How Much to Rebuild a 2008 Honda Fit Engine
The efficient Honda Fit is a hatchback designed to lessen stops at the pumps. Here's what's under the hood to make it all possible.
The Honda Fit is a subcompact hatchback that offers fantastic fuel economy and surprising room for the car's size. Many used-car shoppers will find that the Fit is the perfect fit for them.
Whether you're looking for a small and simple daily commuter that won't need too many stops at the pump, or you're after a new road-tripping companion that offers ample storage for basic luggage while retaining substantial fuel economy numbers, this versatile little hatchback is likely the exact solution you need.
The Honda Fit hit the U.S. market in 2007. The lovable little compact received its first refresh with the 2015 model, and it stayed with us through the 2020 model year. Unfortunately, after that, Honda decided to pull the Fit from the U.S. market.
Both generations of the Honda Fit found in the U.S. come with a 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine. But there are a couple of differences between the generations that we'll get into shortly.
Regardless of those changes, though, both generations of the Honda Fit offer fantastic fuel economy numbers with some variants even reaching as high as 40 miles per gallon.
Let's take a look at the engine specs of each generation and break it all down. That way, if you're in the market for either generation of the Honda Fit, you'll know what you want to look out for when shopping for your new bite-sized car.
Honda L15A Engine Launches the Fit
The 2007 through 2013 model year Fits have the Honda L15A inline four-cylinder engine.
The L15A engine is a single-overhead-camshaft (SOHC) engine with an aluminum cylinder block and cylinder head. This engine is more suited for typical city driving rather than performance. So, Honda engineers equipped long intake runners on the intake manifold to increase torque in the lower rev range.
Additionally, the engine uses 16-valves and is equipped with Honda's VTEC variable valve timing system to optimize fuel use.
In the 2007 and 2008 Honda Fit, the L15 engine made 109 horsepower and 105 lb.-ft. of torque. But the 2009 Honda Fit saw the power increase to 117 horsepower and 106 lb.-ft. of torque, where it would remain throughout the production of this Honda Fit until the end of the 2013 model year.
Both power variants see great fuel economy ratings, according to the EPA. The lower power output models of 2007 and 2008 see up to 28 mpg city and 34 mpg highway when equipped with a manual transmission.
Automatic variants see numbers up to 27 mpg city and 33 mpg highway.
In 2015, one YouTuber attempted to see how far he could get on one tank of gas in a Honda Fit and claims to have traveled over 600 miles.
The higher horsepower models get similar numbers with the manual variants seeing up to 27 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. Additionally, automatic versions get up to 28 mpg city and 35 mpg highway.
L15B Engine Increases Fuel Efficiency
With the introduction of the newer generation Fit came some technology updates for increased fuel efficiency. Though the L15 engine platform remains the same, 2013 and newer model year Honda fits come equipped with the L15B engine.
The engine construction remains mostly unchanged, but the L15B engine uses two camshafts instead of one, making it a dual-overhead-camshaft (DOHC) engine.
Another big technological leap in the engine upgrade for this generation is the use of direct injection, where the fuel is injected directly into the cylinders rather than into the intake manifold like standard electronic fuel injection systems. This allows for more precise fuel use and increases fuel efficiency.
Power saw a substantial increase with the introduction of this generation of the Honda Fit. The new DOHC direct-injected inline four-cylinder engine is good for 130 horsepower and 114 lb.-ft. of torque.
The fuel economy takes a massive leap as well. This is not only due to the increased efficiency of the engine but also Honda's addition of a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
A manual transmission, however, was offered throughout the production run of this generation, too. If you're after the best fuel economy, though, the CVT transmission is the one you'll want, according to the EPA.
The manual variant still generates fuel economy numbers that are nothing to sneeze at with up to 29 mpg city and 36 mpg highway. But CVT-equipped models see ratings as high as 33 mpg city and 40 mpg highway.
The CVT is definitely worth the additional fuel economy if you're just planning on using it for running around town. And folks more on the car enthusiast side of things are likely to sacrifice those extra miles per gallon for the fun addition of a manual transmission. Either way, Kelley Blue Book seemed to like the Fit in its video review.
Honda Fit Electric Motor Debuts in 2013
Though it was a very limited vehicle, it is certainly worth noting. For both the 2013 and 2014 model year, a fully electric Honda Fit EV was available in minimal numbers.
According to Car and Driver, the Fit EV could not be purchased. It was only available for lease and only in the states of California and Oregon.
The electric motor made up to 123 horsepower and 183 lb.-ft. of torque. However, power levels changed depending on which drive mode the car was in.
