Japanese Car of the Year

[Kitdy]

For those keeping track, this is the third Car of the Year thread in the past week I've created. Anyways, the award goes to:

The New Honda Fit!

From Autoblog:

The second-generation Honda Fit (a.k.a. Jazz in some markets outside the U.S.) has been named Japan's Car of the Year. Reuters reports that the little Honda hatchback beat out such heavyweights as the new Nissan Skyline (a.k.a. Infiniti G37 in the U.S.) and the new Subaru Impreza. Chosen by a 60-member panel comprised mainly of automotive journalists, the Car of the Year award in Japan has gone to Honda five times in the last 10 years. Last year's winner was the new Lexus LS sedan. You can check out the entire list of past winners here on Wikipedia. While we in the U.S. aren't able to purchase the new Fit yet, it's on sale in Japan and flying off the lot. Expected to sell around 12,000 units per month initially, Honda sold more than 20,000 in the car's first two weeks of availability. The new Fit's larger size and smoother looks should help it find a few more buyers in the U.S. as well when it goes on sale sometime next year.

[henk4]

rationality prevailed.

[ruim20]

rationality prevailed.

Indeed... it sounds like a "decent" award.

[NicFromLA]

I haven't driven the Fit, but I've heard good things. I also remembering looking at the list of standard features and being shocked that it comes with things like throttle-by-wire and paddle shift.

[coolieman1220]

no comment......

[Ingolstadt]

Every JCOTY car has been worthwhile the award last checked. I concur on this choice, and I applaud Honda's recent efforts in setting benchmarks and hated Toyota who seemed to be resting on their laurels and only cares about maximizing profits with cheapo cars.

[john14]

Isn't it true that the Honda Fit/Jazz is not made in Japan but is made in Thailand to maximise profit (by using cheaper labour in Thailand). Some may say, every other company uses cheap Asian labour but I was surprised when I read the Honda Fit/Jazz was made in Thailand.

[deffenbaugh03]

Not available in the US? I live right near a Honda dealer and I swear I've been seeing them there for a long time. I even had a conversation with a guy there about how they only ever have one Fit at a time on display because the other's sell so fast.

EDIT: Oh second genertation nevermind then. Well i'm looking forward to it. What has improved exactly?

[Ingolstadt]

Isn't it true that the Honda Fit/Jazz is not made in Japan but is made in Thailand to maximise profit (by using cheaper labour in Thailand). Some may say, every other company uses cheap Asian labour but I was surprised when I read the Honda Fit/Jazz was made in Thailand.

AFAIK, the current Jazz/Fit is a CBU from Japan. But you shouldn't be surprised if they shifted it to Thailand, Thais build decent quality cars. Some of Honda's models are produced in Malaysia. And mind you, Toyota's largest manufacturing plant is in Thailand.

[2ndclasscitizen]

Isn't it true that the Honda Fit/Jazz is not made in Japan but is made in Thailand to maximise profit (by using cheaper labour in Thailand). Some may say, every other company uses cheap Asian labour but I was surprised when I read the Honda Fit/Jazz was made in Thailand.

Honda has been building stuff in Thailand for ages, heaps of their bikes are made there. It's not necessarily a bad thing, because while the Thai's mightn't be engineering force, if Honda imposes the same QC on the Thai factory as they do in their Japanese factories, the quality will stay up.

[NSXType-R]

I hate Japanese companies for not bringing their best products overseas.

This generation of Honda Fit will come over soon. Maybe late, but soon.

[koenigseggccx]

The honda fit won... now we are sure the world is doomed to be consumed by retarded people.

[Matra et Alpine]

I hate Japanese companies for not bringing their best products overseas.

muwa-ha-ha-ha
We can get any ... adn they all come with the wheel on the correct side
They SEND them overseas fine ... not their fault

[NSXType-R]

muwa-ha-ha-ha
We can get any ... adn they all come with the wheel on the correct side
They SEND them overseas fine ... not their fault

Just can't resist rubbing it in huh?

Correction- you are driving on the wrong side, not us.

While on the topic of LHD vs. RHD, why didn't anyone bother to standardize it? It makes no sense whatsoever. Then maybe the Japanese would be able to send them over here.

[Matra et Alpine]

Just can't resist rubbing it in huh?

Correction- you are driving on the wrong side, not us.

Well I am willing to accept their is no right or wrong.

While on the topic of LHD vs. RHD, why didn't anyone bother to standardize it? It makes no sense whatsoever. Then maybe the Japanese would be able to send them over here.

We all did travel on the same side, the left ..... then the French had a revolution and decided to change. So EVERYONE driginon the right hadn side of the road and hence seated in the left of the car is following the FRENCH Congratulations
Now there is so much infrastructure that it woudl be prohibitevly expensive to switch !!