How is the Honda Fit in Snow?

[edhackett]

Can any Honda Fit owners comment on how the Fit does on slick roads? Better or worse than the typical FWD?

My niece has one and is having a terrible time with it in our recent storms. She's a good driver and has experience in the snow, but the Fit has her in tears.

The first thing I'll check is the brand, type, and condition of the tires. It's an '08 Fit Sport bought early this spring.

Ed

 

[simple_gifts]

Quote:

The first thing I'll check is the brand, type, and condition of the tires.

+1; I drive a 2,100 lb car in the snow with not much problem.

But then there might be an argument of what "snow" is.

 

[heavyhitter]

I cannot speak of personal experience, but I know 2x people that have one and they both HATE it in the snow. They have a miserable time in the winter.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

Looks like there are two different series of tires on this car. The lower the number after the / the worse they most likely will perform in the snow. If she has the 45 series tires, that could very well be the issue.

 

[brentalan]

I've never driven one, but it looks kinda low to the ground, so I bet it can't do well in the deep stuff.

You are right to check the tires; Maybe get a good set of snow tires on there for winter. It really makes a huge difference.

 

[sciphi]

We've only driven ours in the snow with snow tires. It does just fine with the snows on. 185/55-16 snow tires with a 63f/37r weight distribution on a 2500 lb car with 109 ft/lbs of torque means there's very little wheelspin.

With the snows, it'll handle most stuff pretty well. It does manage to hit every 4" high ice chunk since ground clearance is only 5.5" or so at the high points.

Our Fit does fine on slick roads with the OEM Bridgestones. We'll likely put on the snows in a few weeks or so. Once it's really cold out.

 

[94MaxGXE]

Reno Nevada has snow? Even Michigan does not have snow yet!
Take it from me, a long time Michigander, if the tire has less then 6-7/32 on it, you are not going to be happy in the snow.

 

[hemitom]

I have a kia rio5, i know its not the same car as the fit, but with the stock all seasons the car was terrible in snow, fitted with four blizzacks the car became a mini 4x4. With the stock tires i had to get a run at the drive way to make it in and this was with only 1 to 2 inchs of snow the tires would just sit on top of the snow and spin. With the snow tires i can push snow with the bumper until i bottom out, and as long as the tires can dig down to solid ground i can back out with out getting stuck.

 

[bullwinkle]

Dedicated studless winter tires are worth their weight in GOLD for RWD & FWD cars, ESPECIALLY for inexperienced drivers!

 

[hemitom]

When she does get snow tires, MAKE SURE SHE GETS 4 running 2 is just as bad as not running any.

 

[eljefino]

The narrow wheel track may also be doing it in. If the fit is not in everyone else's ruts, or if it's in one rut but not the other, it's going to pull and be a general nightmare.

This is where conforming to averages, IE everyone else's vehicle helps. My cutlass ciera fit the ruts better than my saturn.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Dedicated studless winter tires are worth their weight in GOLD for RWD & FWD cars, ESPECIALLY for inexperienced drivers!


Absolute truth. Tires are the clincher.

Our snow started Sunday. Then really got going last night. And then got really cold. 19°F and it's 6:30 PM! SNOW Tires for the Odyssey arrived yesterday. 235/65R16 Bridgestone Blizzak WS70's from Tire Rack. I got home to find them sitting the driveway (Stupid, lazy UPS) They could have brought them to the shop or front porch and pushed the door bell!! Anyway - I put them on on the dark cold last night. Wife was tooling about today - no issues. Snow tires make the difference!

EDIT - didn't see any FIT's that were "Seattle walkaways" today....a bunch of 4X4's though!

 

[Bill in Utah]

Around here the Fits don't do real well due to low ground clearance and too wide low profile tires. Snows help but you still have the tire profile and clearance issues.

Once the plows are out slush is still a problem but they get around.

I've got a few co-workers with one and they don't like it too much when it snows.

Bill

 

[Quest]

I'm still on all-seasons (yeah, put the money on snows for my wifey--she travels 40miles to work and back on hilly terrains in her Camry)...and no problem in my fit even though it's -17C out there right now...yeah, it's icy but snow has been cleared.

Ground clearance has never been and issue and one shouldn't compare a fit to, say, a subie forrester AWD dee to fundamental differences in ground clearances, AWD, etc.

Q.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
The narrow wheel track may also be doing it in. If the fit is not in everyone else's ruts, or if it's in one rut but not the other, it's going to pull and be a general nightmare.

This is where conforming to averages, IE everyone else's vehicle helps. My cutlass ciera fit the ruts better than my saturn.


I used to run studded snow tires on the front of an '86 ciera i had. It would go through anything including sheets of ice. you just had to make sure the not to hit the brakes too hard as the front end would grip!! I kept them in the trunk as i was on call for duke med center at the time.I kept them in the trunk and i could throw them on if we had freezing rain.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: heavyhitter
I cannot speak of personal experience, but I know 2x people that have one and they both HATE it in the snow. They have a miserable time in the winter.


Our integra was horrible in the snow.

Any car that is geared for "sportiness" is going to have too jumpy a first gear to easily modulate in those conditions.

 

[odie]

We use studded COOPER tires on all wheels for both YARIS . World of difference in snow and on ice . Figure the cost of $400 for 4 studded tires lessen the risk of wrecking the car with all season tires . Keep them inflated at 36 p.s.i.and check pressure every week or so. Are noisier and mileage drops a few miles to the gallon , but worth having better control, especially on ice . Learned the hard way when younger by kissing a few gaurd rails with all season tires when doing deliveries . Went to studded snows and sticked with them since . No gaurd rails of yet . We've owned nothing but small cars over the years . COLTs ( 13" ), FESTIVAs ( 12" ) , CHEVY Novas ( Corolla )(13") , etc.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Dedicated studless winter tires are worth their weight in GOLD for RWD & FWD cars, ESPECIALLY for inexperienced drivers!



Yes, they work pretty well on those small cars...

 

[edhackett]

A bit more info. The car has 195/55-15 Yokohama YK520's. I won't get to see how worn they are for a couple of days.

She's been through worse with no problems in her Camry and her mom's Accord is getting around with no problems. The Fit is like a Bambi on ice.

Ed

 

[Jeepster_nut]