2014 (2015 for us in North America) Honda Fit won't get 'stop-start' fuel-saving technology in North-America

For all the wrong reasons...

We've already written about the new 2015 Honda Fit hybrid, but the regular gasoline Fit is also interesting. It has an idle-stop, or stop-start system that turns off the engine when the car is stopped, and restarts it whenever the driver steps off the brakes. This technology has proven its worth for saving fuel in city driving over the years, yet Honda has decided not to bring it to North-America. That's right, the rest of the world gets the fuel saving technology, but not North-Americans.

Why? Well, that's the sad part. I don't believe that Honda has very good reasons for making Americans burn more fuel... They told Automotive News that the extra split second it takes for the engine to re-start (it's very quick, usually by the time you move your foot from the brake pedal to the gas pedal, it's done) is somehow too much for drivers to accept.

Nobuhiko Shishido, a lead powertrain engineer for the new Fit, said that in the United States, where speed and power rule, stop-start systems mean small cars will be left in the dust.
They "will lose at stoplights to V-6s," Shishido said at a recent Fit preview.

Really? I think if you're buying a Fit, you probably care more about fuel economy than about racing against Mustangs at red lights...

There also is a marketing problem because the EPA's fuel economy testing cycle doesn't give extra credit to stop-start systems. So even though their real-world performance is better than their official mpg rating, they are a hard sell.

That's just a marketing problem. It shouldn't matter more than giving a better, more economical and environmentally-friendly product to your customers! Honda could even make ads with this, saying: "It might not show up on the MPG sticker, but our new Fit saves you more gas than the equivalent car from the competition."

And stop-start has other idiosyncrasies. For example, the air conditioner compressor turns off during the stop phase. While the system continues to blow cool air, it's not quite as cool as full-blown air conditioning.

That could easily be solved by having a way to turn off the stop-start system on very, very hot days. The rest of the time, it shouldn't matter much if you have a few seconds of slightly warmer air...
Honda, we really like what you've done with the new Fit and Fit hybrid. It's an innovative, frugal car with a lot of interior space. But please, bring stop-start over to North-America and be a leader. Other carmakers will probably follow suit and also bring stop-start over, saving everybody a lot of gas.

Source;
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/2014-honda-fit-wont-get-stop-start-fuel-saving-technology-north-america.html

Honda Debuts New Fit In Japan; Global Launch Within Twelve Months

Honda finally launched the third generation version of the Fit subcompact in Japan. The hybrid version of the new Fit has a mileage of 85.6 mpg, making it the most fuel efficient car in Japan.Following the release in Japan, the refreshed model will be launched globally within the next twelve months. The company is building a new manufacturing plant in Mexico that will be complete by spring 2014. Once complete, the new plant will be able to churn out 200,000 Fits annually and will act as a hub for distribution to North America and Brazil . (( Honda launches new Fit in Japan, has big expectations for North America , September 5, 2014, autoblog.com))


North America is indispensable to Honda's profitability since more than 40% of the company's sales come from this region. Therefore, it isn't surprising to see Honda focus its energy on building a vehicle that gets liked by the American public.

Hugely Important
Going forward, the Fit is hugely important to Honda's strategy. Honda expects the model's sales to pip those of Civic to become its largest selling vehicle. The sales could even surpass 1.5 million units by 2016 as per the company's estimates. The Fit is also known as the Jazz in some countries.

Last year, Honda unveiled its mid-term plan in which the automaker hopes to double the sales to 6 million by 2017. Honda expects a majority of the incremental sales to come from the subcompact series which will include the Fit (or the Jazz), the City and the new compact SUV. All of these vehicles share a common platform.The crossover SUV or the 'urban SUV', as Honda likes to call it, will target less affluent buyers than the ones that purchase the CR-V.

SUVs have always been an integral part of the American car market since the customers have a preference for big and spacious vehicles. However, a decade of high oil prices have seen customers shifting to the more fuel efficient smaller cars. Crossover SUVs or subcompact SUVs target people who have a predilection for SUVs without compromising too much on fuel efficiency.


Shares of Honda have traded in a narrow range this year on a couple of modest quarters. Investors were expecting the company's profits to soar now that the yen has depreciated against the dollar. However, Honda exports only a tiny fraction of its Japanese production, so a weak domestic currency does not have a significant impact on its overall profitability.

