New 2020 JDM Fit Debuts at 2019 Tokyo Motor Show
Honda looks to shake up the compact car market with its surprisingly spacious and utilitarian fourth-gen Fit.
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The Tokyo Motor Show is typically filled with exciting new models from automakers, and 2019 was no exception. One particular revamp that obviously caught our eye was the newly refreshed fourth-gen Honda Fit. The spacious and utilitarian hatch is designed to reset the golden standard in the compact car market, and it certainly looks poised to do just that.
Photos: Motor Trend
Five Flavors
Aside from being very useful, the new JDM Fit is certainly handsome. And in its home market, buyers can choose from a whopping five different configurations - Basic, Home, Ness, Crosstar, and Luxe. Each of these models is designed to provide unique individual characteristics that fit a variety of buyers and their personal tastes and preferences.
Photos: Motor Trend
>>Join the conversation about the new JDM Fit in the Honda-Tech Forum!
Quirky Models
The basic version of the Fit is a value proposition as you might expect, offering up all of the new Fit's attractive attributes with no frills. Step up to the Home, and you get a suite of popular features including a higher-quality interior with leather-wrapped steering wheel and softer padding. The Fit Ness (get it?) features an "exciting color combination" with water repellent seats for outdoorsy types.
Photos: Motor Trend
>>Join the conversation about the new JDM Fit in the Honda-Tech Forum!
Adventurous to Comfort-Seeking
The Crosstar takes things to another level with a unique exterior styling, 16-inch wheels, water-repellent seats like the Ness, soft padding on the instrument cluster, and roof rails to tote your adventure gear. And finally, the Fit Luxe comes fully loaded with leather seats, platinum-style chrome trim, 16-inch wheels, and all of the luxury goodies you'd expect from top-level trim.
Photos: Motor Trend
>>Join the conversation about the new JDM Fit in the Honda-Tech Forum!
Not Just Economical
Even though the economy is obviously a key selling factor in the compact car market, that wasn't Honda's sole focus on the new Fit. In fact, they worked hard to provide key features like improved visibility, more comfortable seats, and a host of storage solutions. Honda even went so far as to shrink the pillars, slim down the seats, and add triangular side glass to achieve these goals.
Photos: Motor Trend
>>Join the conversation about the new JDM Fit in the Honda-Tech Forum!
Safety First
Honda also "fit" the Fit with a series of new driver-assist and safety technologies. They include a new wider front camera that covers a larger area, a new short-distance collision mitigation braking system, and the new Honda Sensing advanced safety and driver-assistive system. The system utilizes the aforementioned camera, along with eight sonar sensors mounted in the front and back, to serve up its suite of safety features.
Photos: Honda
>>Join the conversation about the new JDM Fit in the Honda-Tech Forum!
Connected to the World
Connectivity is obviously important to buyers in this day and age, and Honda designed the new Fit around this technology. In fact, it's the first Honda vehicle to come fitted with the automaker's new Connect on-board communication module. The system allows owners to control multiple functions via their smartphone, as well as provide safety functions like a direct connection to Honda's emergency support service and a security "rush over" service in case a problem is detected.
Photos: Honda
>>Join the conversation about the new JDM Fit in the Honda-Tech Forum!
New Hybrid
Honda is also offering a new Fit Hybrid utilizing the company's new e:HEV strategy. The Fit is the first compact Honda vehicle equipped with the automaker's 2-motor hybrid system, which is their new core electrification technology. Honda claims that this new drivetrain has been developed to provide both improved efficiencies and enhanced driving dynamics.
Photos: Honda
>>Join the conversation about the new JDM Fit in the Honda-Tech Forum!
Japan Only?
Since it debuted in Japan back in 2001, the Fit has become a huge hit with 7.5-million units sold worldwide. But as of right now, Honda hasn't decided what it plans to do in regards to selling the new Fit in the U.S. Which isn't really a surprise given the fact that this new model was specifically designed for the Japanese market. Our friends on that side of the world can head out to dealerships and purchase their own beginning in February when the fourth-gen Fit is scheduled to go on sale.
Photos: Honda
>>Join the conversation about the new JDM Fit in the Honda-Tech Forum!
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