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Honda Jazz Forums => Honda Jazz Mk3 2015 - 2020 => Topic started by: RichardA on April 24, 2014, 09:41:17 PM

Title: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: RichardA on April 24, 2014, 09:41:17 PM
Honda Tuning Magazine get their hands on the new Honda Fit:

http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/features/1404_2015_honda_fit_first_drive/ (http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/features/1404_2015_honda_fit_first_drive/)
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: madasafish on April 25, 2014, 05:59:48 AM
The more impressive numbers are of course the EPA fuel-economy with a rating of 29/37/32 (city/highway/combined) for the manual transmission, 33/41/36 for the LX trim with CVT, and 32/38/35 for the EX and EX-L trim with CVT.

I know it's US gallons but those figures are hardly impressive...
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: John Ratsey on April 25, 2014, 07:49:21 AM
I know it's US gallons but those figures are hardly impressive...
Perhaps they are impressive by US standards and could reflect (i) engine tuning for more performance (US fuel is cheap) and (ii) the standard testing methods being more onerous than the European tests which even frugal drivers struggle to match in real life. However, the previous report about a 3 cylinder turbo suggests that Honda Europe want to get fuel economy statistics that can't be achieved by the current engine.

The review indicates better aerodynamics than the previous model which is no bad thing. I've noticed that a head wind can cause the mpg to drop quite significantly.

I also noted the mention of lay-flat seats: One deficiency of the current Jazz is the inability to fully recline the passenger seat to carry long pieces of cargo.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: bucksfizz on April 25, 2014, 03:38:15 PM
I  have recently spent some hours trawling the web for any details of the 2015 Fit ,as it is known in the USA,with the  following results. There is only one version of the Jazz saloon mode (1.6 litre)l sold in the USA  as the 2015 Fit.It has  direct injection and delivers 130BHP with 114 lbs/ft of torque.Other facts-
1) The manual gearbox now has 6 speeds but to the disappointment of USA Fit owners, the new 6th gearing is the same as the  top gearing on their present GE(5 speed) Fit models.The automatic (CVT) now has 7 speeds.
2)There is an additional 3 inches clearance between the front and rear seats and there is an additional 1.4 inches width  in the cabin at shoulder height.(more useful ,I would suggest than the between seats, increase).
3)The 2015 is reported to be 57 lbs lighter than its predecessor .
4) All models have a Low Tyre Pressure warning indicator fitted.
5)There was one comment that the rear brake system is drum rather than disc,but there is some doubt on this issue.
NB All the USA Fit cars are made in Mexico and our 2015 Jazz cars will be sourced from there too.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: John Ratsey on April 25, 2014, 10:39:39 PM
I understand from one of the other threads that Honda plan to use a dual clutch gearbox in Europe instead of CVT, presumably because of lower losses and therefore better mpg.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: monkeydave on April 26, 2014, 01:05:56 AM
oh dear  dual clutch gearboxes and turbos looks like i got mine at the right time and will probably be my last honda after the civic and now jazz if they start with all the expensive and unreliable replacement parts
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: Eddie Honda on April 26, 2014, 02:38:15 AM
if they start with all the expensive and unreliable replacement parts

If they start??? :o That already started 20-odd years ago!

Cars were dead easy to fix before all the electronics started appearing.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: culzean on April 26, 2014, 07:50:15 AM
Cars were dead easy to fix before all the electronics started appearing.

yes but the sad truth was they needed fixing a lot more frequently - the most complicated parts of cars are the most reliable (modern electronics are magic) and the efficiency and reliability of modern cars are many orders of magnitude greater.  it is the basic things like rear disc brakes, wheel bearings etc that cause problems on modern cars.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: Eddie Honda on April 26, 2014, 11:50:43 AM
Granted, the service schedules were shorter and there might have been more adjustments and settings to make (carbs/distributors), but I wouldn't say they needed more fixing as such (unless it was a Fiat ;D)

Efficiency is certainly far greater now than in the past. Electronics though are a mixed blessing. Some well thought out electronics are highly reliable, but I think they're getting overcomplicated now and not necessarily more reliable.

What is apparent, is that when something does go wrong, the bills can be very expensive. Years ago cars rusted away at an alarming rate before ending up in the scrapyard. Now they end up there because a timing belt has popped. For the average used car owner. If say the starter clutch goes on an 8 year-old CVT I doubt many will be prepared to pay the bill and send an otherwise perfectly good car to the scrapyard.

I'd say probably the sweet spot for ease of fixing/reliability was when distributors got the sack and before electronic fuel injection/cats.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: bucksfizz on April 26, 2014, 12:23:12 PM
Further to my comment on the type of brake fitted to the 2015 Fit/Jazz(25th April).,Perhaps Honda have taken notice of all the criticisms of the hand brake mechanism fitted to the GE Jazz and have installed a combined disc/drum system.If this is the fact then I would be happy to leave the car on any steep hill.Now I always leave my GE in gear plus the hand brake engaged.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: Jazzik on April 26, 2014, 12:58:45 PM
Further to my comment on the type of brake fitted to the 2015 Fit/Jazz(25th April).,Perhaps Honda have taken notice of all the criticisms of the hand brake mechanism fitted to the GE Jazz and have installed a combined disc/drum system.If this is the fact then I would be happy to leave the car on any steep hill.Now I always leave my GE in gear plus the hand brake engaged.