But, in order to take advantage of the weak domestic currency, Honda started building a new production plant in Japan, which recently became functional. A greater proportion of production in Japan will benefit Honda's margins now that the yen has depreciated against the dollar. Besides Japan, Honda is also looking to increase production in China, Thailand and as already mentioned, Mexico.

We have a $42 price estimate for Honda Motors.

Source;
http://www.nasdaq.com/article/honda-debuts-new-fit-in-japan-global-launch-within-twelve-months-cm279401

Road & Track: Behold the 2014 Honda Fit

by Zack Bowman of www.roadandtrack.com

The third-generation Honda Fit was an outright champion. The little five-door ran about on our roads for nearly six years with little change and still managed to remain competitive in the face of fresh hardware like the Chevrolet Sonic and Ford Fiesta. Now Honda has unveiled the fourth-generation 2014 Fit in Japan.

If you thought the previous model looked funky, strap yourself in for a new stroll into Weirdsville. Honda calls the design language, and I’m not joking here, “EXCITING H DESIGN!!!” Expect to see it show up on other models in the near future, exclamation points and all.

The big news here is the 2014 Fit Hybrid, which boasts an Atkinson-cycle 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, high-output electric motor and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. As with before, the motor gets stuffed between the engine and transmission, but the addition of a lithium-ion battery pack helps shove fuel economy up to 36.4 km/l. That shakes out to around 85.6 mpg, though it’s worth noting that the figure isn’t derived using the US fuel economy cycle. Still, Honda says the new Fit Hybrid is more efficient than any other hybrid on sale in Japan right now, Prius included.

Don’t fancy a hybrid? Buyers who opt for 13G trim can look forward to a 1.3-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine married to a CVT good for 26 km/l, or around 61 mpg. What will we see in North America? Good money is on the driveline found in the 15X and RS trims. That’s a direct-injection 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and either a CVT or a six-speed manual transmission. Honda says there’s around 10 percent more power on hand from the four-cylinder, which means you can expect to command around 130 horsepower. There’s no word on fuel economy from that combination, though.

Stay tuned for market-specific details.

Source;
http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/first-looks/go-first-looks-behold-the-2014-honda-fit

Motortrend: 2015 Honda Fit First Drive

They say, "When you're on a good thing, stick to it." Honda has followed that formula since launching the first Fit back in 2001. And why not? It's worked wonders for the automaker so far, even if Honda of America took three years to wake up to the car's potential and launch it in the US. Now manufactured at 10 plants in eight countries, the Fit has sold more than 4 million units. The second generation, released in 2007, essentially followed the original's design with bolder headlights and grille, and maintained the car's central fuel tank layout and dimensions. But according to the third generation 2015 Fit's chief engineer, Makoto Konishi, "It's time for a big change. That 'good thing' needs to get better." He rallied his R&D team by urging them to create the "Super Cub" of the car world. The Cub was a 50cc motorcycle launched in 1958 that became the biggest seller ever (60 million in 50 years).  

The New, Polarizing Look
We got a chance to test the all-new Fit at Honda's Takasu Proving Ground in Hokkaido, and the car looks better in the flesh than in photos. The front end is stunningly bolder and adds plenty of street cred. It appears to take design hints from the Clarity fuel-call car, the CR-V, and even the new NSX. Design boss Toshinobu Minami says that in designing the new exterior, he wanted to make a strong connection with a market smitten with smartphones and the Internet, a market fascinated by new gadgets. "We had to give the new model a significantly new face and stronger road presence while maintaining its dimensions," Minami said. The face, especially, had to exude 'new.' That is why Honda opted for a more solid face with an "exciting edge design." said Minami. While the design is certainly fresh and new, it will polarize many potential buyers. We're in the "like it" camp. We drove a pre-production model, but Honda said the new Fit has a slightly longer wheelbase (about 2 inches) but retains almost identical length, height, and width.


