2012 Honda Fit Review
2012 Honda Fit Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Impressive cargo room and cabin versatility
- spacious backseat
- fun to drive
- excellent visibility.
Cons
- Sluggish acceleration with automatic transmission
- no height adjustment for driver seat
- not as fuel-efficient as other top competitors.
What’s new
The 2012 Honda Fit Sport gets minor styling updates, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and an upgraded Bluetooth system that now offers streaming audio capabilities. All Fits receive additional sound insulation for a quieter cabin.
Edmunds says
The 2012 Honda Fit is no longer the only choice for a fun-to-drive, well-rounded subcompact, but it remains the hands-down utility champ.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2012 Honda Fit 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$147/mo for Fit Base
Fit Base
vs
$179/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Vehicle overview
When you think of affordable subcompact cars, the last things that probably come to mind are eye-catching styling, a spacious interior and a fun-to-drive personality. Yet this is exactly why the 2012 Honda Fit is such a pleasant surprise.
In fact, this distinctive-looking four-door hatchback defies a number of common expectations about small cars. For starters, its interior offers as much cargo room as some small crossover SUVs. The space is flexible as well, with a fold-flat front passenger seat and a 60/40-split rear seat with bottom cushions that you can fold up to make room for especially tall cargo, or seatbacks that you can fold down to create a perfectly flat load floor.
Thankfully, its utility doesn't mean the Fit is a snooze to drive. Its 117-horsepower 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and nicely tuned suspension give this hatch a zippy quality that actually makes errand-running kind of fun. The fact that this powertrain manages to be fairly frugal with a gallon of gas is also a plus.
Some new standard features were added to the Fit last year including stability control, keyless entry, cruise control and an iPod/USB audio input. For 2012 there are a few more small improvements, including freshened styling inside and out, additional sound insulation and a new Bluetooth system that adds streaming audio capability.
The recent introduction of several appealing new hatchbacks means buyers now have a number of very good choices, and the Fit's upgrades help it remain current. Two impressive rivals are the Chevy Sonic and Ford Fiesta. Both offer a better ride, improved fuel economy and a quieter cabin, but they're not as roomy. We'd also suggest having a look at the new Hyundai Accent, as it offers better fuel economy and a more stylish interior. Overall, though, the 2012 Honda Fit continues to be one of our favorites and will likely surprise you with its mix of practicality, frugality and fun.
Performance & mpg
The 2012 Honda Fit is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder good for 117 hp and 106 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard and a five-speed automatic with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles is available as an option.
In Edmunds performance testing, a Fit Sport with the manual went from zero to 60 mph in 9.5 seconds. A base Fit with the automatic took a more leisurely 11 seconds in the same test.
The manual-transmission Fit returns an EPA-estimated 27 mpg city/33 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined. The Fit Sport with the automatic returns the same. More conservative throttle programming on the automatic-equipped base model helps it achieve 28/35/31 (at the expense of quicker acceleration). These numbers are good, but quite a few other subcompacts are even better.
Safety
Every 2012 Honda Fit comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock brakes (front disc, rear drum), front-seat side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags that cover both rows and active front head restraints.
In Edmunds brake testing, a Fit Sport screeched to a halt from 60 mph in 134 feet, which makes the car's braking performance only adequate for this segment.
In government crash testing, the Fit received four out of five stars for overall crash protection, with four stars for overall frontal impact protection and four stars for overall side-impact protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Fit a top mark of "Good" in the frontal-offset and side crash tests, and a second-best rating of "Acceptable" in the roof-strength test.
Driving
Light weight, a lively four-cylinder engine and responsive steering combine to make the 2012 Honda Fit an enjoyable car to drive. Manual-transmission-equipped models are the most entertaining, though the paddle-shift automatic is a passable alternative. The base model's automatic trades off some performance for slightly better fuel economy. This year's addition of more soundproofing should help minimize the wind, engine and tire noise that plagued earlier models.
Interior
The Fit's passenger cabin gets points for stylish design, though the quality of the materials is just so-so. Seating comfort is good all around, including a rear seat that can accommodate two adults with nary a complaint. The fact that the driver seat lacks a height adjustment may present a problem for shorter drivers, but the steering wheel's tilt-and-telescoping adjustability helps fine-tune the driving position. Though the off-center placement of some controls is a bit unconventional, everything is easy to see and operate.
What really sets the Fit's interior apart, though, is the cleverly designed 60/40-split "Magic" rear seat. Folding the seat bottoms up creates a tall narrow opening that accommodates taller items that would not otherwise fit, and reveals a handy underseat storage compartment. Fold both rear seatbacks down and you have a flat load floor with 57.3 cubic feet of cargo room. If that's not enough, the Fit's front seat also folds flat to allow you to squeeze in items nearly 8 feet long.
2012 Honda Fit models
The 2012 Honda Fit is a subcompact four-door hatchback that's offered in two trim levels.
The base model comes standard with 15-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, air-conditioning, cloth upholstery, a 60/40-split-folding rear seat, cruise control, full power accessories, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, auxiliary audio input jack and an iPod/USB interface.
The Fit Sport adds 16-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, a sport body kit with chrome exhaust tip, foglights, a driver seat armrest, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, shift paddles (automatic transmission only) and two additional speakers for the sound system. A navigation system with touchscreen interface, voice controls, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and a digital audio card reader is available as an option on Sport models.
Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5Excellent
#6 out of 27 among Subcompact Cars
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Honda Fit from 2008-2022.$335/yr
vs. $416/yr
for Average Subcompact Car
for Average Subcompact Car
Frequency
The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).1.02x/yr
vs. 1.22x/yr
for Average Subcompact Car
for Average Subcompact Car
Severity
The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).7.3%
vs. 10.1%
for Average Subcompact Car
for Average Subcompact Car
powered by RepairPal Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2012 Honda Fit.
5 star(60%)
4 star(30%)
3 star(5%)
2 star(2%)
1 star(3%)
40 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.13 out of 5 stars
Good reliable commuting car
truthful4, 12/30/2011
2012 Honda Fit Sport 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl 5A)
I bought this car new and have driven it 1900 miles . The gas mileage is great! I have got up to 42 mpg on a good hwy. The average mpg in and out of town is 32. The car has an excellent audio system.The drive is comfortable for a small car. The noise level is not much different than any other small economical car . I am impressed with the fold down back seats for storage. I miss the … middle arm console between the two front seats. I also noticed the car's acceleration is somewhat sluggish and loud going up hills and inclines. I miss an outside temp. gauge and would like to see an a.c. outlet added . Word of warning ..Four large adults is pushing it.
So far a good little car
5 out of 5 stars
The car to buy if you want a low maintenance car
Derek M, 12/04/2015
2012 Honda Fit 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl 5A)
This car is overall designed well, but is by no means a feature vehicle. It's front wheel drive, is peppy but not at all fast, has 185 width stock tires (so you're not going to scream around corners), and the paint quality is atrocious. Expect every single dent, scratch, etc. to show up visibly on the paint. I have the silver paint, and almost anything will chip the thin paint or scratch … it. The stock shocks and struts are a joke. After driving it for about a year or two, they give way to serious body lean that makes braking hard dangerous. I swapped out the crappy stock shocks and struts with Eibach and Tien, which are stiffer, but corrects the unnecessary body lean and shortens the stopping distance much more. I also upgraded from 185 width tires to 195 width to add more stability because 185 width are just junk. The tire pressure on the 185 kept getting low, even with new tires. So I just changed to 195 width and the tire pressure holds far better now. I believe you can add 205 or possibly 215 width max on the Fit. There are a good amount of light bulbs, with 8 to maintain in the front and the back lights as well. You are able to replace these all yourself, you can find videos online that will show how to do so (pretty similar to older acura/honda). The manual says to only run 87 gas, running 91 I saw no difference in performance whatsoever. This car takes only synthetic oil, and recommends only using top tier gas (no unbranded/generic mom and pop shops). My car began to pronounce the exhaust pretty loudly, and it sounds like I put a modified exhaust on my car even though the entire intake/mid/exhaust setup is stock (I don't know if other people experience this, it's an automatic). The electronic controls performance and design is excellent, everything is very intelligently engineered and I have had no problems. The USB connection is in the top glove compartment (the bottom one is the regular glove compartment), and I just put MP3 music on a flash drive and it's out of sight out of mind. The car has an audio jack input, but be careful because the rubber piece that protects it very easily comes off. Also, when maintaining the air filter, there is a solid attachment in the front with small clips on the side. The small clips on the side are prone to breaking, so be careful. I am 6'2" and am able to sit in the front seat fine. The backseat can hold adults, but the recommended total weight to have in the car is only about 850lbs. The major positives of the vehicle are that it is an easy to drive vehicle, there are a good amount of cupholders in the front and in the back, the interior volume space is massive for the vehicle size, the visibility from the inside is great, and that reliability on the engine/transmission and electronics is excellent. I bought my 2012 Fit in 2011 and haven't had to perform a single repair for anything, just purely maintenance and optional upgrades. This is a putt putt for getting around with some pep and good gas mileage, but it's no Corvette or Prius. A well designed (overall) low maintenance ride.
4.63 out of 5 stars
Great Car,A Few Minor Complaints
giantravis, 04/22/2012
2012 Honda Fit Sport 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl 5A)
I've had my Fit for about 2 months now. I spent a lot of time on here and consumer reports before choosing the Fit. I was sold on the reliability history,cargo room, and mpg. The mpg is just ok for a car it's size in the city. However, if your commuting and driving between 55 and 65 mph, you can probably get 40 mpg during those stretches. I've averaged 30 mpg with about 60% hwy/40% … city.
A few small things bother me. No miles till empty reading, no outside temperature reading,and the cupholders are awkward underneath the console. Also, the body is soft like most Hondas and may ding easy. Other than that, good mpg,great handling(fun to drive) and most importantly has great reliablity record.
4.5 out of 5 stars
37.2 mpg!!!
crappycorolla, 11/23/2011
2012 Honda Fit 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl 5A)
I had read they got great gas mileage and they do! It doesn't feel as small as it looks. It's fairly comfortable, but crowded with 5 people in it. It doesn't have a lot of power for fast excelleration.
The stereo is nice, I like that some stations say what song is on on this radio. I wish there was an outsie temperature gauge. I couldn't have got into a dependable car for less. I had … been trying to decide between a Kia and Fit and heard at work someones Kia stopped running the first week! There is more room behind the back seats than you would think, we put 250 of food and 50lbs dog food.The brakes work better than any car I've owned. Visability is amazing!
2012 Fit Highlights
Base
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $15,325 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 29 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $147/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 20.6 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Fit include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
NHTSA Overall Rating
4 out of 5 starsThe National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverall4 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverall4 / 5
- Side Barrier RatingOverall4 / 5Driver3 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront Seat3 / 5Back Seat5 / 5
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover12.4%
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalGood
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestGood
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintGood
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