Honda Fit Sales Roar Past The 2,000,000 Mark

While the Honda Fit is a relative newcomer in the United States, having been introduced with the 2007 model, its actual roots grow a little longer ... and it's worth paying attention to as it just may become a superstar.

Introduced in both Japan and Europe in 2001 (called the Honda Jazz), the Fit quickly earned an enthusiastic audience and sales have been impressive.  And with current high gas prices rekindling interest in the subcompact segment, the Fit's sales figures abroad are a strong indication that the Fit may be worth a good look here.

Here's the numbers:

Japan                Introduced in June 2001             Sold Approx. 962,000 units 

Europe              Introduced in December 2001    Sold Approx. 417,000 units 

Asia/Oceania     Introduced in January 2002       Sold Approx. 230,000 units 

South America   Introduced in April 2003             Sold Approx. 151,000 units 

China                Introduced in September 2004   Sold Approx. 173,000 units 

North America   Introduced in April 2006             Sold Approx.  77,000 units 

The accolades for the Fit are usually about its frugal engine, flexible interior configurations, responsive handling and many standard features. The EPA mileage rating for this 1.5 liter 4-cylinder is 28 mpg city and 35 mpg highway for the manual and 27 mpg city and 35 mpg highway for the automatic.  The Sport is rated at 27 mpg city and 34 highway.

All this comes with affordable pricing and the "Honda" nameplate for quality.  The MSRP for the base model automatic is $14,650.  For the Sport model, it's $15,970. But the demand must be there as I see them listed on AutoTrader generally $500 to $600 over MSRP.

Another indication of growing demand are Black Book Dealer auction prices.  For a used 2007, with low mileage and still under Factory Warranty (as of June, 2007), prices have averaged $14,200 for the base model sold in the "clean" category and $15,000 for the Sport.

The Sport model comes with 15-inch alloy wheels, wider tires, additional body styling pieces, cruise control, remote entry, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and an upgraded MP3-compatible audio system.

Edmunds.com says, "Overall, the 2007 Honda Fit provides about as much fun as you can have in a thrifty little car."  J.D. Power confirms that demand is "high" and gives it 5 stars for both Mechanical Quality and Green Efficiency.

For those of you looking for something better on gas yet still fun to drive, this 4-door hatchback could be worth a look.