2009 HONDA FIT

***CARFAX CERTIFIED*** DRIVEN AN AVERAGE OF ONLY 10,800 MILES PER YEAR! Far below the national average! On a weekly basis, we auto writer types in the office get weekly reports about what cars are most popular in terms of searches on our site. And for much of 2008, we were amused by reports for Inside Line, our dedicated car enthusiast site. One phrase kept coming in as number one. It wasn't one of the expected ones like, Nissan GT-R, Bitchin' Camaro or even Danica Patrick. It was, believe it or not, 2009 Honda Fit. Sure, we can understand why normal car shoppers would be interested in the Fit. This entry-level model, introduced just a couple years ago, quickly became a hit thanks to its high fuel mileage, innovative interior and nimble handling. But car junkies? Either the Fit has suddenly become cooler than a GT-R, or real-world, $4-dollar-a-gallon gas and everyday practicality have trumped supercar daydreams. Either way, there's a lot of hype for the fully redesigned, second-generation 2009 Fit. Honda's plan for the car was to keep the original model's spunky spirit intact while making a few key improvements. The new car is 4.2 inches longer than the previous model. This might seem like cause for concern, but curb weight, at about 2,500 pounds, has pretty much stayed the same. Enhanced body rigidity and suspension updates provide better handling, and Honda says the new body structure benefits from the company's latest crash safety engineering efforts. Inside, the extra length provides more room for rear passengers to stretch out. It also allows owners to fold down the rear seat without having to first remove the rear headrests. As before, you can do a lot of trick things with that rear seat, including flipping the cushions up (like in a crew-cab pickup) to create a tall cargo area. In terms of features, a telescoping steering wheel is a welcome addition. You can even get a factory navigation system and stability control for the first time.