Does Honda Fit "fit" our snow and ice climate? (shops, trains)

[manbylake]

Cute car! Love to drive a Honda Fit. But the big question I have is does Honda Fit do well with our winter roads. Owners of Honda Fit, what's your experience?

This includes navigating snow-covered roads, slippery conditions, accelerating in snow, etc.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by manbylake

Cute car! Love to drive a Honda Fit. But the big question I have is does Honda Fit do well with our winter roads. Owners of Honda Fit, what's your experience?

This includes navigating snow-covered roads, slippery conditions, accelerating in snow, etc.

Honda's get great gas mileage partially because they are close to the ground. The fit is exceptional close. Cars don't do well in the snow if they are pushing snow. You will be fine most of the winter days because MN DOT does an exceptional job of plowing. Not so well in parking lots and some off roads.

With a shorter wheel base, you get the less body flex. Less body flex isn't a problem but it usually means it's rough with our terrible roads roads. The sporty better looking model may also have stiffer suspension which isn't ideal with our pothole roads.

Next up, I like my odds in a bigger car JUST in case I get into an accident. Body shops patiently wait for some blizzards for a spike in business (they really do). If everyone drove a Fit, then you are in good shape. Look around you. 50% of MN vehicles are trucks and SUV's. K.E.= 1/2m*V^2. M (mass) in the formula for kinetic energy is important. Because there are so many big trucks on the road, I want some more metal around me because 50% of the accidents you get into will be a big vehicle. So it depends how good of a driver you are. I have been driving for 32 years and I have never gotten into an accident with another car (backed into a pole though). But I also drive a 4 wheel drive during the winter. I pass by a lot of people in the ditch when the storms hit.

[rzzz]

MNDOT might do ok with the highways but city streets have been awful this year.
Personally, I do not like driving compact cars like the FIT here in the winter.

[codydog2]

I have had one here for 6 years. The stock tires were horrible in winter. The newer models may be better. I got a good set of winter tires and dont have problems getting around. I see them all over the metro even in winter so I dont really think it is a big issue.

[rzzz]

Snow tires really help on all drive trains. They are not popular in Minnesota, probably because they are expensive and not strictly necessary, but they really are night and day, even compared to all weather tires.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by rzzz

Snow tires really help on all drive trains. They are not popular in Minnesota, probably because they are expensive and not strictly necessary, but they really are night and day, even compared to all weather tires.

+1. But you really need to see how low the Fit's clearance is. It's not like most cars.

[aus1ander]

Originally Posted by rzzz

Snow tires really help on all drive trains. They are not popular in Minnesota, probably because they are expensive and not strictly necessary, but they really are night and day, even compared to all weather tires.

+2

You can drive any car in winter here as long as you have good winter tires. AWD/4WD will only help you get going from a full stop, but its the tires that improve your handling around curves/turns and improve stopping on snow and ice.

I keep a dedicated set of wheels with winter tires. The shop where I bought my winter tire set stores the wheels for free.

A Honda Fit would be perfectly fine on our roads with good winter tires.

[aus1ander]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

+1. But you really need to see how low the Fit's clearance is. It's not like most cars.

Thats true, the Fit is low, but most of the time you'd be driving on main roads that are at least partially plowed. While the city streets in both cities were terrible the last couple weeks, it wasn't because of unplowed snow. It was the ice pack and ruts that follow it.

[icicles]

Honda fit will easily handle the snow in MN. I drove an Aveo there for 5 years, 1 year on bald tires, and easily survived an entire winter. Learn how to keep momentum and not stop, steer out of problems (don't hit brake), and be a defensive driver, even if you have the green, do the two way look before going.

[aus1ander]

Originally Posted by icicles

I drove an Aveo there for 5 years, 1 year on bald tires, and easily survived an entire winter. Learn how to keep momentum and not stop, steer out of problems (don't hit brake), and be a defensive driver, even if you have the green, do the two way look before going.

This is fine advise as long as you stay away from me (or any other people who drive with children in their car). Good lord. I can deal with people driving on AT tires in winter, but knowingly driving with bad tires with no tread in winter is negligence.