2009 Honda fit to debut at New York Auto Show

The all-new 2009 Honda Fit made its North America debut at the 2008 New York International Auto Show. The Fit, is based on the Honda Jazz which is sold in the rest of the world. The replacement Jazz was shown at the 2007 Tokyo Autoshow.

The Fit is designed to further its leadership in the subcompact segment with top-of-class feature content and improved interior functionality, including one-motion dive-down rear seats. It features an enhanced sporty demeanor to increase its fun-to-drive character through an improved suspension, steering and body rigidity. The new 2009 Honda Fit also includes high levels of standard safety equipment, including Honda’s Advanced Compatibility EngineeringT (ACET) body structure.

“The new Fit is designed to raise the bar in the Canadian subcompact market by taking what is already great about the Fit and making it even better with an increased fun-to-drive character, in addition to enhanced refinement and safety,” said Jerry Chenkin, senior vice president of Honda Canada Inc.

“With the recent rise in fuel costs, the fuel-efficient Fit is the ideal vehicle for Canadians looking for lower fuel costs partnered with high value and functionality.”

The interior provides surprisingly large passenger volume and class-leading cargo space to maximize passenger comfort and utility. At the foundation is an improved rear Magic Seatâ, now featuring one-motion dive-down functionality, which allows the rear seat to fold flat with the front seats in the rearmost slide position and without removing the rear head restraints. The seats offer multiple seating and cargo-carrying configurations (tall object mode, long object mode and utility mode) in addition to the standard five-passenger mode.

A new hidden storage bin under the driver’s side rear seat provides a secure place to store small items. In addition, the Fit Sport features a USB audio interface compatible with current generation iPods® and many USB storage devices.

The 2009 Fit features a new 1.5-litre i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine connected to either a 5-speed manual transmission or an available, segment-unique 5-speed automatic transmission. The new engine is designed to offer the best balance of fuel economy and power. Larger 15-inch wheels (16-inch on Fit Sport) hint at enhancements to the Fit’s suspension, steering and body rigidity, which are intended to produce sportier handling without sacrificing comfort.

The 2009 Fit adds Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACET) body structure technology and active head restraints to a top-of-class list of standard safety features. With Fit’s adoption of ACET, nearly all Honda vehicles sold in North America now include the innovative body structure. Dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags, dual front-side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) and side-curtain airbags are standard equipment on all Fit models. All seating positions have three-point seat belts. Additionally, front and rear visibility has been improved.

Standard active safety equipment includes an anti-lock braking system (ABS), with ventilated discs in the front and drums in the back, and electronic brake distribution for increased braking performance.

More detailed information about the 2009 Honda Fit will be released closer to the vehicle launch in the fall.