Scan the parking lot of any sports arena on game day and you're sure to see a flock of pickup trucks and SUVs hosting a big party of tailgaters. In theory, the Honda Fit seems like a good match for game day pre-activities with its extremely versatile cargo area that at one point swallowed an entire wedding shower's worth of home goods. Cars.com's long-term Honda Fit test car does many things well (fuel economy, value, safety), but can it tailgate with the best of them?
Related: Top 10 Features for Tailgating
Instead of a football game, I loaded up our Honda Fit with tailgating gear and hit a local dragstrip for a big race. The Fit furnished the entire tailgate for six people and surprised everyone with how much gear it accommodated. It easily swallowed a 12-by-12-foot pop-up tent, massive 75-quart wheeled cooler, a classic charcoal grill, a few grocery bags of supplies, a bag of charcoal and folding chairs.
Honda Fit; Cars.com photo by Joe Bruzek
The Fit's low cargo floor made it a natural spot for staging condiments and chips, and when the tent was full you could sit on the cargo area's edge and have the liftgate supply shade from the sun. A truck's taller bed would have been more convenient for staging food to grill than the Fit's low cargo area, however. Also, the liftgate seemed to interfere with the radio broadcast of the race; it sounded distorted with the tailgate all the way up, but the FM signal would clear up when the liftgate was lowered slightly. It was odd.
Honda Fit; Cars.com photo by Joe Bruzek
The race offered a live online video stream with commentary and multiple camera angles, so I streamed the broadcast to the Fit's high-quality 7-inch display using an iPhone and the Fit's HDMI mirroring capabilities. The streaming video worked flawlessly, and the car's stereo was loud enough for everyone to hear with the liftgate open and volume cranked. You could easily do the same for a pregame show while tailgating at any other national sports event, though you really have to opt for the 7-inch screen to view it.
The day was a success, but the Fit came up short in a few ways. There isn't a power outlet (AC or DC) in the cargo area; that would have been an issue if we went full fan-boy and brought a TV. The Fit has two 12-volt power outlets, but they're up front in the center console. Secondly, when loaded with all of the gear I had room for just one front passenger, but I think someone could have fit in the split-folding backseat with a smarter cargo arrangement.
Tailgating is more fun with more people, and a big truck can carry both people and supplies. Still, I got a big kick out of watching the tiny Fit hold its own against the giant pickup trucks and motorhomes in terms of gear they're able to stash.
Honda Fit; Cars.com photo by Joe Bruzek
from Cars.com News http://ift.tt/1LWOtue
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