Today we will look at what type of gas is best suited for the Honda Fit. The Fit was first launched in North America in 2006 as a 2007 model year and has been a reasonable selling car until 2020, when the car was discontinued in this market.
However, because there were so many different model years, it can be confusing what type of gas it needs. Here’s a quick answer:
All generations of the Honda Fit/Jazz, made between 2007 – 2020 and sold in the North American market, take regular unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87. Filling up with more expensive premium gasoline won’t change the performance or durability and isn’t required for the Fit.
Because Honda makes vehicles for the average consumer, these simple recommendations are consistent across several Honda vehicles including the Accord, Pilot, and Odyssey to name a few.
However, this doesn’t tell us the whole story. The article below will discuss what kind of gasoline is used for the engine. Furthermore, we’ll discuss different additives that can and can’t be used, what percentage of ethanol is acceptable, and the gas tank size of the different Fit generations. Read on!
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Should You Use Premium Gasoline For The Fit?
Yes, it’s true that in some vehicles (typically those with a V8 or a supercharger) premium gasoline is more often than not the norm. In other vehicles, 91 is recommended for optimum performance, but 87 octane can be used temporarily.
However, for the Honda Fit, 87 octane is recommended, and filling up with more expensive premium gasoline won’t change the performance or durability.
The only potential exception to this would be towing where using a higher octane fuel can help prevent knocking. However, even though you can tow with your Honda Fit it isn’t recommended.
What Types Of Gasoline Can And Can’t Be Used?
Reformulated Gasoline
First, we need to discuss the use of reformulated and non-reformulated gasoline. Reformulated gasoline is the gasoline that is designed to burn cleaner than non-reformulated gasoline. For this reason, it has become widely popular in many regions of the United States. It has even become mandatory in many states to use this kind of fuel.
Therefore, it’s good to know that all engine configurations in the Honda Fit are designed to take both reformulated and non-reformulated gasoline. Consequently, you don’t have to worry about what kind of gasoline you put in your engine (at least not for this criteria).
However, we have to say that Honda recommends using reformulated gasoline whenever possible. Like other carmakers, Honda realizes that using this type of gasoline is better for the environment. Furthermore, this type of gasoline doesn’t diminish the performance of your engine in any way, shape, or form, and it also carries the same price as non-reformulated gasoline.
Gasoline/Oxygenated Blends Or E-85
Secondly, we have to talk about using oxygenated blends of gasoline. Oxygenated blends of gasoline typically contain substances like ethanol or methanol. These substances are made from biosources or sources that burn more cleanly than regular gasoline. Therefore, their use is endorsed in the United States.
However, there are strict limits and rules you need to follow. Firstly, Honda Fit sold in North America between 2007 – 2014 can take gasoline with a maximum of 10% ethanol (E10). From 2015 onwards, the Honda Fit can take gasoline with a maximum of 15% ethanol (E15).
Using gasoline with a higher than recommended ethanol percentage will result in severe engine damage. For this reason, you can’t use E85 (51 – 83% ethanol). This is because E85 is only suitable for FlexFuel vehicles, and none of the generations of the Honda Fit are equipped with this system.
The use of methanol is also strictly forbidden in all generations of the Honda Fit.
Gasoline With Added Materials
Thirdly, there’s the use of additives in gasoline which is a common question for car owners: should or shouldn’t you use aftermarket additives? These additives are often marketed as octane boosters (helping your engine reach peak performance) or cleaning detergents (to keep the engine in optimal condition).
However, it’s good to know that Honda (and practically all carmakers) recommend against aftermarket additives. This is because many of these additives contain some form of silicone or metallic parts, which will harm the engine instead of helping it perform. Also, using an octane booster is useless since you can buy high-octane gasoline at the gas station.
Instead, Honda recommends buying gasoline from TOP TIER retailers (toptiergas.com). TOP TIER retailers are qualified retailers from which the auto industry has decided that their fuels meet specific standards. It’s been scientifically proven that these kinds of gasoline keep your engine’s internals clean while providing the proper octane levels.
What If I Hear A Knocking Noise From The Engine After Refilling?
Hearing a slight knocking coming from the engine is an entirely regular occurrence. Especially when the car is performing at peak levels, such as when you’re towing with your Honda Fit, a slight knocking can be heard. However, if this knocking sound becomes very audible and happens right after refilling, you may have more significant problems.
First off, in this case, it’s very likely you’re using gasoline with a lower than recommended octane rating. For example, in the Honda Fit, we would be talking about gasoline with an octane rating lower than 87. This will almost always result in an engine knock.
This knocking noise tells you the engine is misfiring because it can’t handle the octane level used. It’s best to stop your car immediately and call your dealer or garage. Your car will need to be drained from its fuel, and the fuel filter will need to be replaced. Continuing to drive will result in severe engine damage.
What’s The Fuel Economy Of The Honda Fit?
The short answer?
The Honda Fit’s fuel economy is really good! Just check out the insane miles one driver went on one tank of gas:
But if you’re looking for a more serious answer, we’ve got you covered there too. In the table below, we’ve compiled the fuel economy data of different generations of the Honda Fit.
As can be seen, the Honda Fit is a reasonable car when it comes to fuel efficiency. This is mainly because it has always made use of a 1.5L engine which is more focused on mileage than performance. Furthermore, there was an EV model for a short period of time, which easily achieved 100+ MPG.
| Engine | Combined | City | Highway |
| 1.5 (’07 – ’15) | 30 | 27 | 35 |
| 1.5 (’16 – ’20) | 33 | 31 | 36 |
| EV (’12 – ’14) | 118 | 132 | 105 |
While the Honda Fit isn’t without its problems (every car has problems), owners love the fuel economy!
What’s The Gas Tank Size Of The Honda Fit?
Honda Fit, made between 2007 – 2009, have a fuel tank capacity of 10.8 gallons (41 liters), whereas Honda Fit manufactured from 2010 onwards, have a fuel tank capacity of 10.6 gallons (40 liters).
Closing Thoughts
We’ve covered a lot when it comes to the Honda Fit (or the Jazz if you’re from across the pond). From the problems you can expect from the automatic gearbox to how to tow it on a flatbed, we’re no strangers to the Honda Fit.
Despite the array of different models across the years, one consistency remains: the Honda Fit is engineered to run efficiently and effectively on regular unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87.
Opting for more expensive premium gasoline won’t enhance the Fit’s performance or durability. In my opinion, this is a sensible move by Honda, keeping ownership costs low without compromising on the vehicle’s reliability or efficiency.
Overall, the Honda Fit, like a lot of other Honda vehicles, is pretty simple to own and fueling up is no exception.
Sources
- https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/OM/AA0707/AA0707OM.PDF
- https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/OM/K61313/K61313OM.PDF
- https://cdn.dealereprocess.org/cdn/servicemanuals/honda/2019-fit.pdf
- https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/search.shtml?words=honda+fit
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!