10 Reasons the 2019 Honda Fit Won the AutoWeb Buyer’s Choice Best Hatchback Award

The idea behind most hatchbacks is simple: Take a sedan or coupe, cut off its trunk, and keep the roof high all the way back. What you get is a smaller car with greater cargo versatility, because folding down the rear seat creates an open cargo hold. Some hatchbacks instead will essentially convert a trunk into one large open liftgate, which gives up some space efficiency to achieve a more sedan-like style. But the AutoWeb community has spoken, and its favorite hatchback places function above form.

The winner is the 2019 Honda Fit, a five-door subcompact. More AutoWeb users sought out price quotes for the Fit than for any other hatchback, which wins it the AutoWeb Buyer’s Choice Best Hatchback Award. Now in its third generation in the U.S., the Fit always has delighted buyers by redefining what a small car can offer. Here are ten reasons it remains so popular among hatchback buyers.

Although the Fit is Honda’s smallest and least expensive model, it offers more high-tech safety features than many larger, pricier vehicles. The “Honda Sensing” suite of driver-assistance technology includes a forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, a lane-departure warning with lane-keeping steering assistance, adaptive cruise control, and a road-departure mitigation system.

On the Fit, this system is a $1,000 option on the LX and Sport trims (if you also opt for an automatic transmission), and standard on the EX and EX-L models. It’s impressive that all these features are even available at all, much less on the base model — many affordable cars bundle the best tech with other expensive luxuries. The Fit also achieved the top five-star overall crash-test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Most of today’s cars are purchased in subtle grays, silvers, blacks, whites, or other muted colors. But if you’re looking for a paint job that's more cheerful and has more personality, the Fit has three less-common options: Milano Red, Helios Yellow, and Orange Fury, along with a rich Aegean Blue.

And like Honda Sensing, these colors are available on every Fit trim. That means you can get your favorite color along with your choice of features.

Except for hybrids and electric cars, a properly configured Fit is one of the most fuel-efficient cars on sale today. Specifically, the base LX model with its optional continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) boasts EPA ratings of 33 miles per gallon in the city, 40 mpg on the highway, and 36 mpg overall. The rest of the Fit lineup also is quite thrifty; other trim levels with the CVT still achieve 33 mpg overall, while the six-speed manual slips to 31 mpg.

Unlike some extra-efficient cars, the Fit also has an acceptably powerful engine: a 1.5-liter four-cylinder with 128 to 130 horsepower, depending on the transmission. Overall, it sips fuel while still being drivable.

Even many of today’s economy cars restrict a manual transmission to sparsely equipped base models, while others have done away with them altogether. That’s no great loss to many buyers, but if you still prefer the value and driver enjoyment of shifting your own gears, the Fit has you covered.

The Fit’s well-executed six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment on the LX, Sport, and EX models. So unless you demand leather upholstery or an in-dash navigation system, you can get all the Fit features you want along with the manual. That even applies to the Honda Sensing safety features, which aren’t offered on the LX or Sport manuals but come standard on the EX.

The Fit is designed to sync easily with your phone. Bluetooth connectivity with streaming audio comes standard even on the base LX model, and all but the LX include a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. These systems let you use select apps from your phone on the car’s dashboard, providing a bigger and more convenient screen for information about your calls, music, or Google Maps directions.

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are making their way through all market classes, though many affordable cars reserve them for higher-grade trims. Honda keeps them accessible starting at the $17,500 Fit Sport model. Most Fit trims also are compatible with the HondaLink mobile app, which can lock or unlock the car and even remotely start the engine.

Classic hatchbacks are designed with tidy footprints, and the Fit is no exception. It’s just 161 inches long, which is nearly two feet shorter than a Honda Civic sedan. That’s perfect for folks who need to fight for street parking.

While the current-generation Fit, on sale since the 2015 model year, isn’t as overtly sporty as past iterations, the car’s small size and light weight keep it agile. At the same time, it maintains better composure than older Fits at highway speeds. It also boasts a tight 35-foot turning circle, which makes it easy to maneuver the Fit through narrow streets and crowded parking lots.

Anyone can make a small car and anyone can make a spacious car, but it takes some wizardry to make a spacious small car. With the Fit, Honda has pulled off such a feat. Its high-mounted seats and high roof make the most of its small footprint, providing enough room for four adults to fit comfortably. 

A tilting and telescoping steering wheel and height-adjustable driver’s seat are welcome standard equipment that some budget-priced subcompact cars do without. Available leather upholstery and heated front seats, both standard on the top EX-L model, are another nice extra at this price point. The Fit is no limousine, but don’t assume that just because it’s a little city car, it can’t also carry a crowd. 

The Fit’s cargo-carrying abilities are even more magical than its seating. Its 16.6 cubic feet of luggage space beats most midsize sedans, and you can fold the rear seat flat to open up a simply enormous 52.7 cubic feet. Thanks to the Fit’s low floor, high roof, and clever packaging, that’s more space than some crossovers. The low floor also makes it easy to get your big items in and out of the vehicle.

Adding to the Fit’s flexibility is its second-row “Magic Seat.” It doesn’t only fold flat with ease, but it also lets you flip up the cushion against the rear seatback. This class-exclusive feature creates an extra-deep and protected cargo hold between the front and rear seatbacks, which happy owners have used to hold everything from furniture to dogs to small trees. 

The Fit's base price of $16,190 makes it one of the most affordable cars on the market. And unlike some subcompact cars, Honda doesn’t “cheat” by offering a stripped-down car that few buyers could ever want. The base Fit LX includes power windows, locks, and mirrors; cruise control; Bluetooth; a rearview camera; and more, and it offers the Honda Sensing advanced safety suite for just $1,000 extra (with the $800 CVT automatic transmission).

Even the fully loaded Fit EX-L, with heated leather seats, a power sunroof, and a navigation system, is just $21,520. Most cars don’t even cost that little on their base models. What’s more, the Fit promises the best resale value in its class, which will help you afford your next car when it comes time to sell it or trade it in.

If you ever thought you had to buy a big car to get enough interior room, the 2019 Honda Fit proves you wrong. One of the smallest, least expensive cars you can buy still brings you a ton of room for passengers and cargo. It also doesn’t skimp on connectivity or safety features.

Overall, it’s no surprise that AutoWeb users love the Fit. It epitomizes the spirit of the hatchback — maximum space in the minimum footprint — while throwing in outstanding fuel economy, a wide array of available features, and a pleasant driving experience.