Buying a Hatchback!! What should I get???

[RedDevil]

I would have bought a Fit Hybrid if I could get a reasonable deal on it, but I couldn't.

The Insight however was so cheap that at first I refused to take the deal seriously, but it was sold by a Honda dealer and even the slick story (first owned by an old man) turned out to be true, judging by the shaky pencil notes in the manual

Still do have a weak spot for the Fit, the sizeable extra storage space under the rear bench is a real gem, so was the panoramic roof in EX trim.

The Fit and the Insight share the same base btw. They both seat 3 in the back, if they don't mind touching each other. The Insight has less head space, esp. for the middle passenger who sits on a raise; I can't sit there without bowing my head (I'm 6 feet long)

[theaveng]

- "The Fit is Go"
I never understood this ad.

Originally Posted by RedDevil

Arguably the Prius is more high-tech, power delivery is (even) smoother and the 3rd gen Prius is more economical than the 2nd gen Insight.....

Because the Insight costs $5000 less than the Prius, that's the car I would label "more economical".

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by theaveng

- "The Fit is Go"
I never understood this ad. Because the Insight costs $5000 less than the Prius, that's the car I would label "more economical".

Of course.
I was just relating to fuel economy alone, but it is unlikely you'd spend more having an Insight than a Prius of the same age.

Having said that, I have advised a colleague of mine to buy a Prius, and he did. The Prius seats a bit higher, and he went in retirement yesterday, frail health (one lung!) and all; it is easier to enter and dismount...

Ha! This Honda is not for the elderly! Get a Prius if your bones ache
(please take no offense on my jesting )

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

Still do have a weak spot for the Fit, the sizeable extra storage space under the rear bench is a real gem, so was the panoramic roof in EX trim.

I don't even see the Fit as a hatchback, it feels like a mini-MPV just like the early Opel Meriva (the newer one is not so compact anymore).

[samwichse]

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

If you're looking for a hatchback for the cargo space, you must look at the Fit. It's almost magic how big it is inside.

Mirage is good for mpg, but doesn't it only seat 4?

Pretty much this.

They made some pretty big MPG changes. The Fit is the gold standard for small hatch handling too... the less you slow down around a corner, the less you have to accelerate after .

My wife has an 07 with 140k on it, the only thing we've done is tires, brakes, and coil packs (Honda apparently got a bad batch from Beck & Arnley back around 2007/8, lots of complaints about failures around 80k miles).

Otherwise, the car gets great gas mileage around town, even for an automatic, even though it wants to shift stupidly late (you can force it somewhat with the manumatic paddles). I'm guessing this is one of the things they tweaked in the 15 model, but I'd still get the manual, because manuals.

Also, XYZ's statement about tiny hatches being for style and not really useful, clearly he's not actually ridden in a Fit. It's an amazingly useful car, and I can cram it full of literally twice the stuff as my Civic sedan. You can put a whole bookcase in there with only the narrow 60/40 folding seat down and still carry two people? I've carted dishwashers and ovens, lawn mowers and all kinds of dimensional lumber back there.

And the '15 model is actually slightly SHORTER overall than the '14, and still has more legroom in the back.

Sam

[PaleMelanesian]

I hauled a Lazy Boy last week, with room to spare.

[PaleMelanesian]

Originally Posted by XYZ

Also, don't expect the EPA estimates for MPG to be accurate, as actual FE experienced is typically lower than stated. Disclaimer: "Your mileage may vary."

Oh, and hahahaha at this one.

[jcp123]

Room is one of the things I like about the Echo. It's no hatchback for sure, but it still has a trunk larger than a BMW 3-series, and the room is usefully laid out too. I can fit more stuff in the trunk or the cabin of the Echo than I can in the wife's '11 Rio...

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by samwichse

Also, XYZ's statement about tiny hatches being for style and not really useful, clearly he's not actually ridden in a Fit. It's an amazingly useful car, and I can cram it full of literally twice the stuff as my Civic sedan. You can put a whole bookcase in there with only the narrow 60/40 folding seat down and still carry two people? I've carted dishwashers and ovens, lawn mowers and all kinds of dimensional lumber back there.

Sam

I was referring to others that have less cargo room than the Fit does.

[PaleMelanesian]

I completely agree on that point. Fiat 500, Mini, Juke, etc. are people OR cargo vehicles. A Fit, or Matrix or Vibe or some other good hatches, are people AND cargo vehicles. A true wagon would be even better, but apparently "Americans don't want those".