Redesigned 2015 Honda Fit will drive North America new car sales

With Honda and Toyota going head to head in a slowly recovering U.S. economy, Honda is betting on Fit to lead North America in new retail car sales.

There's no doubt about it, following the rather harsh winter of 2013-2014, North America has dug out of the snow drift and purchased a new car or two. Early spring sales were flat for Honda and Toyota and then the # 1 automotive manufacturer on the planet recorded its best sales month in 6 years. Good for Toyota.

None the less, Honda countered back with a double-digit record sales month in Asia and China, with a 9% increase in company wide new car sales for April. However, North America retail sales took a minor dive, recording a -1.7% in sales year to date. What we’re talking about here is a handful of new cars. The 2015 Honda Fit will be the shining light at the end of the tunnel.

2015 Fit best selling car in Honda lineup

According to Honda, Fit is the industry's best selling car for April 2014. The trend continues with the announcement of Honda’s roadside assistance program for 2015.

We believe that Fit is staged to replace Honda Civic as the best selling compact car in North America, there are a couple of reasons for that. Taking a close look at the 2014 Honda Civic sedan, we find a compact economy car that has grown in size and price over the years.

Consumer demand for comfort, size and performance has super-sized the Civic out of its original segment. It’s no longer a sub-compact and you can’t buy a North America built Civic in a 5 door hatch verrient. While North America driving enthusiasts lust for a 5 door Civic hatch or Type R, you won’t find one driving down the roads of Canada or the U.S. anytime soon.

Don’t shed a tear for the Honda loyal.

Long gone is the day of the $15,000 Civic. That’s where the 2015 hocho in Mexico Fit jumps into the picture. This value packed, tech-rich, benchmark setting wonder is taking the North American entry-level new car market by storm. With a base msrp of $15,525, the Fit LX is priced just $100 more than the outgoing model. While Fit is not a tire burner, it does offer spacious( 52.7 c.f.) refined accommodations for 5 and class-leading seating and storage facility.

We’ve interviewed several Fit owners. They all seem to have one thing in common; they love the Fit.

Torque News-Honda likes the 2015 Fit for its 1.5 liter “Earth Dreams” i-VTEC 4 cylinder engine and CVT transmission. Producing a stated 130 hp and 114 ft-lb torque, the Fit provides a fun driving experience while sipping gasoline(33/41/36 epa combined.) The redesign has taken Fit to a new visual level for 2015.

Honda has improved the overall ergonomics of the Fit, driving characteristics, safety crumple zone, while increasing horsepower by 11% and torque by 7.5%. The touch screen dash monitor, improved interior “soft surfaces” and the only backup camera in its segment makes Fit an exceptional new car value.

Bottom Line: For your dollar spent, the Fit arguably provides the greatest value in its segment while retaining Honda quality and residual retail value. How does Fit compare to the competition?

We’re still looking...