Launching the redesigned Fit [Jazz] almost simultaneously with the US (which now gets its cars from Honda’s new Mexican plant), the new Brazil-built Fit will give Honda a boost here.
Until now, the Civic was the most popular but the redesigned compact is poised to be Honda’s main product in Brazil by the end of 2014. Production has just started at the Sumaré plant, the same facility which manufactured the second generation Fit.
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This is quite a renewal year for Honda because, besides a Civic update due in June, a new City will come mid second half and, in the last quarter, the Civic Si will arrive here fully imported. The Vezel compact SUV (which might be called Urban here) will be produced at the new Itirapina, São Paulo state, plant in 2015. Itirapina will also be a second local production location for the Fit.
There are six Brazilian versions of the new Fit ranging from base, manual DX at BRL49,900/US$22,400 to automatic EXL for BRL65,900/$29,600. Prices are essentially the same but equipment levels higher.
The car gets an Inmetro A grade for fuel econpmy and a five star Latin NCAP crash test result is expected, improving on the predecessor’s four star rating.
The fuel tank under the front seats was carried over and rear seat passenger kneeroom is up 8cm/3.15in thanks to a 3cm/1.18in. longer wheelbase, a reengineered rear suspension, and a boot volume reduction of 21 litres/0.74 cu ft (there is still a good 363 litres/12.8cu ft).
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By GlobalDataEven in the top version, hard plastics are used extensively in the interior but there are cloth inserts in the door panels. Higher trim levels get a five-inch screen with rearview camera.
The 1.5-litre/91.5 cu in engine (114 bhp/110.6 lb/ft) isn’t a good flex-fuel unit because power and torque are practically identical (usually better on ethanol). The automaker justifies this by saying fuel economy optimisation was the primary goal. The car is 60 kg/132 lb lighter and nimbler as a result and the aerodynamic drag coefficient (Cd) was cut by 13%.
The automatic CVT gearbox is remarkably improved. The unpleasant sensation of near-permanent slippage and a high-revving engine is gone. When accelerating from rest or regaining speed, it now feels and sounds like a conventional, epicyclic automatic.
