2011 Honda Fit

The 2011 Honda Fit comes only a five-door hatchback and is Honda's lowest-priced car for the U.S. market. Although the Fit is also the smallest model in the Honda lineup, it's about the same length and width as the Honda Civic when it was last offered in the United States as a three-door hatchback (back in 2000). However, the five-door Fit is significantly roomier inside due to its tall, upright body style.
Key Takeaway
The 2011 Honda Fit is like a mini-minivan in some respects, with an incredibly space-efficient design; yet it's peppy, frugal, and fun to drive.

Even at first glance, it's easy to pick out the 2011 Honda Fit as prioritizing function over form. It's difficult to make a super-practical, small, tall hatchback like the 2011 Fit look even vaguely sexy, and to those who value style, the tall proportions arguably make it look like a scaled-down minivan in some respects. Inside, the rakish windshield leaves a vast expanse of dashboard ahead of the driver, lending an airier feel than some other small cars. The swoopy, two-tiered instrument panel employs textured and matte-metallic plastic surfaces, along with upholstery and trim that are simple but sturdy.

The 1.5-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder engine in the 2011 Honda Fit doesn't move it quickly in any case, but it's relatively fun to drive with the manual gearbox. A five-speed automatic is also offered and comes with paddle-shifters in Fit Sport trims. While the Fit might not be astonishingly fast, its handling and maneuverability is impressive. The Fit has a very responsive, tossable feel that makes it feel almost sports-car nimble yet also adequately refined and settled for highway cruising. Relative to other cars its size, the Fit feels remarkably comfortable at 80 mph.

The 2011 Honda Fit will likely have you stepping back out and doing a double-take the first time you get inside. More than almost any other vehicle's design, the Fit makes the most out of a small space, for both passengers and cargo. Honda actually allowed enough headroom and legroom for two adults—or three kids—in back, and the so-called Magic Seat folds flat by lifting a single lever and pushing the seatback forward, with no need to remove rear headrests in the process. The driving position affords a good view outward, and the steering wheel telescopes on all models.

2011 Honda Accord HFP

Honda Accord HFP

At SEMA, Honda introduced a slew of modified vehicles, including a 2010 Accord Coupe equipped with dealer-installed Honda Factory Performance™ (HFP™) components melded a distinctive, custom appearance with an enhanced level of handling performance. All Honda Genuine Accessories offer the same 3-year/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty as the rest of the vehicle, when installed at the time of new vehicle purchase, and are engineered to be fully compatible with each Honda vehicle.

On display as a demonstration concept only, the Accord Crosstour HFP Concept features 19-inch HFP wheels; a full HFP body kit and front grille; a prototype lowered HFP sport suspension; color-matched door handles and special black-out door sash trim.


Reaching out to the import community, Honda invited six independent vehicle tuners to build and display their CR-Z hybrid concepts at the SEMA Show. Tuners were asked to push the limits to improve fuel economy and performance with their builds, and the vehicles on display show the variety of directions in which a personalized sport hybrid can go. Beyond this group, both the Los Angeles Auto Show and Honda Tuning Magazine displayed their CR-Z special project cars in the Honda booth.

2011 Honda Civic Hybrid

Honda Civic Hybrid
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By Larry E. Hall and Brad Berman
Honda Civic Hybrid
Compare the Civic Hybrid!

If you're thinking about buying a Civic Hybrid, you might also consider a Honda Insight or Toyota Prius. Compare these vehicles.

As soon as the second-generation Prius arrived on the scene in 2003, the Civic Hybrid was cast in its role as runner-up in the hybrid world. It’s true that the Civic Hybrid is not quite as fuel-efficient, not quite as comfortable and roomy, and not quite as powerful as the Prius. But the gas-electric Civic, like Rodney Dangerfield, deserves more respect than it receives.

In fact, it’s the Civic Hybrid’s un-hybrid-like looks and sticker price that makes it such a compelling proposition. Prius buyers usually spend at least a couple thousand more dollars to buy Toyota’s celebrity hybrid than those who drive off with a Civic. And yet the Civic’s 40-mpg in the city and 43-mpg on the highway, places it right next to the Toyota Prius as two of the three vehicles with average fuel economy in the 40s. The other is the Prius look-alike 2011 Honda Insight.
No Significant Changes For 2011

Honda is on the fourth generation of its integrated engine/motor hybrid design. The system combines a 1.3 liter iVTEC 4-cylinder engine with a 20-hp electric motor to deliver a total of 110 hp. The nickel metal hydride battery pack has a 158 volt output. In addition to turning the engine off at stops, the Civic can save fuel by de-activating all of its cylinders and cruise under electric motor power alone in some circumstances. With the electric motor attached to the engine’s crankshaft, the engine never stops turning when the car is moving, as it does in the Toyota and Ford hybrids, but it can shut off the fuel supply and valves, which has a similar effect. Also, the engine uses eight spark plugs to allow greater flexibility with the firing order for more complete combustion of fuel in the cylinder. Add an improved battery pack and regenerative braking from the previous generation to produce a hybrid with Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions status.

