For its first update since the third-generation Honda Fit debuted for 2015, the 2018 model promises subtle aesthetic improvements and brings an impressive list of driver-assistance features.
The Honda Sensing package of active-safety and driver-assistance technology headlines the list of changes. Automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist likely will be welcome additions for buyers of Honda’s little hatch, and they come standard on the EX trim level and above. (The Honda Sensing package is optional in lower trim levels.) The tech is a standout in the subcompact class; among the Fit’s competitors, only the Toyota Yaris iA and the Chevrolet Spark offer automated emergency braking, and only the Toyota also offers lane-departure warning. Honda’s bundle includes adaptive cruise control, although our experience with the system in our long-term Honda Pilot is that its performance can be at times herky-jerky and leave something to be desired.
Returning to the Fit lineup is an optional Sport trim, slotted between the base LX and feature-rich EX models. Those who go for this new Fit are treated to exclusive black-finish 16-inch wheels, a rear diffuser with bright-orange trim, a chrome exhaust tip, and a Sport badge on the liftgate.
Non-Sport Fits benefit from exterior upgrades, too. Gone is the Playskool-grade plastic front grille, replaced with a handsome two-piece unit outlined with chrome. LX, EX, and EX-L models also gain a new front bumper with a splitter, a restyled rear bumper, and redesigned taillights that still look similar to those bookending the liftgate of the Volvo XC90. Two new paint colors—Helios Yellow Pearl and Orange Fury—expand the Fit’s chromatic range, the orange shade recalling those of the first- and second-generation Fits, favored hues among enthusiasts.
Honda is not releasing info on the 2018 Fit’s powertrain yet, but we’d expect the current 130-hp 1.5-liter inline-four to return, along with the continuously variable automatic and the optional six-speed manual. More important, the baby Honda’s ingeniously configurable interior and low price are sure to stick around. Those features, among others, have garnered the Fit seven 10Best Cars trophies and three comparison-test wins, and we look forward to seeing how the latest version stacks up.