Honda Fit vs. Nissan Altima Review

Cost
The destination charge is a standard charge for transporting the vehicle from its point of origin to the dealer. It costs almost the same to get the Honda to the dealership as the Nissan Altima. In terms of fuel economy, the Honda Fit has the Altima beat. Producing an accurate gas mileage evaluation is so tricky that some think not even the federal government can do it, but it looks as though both the Honda Fit and the Honda Fit perform about similarly when it comes to gas mileage. In terms of MSRP, the Honda Fit costs substantially less than the Nissan.

Utility
Neither the Honda nor the Nissan Altima has a marked advantage regarding seating capacity.

Convenience
You'll most definitely have to take the Honda Fit for a fill-up more often than the Altima because of its tank size and fuel economy.

Comfort
While the front cabin in the Altima offers a bit more head room than the Honda Fit, there frankly isn't much of a difference. The Honda Fit is not particularly more spacious for your passengers than the Altima.

Dimensions
The Nissan Altima is tremendously more bulky than the Honda Fit. Your wallet will hurt more every time you fill up the Altima than the Honda Fit because of its larger tank. The Honda Fit fits in smaller parking spaces than the Altima. The Honda's shorter wheelbase may produce a less-settled highway ride but a more maneuverable feel in daily traffic than the Nissan Altima.

Performance
In terms of horsepower, the Altima packs quite a wallop and will knock the Fit down a few rungs. On the flip side, remember that high horsepower engines often command higher insurance premiums.

Handling
With its tighter turning circle, the Fit is quite certainly nimbler than the Altima, something to consider if you do a lot of city driving; however, remember that a vehicle with a tight turning circle may feel a bit twitchy on the highway.

Drivetrain
The Honda's engine is tremendously smaller than the Altima's. Remember that smaller engines can be stressed more; on the flip side, smaller engines are often cheaper to fix. Torque equals pickup, and the Nissan will have picked up and gone by the time the Honda Fit finally gets moving. The Honda could learn a lesson or two from the Altima in terms of pickup.

Warranty
The Nissan Altima and the Honda Fit have the same basic after-sale protection.