It's amazing how well-designed and utilitarian the Honda Fit is.

[Eureka]

The thing that TOTALLY redefined the Fit was moving the gas tank to under the front seats.

Every other auto maker is still putting there gas tanks under the rear seats and employing a simple rear back fold down design, rather than having the entire seat fold into a compact unit.

That feels more like a safety issue. I wouldn't feel safe sitting on top of a gas tank.

As for things like a CRV, I'm just not convinced on their AWD effectiveness. I've seen these things get stuck. A lot. One time I saw a Mitsubishi "AWD" incapable of going up an incline due to having two of the wheels sliding on, wait for it.... wet leaves. The other two wheels were on solid pavement.

That kind of "performance" to me might as well not be AWD at all. I'd be just as scared taking something like that on a bumpy rocky dirt road as I would the Fit. But I'm enamored by the effectiveness of the Subie AWD - I got my dad's 2008 Forester stuck in 3 feet of snow after sliding off the road into a ditch. And I was able to drive myself out, up the incline of the ditch while being absolutely buried in snow.

The following week my friend's Jeep Liberty got stuck in just 4 inches of snow because his AWD system couldn't back our of the slight decline that he was in. It was really quite pathetic but I think you would need to be there to appreciate the pathetic-ness of it.

That type of performance completely depends on the differential used.

I went and checked out the Outback, XV, and Forester because I want an AWD car for traveling the world in:

Toyota Hilux. Wars have been fought and won with those trucks (seriously). I believe the NA version was packaged as the 4Runner and Tacoma, depending on the model.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

There's really just one option... a Toyota truck. But unfortunately the HiLux and the Land Cruiser trucks (whatever they're called) aren't sold here.

Does anyone know if the Tacoma is an actual Hilux, just renamed, or a completely different truck?

I think it was more of the friend getting stuck and less of the jeep getting stuck, 4" of snow is nothing.

No, it was the Jeep. Shitty differentials that couldn't put enough power to the wheels. He would press on the gas and the two back wheels that had traction wouldn't turn.

Also FYI, the newer Fits (mine was a 2010) don't have fold-flat seats. My buddy's did (older model) and I thought it was great (actually I think we've had this conversation, haha).

The seats do fold flat...

http://automobiles.honda.com/fit/interior.aspx

Or are you talking about refresh mode?

(bottom picture)

http://www.automotriz.net/images/modelos/honda-fit/sid_int_2.jpg

 

[Kaido]

What! Someone at Honda needs to commit ritual suicide in atonement for this outrage. I have a 2008 Fit and I wouldn't have bought it w/o the fold flat seats.

I should clarify just to make sure we are on the same page - the rear seats still fold flat, for an extended trunk:

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4072/4465100045_84b4d84e62_z.jpg?zz=1

The front seats do not, so if you want to take a nap in your car, you're going to have to sleep on a hump. So here's the 2010 Fit like I had:

http://www.autospectator.com/cars/files/images/2010-Honda-Fit-Sport-0040.jpg

Versus an older model where the seats were a little more nap-friendly:

http://image.cpsimg.com/sites/carparts/design/assets/roadtests/hondafit/images2007/seatrecline.jpg

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I should clarify just to make sure we are on the same page - the rear seats still fold flat, for an extended trunk:

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4072/4465100045_84b4d84e62_z.jpg?zz=1

The front seats do not, so if you want to take a nap in your car, you're going to have to sleep on a hump. So here's the 2010 Fit like I had:

http://www.autospectator.com/cars/files/images/2010-Honda-Fit-Sport-0040.jpg

Versus an older model where the seats were a little more nap-friendly:

http://image.cpsimg.com/sites/carparts/design/assets/roadtests/hondafit/images2007/seatrecline.jpg

Ah, right. There's 5 modes:

People Mode - all seats up

Utility Mode - back seats folded flat down for an extended trunk, which is how I currently sleep

Long Mode - Utility Mode + Front Seat Back folded down (surfboards)

Tall Mode - rear seat cushions folded up and vertical, allowing things like large LCD TVs to be transported standing up in the back

Refresh mode - discontinued in 2010 I think. Take out the headrests on the front seats and they recline and connect flush with the rear seats (which recline back a bit to boot).

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Cars are designed to move people - not sleep people. I'm guessing the Subaru has more features, more comfortable, more technology and a lot more refinement.

The Fit meets your needs while the Subaru meets others needs - why we have have choice in the marketplace.

You need a Ford Transit Connect.

 

[BudAshes]

Back in the 90's when I use to sleep in my car when I went snowboarding it was all about the 4x4 2dr chevy tahoe. You could throw a full size mattress in the back and sleep like a king even with 2 people. Of course gas was 99 cents a gallon so the giant v8 wasn't a downside.

 

[Zargon]

I know your fit FEELS bigger, but the outback is way bigger

cargo volume 34 vs 23 cu ft

passenger 105 vs 90 cu ft

and because the Fit has that higher ceiling...alot of the room is wasted

my friends have a 2012 and see over 30 hwy on longer trips

 

[IronWing]

Okay, I've calmed down about the flat fold seats. Get a Suburban. High clearance, big enough to live in, 4WD, flat fold seats. Holds full sheets of plywood behind the front seats. Holds 12ft boards. Cupholders big enough for Americans (the Fit's fatal flaw is the cup holders tucked under the dash that don't hold piggy portions). You can park you Fit in back or underneath w/ a lift kit. You can fly model airplanes in the rain.

 

[KDOG]

How bout like a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee? The 4.0l are ultra reliable, obviously good off road capability, plenty of room inside and they are easy to come by.

 

[phucheneh]

I think some of you are missing the point of 'utilitarian.'

My two picks would be 'Mazda5' and 'Pontiac Vibe.'

Maybe the Matrix as well; I know it's almost identical to the Vibe, but I can't remember if it has the plastified (yep, that's a word now) rear section. The hatch area of the Vibe plus the plastic covering all of the fold-flat seatbacks (all except the driver's) just makes it excellent for utility. It's a 4cyl enclosed pickup truck.

And yeah, I see the irony. I'm applauding GM on what would generally be perceived as overuse of plastic.

 

[LTC8K6]

Does anyone know if the Tacoma is an actual Hilux, just renamed, or a completely different truck?



No, it was the Jeep. Shitty differentials that couldn't put enough power to the wheels. He would press on the gas and the two back wheels that had traction wouldn't turn.



The seats do fold flat...

http://automobiles.honda.com/fit/interior.aspx

Or are you talking about refresh mode?

(bottom picture)

http://www.automotriz.net/images/modelos/honda-fit/sid_int_2.jpg

That's a broken Jeep, I believe.

 

[Throckmorton]

Be realistic and start reading this forum http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/forums/71-Expedition-Campers?

 

[phucheneh]

The Expedition has historically pretty much always been just the shittiest version of a mediorce truck.

A few select problems aside, I'll recommend just about any F150 of any generation, as they're usually pretty reliable, especially for used prices. But multiple generations of Expedition (and Explorer) had them as essentially their least reliable truck in terms of overall issues. Engine, trans, body...I guess the chassis/suspension was decent enough, though...it was just...everything that rode on it that sucked. And it was probably overloaded, anyhow.

On the older platforms, that is. On the modern F150 platform, it's about the same as a similar pickup. Which is to say...not that great.

But that's all worthless to state, because of the definition of 'utility'...it is not reliability, durability...'utiliarian' just means that it is, in design, 'useful' at all costs. Well thought-out, efficient in use and such.

In such a definition, few SUV's have dared to be much more than a pickup with a camper top and some seats in the way.