Honda offered a few laps in the 1.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid with new intelligent dual-clutch drive, the 1.5-liter RS with the six-speed manual transmission, and the 1.3-liter with the new CVT. But before we hit the road, senior handling and ride quality engineer Terumasa Kotada told us Honda benchmarked the Fit on a certain Volkswagen.  "In upping our game, we wanted to make a stronger international competitor, so we benchmarked our Fit on the Polo. The moment you get in the Polo, you notice how low you sit in the car. This instills confidence. And then when you drive the Polo, you notice how low its roll center is and its huge stability levels, instilling even more confidence. To get our desired result, I tested the car extensively on the autobahns in Germany," he said. To give the Fit better road feel, feedback, and stability, Kotada says the car's suspension geometry was redesigned by adding a new H-beam torsion rear suspension setup and a revised front strut. Taking hints from the Polo, toe control and caster angle were revised. The electronic power steering was modified to give the car a more natural steering feel. The end result is really impressive. 

On the road, all of these revisions are more than obvious. Sitting marginally lower in the new Fit, you can feel the car's straight-line stability immediately. And yes, as Kotada says, the car does instil more confidence in the driver. In a strange way, the Honda actually feels bigger and more substantial on the road, and turns in like a charm with almost no understeer and loads of feedback. It rolls less while going into corners, and is more stable at speed, gripping the blacktop while the rear follows neatly and cleanly. Under heavy braking, the Fit resists nosedive as the back end stays absolutely planted. "Rear end stability is just one major result of our Polo-inspired suspension redesign," adds Kotada.

Stingy Hybrid, Speedy RS
Another factor that might increase interest among buyers is the all-new engine range: 1.3-liter gas, 1.5-liter gas, and 1.5-liter hybrid, which all offer twin cams, in comparison to the outgoing model's single cam. Europe is expected to get a diesel as well. Fronting that new engine lineup is the new 1.5-liter, Atkinson cycle, four-cylinder IMA hybrid mated to a new one-motor, intelligent dual-clutch drive combination. Generating 135 hp at 6000 rpm and 125 lb-ft or torque at 5000 rpm, the new hybrid delivers plenty of power with a stratospherically high mileage figure of 85 mpg in Japanese spec, according to Honda. One engineer did admit that in real-world driving situations, that mileage would come down by around 15 percent. The U.S.-spec Fit hybrid should reach at least 55 mpg.

While the new Fit can travel at speeds up to 25 mph on EV-only mode for short stints, the engine integration is seamless and produces performance that clearly outdoes the outgoing model.  Employing a new seven-speed dual clutch transmission, the Fit hybrid accelerates more than adequately, filling the cabin with a sporty exhaust note that has been tuned and silenced -- with sound-absorbing felt -- to delete all human-unfriendly sounds. Honda tells us the new dual-clutch was a direct effort to quell criticism of the car's CVT, which certain quarters said was loud and full of vibration while sapping the car's power. This new transmission is perfectly married to the 1.5-liter and electric motor unit, allowing drivers to grab higher gears instantly and seamlessly through a paddle shift. The 1.3-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder unit generating 98 hp and 88 lb-ft boasts the new twin-cam configuration and a new CVT. "Getting the CVT to interact smoothly and quietly with the engine, generating enough power while keeping fuel consumption down was our biggest challenge," says senior drivetrain engineer Hideki Wakamatsu. The new engine generates extra power between 2000 and 3000 rpm.  The 1.5-liter RS sports version mated to a six-speed manual gearbox delivers on Honda's S2000 and NSX heritage. Perfectly matched to the 1.5-liter's high-revving engine, the manual's short throws and tight gate with a pleasing mechanical precision allow for quick, sure gear changes at all speeds. While the Fit's dash design is simple yet functional, it is not in the same class as the Polo when it comes to interior trim, materials, and quality. When you benchmark a car on another, you expect to see significant improvements in all major areas, upgrades that put the new car in the same class. Honda says we can expect to see further refinements inside the car before it goes on sale in Europe early next year.

In a strange twist, designer Minami commented that he would have liked Honda's announcement of a return to F1 with McLaren to come a year earlier. That way he could have incorporated some McLaren design hints into the Fit. As it is, he seems happy enough, but does admit that some people may find its looks over the top. But once behind the driver's seat, few potential buyers will find the car wanting, especially in the on-road experience. Honda seems to have found its mojo again. It'll be back in Formula 1; a new NSX is coming out soon; a smaller sports car is on the way; a new Accord hybrid will travel more than 800 miles on a tank of gas; and a new Civic Type R will soon challenge the Megane RS for the fastest lap by a front-drive car at the Nurburgring. If anything, this Fit is a reflection of the company's newfound corporate confidence.


