Honda Canada tweaks the Fit to qualify for MPG rebate
When the Canadian government introduced its ecoAuto rebate program last spring, Honda wasn't happy. The plan set a threshold of 6.5L/100km for cars to qualify for the rebates. Unfortunately Honda's most efficient gas engine model, the Fit, got 6.6L/100km and so failed to qualify. To cover the gap, Honda offered a $1,000 rebate on their own as they went back to the drawing board. They optimized the operation of the Fit engine and got the mileage down to 6.5 for the 2008 model year so that at least the manual transmission version now qualifies for a rebate.
[Source: Globe and Mail]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
small-wee-wee 6:24PM (10/21/2007)
So now Honda can stop paying Fit owners the $1000 rebate. I wonder what exactly required tweaking.
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Joseph 4:48PM (10/21/2007)
They modified the transmission to get the higher mpg.
Go Honda!
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MikeW 8:08PM (10/21/2007)
Instead of putting a 6 speed stick, so that top gear can actually get highway mileage, Honda cheaps out and just finagles the gear ratios.
This reminds me of a quote from a movie, 'people operate on their perception of reality, instead of reality'
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Snowdog 11:01PM (10/21/2007)
They may have done nothing. We are talking 0.1L/100KM.
Many cars are not even tested, they just use manufacturer supplied numbers/estimates.
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MikeW 12:23PM (10/22/2007)
They could have jacked up the tire pressure for the test.
'Yes we of Honda canada recommend 50psi in the tires'
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MetroMPG.com 1:58PM (10/25/2007)
Sam, and Joseph: Honda Canada has NOT publicly stated what they did to improve the Fit's fuel consumption. NO mention of engine or transmission tweaks.
Which unfortunately lends support to Snowdog's theory that they in fact did nothing, and just fudged the numbers.
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