In August of this year, Honda issued a “technical service bulletin” for model years 2006 through 2008 Civic Hybrids. Addressing an issue that could cause batteries to wear out sooner than expected, Honda informed owners to bring vehicles into dealerships to fix a software flaw. Some owners experienced disappointing mileage after receiving the fix. Model years 2009 and 2010 were not included in the software update.
Exterior

The Civic Hybrid looks almost identical to the conventional gas-powered sedan, which was redesigned—to rave reviews—for the 2006 model. Honda has made few changes to that winning design.

Check out that windshield. It sweeps up from the hood with 23.9 degrees of rake. That’s more than any Honda ever built, more even than that uber-sports-car, the Acura NSX. Honda accompanies that bold stroke with abbreviated front and rear overhangs and fenders that cling to the tires with a 50-millimeter gap—narrower, says Honda, than those on a 5 Series car from BMW. A-pillars are virtually over the front wheels, and the large front doors make it easy to get in and out of the car. Motor Trend commented. “When the latest-generation Civic first hit the market, many were surprised by its unusual styling. But the Civic’s looks have proven a hit with buyers and...Honda decided not to mess with success.”
Interior

The long, sloped windshield produces an especially deep dashboard, and designers used that real estate to try something different. They came up with a two-tier dash with upper and lower gauge pods. The top level, in line with the driver’s view above the steering wheel, features a digital speedometer, fuel gauge and engine temperature readout. In the lower tier behind the three-spoke steering wheel is the tachometer, fuel economy readout, and a hybrid gauge—showing how much the hybrid batteries are being recharged (via regenerative breaking) or being used to assist the gas engine. An Idle-Stop indicator flashes when the gasoline engine has completely shut down to prevent burning fuel when the vehicle is at a stop.

In the dark, the gauges glow an unearthly shade of blue, prompting some to dismiss the two-level dash as a “Star Wars” solution. Frankly, though, it’s time for a certain generation to shove over; a new group, with new tastes and expectations is here. To satisfy them, the Civic Hybrid is loaded not just with cool lights, but also with useful technologies. The audio system accepts MP3 and WMA formats. XM Satellite radio and Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity is part of an available navigation system.

While the Civic Hybrid scores high points for style, finish and ergonomics, the cabin doesn’t rank as well for cargo space and comfort in the back seat. The rear-seat legroom was cut by 1.4 inches with the 2006 redesign, making it cramped when loaded with three adults. The Honda Civic Hybrid has 10.4 cubic feet for cargo space. To make room for the hybrid system’s battery pack, Honda has eliminated the rear folding seats on the Civic Hybrid. As a result, storage of long objects cannot be shared between the trunk and the back seats. And, USA Today noted, “Gooseneck hinges on the trunk lid swing down and in, swiping cargo room and possibly pinching your luggage. Plenty of rivals use hinges that fit in the gutter around the trunk opening, avoiding the luggage compartment.”

Standard equipment is on par with the gas-powered Civic’s top EX trim level. The Hybrid comes with: power windows, outside mirrors and locks with remote keyless entry; automatic climate control; tilt-telescoping steering wheel with controls for audio: and cruise control and a 100-watt AM/FM/CD six-speaker sound system.

Honda equips every Civic with anti-lock disk brakes with brake-force distribution, electronic stability and traction control and a full complement of airbags, including curtain-style bags. The Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure weaves the front end’s major structural and suspension elements into a web of components that absorbs the energy created by a front-end collision and directs it away from the cockpit.
On The Road

The Civic Hybrid doesn’t stray too far from its gasoline cousins. It is relatively nimble and tightens up nicely for confident maneuvers at higher speeds. While it certainly won’t win any stop-light drags, once up to speed it’s a solid, smooth performer on city streets and on the highway as well. In a world where economy cars are often just driving appliances, this hybrid is actually fun to drive: it’s peppy, agile and responsive, and you might even find yourself looking for places to go with it.

There’s more. The ride is solid but comfortable without being numb, with less road noise and wind whistle than expected for the compact-car class. It is, simply, a pleasurable car. USA Today commented, “Like gasoline Civics, the hybrid test car had a sturdy, tight feel, as if it were modeled after a sport sedan. It didn’t have the slip-slidey feel you can get when trying to push a Prius briskly through corners. Thus, the Civic was more fun to drive in the normal-to-brisk end of the scale.”
Economics

For 2011, the Civic Hybrid has a suggested retail price of $23,950, up $150 from 2010. A leather-trimmed interior package that includes heated front seats adds $1,200 as does the navigation package. Combine the leather and navigation package and the sticker price is $27,150. In comparison, the Toyota Prius III, the most popular 2010 model with fuel economy rated at 50 miles per gallon in combined city/highway driving, starts at $23,800 and includes satellite radio and Bluetooth. The Prius IV with leather trim makes a considerable jump to $26,600 and a navigation system that includes a backup camera (not available on the Civic Hybrid) retails for $2,380.

Even though the price comparison between the Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius tips the scale toward the Prius with its better fuel economy, the Civic Hybrid will satisfy shoppers who value the Honda Civic for its reliability and contemporary look, but really want a hybrid. And, if the Prius design is not your cup of tea, and you can live with a compact rather than a mid-size sedan, then the Honda Civic Hybrid is worth a little respect and consideration.

2011 Honda CR-Z

2011 Honda CR-Z

2011 Honda CR-Z Sports

2011 Honda CR-Z Interior