That's the only way everybody always should leave whatever car parked anywhere...!!!
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: culzean on April 26, 2014, 02:09:04 PM
Further to my comment on the type of brake fitted to the 2015 Fit/Jazz(25th April).,Perhaps Honda have taken notice of all the criticisms of the hand brake mechanism fitted to the GE Jazz and have installed a combined disc/drum system.If this is the fact then I would be happy to leave the car on any steep hill.Now I always leave my GE in gear plus the hand brake engaged.

That's the only way everybody always should leave whatever car parked anywhere...!!!

well said Jazzik -  a handbrake cable is under a lot of tension and can pop at any time, it is just common sense to leave car in gear (or 'park' on an auto box).  Once you get into habit of leaving car in first gear you wonder why you ever did anything else.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: VicW on April 26, 2014, 03:21:11 PM
An interesting discussion on the pros and cons of modern cars.
Would you really like the simplicity of, say, a Ford 100E of the late fifties that needed a service every 3000 miles including things like grease points, that got through a thin, mild steel exhaust in 18 months and did 30mpg and a nought to sixty time measured on a calendar not a stop watch.
30 mpg from a small family car, do you really want to buy the fuel for that at today's prices ?

I am on my fourth Jazz and apart from routine, wear and tear replacements they have had no faults. It is not surprising that Honda products continually win awards for reliability and repeat ownership.

Vic.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: Eddie Honda on April 26, 2014, 04:37:18 PM
30 mpg from a small family car, do you really want to buy the fuel for that at today's prices ?

Yes. I'm rather averse to paying main stealer prices, dealing with depreciation and expensive insurance (and for me over here, ludicrously high tax rates on newer stuff). Then again, I appreciate that not everyone spanners their own stuff.

I wouldn't go back as far as the 50s for a daily driver. My main ones of recent times have been late 1970s, but still with 30mpg economy (therefore I can back up my willingness to fork out for fuel at 30mpg) Overall, I save due to other factors.

The shift these days is to "appliance" motoring, where you get something new with a service contract and a 7 year guarantee and bin it 7 years 1 day when it goes wrong and becomes beyond economic repair. I'd personally re-use, rather than recycle.

I like the Jazz, reliability and practicality were high up the list. I'm also aware of the pitfalls of an older one. 40k miles on rear wheel bearings is pretty poor. Leaky bodies due to cracked sealant and CVT starter clutches growling. Along with the other problems that the first owner doesn't get to see. They are certainly different problems from the past, but I woudn't describe them as better problems.

I don't dislike modern cars, but some things aren't really progress. In no particular order:
Ultra low profile tyres
Lack of spare tyres / spacesavers
Rear disk brakes
Electronic handbrakes
Daytime running lights
and a lot of modern cars that have eaten all the pies and are ridiculously heavy.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: guest4324 on April 26, 2014, 05:26:32 PM
 One thing is for sure, the safety has vastly improved, but I agree that the cars have become part of the throwaway society. Another problem is the amount of equipment that in my opinion is supposed to relieve the driver of his/her responsibilities - lane warnings, automatic lights, distance control etc. For example, in Switzerland it is the law now to have lights on all day since 1st Jan this year. After a period of Police just giving reminders, they now will issue a fine. On TV they showed a few of the first drivers to be caught out and one said "Everything is automatic, he didn't know the lights weren't on"!! Common sense and intelligence is being forgotten and the blame pushed on to the car. He still got a fine!!  ;D
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: culzean on April 26, 2014, 06:26:36 PM
Switzerland it is the law now to have lights on all day since 1st Jan this year.

this is so that people chattering away on their mobiles / watching a video on google glasses / playing with the multi-function display screen etc while driving may still be able to see a car approaching - there are far too many distractions for driver these days.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: guest4324 on April 26, 2014, 06:39:07 PM
this is so that people chattering away on their mobiles / watching a video on google glasses / playing with the multi-function display screen etc while driving may still be able to see a car approaching - there are far too many distractions for driver these days.  

Or so that you can see them approaching as they veer into your lane. I've had it a couple of times. :o
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: madasafish on April 26, 2014, 07:07:47 PM
I have done diy servicing from my first car - a 1929 Riley Nine.

Modern cars are easy: just buy a decent code reader, and a proper set of manuals.. and look after the electronics..Learn simple electronics and get a decent digital multimeter.

Apply logic and ensure you buy no car designed by the French..:-)


If you buy a laptop diagnostics system, and know what you are doing , you will be better than 90% of all garages...
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: bucksfizz on April 28, 2014, 11:14:01 AM
As a further follow up to my first posting on the '2015 Jazz' I can confirm that the USA 2015 Fit definitely has rear drum brakes(no discs whatsoever).
 Also found data indicating that their 1.5 litre Fits have a larger turning circle than our current GE models. viz Fit -34.4 ft.Our GE models EX-32.4 ft.Remainder of range-31.1 ft.-Better manoeuvrability for our narrow city and rural roads.
Title: Re: Honda Fit first drive - Honda Tuning Magazine
Post by: Eddie Honda on April 28, 2014, 01:23:58 PM
I can confirm that the USA 2015 Fit definitely has rear drum brakes(no discs whatsoever).

From my skim reading of things, it seems that North American spec Fits have always had drums at the back with some even bleating about not having discs like the Euro spec models.  ::)