Subcompacts are a popular choice for those looking to buy their first rides, and for people who just started learning how to drive, as their size, price and practicality is perfect for the daily commute, the trip around the city or errand runs. Not only that, these small cars have sharp and responsive handling to go with peppy acceleration, making your bursts of spirited drives nothing short of fun.

When you're out in the market for a quality hatchback that's known to be fun to drive, reliable and gives good value for money, the Honda Fit certainly fits the bill. It's stylish, agile, and has an interior space that would put most crossovers to shame. With that being said, here are the 10 things we love about Honda's subcompact king.

10 EarthDreams Engine

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Honda revolutionized the automotive world in the 90s when they introduced their VTEC engine technology, and extracted great amounts of performance without ever sacrificing reliability and fuel economy.

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The Fit's 1.5-liter mill produces 130 hp and 114 lb-ft of torque. While it no longer has the cam-changing characteristic of old VTEC engines, it still benefits from what Honda calls as EarthDreams engine technology, that features direct injection to provide power and fuel efficiency, as well as an i-VTEC head for refining variable timing control on the intake cams.

RELATED : 10 Things You Definitely Didn't Know About Honda

9 CVT Transmission

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Honda's EarthDreams technology trickles down even to the Fit's CVT transmission, that gives excellent dynamics for a remarkably smooth and efficient driving experience.

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The Fit's CVT is designed to always operate at the optimum rpm level to give great response at low speeds and, of course, to enhance fuel efficiency.

RELATED : CVT Transmission Vs. Automatic: Pros & Cons

8 Quirky Design

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via stuff.co.nz

Ever since the first-generation Fit was introduced in 2001, the small hatchback has always held a fine line between style and versatility. Probably its trademark styling has to be that window in front of the car's front doors, done to boost the car's interior space, but we'll talk about that later.

2020 Honda Fit Sport
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The third-generation Fit has to be the best-looking one, as it gives out a sporty vibe with those sharp lines together with an aggressive-looking front fascia. The latest one has rather gone conservative and more MPV-like than a hot hatch, and we're really hoping Honda releases an RS version to liven it up a bit.

RELATED : These Are The 10 Most Iconic Honda Models Ever Made

7 Magic Seats

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Versatility is what sets the Fit apart from its competitors in the subcompact segment, and it's all down to Honda's ingenious idea of giving the car magic seats that folds into various seating and cargo configurations, depending on the needs of its owner.

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The Fit has four seating layouts called the ULTR. U stands for Utility, where the rear seats fold completely flat for maximum length of cargo space. L stands for Long, where long items like surfboards would fit inside by folding the passenger side front and rear seats. T stands for Tall, where the rear seat cushions fold up to create nearly 4 feet of vertical space. And lastly, the R stands for Refresh, where generous legroom is created when the front seats are folded back with the headrests removed.

6 Interior Space

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We've just talked about the Fit's magic seats, but even without utilizing the seating modes, the small hatchback already has plenty of interior space to accommodate even a small family with a weekend's worth of luggage.

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Up to 96 cubic feet of passenger space gives the Honda Fit an interior space that would rival bigger cars, and the generous amount of storage pockets and cupholders inside provides you enough room to store small items such as smartphones, and even coffee cups.

5 Driver Aids

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Of course, Honda didn't scrimp on giving the Fit plenty of driving and safety tech, even if it only belongs in the subcompact segment. The Fit is equipped with Honda Sensing Suite, that's designed to alert the driver to what's happening around the car.

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Safety tech such as Road Departure Mitigation System, Forward Collision Warning and Lane Keeping Assist System comes as standard to the Fit, that's usually reserved for cars in more premium segments.

4 Great Fuel Economy

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via thecarconnection

As it is a subcompact, the Fit returns an excellent fuel economy, thanks to the aforementioned EarthDreams technology. It could achieve up to 40 mpg highway and 33 mpg for city driving in the CVT versions, while the six-speed manual could do 36 mpg highway and 29 mpg city.

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Furthermore, all Honda Fit models are fitted with an Eco Assist System, that coaches the driver how to drive the car for maximum efficiency. Plus, the CVT models come standard with the ECON button, that automatically makes adjustments to the car to improve gas mileage.

3 Nimble Handling

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Even in stock form, the Honda Fit is an agile handling car. The ride leans on the firm side of the spectrum, but not to the point where it is jarring on bumps and uneven road surfaces. The trade off for that is sharp handling and high-speed stability, even on corners.

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The electric power steering might leave a few enthusiasts wanting for more feedback when taking the Fit around the track, but the steering's lightness makes the car become a lot more maneuverable in city streets and tight parking spaces, where the small hatchback feels right at home.

2 Aftermarket Support

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For those looking to add a few mods to the Fit, there are plenty of aftermarket options around for enhancing the performance of the small hatchback. Spoon, the most popular racing and tuning shop for Hondas, was even able to mount a K20 mill from the Civic Type R to the Fit's engine bay.

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Body kits and other visual enhancements are also in abundance for the Fit, as firms such as Mugen, C-West and J's Racing give plenty of options to choose from, enabling owners to come up with a unique style to their small hatchback.

1 Value For Money

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via greencarreports

With all the features listed above, it's safe to say that the Honda Fit gives off good value for money, with loads of safety features and technologies designed to improve the overall ownership and experience of the car.

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The 2021 model starts at around $16,000 for the base model with manual transmission, while top-spec models of the Fit sell for almost $21,000.