Sunday, March 02, 2008

Car buying, part deux

After some more research, I discovered, uh, stuff.
  1. Not only does the Honda Fit not have cruise control or an auxiliary audio jack, but the latter of those two can't even be put in as an aftermarket option--Honda did not build the base model with that in mind.
  2. The '08 Honda Fit is the last year of this model, which is seven years old. The '09 Fit is a complete redesign.
  3. The Yaris name is somewhat "artificial"--Toyota uses different names in most other countries. The Yaris 3-door hatchback is an even older model design than the Fit, going back to 1999 and called the "Vitz" in most countries. The coupe, however, is newer; it came out in 2006 and is called the Belta in most other countries. (Seriously, Toyota needs to hire somebody else to name their dang cars).
  4. There *is* a "5-door Yaris hatchback" which competes with the Fit much more equally in features, only it's not a Yaris--it's the Scion xD. Unfortunately, the base xD packs in so many features--like GPS and Pioneer speakers--that it's even pricier than the Fit. The xD doesn't have the Fit's advantages, but it does have the Yaris' advantages and is less boring than the coupe. It's also quite a bit more powerful without sacrificing MPG.
What it's looking like right now is a dead heat between the Fit and the Honda Coupe. I'm bugged by the fact that a new Fit is coming out. But if the Honda guys can offer me aftermarket cruise control, I might be sold.

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