Entry posted by alpha17
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Hey guys,
So just planned to do quick review after driving a specific car as it would help most of the people who seek out details about a particular model. Those entries contain details about how the car is like to drive, comfort level, build quality and interesting facts(if there are any). So I will be unable to post details about long term ownership and maintenance.
This review is based on Honda Fit GP5, which is one of the most common cars in SL roads and one of my favourite cars to drive.
Driving
I have driven this car in hilly areas, bends, stretches and bad roads. So I will be able to give a brief idea about how it is likely to drive. The first thing you notice when you get into a Honda (specially if you are a Toyota owner) how the seating position, dash layout wraps around you. It just makes you feel like you are sitting in a driver’s car. The seating position feels much sporty and lowered.
The Honda’s Earth Dreams Hybrid system (even though it has those early clutch replacements and a bit unrefined nature) is a joy to drive. The acceleration is really good even when the car is filled with 5 adults. I drove the car from Padukka to Kegalle once with 5 adults and I never felt that it was underpowered. The Fit will do 0-100kmph around 8-9seconds but I never tested that. But trust me the car has more than enough grunt for day to day driving and sudden overtakes. The steering is really light with a little bit of weight, but much sharper than a toyota. It goes where you direct without a delay. In corners it’s steady, feels much more planted and rigid. Given the size and power, the car is miles ahead in the driving area when compared with a Toyota Aqua, the main competitor. You can corner this really hard without any slips or stability issues.
But the issue you’ll find with this car is the unrefined nature of the hybrid system. When you are going slowly round the town, the throttle response is a bit hideous. Sometime you really have to put your foot down to make it get going. When the engine kicks in, it’s much less of a trouble. This is existant in all the three i-DCD equipped models, Grace and Vezel also. Another thing that a felt is that due to the high amount of torque generated by the motor, the car is a bit hard to control during small manevours and specially entering into a garage with a bump. You’ll have to be a bit carefull or otherwise the car will jump forward.
Around the town the car is a breeze to handle due to low turning radius and light steering.
Comfort
When compared with an Aqua, the ride is pretty comfortable, but not as a sedan with softer suspension setting, such as an Axio Hybrid. The seats are on the firm side and the suspension too, but for me the car feels a bit more comfortable than the Aqua. Also the seats hold you better when cornering providing good side support. One thing that you’ll notice is the amount of leg space for the both front and rear occupents when considering the size of the car. It’s really adorable.
One day I drove a Fit from Kadawatha to Kegalle and after the journey I felt a bit tired which I never felt in my 121. That’s due to the stiffer suspension and a bit higher road noise levels since it’s a hatch.
Interior Quality
Most of the materials used are hard plastic. But the finish makes it feel a bit more upmarket. The door panels and dash are nicely finised with silver accents and piano black insertings, so I find the car to be miles ahead when compared with Aqua, Vitz and even the 3rd Gen Prius.
The car has much more options such as paddle shifters, brake hold and LCD colour multi information display.
Interesting Features and facts
-The climate control system is touch sensitive, which cannot be seen on far more expensive car models. It’s really cool, but sometimes a bit harder to control on the move.
-During a hard braking, the signal lights alert the rear driver by doing fast pulses.
-When you pass 100kmph, there is not much power left.
-Just like most Honda’s the original speakers are really good. Make sure to use a good head unit or keep the original japanese one than replacing with a crappy chinses head unit.
Overall the GP5 is a car that I really love to drive and would fit a small family with kids nicely. The economy is good but not good as an Aqua. But beware of the dual clutch system and the hybrid battery when you are buying one.
This review is based on my personal experiences and other people might have different opinions. If there is anything wrong or inappropriate please let me know. Also that this review is not sufficient as a deciding factor for a new car since it omly covers about the brief time period of driving experience but not MAINTENANCE AND DAILY DRIVING. Looking forward for your comments?Thank you for reading!
Cheers!
-alpha17-
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