If you need a new car and are not sure what to get, or even care, the Honda Fit is probably one of the best choices you can ever make. It’s an entry-level subcompact hatchback that gets amazing fuel economy, is comfortable enough for the daily drive, and has enough cargo room to fit half a one-bedroom apartment in it, as long as the seats are folded down. Needless to say, it’s a Swiss Army knife of cars and while its gas mileage and efficiency are its strong points, horsepower is not. Does that mean the Honda Fit needs more power?

The Honda Fit has a decent amount of power from the factory

The 2020 Honda Fit is powered by a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 130 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque and can be paired up with either a CVT or a six-speed manual transmission. With either transmission, the Fit should get up to 60 mph in around 8.2 seconds, which isn’t terrible, but it’s not that great either. After all, 0 to 60 times aren’t just about bragging rights, they’re a measurement of acceleration, which means that every second could mean the difference between getting on the freeway fast enough to merge into traffic or maybe ending up having to drive on the shoulder and then getting over.

Technically speaking, the 2020 Honda Fit doesn’t necessarily need more power, otherwise, Honda would have given it more. However, if you’re looking to get more power out of the Honda Fit, then you’ll have to get a used one to start with.

The older the Honda Fit, the better

Here in the U.S., the Honda Fit is currently in its third generation, which started back in 2015. We’re overdue for a new one and that version should be coming out next year, but for now, the current iteration is basically the same one that made its debut five years ago. That being said, if you have a 2015 to 2020 model, then you’re stuck with bolt-on parts like aftermarket cold air intakes, exhausts, and smaller engine pulley to extract power. But if you want to make bigger power, then you’ll have to go with an older one.

If you buy a Honda Fit from 2009 to 2014, then you’ll open possibilities of adding a supercharger kit that can bump the power up to around 200 horsepower, and if you get one of the first-generation Honda Fits, then you’ll have options for either a ready-made turbocharger kit or a supercharger kit, including a plethora of other power modifications. The reason being is that aftermarket tuning companies have been able to figure out better tuning solutions on the older models, which has less-sophisticated electronics and computers from the get-go.

But is the added power really worth it?

Considering the available turbo and supercharger kits for the older Honda Fits can cost anywhere between $2,000 to $4,000, plus the labor for the install, adding another 80 to 100 horsepower could be worth it. No matter which generation Honda Fit you get, it will be really lightweight, so the added power will feel substantial. However, is it completely necessary? No, since the Honda Fit can zip in and out of traffic perfectly fine. But is it worth it? We would say yes because there’s nothing like adding more power to a car that’s meant to be economical. Ultimately, that’s what tuning Hondas has always been about.