Honda Fit hybrid not coming to the U.S.
Click the new Fit for a high res gallery
Over the past year, Honda officials have spoken extensively about plans for hybrid vehicles to be added to the lineup. Starting next spring, a new hybrid-only five door hatchback that looks like a scaled down version of the FCX Clarity will debut at a price expected to be less than $19,000. That will be followed by a second dedicated hybrid coupe based on the CR-Z concept. The Civic hybrid will also be staying in the U.S. lineup. What U.S. buyers won't be getting is a fourth model that has been mentioned by CEO Takeo Fukui. Honda will add its IMA hybrid system to the Fit, but only for the Japanese market. During the recent media drive of the new 2009 Fit, I asked spokesman Sage Marie when the Fit hybrid would be arriving. Marie explained that because of supply constraints of the Fit, there were no current plans to bring the hybrid model to the U.S. Much like the MINI Cooper D that is already selling at capacity, Honda is selling every existing Fit it can get, and adding another variant wouldn't likely help the business case. American buyers have shown a preference for a dedicated hybrid and Honda plans to attack that segment with two new cars in 2009.
Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit Sport
[Source: Honda]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
barry 11:07AM (8/22/2008)
I just ask myself why can't they build more fit's and make the hybrid or diesel available to us starved here in the U.S. for the right kind of cars.I just don't know if I can wait for the volt or the MIEV or??
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Dustin 4:00PM (8/22/2008)
It's called maximum capacity. There are six factories manufacturing the Fit, and the U.S. is just one of over 115 countries to receive the Fit.
amg 11:13AM (8/22/2008)
That was so disappointing, my jaw dropped. I was thinking of a Fit hybrid to replace my wife's ailing/aging Sentra in a few years; now a part of me wants to scrap the idea of buying a Fit altogether in protest. Won't make a difference to Honda, though. Like the Civics in the 70s, they'll sell as many as they can make.
American automakers, this is your chance. Build a QUALITY, budget-priced, fuel-efficient alternative to the Fit and you'll clean up. The Focus doesn't match it for versatility and economy and the Aveo is garbage (I drove one as a rental and hope never to have to drive one again).
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Lou Grinzo 11:21AM (8/22/2008)
Very disappointing. But it still leaves open the question about pricing of the still-unnamed hybrid vs. the Civic. How are they going to sell Civic Hybrids with a much cheaper Prius clone sitting right next to it?
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amg 2:16PM (8/22/2008)
That's actually a great question, especially if the new hybrid is roughly the same size and configuration as the Civic Hybrid. My guess is that the Civic Hybrid will be geared towards people who want a car that is more responsive in terms of roadhandling and the dedicated hybrid will be more like the Prius: great for saving gas but not as fun to drive as a Civic.
macmanic 10:16PM (8/25/2008)
The new FCX inspired hatchback Honda hybrid will satisfy the Fit hybrid buyer and probably make many of them spend just a few $k more to get one.
Go CR-Z! I hope it is a hatchback with enough room to carry a bike in the back. What a great commuter fun car!
mynameisme 8:03AM (8/28/2008)
the prius is actually bigger than the civic, it is considered a mid-size where the civic is a compact. What i want is a hybrid like the insight, it would fit all my needs and could get amazing mileage or better yet an ev.
Rich 11:33AM (8/22/2008)
I don't understand why the US is the LAST place on the face of the earth to get these new higher MPG cars. I suspect a conspiracy.....
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ale 2:43PM (8/22/2008)
what do you mean "suspect," its gotten a point now that all hopes and dreams we have of something decent coming to this country is never going to happen. Once in a while, when something good here is made, you know something that saves gas or whatever, always gets bought off, which is sad. Still here's to the hope that something "slips" by.
Jimbo 12:07PM (8/22/2008)
Here's an idea, retool the plant that makes the Pilot, Ridgeline, and Odyssey. I can't imagine those vehicles are selling very well (ok, maybe not the Odyssey).
