Honda Fit: The Best Years To Buy (And The Ones You Should Steer Clear Of)

Some vehicles just cannot take hold in a major way in the United States market. One of those cars in recent years was the subcompact hatchback Honda Fit. Even though the car has been widely praised and earned a number of awards since it hit the United States market in 2007, after having been around the world since 2001, Honda decided to end sales of the Fit in North America following the 2020 model year. 

However, Honda has continued sales elsewhere of it in the world, as subcompact vehicles are far more prevalent in other markets. The American market simply didn't take to the subcompact vehicle, and based on the list of the best-selling vehicles in the country — filled with pickup trucks and SUVs — it seems clear that a subcompact vehicle wasn't much of an enticing prospect for a ton of Americans.

That being said, there is still plenty to recommend about the Honda Fit. If you are looking for an efficient, reliable vehicle on the used car market, then this is actually a pretty terrific option to go with. Of course, not every model year of the Honda Fit was created equal, so if a used model is what you are looking for, then there are certain years that you should gravitate towards — and others that aren't necessarily the best options. After perusing through ratings from a variety of different publications and institutions regarding each year's reliability and owner satisfaction, this list should help steer you in the right direction to what could be your next vehicle.

When it comes to choosing which model year of the Honda Fit is right for you on the used car market, you are actually in a wonderful spot. The Honda Fit mostly had years of stellar reviews and ratings for its reliability and owner satisfaction. While most model years will most likely be satisfactory, here are three that really stand out.

1. 2011: The first big standout model year for the Honda Fit is 2011, which ranked second place on J.D. Power's list of the best small cars of the year, with a quality and reliability score of 83 out of 100. The Consumer Reports reliability score is a bit lower at 69, but the only major complaint levied is with the climate system. Despite being subject to 11 recalls, it earns the least number of reported issues on CarComplaints.com up until this point.
2. 2017: This is arguably the crème de la crème of the lot. With its 71 out of 100 reliability rating from Consumer Reports and an 85 from J.D. Power, this model tops the list of all small cars from both entities from this year. Even more impressive is that there has not been a single recall issued, and has the best fuel economy of any model at 36 mpg.
3. 2020: The final American-sold model was a great way to go out. It has the highest Consumer Reports reliability score of any model at 73, was ranked the third best small car of the year from J.D. Power, has zero user submitted issues on CarComplaints.com, and only has two recalls to its name. It'll be the most expensive model, but worth it.

Finding the cracks in the armor of the Honda Fit is difficult, but that doesn't mean there aren't certain model years over the vehicle's 14 years that come up shorter than others. That isn't to say that these particular model years are inherently bad — stacked against rival competition, they are quite good. It's just that if you have a choice amongst every Fit model, these are the lesser ones.

1. 2007: Despite receiving an 83 out of 100 quality and reliability score from J.D. Power, there is little consistency to that praise elsewhere. The 2007 Fit received a 57 rating from Consumer Reports and the second most owner submitted problems from CarComplaints.com of any Fit model year. There have been issues with steering, water leaks, and poor paint work, and on top of that, 11 recalls have been issued. An okay first impression to the United States.
2. 2012: The ratings for the 2012 mirror the 2007 model quite closely. J.D. Power thinks highly of its reliability with an 85, whereas Consumer Reports has it much lower at a 52, with a 3 out of 5 owner satisfaction score, thanks to poor comfort and a lackluster driving experience. Plus, its another model with 11 recalls. A step down from the 2011 model.
3. 2015: It has similar reliability ratings from Consumer Reports as the previous two, with a 55 and a 3 out of 5 owner satisfaction rating, but J.D. Power lowers its reliability score down to 74, with an even lower 69 resale score. On CarComplaints.com, it has the most submitted issues, over 2.5 times the amount as second-place, with starter failure being the largest culprit.

Narrowing down the 14 years of United States production of the Honda Fit to just a few model years is rather difficult. This isn't because the time period is so long, but it's because the Fit was a remarkably consistent product that finding the variations between the different model years deals in degrees and not gulfs. To finally determine the six model years that would represent the best and worst of what the subcompact car had to offer, a number of different factors were taken into account. 

Number one was reliability, as this is meant for people looking for a used vehicle. The reliability of various model years was determined based on the opinions of institutions like Consumer Reports, J.D. Power, and CarComplaints.com for real-world owner experience, as these are the people who use these vehicles day in and day out. A contemporary review of a brand new model year wasn't as impactful because chances are that the person spent a minimal amount of time actually operating the car. 

Once these scores were taken into account, then came the owner satisfaction scores, as just because a vehicle is reliable doesn't necessarily mean it is a great car to drive. The amount of recalls a model year underwent also played a factor, as a well built vehicle wouldn't be subjected to as many as a lesser one.