Honda news: NO new Fit for the US.
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It is now official: the new generation Fit introduced overseas last year will not be coming to the US.
As Honda is just cancelling the Fit altogether for our market.
And of course, it is alwasy the same excuse: we don’t buy small hatchbacks.
The truth is, as usual, they don’t want us to buy them. Since they don’t make that much money on them.
Instead of a $16 000 fit, Honda would much rather sell you a (much higher profit) Fit based HR-V for $21 000.
The HR-V isn’t that much roomier at all. ( I drove both) And there is no way it costs Honda $4000 more to build than the Fit.
Unless the Fit sells itself with no advertizing money spend, they, of course, see no market for it here.
While they sold almost 60 000 of them in 2011, only about 35 000 found buyers last year.
Which is not that terrible since we are also talking about an “old” model that has already been replaced around the world.
Meanwhile, the HR-V sale numbers have kept climbing. All the way to over 99 000 for 2019.
I still think Honda coud have inproved the Fit numbers greatly by finally introducing a new generation. And make it a Hubrid only. Just like they did in Europe.
The Fit has also been a great model for Honda with an amazing customer satisfation.
Everyone I know who actually owns one loves it! An inexpensive, super roomy thrifty and super reliable car is something many people still want… It was also a great introduction to the Honda brand.
In other news, Honda also killed the Civic coupe.
The next generation Civic arrives in a little less than a year. And will be available as a sedan and hatchback, but no more coupe.
The Si sedan will return as well.
Mid-cycle revisions are expected very soon for the Accord (no more 6 speed manual for 2021), the Ridgeline and the Odyssey.
The Odyssey facelift was already revealed months ago (March); it goes on sale in August. Honda and other companies have a dedicated team focused on marketing, sales projections, costs, etc. I'm going to trust them a little more than you on as to whether it makes financial sense for them to keep selling the Fit here. They've said that the Civic hatch and HR-V sell more and generally cover the segment for them…fine. It's not that "they don't want us to buy them." SO many companies have tried hatchbacks here and failed…they would very clearly sell them here if people bought them in significant numbers.
Honda is trying to avoid selling us anything made in Japan, mostly because of cost.
Many of the cars/SUV's sold here are made in Mexico, Canada or in the US in non union plants.
The truth is, as usual, they don't want us to buy them.
Actually, the truth is we don’t want to buy them. Every consumer entering a Honda showroom had the choice of a Fit or an HR-V. Three out of four chose the HR-V despite the considerably higher price. You can argue all you want about what‘s sensible, but fashion is fashion and when hot pants are in nobody want to wear skinny jeans.
As much as I've loved previous generations of the Fit, this one is just laughably hideous. Hopefully the next HR-V doesn't get those awkward A-pillars and bulbous nose.
Very, very sad news. The Civic coupe and the Fit were pretty much the only Hondas I liked. I loved my 94 Civic coupe, and really wanted a Fti for my next car. Pretty soon there won't be any small cars left to choose from.