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Sam Abuelsamid 8:00PM (8/22/2008)
Actually, Honda is already doing just that. Production of the Pilot and Ridgeline is being removed from the Alliston Ontario plant and consolidated with the Odyssey at the Lincoln AL plant. Alliston will then switch over to building all Civics. In the future it's likely that Honda will further adjust the production mix based on demand.
Noz 1:57PM (8/22/2008)
I think it's clear what they are doing. They are going to challenge the Volt market....which to me is rather stupid.
They are making excuses...nothing more. They have no problems making a BILLION Civics.
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Steve 2:45PM (8/22/2008)
Of course, if this sort of decision was made by GM (eg. no North American Beat, Groove, etc) the ABG masses would up up in arms how the automaker is evil, stupid, etc. But those commenters have been curiously quiet on this news.
It makes total sense from an immediate business standpoint. Why bother adding expensive systems (to sell at a lower profit margin) to cars that are already selling like hotcakes?
My reaction was the same as what somebody else mentioned above: while a lack of hybrid doesn't detract from the Fit, the competitors' cars are looking less and less unappealing as they're improved upon.
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Throwback 2:46PM (8/22/2008)
Why should Honda offer a hybrid Fit 5 door, and a dedicated hybrid only 5 door in the same market? A hybrid Fit would cost the same as their under $19,000 hybrid only model, there is no need for both cars. As Toyota have shown most people who buy hybrids want everyone to know they are saving the planet. Honda's decision makes sense to me. You have a relatively low cost high mileage car (Fit), a high mileage realtively low cost Hybrid, and you have a Civic Hybrid for the folks who prefer a conventional car. That's an impressive line up all for under 23K.
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Gordio 3:02PM (8/22/2008)
What I hate about honda is they always sell cars they THINK will sell. They never go for "let's build it anyway and see who buys it".
Their marketing team also sucks. They said 70% of CRV buyers are female, which is wrong. They also thought 5% of fit buyers are getting the stick shift (while 2009, i think 20% will be stick shift after getting actual numbers from 2007 and 2008).
why can't they build the hybrid anyway in limited amounts, and see who buys it? i have a 2007 fit, and there is little incnetive for getting a 2009 one unless it comes with a diesel and/or hybrid. To me, if it came with that option, trading in my car is no doubt going to happen.
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stevefazek 6:45PM (8/22/2008)
This is why they are not broke like GM.
Yeah i would of loved a hybrid fit but you know what. Their new hybrid will be about the same size and price and format. Its pointless spending millions thats needed to get 2 very very similar cars on the market. like the US. other markets are cheaper to intro new cars.
rob 10:09PM (8/22/2008)
Having the Fit, Fit Hybrid, "Insight" and CRZ would make Honda's US small car model mix incredibly confusing. They'd probably cannibalize each other's sales more than they'd steal sales from other brands.
So this makes some sense on a couple of fronts.
Unless the dedicated hybrid looks like a total dork-mobile, it will likely be my next vehicle. Given it's supposed to take cues from the Clarity FCX, I suspect it's actually going to look pretty damned good, in a "Greetings citizen, I have just arrived from the future, can you direct me to a 'petroleum dispensing kiosk?'" kind of way...
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Michael 2:25AM (8/23/2008)
My knee-jerk reaction was "WTF STUPID".
Thinking about it more, though, I agree with rob, above. There would be TOO MANY cars in the same segment, all Hondas. Personally, I am really looking forward to the CR-Z.
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bill 10:44AM (8/25/2008)
The cost of a hybrid vehicle doesn't really pencil out when compared to a high miles per gallon non-hybrid vehicle. Hybrids make sense to those people bent upon saving the planet at any cost, but they don't make sense to cost conscious people who can do math. Honda's diesel engine currently being sold in Europe does intrigue me, though.
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Gary 11:29AM (8/25/2008)
The reason why this thing isn't coming to the U.S. is that the U.S. still enjoys cheap gas compared to other parts of the world.
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