When the fourth-generation Honda Fit broke cover at the recent Tokyo auto show, it garnered attention for having two different front-end designs. Honda's designers were not content with giving the car just one new nose. To cover the bases, they cooked up both a more conventional headlight and grille pairing as well as one with a much slimmer grille aperture and a prominent body-colored trim piece that extends up to the leading edge of the hood. Yet, despite its new look and more powerful hybrid powertrain, Honda still is not saying whether or not the new model will make it to the United States.

Honda's latest subcompact hatchback is still constructed around a centrally mounted fuel tank layout that permits a low, flat floor and delivers class-beating interior space. Sold worldwide and manufactured at 10 plants in eight countries, Fit sales cleared 5 million units by mid-2013. But in the U.S., Fit sales are struggling, bullied by lower gas prices and the booming popularity of SUVs. In fact, annual sales are down 17 percent through September 2019. So, if Honda decides not to import this much improved Fit, what might Americans be missing out on? Put simply, they'll miss the best handling, most fuel-efficient, and highest quality Fit to date. We know because we've just driven a pre-production version at Honda's Takasu proving ground in Hokkaido, Japan's northern-most island.

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A Smarter Subcompact Hybrid

Okay, so the new Fit may not be the best-looking small car in its class. But what it might lack in the aesthetics department, it certainly makes up for in drivability and poise. Honda has yet to release full details of the Fit's hybrid powertrain, but we do know that the new 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-four with i-VTEC variable valve timing comes mated to a dual-motor hybrid setup and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) with seven simulated gear ratios. To fit the new powertrain inside the diminutive Fit, however, the powertrain had to be considerably downsized.

Similar to the unit found in Honda's Japan-market Stepwgn compact minivan, the engine spins a motor-generator to charge the lithium-ion battery pack. The other motor then helps the gas engine to drive the wheels. Although we were not able to analyze fuel economy during our brief drive, Honda tells us that fuel efficiency is up to 20 percent better than the outgoing model. A version powered by a 1.3-liter gas engine also will be available in certain markets, including Japan and Europe.

Driving the outgoing and new Fits back to back, it is obvious how much quicker the new car is, thanks to its beefier low-rpm torque. The CVT provides a smooth, efficient transfer of power with far less noise and vibration. Thanks to the larger battery and dual electric motors, the Fit also is now able to cruise for extended periods at up to 40 mph on nothing but electrons. To support the new Fit's stop-start mechanism, the car has been fitted with a more efficient electric pump to manage the feature.



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Revised damper and spring settings, especially at the rear, as well as newly added variable-ratio steering translate to sharper handling, less play in the steering, a firmer ride, and better body control over twisty roads. The steering now is more direct, suitably light, and has better feedback. The brake pedal also has a firmer feel with improved initial bite, while the angle of the accelerator pedal has been revised to reduce ankle fatigue during long drives.

Function and Form

The Fit's interior also comes in for some remodeling. In addition to front seats that are more supportive and generally comfortable, second-row accommodations have been improved by adding more reclining ability to the seat back. The Honda's dash adopts a thin horizontal layout with a 7.0-inch touchscreen display and minimal hard switches and buttons, which all work to make the cockpit feel more spacious. Trim and material quality are slightly better than in the outgoing model, but the plastics on the door panels and the top of the dash feel less improved. There's also a new two-spoke steering wheel, and the new windscreen shape allows for improved forward visibility. Honda's revised suite of safety systems gains a new wide-view front camera, which operates in conjunction with eight sonar sensors around the car to optimize the Fit's automatic emergency braking function.

As far as we see it, the new Fit has the goods to make it in the U.S., if Honda decides to make that happen. The new powertrain is leagues ahead of its predecessor's, and the car's handling and ride quality are top notch. Unfortunately, what the latest Fit doesn't have going for it is that it is not a crossover SUV.

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