The 2013 Honda Fit EV got EPA ratings of 132 mpg equivalent city and 105 mpg equivalent highway. In addition, Car and Driver got a range of 63 miles on a full charge.
Honda decided to end the production of the Honda Fit EV after the 2014 model year.
Honda Fit Engine Issues
As you might expect with a four-cylinder Honda engine built for efficiency, these engines have very few issues. Honda is notorious for its stout engines and trustworthy reliability.
In fact, the majority of complaints from Honda Fit owners are related to issues that do not pertain to the engine, according to Repair Pal.
The most outstanding engine issue is simply stuttering while driving with a check engine light on the dash. This is likely due to faulty or failing ignition coils or spark plugs. This is something that happens to many engines and is a simple and inexpensive repair.
Repair Pal gives the Fit a 4.5 out of five-star rating in terms of reliability and states that issues regarding the car only have an eight percent chance of being a severe or major issue.
Obviously, the Honda Fit is still susceptible to typical engine issues like failing gaskets, leaks, and other things that come with an aging engine.
In general, though, a Honda Fit is a car one can consider beyond trustworthy and makes for a great choice for shoppers looking to get a newer and highly efficient car on a relatively small budget. Especially considering Repair Pal's under-$400 annual repair estimate.
As always, be sure to run the vehicle's VIN through our free VIN checking tool to insure a car you're looking at is free of accidents or theft-related issues!
Used Honda Fit: An Affordable, Reliable Option
Effectively, the Honda Fit is a great option for someone looking for a new daily driver that doesn't plan on any sort of extreme driving conditions like off-road use.
If you're planning on staying on the roads and want to benefit from an extremely efficient yet still fun-to-drive vehicle, the Honda Fit is perfect for you.
Furthermore, there's a Honda Fit for a wide range of budgets. According to Kelley Blue Book's fair market range, shoppers can obtain older Honda Fit models for around $4,000.
Additionally, shoppers can find model years as new as 2019 under $15,000, if you look carefully.
Even if you are on the lower end of the budget, a well-maintained Honda Fit can last hundreds of thousands of miles without needing any major repairs. So, rest easy when shopping for this remarkable little car.
Photos: Honda
Frequently Asked Questions
Sep 25, 2021
Is the Honda Fit a reliable vehicle?
The Honda Fit gets a reliability rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from J.D. Power which puts it in 4th place in terms of overall reliability. These are known to be reliable cars that can last a very long time as long as you take care of them.
At the end of the day, a vehicle is only as reliable as its owner. The most important thing you can do to help a Honda Fit stay reliable and last a long time is getting the scheduled maintenance done. When you defer maintenance it can lead to more wear and tear on your engine and driveline components which will cause them to fail prematurely. It is also a good idea to not push the vehicle too hard, if you consistently take the vehicle to redline it will also cause more wear and tear.
If you are in the market for a subcompact car the Fit should be high on your list. These have the legendary Honda reliability while also being great around town and on the highway.
Why was the Honda Fit discontinued?
Honda has decided to remove the Fit from its lineup after the 2020 model year. The main reason that they are discontinuing the Fit is due to declining sales of the subcompact car. As of 2020 sales were down nearly 20 percent from the year before and it just makes it not worth it for Honda to keep producing the vehicle.
Many potential Fit buyers have moved to the HR-V since it is in the same price category, but is more of a crossover compared to the Fit being a hatchback. Buyers these days tend to be more interested in SUVs and crossovers because they have a higher seating position and are more practical when you need to haul things.
Ultimately the Fit was due for an update since it had been in production since 2014 and Honda just did not want to update it for the United States due to the lack of sales. The Fit will still be offered in Japan, China, and Europe, but it just wasn't Honda's most popular vehicle in the United States.
Are Honda Fits expensive to repair?
The Honda Fit is very affordable to repair. The average annual maintenance costs on a Fit are $375 to $400 depending on labor rates in your area. This is substantially below the $500 to $700 national average across all cars, and it is even below the average of $450 for subcompact competition to the Fit.
Honda vehicles are known for being reliable and affordable to work on. Their low overall cost of ownership is one of the things that makes them very appealing to people that want a reliable car that will not break the bank. There are plenty of parts available for the Fit since it shares its driveline with other Honda cars so parts should always be affordable.
If you want a subcompact vehicle that has some storage room at the back then the Fit is a great one to look at. This hatchback from Honda is an affordable vehicle to own and it can handle all the things that most owners would need to do.
How Much to Rebuild a 2008 Honda Fit Engine
Source: https://www.vehiclehistory.com/articles/honda-fit-engine
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