They may even make TRD sway bars. Those improve handling and stability considerably at modest cost and without detroying ride characteristics or ride height.
Well, I guess not, the TRD catalog only lists suspension parts for the old ('06-'10) version. Too bad.
Maybe it’s because there’s now an ‘SE’ version with a better suspension standard.
uncleozzy,
Interesting. One of our cars is a 2008 Yaris sedan. It’s a fine little commuter, surprisingly civilized on the highway, always getting above its EPA mileage ratings, reasonably nimble and alert, although the funky driving position gets old after an hour behind the wheel. And yeah, despite its low horsepower and dinosaur 4-spd automatic, it gets up and goes surprisingly well at freeway speeds. It’s a good car for what it is and what it costs. I like my 2010 Jetta much better, but let’s hope it stays out of the shop or I might be seeking advice here just like you are 
If the Fit and Mazda3 are anywhere in the same price range, I would go Mazda hands down. The Fit is a great city car, but its interior feels cheap and it is not well suited to highway travel. Lots of road noise, and the engine is running nearly 4000 rpm. Definitely pay attention to road noise on your test drive if this is something that bothers you; your GTI and Corolla are both quieter than these either of these cars, particularly the Honda.
You’re shopping in the same general segment I did a few years ago, so post back and let us know what you decided
Here’s that comparision test:
The Fit cam in first the Chevy Sonic second, and the Yaris third.
Thanks for the comparo, texases. The new Yaris looks a bit more pleasant than the 2011 I’ve got rented, but still not as good as the Honda. I just can’t get over how expensive the B-cars are when compared to similarly-equipped Cs like the Mazda3 and Civic. Once you option them with an auto (a sin, I know), you can have a quieter, more comfortable C-segment ride for only a grand or two more.
(Not to mention that the margin on the Fit is razor-thin; Edmunds reports the invoice as only $635 under MSRP. Incredible.)
And emajor, good luck with the Jetta. Honestly, all the bits that have failed on the GTI have been unique to the 2.0T engine (which I suppose doesn’t say much, since that engine is available on just about everything VAG offers), so you’re in the clear there. I may have just gotten a bum car, but it’s definitely soured me on VWs.
uncleozzy,
Thanks. It’s good (for me) to hear that your problems were all related to the engine. The added complexity of the 2.0 turbo and TDI engines (particularly the HPFP) prevented me from even trying to stretch for a VW powered by those. Their 5 cylinder is pretty low-tech and has been chugging along in the lineup for 6 years now, so I am hoping they’ve achieved average reliability. I like my car and don’t want to become another bitter ex-VW owner.
Unless $2000 makes all the difference in your new car budget (it did at the time w/ our Yaris), optioned-up B-segments aren’t a great deal. Although the Fiesta and Sonic seem to be worth owning on their own merit, not just because of price. The Fiesta I drove reminded me of the best aspects of my Jetta: handled well, but was quiet, refined and composed, and felt more expensive than it was.
Don’t like the seats in the Fit-Kevin PS 2K would make a difference for me.
You could apply that logic all the way up if you think about it. Fully equipped B car is only a couple grand less than a C-car, which is only a couple grand from a mid sized car or small SUV, which could be a few grand from a full siuzed truck/SUV. A fully loaded pickup truck could cost about as much as a Porsche or BMW, which could be a couple grand off a Mercedes.
I paid 34k for my current ride, which could have netted me a decent F-150, had I wanted one.
True enough, bscar2. There’s always something else just out of reach.
So this morning I drove a Mazda3i, a Focus, and a Fit.
The Mazda was just alright. The driving position felt a little cramped, the back seat was tiny–I’m a little dude, 5’8", and even “sitting behind myself” there wasn’t much room. The engine was powerful enough, the transmission was great, the steering was okay. Noisier at speed than I expected. Good seats, but the cloth seemed chintzier than the first generation.
The Focus was gorgeous. The quality of the materials and the build were surprisingly good. Nice power. The auto trans was terrible. The VW DSG can be a little rough stopping and starting, but this was something different. Not smooth at all. Good steering, good seats. But the tranny killed it for me.
The Fit … okay, I loved the Fit. Feels faster than it is, noisy but not too noisy at speed, feels enormous inside without being enormous outside. Big back seat, big hatch, plenty comfortable for me. Underpowered, yes, but it feels good.
I was really, really surprised.
I’m 6’5" and thought seriously about the Fit. Folks who want a smooth quiet ride don’t tend to like it, but others like it for the reasons you listed.
I tried sitting in a Fit a couple years ago and it had no leg room for me
I will only say this. What I feel is a comfortable car or a good looking car is not likely to be the same you would like. It is not that one of us is right and one wrong, only that we are talking about judgments not facts.
Even when you look at reliability or life expectance they are greatly influenced by the way a driver drives their car.