Source (with a ton of pic's);
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/hatchbacks/1307_2015_honda_fit_first_drive/

2014 Honda Fit confirmed for September launch

Model will likely be unveiled shortly

Honda has quietly announced the 2014 Fit will be launched in Japan in September.

The company didn't have much to say about the model, but a recent brochure leak revealed the car will have Insight-inspired styling with an aggressive front bumper, angular headlights and a distinctive grille. The Fit will also have upward sweeping character lines, a ventilated rear bumper and Volvo-like taillights.

The car's cabin will be significantly improved with higher quality materials and an improved design. Rear passengers will also benefit from an extra 65mm of legroom.

Little else is known about the model, but it is expected to be offered with Earth Dream engines as well as a hybrid powertrain.

The JDM-spec Fit will be built alongside the Freed minivan at the company's Yorii Plant in Japan. US-spec models will be made Mexico alongside the production version of the Urban SUV concept.

Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/113070959946/2014-honda-fit-confirmed-for-september-launch

MagX Rendering of Next Honda FIT/Jazz

Here's another speculative rendition of what the next Honda FIT/Jazz may look like, this one from Mag-X.

Source;
http://www.jp-cardesigncorner.blogspot.ca/2013/06/scoop-new-honda-fit-jazz.html

Temple of Vtec Member danielgr finds 2013/14/15 Honda Plans/Rumours

Great find Danielgr!

Here the main infos by order of arrival:

2013
- 20th/21st June : Accord Hybrid, which they call Accord, and Hybrid (not the PHEV already selling in the US). Expected JC08 rating 30km/L, i.e. about that of the standard Prius.

- September: Fit is coming, expected to deliver 36km/L, which would put it right ahead of Toyota's Aqua (aka Prius C)'s 35.4km/L, made it the most efficient car in Japan. They also claim length has increased by 60mm outside, up to 80mm inside.

- October: Arrival of the new Life and new Odyssey (said to become a replacement of both the Odyssey/Elyssion) based on the M-concept shown in China earlier this year. Life is said to lead the 660cc minicars FE ranking at a staggeringly high 33.5 km/L, without using any hybrid tech... Odyssey expected to use both a 2.4L gasoline engine as well as Accord's hybrid powertrain, which would help it lead the segment in FE (they claim 20 km/L, which is what the current gasoline Fit achieves, but on a full-size minivan).

- December, time for the global compact SUV, expected to be rated nearly as high as the Fit hybrid at 34km/L (that's better than a Prius).

2014
- April: new City is coming, not much info on this one, but expect similar stuff to the Fit under the robe.

- May : Stream, which originally wasn't planned for Japan, but recent economic trends have made Honda changed their minds. Said to be available with the brand new ED 1.8L

- June : eSH-AWD Legend

- September : new Beat, 3-cyl turbo with 6MT

- December : it's NSX time.

Source;
http://www.vtec.net/forums/one-message?message_id=1150601

2014 Honda FIT/Jazz Rendered Speculation

Front end looks nice, not sure how close this will be to the actual end result.  We will find out soon enough!

Thanks for the tip Harvey Appleyard!

Next Generation Honda FIT to come with New "City Active Brake System"

Tokyo - In the future, cars will be equipped with features that make the car can brake automatically when a vehicle or other property that prevents the car.

This feature can stop the car in a low speed of about 30 miles per hour even though the driver did not step on the brake pedal. Very practical when motorists amid 'curved' or do not see any other cars.

Automatic brake actually began to develop in 2011, the Volkswagen knows this system as the Volkswagen City Emergency Brake, or Ford's Active City Stopnya in the Ford Focus, Mazda with Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) System in the Mazda6, with Volvo City Safety.

The latest is from Honda. Honda developed the City-Active Brake System. This protection system is one part of the new security system Honda named as "Safety Package '.

"Safety Package" will be adopted at the All New Honda Jazz to be launched in Japan this year.

