Well, we just got the official word from Honda: the Fit will be dropped from the U.S. lineup after the current generation.
Despite being a super versatile, practical car, Honda said that, due to low take rates, the next generation Fit will not come to the U.S.
The fit debuted in the U.S. as a 2007 model and has been a staple of the subcompact market since. The Fit joins the Ford Fiesta and Fiat 500 as small cars that will be leaving the U.S. market.
6 comments:
Even though I wouldn't really hold my breath for it, I'd keep an eye for an eventual next generation of the WR-V to appear in the USA.
Presumably it may be easier to replace the Fit with the WR-V, which is basically the same with a different front clip.
OMG. Also so sad that Honda just announced that they will close their plant here in the Philippines.
IMO Honda didn't have much choice in this matter. Of course like you said poor sales are the primary reason, Americans don't buy smaller fuel efficient vehicles (no matter how well engineered) as long as fuel is cheap. Second, with the current Fit being manufactured in Mexico and the current political climate concerning proposed tariffs concerning Mexican made cars entering into the USA will put the Fit out of several hands that want one. With this on the horizon, especially if the current administration is re-elected will affect sales of the HR-V which is also made in Mexico
This is very disappointing; I thought Fits sold like hotcakes in the US, but maybe that was just the 1st and 2nd generation (which I briefly considered before buying my Yaris hatch).
My real lament is never having a 'Fit Si' model - I think it would have been trivially easy for Honda to swap in an existing powerplant, upgrade some suspension bits and badging and call it a day. Hell, you had people swapping K20 engines I think, there was even a Car&Driver article on it.
Hope Honda keeps their small car game up - the Civic is getting quiet portly, as big as an early 2000s Accord almost.
Figures. Now Honda is going to stop selling the Fit here,...the new design will probably be the one that would make it sell like crazy. I think it is a great little car. Great design, good power,lots of room inside, and its a HONDA!! Once all the stupid Americans that are buying the HUGE SUV's as quick as they can make them. And when gas goes back up to $4 a gallon, VERY SOON, look at the current world situation!!!
It goes in cycles anyway. We Americans did the exact same thing years ago.Gas goes UP, we buy small cars. Then when it goes down, we buy huge SUVs. I never do! I love compact/small/two seaters. OR a Civic!!! Then the SUVs will be worth next to nothing, AGAIN! So the car dealers will rake in more money! They will give nothing for SUVs as a trade in.
All the car makers will RUSH to import or design NEW compact or subcompact cars,again. Even Ford will start making and selling CARS again here, not just SUVs trucks. Honda will regret this action.
Post a Comment