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First, a disclaimer: Usually, when someone asks me which car, motorcycle or ATV to get, it is easy enough to tell them to have a look at Honda. Simply put, Honda makes excellent machines. However; after testing a few Civics and Fits, I can tell you that one of them makes little sense next to the other. Sorry.

When looking at the best Honda economy car for the money – the lower trim, Honda Civic is a disappointment when compared to the Fit.

Many Civic loyalists are probably looking up my private address as you read this as they would heartedly disagree. But hear me out, the point here is to find the most (and best) for the money. After carefully driving and evaluating both the Civic and the Fit, I was stunned with the results: the lower level Civic is not that great when your other choice is the Fit.

Here were my parameters: I wanted to look at Hondas for Hyundai prices. Basically, I was looking for a cheap Honda model that was frugal, utilitarian, comfortable and fun. The Civic won the “fun” category with more horsepower and fantastic road manners, but the three other categories were owned by the Fit.

The cheap, comprehensibly equipped Civic LX was priced above $17,000 with the manual transmission and a sweet 140-hp (128 pound-feet of torque), 1.8-liter, single overhead cam engine. This was a basic package that included a160-Watt stereo, power windows and door-locks and air conditioning. At a relatively low weight of 2628 lbs, the Civic needs one horsepower per every 19 pounds, which isn’t bad.

Getting horsepower out of most 4 cylinder Honda engines requires you to rev it high and the Civic is no exception. You make the most power and torque between 4300 and 6300 RPM and getting it to zip through the tachometer is quick. The engine noises are satisfying and you get one of the best shifting 5 speed transmissions available.

The Fit Sport (which is the higher end Fit model) comes in at around $16,000 nearly fully loaded. You get a sweet(ish)109-hp (105 pound-feet of torque), 1.5-liter, 16-valve single overhead cam engine, an excellent 5 speed manual, 200-Watt stereo, power windows and door locks and air conditioning.

This wee little engine puts out its maximum horsepower at 5800 RPM and maximum torque at 4800 RPM. The 2432 lbs means this little guy has to produce one horsepower for about every 22 lbs. So, a little more power is required to move the Fit than then Civic. Even with more horsepower, the Civic still gets slightly better mileage than the Fit.

All technical points aside, the bottom line is that the Civic is not only a better driver’s car than the Fit; it makes such an excellent platform that you can use it for everything from the thrifty Civic Hybrid to the screaming fast Civic Si, very impressive indeed.

So, what’s all the hullabaloo about the Fit being, potentially, a better choice? I mean, they are only a grand or so apart in price and both have the Honda name to bank on, right?

Sit in the cars and go through your daily routine. By the time you have had a day to spend with both vehicles you may not see this as such a cut and dry decision. For one thing, the Fit is far more accommodating inside. The comfort and layout is vastly superior to the Civic’s and the Fit’s utility blows the Civic’s away.

Consider the rear space: The Civic LX rear seat is one solid piece that folds partially flat. If you had a long item to bring home in the LX, you better have only one passenger. The Fit’s rear seats fold separately and move in several directions to free up a low, flat, usable trunk or even a huge space once the rear seats are flipped down.

Loading children, groceries, etc. is much easier with the Fit. Its taller roof and hatch back rear give the Fit a small, SUV like cargo capacity. The gas tank was re-located to go under the front seats, freeing up a considerable amount of space under the rear seats (which is where the gas tank normally resides in small cars).

Driving the Civic, you are in a low, sports car like position with a steeply raked windshield and two levels of gauges that float above and below the steering wheel’s upper path. This allows you to look at your speed or gas by glancing just above the steering wheel – neat!

Unfortunately, that low position comes at a price for anyone over 6 feet tall. The low slung roof with the lower side roof upper sills makes ingress and egress unpleasant (banged my head a few times) and the height adjustment on the driver’s seat gives you little vertical flexibility. The E-brake is moved further forward and in about ½ the length of a conventional one. By placing it so close to the shifter (it’s next to it) it banged into my knee as I modulated the gas pedal.

The road view was less than pleasant in the Civic and I felt like a U-Boat commander every time we hit a puddle – it’s that low. On the good side, understanding the dimensions of the car seems ingrained into the steering wheel. Once you begin maneuvering, you get a quick and accurate feel for the Civic’s poise. The road-feel is excellent. It’s a shame the seating position takes away from the experience.

In the Fit, you sit on a much more comfortable perch with lots of headroom. Although the set up is less sports-car like than the Civic, it is easier to see out, drive and park the Fit. Its big windows and well placed mirrors make maneuvering in parking lots a snap. The steering feel is not as well executed as the Civic’s, but the Fit still gives you a clear picture of what your front tires are doing.

What makes the Fit so compelling is that it gives you so much in a little package. It is a genuinely fun car to drive and many find its styling handsome – or even cute. Using my high altitude, special mountain route (the one I use year-round for evaluations), I made a startling discovery. On the testing loop, the Fit was only two seconds behind the Civic LX! This is a winding road that requires lots of second to third shifting after squirting out of sharp curves in first gear.

In the driver’s seat, I was amazed at how poised the little Fit was. It reminded me of some of the cool hot hatches from the 80’s and 90’s from Europe. Once you got the revs up, the Fit dips and dives around the corner with aplomb. As long as you keep the engine boiling, you can use the throttle to maximize your grip just as you find the apex of the curve.

The Civic is more buttoned down and rewarding to the touch, but its wider proportions and longer wheelbase make it less nimble in the tight hair-pins and quick zigzags. The tradeoff is an overall ride that is more compliant – but not by much.

During commuting and rush-hour traffic, the Fit surprised again with its ease of maneuverability and fantastic sight-lines. The Civic was less impressive and I struggled to see over any trunk or hood that was higher than the Civic, and most are.

If I had to buy a cheap Honda today, it would definitely be the Fit Sport. If it had about 30 more horsepower and a more aggressive suspension, I would buy one today. If anybody is considering buying the cheaper Civic, I would recommend the Fit instead. If you are interested in the Fit Sport, you may consider waiting as there is a new Fit coming in about a year which is supposed to be even better.

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