Honda’s all-new Fit (Jazz) compact car has been revealed ahead of its world debut at next month’s Tokyo Motor Show and eventual sale early next year. The new model shares a striking resemblance to the one it will be replacing, including its angular headlights and tall roofline. The new car does, however, sport a smoother overall shape, new grille and new taillights.
Though official details are yet to be released, we can assume the car will be powered by a range of small capacity petrol engines including a possible 1.3L unit and larger 1.5L version. There’s rumor Honda may even launch a hybrid version of the Fit as well as a diesel variant for European markets.Transmissions
The 1.2 and 1.4-litre models are equipped with an evolution of the previous 5-speed manual transmission with gear ratios optimised for a more sporty driving experience while ensuring good fuel economy.
Key improvements include a revised clutch pedal stroke, carbon-type synchroniser on third gear to minimise shift load, crisper shifting through reduced clutch disc inertia and improved refinement.
Manual transmission-equipped models feature the new SIL (Shift Indicator Light) within the centre of the rev counter, also found on the latest Honda Accord. Providing the driver with a visual prompt of the best gear shift points to maximise economy, it has been demonstrated to provide meaningful fuel economy improvements.
i-SHIFT (6-speed automated manual transmission)
As well as a 5-speed manual gearbox, the 1.4-litre engine can be teamed up with Honda's latest i-SHIFT transmission. The first time a 6-speed automated manual transmission has been offered in this vehicle class, the gearbox offers better fuel economy than is possible with either a true automatic or a CVT (continuously variable transmission).
The unit is a development of the system first fitted to the Civic, with improvements made including; reduced gear change times, smoother shifts and more intelligent automatic mode shift logic.
