Honda Fit survival equipped?

Like the flexible, high mileage aspects of the Honda Fit. Impressed by the amount of interior room for such a small vehicle. Road clearance an issue. Not a tow vehicle.

Anybody kitted this vehicle out as a sort of mini-RV / survival-outfitted vehicle??

Thanks.

In my experience, the biggest problem for something like a Honda Fit would be ground clearance. At <6" it can have trouble with some potholes, never mind if you need to go over a curb or go off-road at all. It also lacks any sort of physical limited slip, locking differential, 4x4, and/or awd system.....again severely limiting where it can go.

The second biggest issue is the size of the fuel tank. At 10.6 gallons, you're lucky to get 350 miles to a tank, even with the Fits relatively good fuel economy. (Which you won't get if you have to load the vehicle up and travel in traffic to get out of a dangerous area.) Your average pickup or suv gets worse fuel economy, but has a significantly greater driving range (thus giving you a better chance of getting far away from a dangerous area before having to worry about refueling).

The final hurdle is durability. The Fit simply wasn't designed for very rigorous use. Payload capacity is only about 800lbs depending on equipment level. You throw a couple people in there with gear and survival equipment and you can easily max that out. That, in turn, puts a lot of stress on some very important parts of the vehicle (like the powertrain, frame, and crummy low-rolling resistance tires they use). It's also going to reduce the ground clearance further, making the vehicle even more vulnerable. By comparison, something like even Ford's little Transit Connect commercial van is rated for double that amount of payload, as it was designed with more rigorous usage in mind.

All in all, unless you are going to do extensive modifications to the Fit, I would say there are plenty of better choices out there.

A better choice from Honda would be their CR-V. It has more interior room, greater range, greater payload, more ground clearance, it can tow up to 1500lbs, has AWD, has a better weight distribution, and is still plenty small and nimble. On the downside it gets slightly worse fuel economy (25 combined vs. 30 combined) and is more expensive, but I feel both are worthy trade-offs for what one gets in return.

So has anyone done the mods?

The durability issue seems odd given the high Consumer Reports reliability ratings.

To have a sensible discussion it would be well to define some terms, and decide just what it is one expects it to survive.



If you wish to have a Fit sized off road vehicle, consider getting a Honda big red . It is designed for hooning, and will probably tolerate doing it better than the Fit.

To be honest, I never really have thought of being in a "survival situation" with a car, but more likely BECAUSE of my car.

I'm talking about those who drive through remote areas - and their car stops working, and they are forced to wait for assistance or walk out.

From a mini-RV perspective, can one lay down in a vehicle that small? I would think that would be the primary function of a mini-RV setup.

How would you handle ventilation sleeping in a vehicle - without getting overwhelmed by bugs? (now I'm thinking of a non-survival situation - just "camping")

+1. Could the OP be more specific? From the perspective of a hiker/climber/backpacker, 800 lbs of payload seems impossibly luxurious - "survival with bling" if you will....

They're neat cars. Really, any vehicle will work. But if you want something you can sleep in, I'd go with an old extended cab Toyota pickup w/camper shell. Something like this guy did.

http://cheaprvliving.com/Survivalist_Truck_Dweller.html

Really want to give a clean slate for ideas.

The Fit has a long/tall seating option where the passenger and second seat lay relatively flat to give well over 7 feet of room, which opens up sleeping possibilities.

I have a 2008 Fit Sport and have gone on many 1-2 week road trips with it in the last 4 years. Interstates, Forest Service roads, and everything in-between. Mine is pretty much stock and I usually sleep in a tent or hammock versus in the vehicle so I can't directly answer your question but here are a few of my 'observations' so to speak

Pros:
- good MPG (manual transmission for better power control and MPG, auto is not so great in the '08's)
- runs like a champ, low maintenance costs.
- good seating config options (more below).
- front seats can be reclined to line up with the front of the rear seats making it possible to stretch out more. Headrest must be removed and cargo stowed out of the way first. Your average sized bicycle will stow, without removing the wheels, behind the front seats with the backseats folded up.
- you can sleep in the back without messing with the front seat fold down option if you fold down the back seat instead.
- hatchback in the raised position makes a good out of the elements spot to sit or stand and change in, cook on the ground under, load/unload without getting soaked, etc. It has better coverage than a truck cap's rear door. Rear interior light can be safely disabled by temporarily jamming hatch mechanism with a stick enabling you to leave it open for long periods of time with no drain on the battery.

- roof racks available.
- *opinion* interior cluster/display is laid out better than competitors.

Cons (2008):

- 4 cylinders (not that great in multiple successive steep mountain passes but with manual and a little planning ahead she gets it done)
- electronic throttle prevents you from being able to romp on it (common these days but it's enough to be highly annoying when stopped on steep hills and you want the power you are asking for)
- seats aren't very comfy after a few hours(compared to the Accord for instance)
- certain areas of the interior trim joints and carpet will wear quickly under sustained use(though it's the cheapest in the line-up and better than competitors in the sub-compact range)
- roof slope causes rain to drip in when windows are open even a small amount (you can fix this with rain deflectors)
- loud interior at interstate speeds without suspension mods/upgrades. Dash will probably develop a rattle at 70+mph.
- windshield can crack easily when struck due to the slope
- can't tow (although I've seen it done with those mini teardrops)

The more recent models, '09 and on, are slightly longer and wider with a smoother ride. Longer front cabin. Higher quality interior. No longer have to remove headrests for "dive-down" seat position. Completely different engine. Slightly more HP and torque. Larger rear hatch opening. Better visibility for driver. More airbags. I would have gotten an '09 if I knew they were going to change it so much after only 1 year on the U.S. market! Overall it's decent but can't replace an SUV or RV as far as storage and room goes - a lot cheaper in most cases though.

Nice post, thanks!

I wonder if the 16 inch wheels and tires on the Sport help anything?

If you already have a Honda Fit, try to equip it with GHB ... etc. as much as you can, because that is what you have. However, if "survival vehicle" is something that comes in your dreams and you are thinking yet to buy a car, try something a bit better.

As some have mentioned, you may have to run over curbs. This will not only require higher ground clearance, but sturdier body and suspension.

I have a new Toyota Camry. Although bigger than the Honda Fit, I am NOT happy with its low ground clearance because our roads are not that great. So, what happens if there is some kind of SHTF and roads are full of debris !!! Or if I had to take a dirt road !

Having said that, I am considering a sub-compact 2-3 years from now, when I retire and want a small car to drive around town. Better maneuvering in crowded streets and parkings, and maintenece is cheaper. It all depends on your priorities.