As part of its complete redesign for 2015, Honda spent a good deal of time and effort adding a new level of overall sophistication to the Fit, not the least of which was directed towards improving the basic noise/vibration/harshness characteristics of its versatile, space-efficient mini-crossover. With just over 7,200 miles on the odometer of our EX-L Navi long-term tester, we’ve discovered the automaker’s quest to banish those distracting NVH demons has met with notable — although not total — success.
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Calmer and quieter, most of the time
While clearly superior to its predecessor, the Fit still does suffer to a lesser extent from the same kind of fundamental refinement issues that impact every other vehicle in its class. The good news is that the 2015 Fit’s enhanced structure, tighter body tolerances and more extensive use of soundproofing materials throughout the cabin pay noticeable dividends, particularly during the average city commute and on well-maintained asphalt road surfaces. Basic ride compliance also deserves kudos for striking a smart balance between comfort and control. However, things aren’t quite as serene when the venue changes to grooved concrete regularly punctuated with transverse expansion strips — aka typical California Interstates where our particular Fit has racked up the majority of its in-service miles to date — or any other kind of distressed pavement. Although there’s a bit of wind noise off the mirrors and A-pillars as speeds rise and the Fit’s engine does get slightly louder when pressed beyond the 4,000-rpm mark under hard acceleration, the biggest weakness here involves tire drone and thump at highway speeds. This near-constant level of aural excitement can be fairly annoying given this Honda’s numerous other admirable qualities.
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An ancillary issue to the Fit’s elevated decibel count on freeway runs is that it’s frequently accompanied by a measure of low-grade ride choppiness, a condition likely exacerbated by the EX’s 16-inch wheel/tire package which also includes lower-profile rubber than the 15-inch fitment used on the Fit LX. Hardly a deal-breaker, this periodic jiggling does amp up the potential for what we’ve come to call "finger bounce," a malady that makes it more challenging to use various touch-activated controls on the Fit’s center display screen. Those personality quirks aside, we continue to find our 2015 Honda Fit a ready and reliable travel mate and look forward to several more months of otherwise stress-free running. Fuel economy still falls well into line with its 32/38-mpg city/highway EPA ratings and there are no other mechanical issues to report.
See past reports for our 2015 Honda Fit…
Long-Term Update: Praiseworthy powertrain
Long-Term Update: Interior Design
More 2015 Honda Fit…
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