Driving Sports

The 1970 Clean Air Act was, in its time, the most stringent emission standard in the world. Under the new law, the carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide levels in emissions of 1975- and 1976-model vehicles had to be at least 90% lower than for 1970 and 1971 models. That’s a massive leap forward in thinking.

What was considered a detriment by the U.S. auto industry, created a unique opening for a virtually unknown car maker out of Japan: Honda. In 1972 it debuted a car equipped with the first new motor designed for the stringent requirements. That motor was dubbed the CVCC, but since it’s impossible to pronounce words without any vowels, Honda eventually renamed the car the Civic.

The Civic is a monumentally important car, not only because of its contributions to air quality, but because it was my very first car. Yes, I was terrorizing my High School parking lot in a car that looked like an egg on wheels.

It was small and it had very little power to speak of, but it was indestructible. Which is a very good thing for any emotionally unstable teen (they’re all unstable) to be driving.

So why am I bringing up this particular history? Well, because lately I’ve been driving the 2009 Honda Fit Sport. And, though it’s already been out for a couple years, I have to admit this is the first time I’ve driven one. And, I am almost shocked to say it, but from the driver’s seat it seems to be very much the spiritual successor to my first car, which had already done 10 years of service when I received it as a hand-me-down: a 1978 Honda Civic.

Yes, it’s more comfortable, and yes it has more power. But in spite of advanced features like VTEC and computerized injection, the new Fit doesn’t really have much more power than the old ’78. You see the 117hp in this Fit Sport is almost a dead-knock to the 60 horsepower in my old Civic. How so? Average out the mass that each horsepower needs to move and the numbers practically even out: 80hp per ton for the 1,500 lbs Civic versus 90hp per ton for the 2,600 lbs Honda fit. Mass matters.

The comparisons don’t stop there, just like the old egg, the Fit Sport sips gas like a prude drinking Vodka and is about as comfortable as a bleacher seat during a High School pep rally. It’s really astonishing that with such progress there really hasn’t been, well, much progress.

Granted, the Fit’s gauges are out of the Starship Enterprise, and they’re cool. Also, you can bet the brakes in the new Honda seriously out-do the High School Special; stopping wasn’t the old ride’s strong point. Also, amorous adventures in the old 78 always required a bit of gymnastics. The new car’s jigsaw rear seats are very clever and allow for anything to make room in the back, be it luggage, a keg or a bit of necking. Here the Fit Sport would be a preferred choice for any college freshman.

In summary; if you’re young, enjoy Star Trek and find you have a need for a lot of space in your, er, shuttle, I will bet that this new car will serve you just as well as my ‘78 served me. If you want to date my daughter (when she’s 20), I’m going to loan you the keys to my Miata.