2015 Honda Fit fix enables an IIHS Top Safety rating

While the all-new 2015 Honda Fit delivered solid overall performance in its original round of crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, its "Good" scores in the four basic categories were marred by its "Marginal" mark in the demanding small-offset barrier test. That single rating glitch prevented it from being named a Top Safety Pick. The issue revolved around a weakness in the Fit’s front bumper structure, and Honda engineers have devised a more robust solution that better meets the driver-protection requirements of the small-offset impact regimen. This week, Honda and the IIHS announced that a Fit with this fix in place earned an "Acceptable" score in a retest — and that all production models built after June 14 now qualify as a Top Safety Pick.

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To reassure buyers of the approximately 12,000 early-build 2015 Fit models already on the street, Honda is voluntarily offering the same upgrade free of charge. The change involves swapping the Fit’s original front bumper beam for one that has more robust welds connecting it to the frame rails. Honda will begin notifying eligible customers in September about details of the process and set up a dedicated hotline number – 1-800-999-1009 Option-4 – to provide more specific information. 

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"Honda’s deep-rooted commitment to safety and to our customers is perhaps best demonstrated by the fact that we were not satisfied with anything but a Top Safety Pick for the new 2015 Honda Fit," said Art St. Cyr, vice president of auto operations at American Honda. Honda and Acura currently have more U.S.-built top-safety rated vehicles than any other manufacturer. As the result of its change, the 2015 Fit joins the 2014 Chevrolet Spark as the only other Minicar to have earned a Top Safety Pick rating.

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