Honda's Fit is an economical and flexible little hatchback geared towards customers who live active, busy lifestyles. Being a Honda means its safe, reliable and sensible- and being a hatchback means that it's infinitely useful to a variety of people from single students to young couples to families looking to downsize from a minivan.

A do it all superstar
Fit is produced in six factories around the world and sold in well over 100 countries, making it an international small-car superstar. After all, this sort of machine jumps boundaries of culture and age with its unquestionable utility and fun-to-drive character. Don't let its small size fool you, either- as Honda says that 'small is the new big'.

The 2008 Honda Fit starts at $14,980.

Surprisingly roomy and clever
They serious? Yep. Your husky 5'10 correspondent could share the cabin with four identically-sized twins in comfort. Both rows of seating are easy to access-the front slightly snug and the rear surprisingly roomy. There's a large, deep cargo hold behind the back row, and the 'magic seating' system folds any which way to accommodate your gear if a full compliment of passengers aren't on board. The seats are thin and lack a top-notch level of support, but they aren't uncomfortable.

Honda engineers are wizards at finding storage spaces anywhere imaginable, so the interior is jammed with a generous helping of cupholders, cubby-holes and compartments for your camera, cell phone, wallet, CD's, and iPod. Space aplenty for anything is no problem, though some may wish for a covered centre console or an arm rest.

Fit and finish are good, and varying tones and textures are used to brighten up the cabin. Materials consist of the same hard plastic panels you'll find almost anywhere else for the price- but it's mostly so darn clever that even the most seasoned plastics aficionado won't mind.

Instruments are clear and sexy, and controls are all chunky, intuitive and easy to use. Fit's got an appreciably punchy stereo system installed for your tunes as well.

Eager but noisy performance
Powering Fit is a 1.5 liter, 109 horsepower VTEC engine with a single-cam valvetrain. Not a tire-melter by any stretch, but it is peppy and returns great fuel mileage. The tester drove the front wheels through a five-speed automatic with shift paddles mounted to the steering wheel.

Powering Fit is a 1.5 liter, 109 horsepower VTEC engine with a single-cam valvetrain.

On a 109 horsepower car, paddle-shfting is mainly a novelty- though the shift requests are reasonably quick and the 5 gears enable hesitation-free downshifts to make the tiny, rev-loving engine feel more willing. It's a noisy little unit though, especially at full throttle in the top of third when you'll wonder if it will ever shift up. Fit loves gear-hunting on long hills, too. Thankfully, shift quality is good- but learning to drive stick can save you $1,200 in this case.

Safe? Yes. Solid? Not so much
A full selection of airbags as well as antilock brakes are included as standard kit under Honda's 'Safety for Everyone' mantra. Fit's also earned top crash-test marks from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Being a Honda means its safe, reliable and sensible.

It's about as much protection as under-$20,000 buys, though the ride might make you think twice. It's somewhat noisy, and the tall body is easily pushed around by sidewinds. Certain conditions make Fit feel lighter than it really is- and there are competitors which exist with a more solid and planted feel.

No complaints arise during city driving. The Fit feels nimble and slips in and out of traffic easily. The responsive transmission benefits it here as well, while tall windows and a commanding driving position add up for great visibility. It's simple to park, though the turning radius was larger than expected.

Another international superstar
An interesting comparison to the Fit is to Saturn's new Astra. Comparably equipped, they're priced in the same ballpark, though their vast differences create an interesting contrast. Astra annihilates the Fit in the ride, handling, and braking departments- and its interior offers a far more premium feel as well. It's an upper-scale economy car for the driving enthusiast.

But Fit's transmission is far more responsive and aggressive, and the interior is easier to live with too. Astra's European heritage has given it a magnificent feel of solid quality for the money- but it falls way, way short on usable storage space and ease of use. The pair represents two different approaches, but they're worth checking out together.

Building one
The 2008 Honda Fit starts at $14,980 with a five-speed manual transmission, 14-inch wheels and a CD Player. An automatic transmission can be added for $1,200. The mid-range Fit LX adds air conditioning, cruise control and power accessories, this one starting at $17,380. The exciting Fit Sport tester comes loaded and starts around $19,600 with a five-speed manual. An updated model is expected in the near future as well.