Never in a million years would I have thought that I’d own a Honda Fit, but what’s done is done. And you know what? It might have been my smartest automotive decision (like, ever).
The following is a very detailed overview of my 2010 Honda Fit ownership experience. The fact that I’m willing to put so much time into such an extensive summary is a pretty good indication of how much I love this dang car.
What it was like to drive a 2010 Honda Fit for 15 years
This was my first “sensible” automotive purchase. I got married in early 2010, and the 2004 Nissan 350Z I had been driving up to that point just wasn’t going to cut it anymore. Mostly because:
- My wife needed a car that was easy to drive (the Z was the antithesis of “easy”).
- We had family coming to visit, so having a vehicle with back seat space was kind of important.
You’re damn right that it was difficult to let go of the Z. But I was a changed man! At least that’s what I told myself as I signed the papers to let go of my beloved sports car.
Quick overview:
Our 2010 Fit was a blue base model that we found on the lot at Pacific Honda here in San Diego. The only option was a 5 speed automatic transmission – but it didn’t actually feel all that sparse.
| Trim package | Base |
| Color | Blue Sensation |
| Engine | 1.5 L 16-Valve SOHC i-VTEC four-cylinder (117 hp / 106 lb-ft torque) |
| Transmission | 5 speed automatic |
| Date purchased | September 6, 2010 |
| Date sold | — |
| Length of ownership | 14.5 years (and still going) |
| Purchase price | $17,930.69 (includes all taxes and fees) |
| Sold price | — |
| Total miles driven | 72,405 |
| Average miles per day | 10.4 |
| Issues | The A pillar blind spot is dangerous. The lack of oomph from the A/C system is straight up frustrating. |
| Maintenance costs | $5,000-ish (I only started keeping track recently) |
| Repair costs | — |
The first few months of ownership (remainder of 2010): Maybe it’s not all that bad
Going from a sports car to a “practical” car wasn’t all that demoralizing actually. I quite liked how easy it was to drive. Having an automatic transmission was especially nice when driving in heavy traffic (which was pretty much every day).
Trading my Z for this thing didn’t seem all that bad of a compromise at first. Despite being a base model, it had power windows and locks, A/C, a decent stereo, and an amazing set of folding rear seats. They fold completely flat, which creates a cavernous amount of storage space in the back. It’s simply amazing how much stuff can be crammed into this little car.
Years 1 through 4 (2011-2015): It wasn’t all that much fun, but it sure was easy to live with
This car was an absolute rockstar over the next four years, requiring nothing but gas and an occasional oil change. It was such a perfect daily driver that I didn’t have any regrets about going with the base model.
I’m not even kidding about how nice the interior is. Here are some detail pics of the dashboard (and all the controls) that I took while the car was still relatively brand new:
The only option I regret not getting is keyless entry. Even back in 2010, it was a quality of life feature that was hard to live without. Especially on a daily driver.
I discovered a problem: it’s really hard to see around that fat A pillar. It’s so thick (and pushed so far forward) that I literally had to bob my head back and forth and from side to side before turning left at every intersection to make sure there were no pedestrians walking across.
The itch to be driving around in a “fun” car became too great to resist by August 2012. Looking back on it, I’m surprised that I lasted as long as I did. The solution? Purchasing a clapped out 1996 Ford Mustang GT. Not to replace the Fit – but to augment it.
Years 5 through 10 (2016 to 2020): Can’t stop won’t stop
It’s not easy writing about the ownership experience of an extremely reliable car. Basically, my years of ownership with the Fit blended together like a marshmallow melting into asphalt under the hot summer sun.
October 4, 2016 (39,000 miles): It was time for a new set of tires. I opted for the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus after doing a ton of research over on tirerack.com.
I took the car in for its first major service sometime in mid 2017 (can’t remember the exact date). I was expecting a long list of items to be taken care of, but the only immediate issue was the brakes. All four rotors and pads were replaced. They also:
- Recharged the air conditioning system (which has always been weak and borderline useless)
- Replaced the battery
- Replaced components of the airbag system (as mandated by an active recall)
They also suggested that I change out the rear shocks. I passed on that considering that it seemed to be riding just fine.
Years 11 through 15 (2021 to 2025): It just won’t freakin’ die
2021 was when I was starting to think about trading the Fit in on something newer. It was still performing flawlessly, but it was hard not to be tempted by modern tech such as Apple CarPlay and smartphone connectivity.
I floated the idea about trading it in into my wife. She shut that down real quick. “Why the heck would we do that!? There’s nothing wrong with it!” Unfortunately, she was right. She’s always right.
It was sometime in mid 2024 that I discovered something new about the Fit that I didn’t like: the horn. It sounds far too wimpy to be taken seriously IMHO.
The act of laying on the horn to alert another driver of their incompetence should be a startlingly loud and obnoxious event. You want the other driver to be jolted into consciousness, feeling shame and embarrassment for the act of poor roadsmanship they just committed.
This isn’t possible in the Fit.
The bottom line: I’ve owned this car for over 15 years without a single component failing. Stuff wore out of course, but nothing broke.
To be continued (because I still own it)…
