Field Of Dreams (Part 4) - Honda Fit EV

You can’t even buy this car; you must lease it for $259 a month for 36 months. Now, doesn’t that sound a whole lot nicer than the advertised (but meaningless) price of $37, 415? No doubt, Honda thinks so. Last year it lowered the lease price from $389. Surely, this gold bleeds red ink.

It’s public record that we like the Fit as a hydrocarbon consumer, so the Fit EV has an automatic head start

It’s public record that we like the Fit as a hydrocarbon consumer, so the Fit EV has an automatic head start. It’s so trim and space efficient and, well, fir for universal duty as an enjoyable commuter. The trouble is that two key things we like best about the Fit, its 6800-rpm engine and its low price, are omitted from the Fit EV, which comes in one trim spec and one color. Hope you like blue.

The question is whether the Fit’s frisky charm can survive its powertrain trans-plant and associated weight gain of more than 700 pounds. The answer: mostly. It still stands apart from this crowd as a fun, tossable machine that feels lighter than what it has become. Alert steering and firm, responsive brakes make it easy to control, though a stiff suspension tune causes it to jump on rutted surface streets.

You have the option of driving in sport, normal, or eco modes, which alter the power delivery and range to some degree

At just 52 miles, the Fit’s range proved to be the shortest, though its consumption figures – both observed and government reported – are among the best. The 20.0-kWh battery, the second-smallest in the test, must take some blame. At least you get something for all those electrons moved: The Fit’s acceleration times were second-quickest.

You have the option of driving in sport, normal, or eco modes, which alter the power delivery and range to some degree. Eco will not get you to Vegas, but it might get you rear-ended. The Fit has the most noticeable noisemaker for safety. It’s a transporter-beam thrum that rises and falls with speed, causing several drivers to complain of motor noise.

Alert steering and firm, responsive brakes make it easy to control

Honda cut a middle path with data, employing some rudimentary display screens in the nav and instrument cluster but without going above or beyond. A simple meter with illuminated blue hash marks indicates how much power the traction motor is consuming relative to the accessories, while dull analog needles read out the battery state and power-versus-regen status. Two simplistic bar graphs provide consumption history, while the nav screen can display range on the map once you drill down into its menus. It also will show you the nearest charging stations. It’s not as easy to access as the Leaf’s, but at least it’s there.

What we like best about the Fit has been tampered with. What’s left is only good enough for third place.