As with other auto brake feature, City-Active Brake System will notify the driver via visual and audio messages if there is threat of a collision in front. If the driver still does not ngeh to risk it, the car will take over and the system will brake automatically.

Not only automatic braking, City-Active Brake System also has a feature that prevents interference when the car is turned on.

For example, when a car drove at a speed of about 10 miles per hour, when the system was the driver stepped on the pedal too deep because as one stepped on the gas pedal the brake, riders will receive audio and visual warnings. The system also reduces engine power to prevent a speeding car.

Source (used Google Translate);
http://oto.detik.com/read/2013/04/01/141522/2208337/1207/fitur-ini-tengah-ngetren-di-mobil?o991101638

2014 Honda FIT/Jazz to be unveiled at 2013 Tokyo Motor Show

If this gives us anything, it shows what's in store for the Jazz/Fit abroad, and seeing as the car is built on a global design, this could very well be close to what the car is going to look like....

The all new generation of the Honda Jazz a.k.a. the Honda Fit has been in focus since some time now. Enough has been speculated about the upcoming generation of the car and the launch of the new Jazz is being eagerly waited for.

Now, it has emerged that the all new generation of the Honda Jazz/Fit will be unveiled before the end of this year and Mr. Dave Hodgetts, Managing Director, Honda UK had confirmed that the new car will make its public debut at the Tokyo Motor Show that is scheduled to be held in November this year.

Brazilian publication Car&Driver reports that the all new Jazz would have a 6cm longer wheelbase and hence, will have an even roomier cabin than the current model. However, the increased wheelbase won’t really affect the overall length and the new Jazz won’t be longer than 3.96m.

This means that the new Jazz will benefit from reduced excise duty in India and might be priced really well.

The new car will come with a taillight cluster that would be shaped like a diamond and the boot, at 414 litres, will offer 30 litres of more space. The new car will also get triangular reflectors incorporated into its bumpers. The car will borrow many design cues from the Urban SUV concept that was showcased at the North American International Auto Show 2013.

Powering the car might be an all new three cylinder petrol engine that might stretch a litre of unleaded to as many as 35.4 kilometers! The Brazilian market will also get 1.4L and 1.5L flex-fuel motors with 101hp and 106 hp of power.

For the Indian market, the Jazz could borrow the 1.5L EarthDreams diesel engine from the upcoming Honda Brio Amaze. This motor is being reported to have been developed alongside the much hyped Honda 1.6 litre EarthDreams diesel engine that powers the UK spec Civic.

The all new Honda Jazz could be in India by Diwali 2014.

Source –  caranddriverbrasil.uol.com.br

Source via;
http://caranddriverbrasil.uol.com.br/segredos/exclusivo-revelamos-o-novo-fit/4486

Burlapp Find: Next Gen 2014/2015 Honda FIT?

Hmmm, not sure what to think about this pic, seems to go against Honda's current front grill style trend.  Keep in mind that this is only a speculative rendering, only time will tell.

Source;
http://www.burlappcars.com/2013/03/201415-honda-fit.html

New Honda Jazz/FIT set for November unveil at Tokyo Auto Show

A sporty new Honda Jazz/FIT will be revealed at the Tokyo show in November

Honda has confirmed that the next-generation Jazz will debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in November this year, and it will feature a sportier design inspired by the Urban SUV Concept.

The new Jazz - which will be shown as the Japanese-market Fit - is built on a completely new scaleable platform that is also set to underpin a new Juke-rivalling SUV, previewed by the Urban SUV.

Honda UK Managing Director, Dave Hodgetts said: "The Urban SUV Concept really set out a design strategy that we want all our future cars to follow".

"We want it to look sporty but we want the functionality carried over, so Jazz will still have the high seats and practicality," Hodgetts continued.

When it's unveiled in November, the new Jazz will face off against the all-new Nissan Note, which also appeared in Geneva.
Meanwhile, Honda also confirmed that SUVs larger than the CR-V currently don't make sense in Europe and aren't a part of the current product plan.

However, new hybrid systems are under development and the firm is working on a successor to the FCX Clarity hydrogen car, which is expected to be built in the hundreds. The firm sees hydrogen as the future of motoring and is hoping to have a full production model on the roads by 2020.

Source;

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/honda/jazz/63010/new-honda-jazz-set-november-unveil