Honda Fit

Compared to other models in Honda's lineup, the 2020 Fit doesn't garner a whole lot of attention. It's not cool like the Civic Type R or hugely popular like the CR-V. But this little car is affordable and surprisingly versatile. In sports analogy terms, you

It all starts with the Fit's configurable seats. Honda calls them Magic Seats, and they fold in several ways to accommodate cargo in varying shapes and sizes. For example, you can fold the rear seat bottoms up for transporting tall and skinny items (a TV, for instance) or recline the front passenger seat to store long ones. It's a neat trick that makes the Fit feel far more utilitarian than the pint-sized competition.

While the Fit uses a modestly powered four-cylinder engine, acceleration feels sprightly around town and it hits highway speeds sooner than most compact hatchbacks and small crossovers. It's also quite fuel-efficient, and we found it easy to match EPA estimates in real-world driving — something that can't be said about many Fit competitors. The Fit's nimble handling is another draw.

Small cars naturally sacrifice some comfort, refinement and features for a budget-friendly price tag, but the Fit makes fewer concessions than most. In our testing, we've found that the Fit squirms around a bit during hard braking, which doesn't inspire confidence during a panic stop. An upright driving position also makes it tough for taller drivers to find a comfortable spot. The infotainment system is also a little out-of-date and slow to respond to commands. Still, these issues shouldn't dissuade buyers looking for a sensible small hatchback at a competitive price.

Which Fit does MatoCar recommend?

Price-conscious shoppers who also want a few creature comforts should find the midlevel Sport trim appealing. It replaces the steel wheels with wheel covers with true alloys, adds two more speakers, and includes a touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. Taller drivers will appreciate it too since it's the most well-equipped Fit without a headroom-reducing sunroof. But you'll need to go up a level to the EX if you want advanced driving aids such as lane departure warning and forward collision warning.

The 2020 Honda Fit is a subcompact hatchback available in four trim levels: LX, Sport, EX and EX-L. Every Fit is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on LX and Sport models, while a continuously variable automatic transmission is optional. The CVT automatic comes standard on the EX and EX-L. With the manual transmission, the engine is rated at 130 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque. Selecting the CVT mildly reduces output to 128 hp and 113 lb-ft of torque.

The Fit LX gets you 15-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, height-adjustable driver's seat, a 5-inch central display screen, and a four-speaker audio system. You also get the Fit's so-called Magic Seats. They consist of a fully reclining front passenger seat and a 60/40-split folding rear seat, and they can be positioned in a number of configurations. As a result, the Fit is able to handle more types of cargo than other hatchbacks.

The Sport trim adds some sporty styling highlights as well as 16-inch alloy wheels, foglights, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The Sport's infotainment system is a 7-inch touchscreen interface that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also includes a six-speaker sound system and, with the CVT, wheel-mounted shift paddles that simulate gearshifts.

Step up to the EX and the Fit receives a sunroof, keyless entry and ignition, and extendable sun visors. It also adds the Honda Sensing suite of active safety features, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and intervention, a blind-spot camera, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.

At the top of the Fit range, the EX-L brings heated side mirrors, heated front seats and leather upholstery.