The subcompact car class is a tough segment to be in because a budget price means that prospective buyers are looking for every ounce of value they can in a new car. And while the battlefield is tough, the Honda Fit has soldiered on for decades doing its best to be at the top of the list. However, being the best comes at a higher price tag, so is the Honda Fit worth the price that it commands?

All in the details

When the Honda Fit debuted in 2007, the brand intended for it to lead “with the most standard feature content in its class and a unique level of interior functionality and a sporty driving character.” It worked, as sales steadily increased throughout the years and marketing for the Fit took off as well. As you might remember, “The Fit is Go.”

The Fit definitely did go. Several reviews of the car throughout the years all noted the Honda Fit to have spritely acceleration. It makes sense considering the car’s 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine put out 109 horsepower in first-generation and was reworked over the years to eventually put out 130 horsepower in its third and current generation.

Another highlighted feature of the Fit is its second-row “Magic Seat,” in which the rear seat flips and folds to reveal multiple storage and seating configurations to accommodate a variety of people and cargo. This feature, among others, were the types of clever engineering that put the Fit ahead of others in its class.

Overshadowed by its bigger brother?

While the Honda Fit has always outshined other cars in the subcompact car segment, it’s constantly compared to its Civic sedan stablemate. Not due to room or technology, but mainly due to overall performance. In the most recent review from Car and Driver, they noted that the Fit lacks the fun-to-drive personality and has a noisy engine.

And while the Fit does have as much to offer like the Honda Civic in terms of technological features, some consumers might find the larger and quieter Civic hatchback to be a better buy despite the slight cost overlap. We can see why this can be compelling, however, it just depends on what any prospective buyer needs for their lifestyle. Leave it to Honda to have one of its products only be outdone by another one of its products.

Otherwise, the Honda Fit is available with a bevy of safety features including the Honda Sensing suite of driver-assist features, the Lane Watch camera, and a rearview camera. In the higher trim level, it even has leather and it’s also still able to be purchased with a six-speed manual. Honda has consistently improved the Fit and it’s no wonder that it’s always been the best subcompact in the market and on the road.

Is it worth buying?

We would say yes, the Honda Fit is definitely worth buying. The starting price is around $16,000 and moves up to about $20,000 for the top trim level. Keep in mind that this can be $1,000 – $2,000 more than all the cars in its competitive set including the Toyota Yaris and Kia Rio, but as Honda proves time and time again, value is sometimes worth the higher price.