd, 15" stock rims, drive up/down lots of hills(Pennsylvania), avg. 80mph hgwy, and have no qualms about pushing the engine to 5500-6000rpm regularly, and I get ~30-31 in winter, ~32-34 mpg summer, with mixed city/hgwy driving. If you go larger/heavier tires and rims, expect less; if you add headers and a good intake along with the exhaust, expect more (many owners report ~36+ with those addtnl mods). I know my exhaust added about 3-4 addtnl mpg once the ECU adjusted to it.