Honda Fit vs. Ford Focus: Compacts get good mileage, but which is best?

BY ROB DOUTHIT

Monday, October 20th 2008, 8:03 PM

Small cars are all the rage these days, thanks to their infrequent need to visit the gas pump. But many of today's gas sippers have other great qualities to appreciate. Such is certainly the case in today's matchup: the Honda Fit and Ford Focus. The sportiness isn't just skin deep. The Focus, built in Europe where it's sold wearing the Opel badge, is fun to drive thanks to taut steering and a tight suspension.

ROOMINESS

You want a small car, but you don't want to feel cramped. The good news is that with both of these, you can be comfortable. The Focus has nice head and leg room up front, and the back seats aren't too bad. The Fit's seating room is also good, but the interior feels just a tad more narrow.

ADVANTAGE: Focus

GAS MILEAGE

During our recent test drives of these cars, gas was running around $3.50 a gallon. That's far from cheap, but it beats the heck out of the $4 we have seen. Combine that price break with the terrific mileage we got from both of these and our wallets were feeling a little thicker than usual those few days. (Didn't last long, though).

The Fit has EPA numbers of 27 mpg city and 33 highway. In mostly city driving, we got a robust 29.

The Focus that we had, with a 2.0-liter engine and five-speed manual transmission, gets 24 and 35, according to EPA. We got about 26.

PERFORMANCE

We had driven the Fit a couple of years ago, after it first came out, and it exceeded our expectations with its acceleration and rigid suspension. We had the same reaction with the Focus. Some of the small cars on the market today have an acceleration that feels like they're towing a boat up a steep hill. Not so with these, which can take off swiftly on a moment's notice. Handling and braking were very good for both, as well.

ADVANTAGE: Even

LOOKS

The Fit is a five-door sedan that could be called cute. The Focus we drove was a four-door sedan that had a little bit of stylish flair, including some chrome accents on the sides. The interiors for both were practical, but not all that fancy.

ADVANTAGE: Focus

PRICE

The Fit, which had automatic transmission and a navigation system, was marked at $19,430. The Focus was $17,348 without those two goodies. Hard to say which really produces the most value. But if you look at quality of materials and resale value, you might give a slight edge to Honda.

ADVANTAGE: Fit

THE WINNER

An exceptionally close race, with the Fit finishing ahead by less than a nose. We preferred the design of the Focus, but with a little bit better gas mileage and a miniscule edge in value, we chose the Fit.