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2016 Honda Fit

Gas

Small Station Wagons
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

92 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 1

Complaints5 crash · 3 injured reported 121

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 36 mpg

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2016 Honda Fit is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact hatchback with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Fit, is EPA-rated at 36 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 121 complaints, most often about the electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Honda Fit — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Honda Fit · Photo: TTTNIS · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Fit	Gas	FWD	1.5L 4-cyl	33	40	36	$1,850
Fit	Gas	FWD	1.5L 4-cyl	32	37	34	$1,950
Fit	Gas	FWD	1.5L 4-cyl	29	36	32	$2,100

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 36136, 36137, 36135.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Fit	5–6 / 10	Bin 5 / LEV-III ULEV125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback
Doors	5
GVWR class	Class 1B: 3,001 - 4,000 lb (1,360 - 1,814 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	1.5 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower

130 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Drivetrain	FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Manual/Standard
Transmission speeds	6

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: EX, EX-L with NAVI, LX). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	159.8 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	66.9 in
Height	58.3 in
Wheelbase	99.6 in
Track, front	57.5 in
Track, rear	57.5 in
Curb weight	2,493–2,579 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	62/38

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door Hatch FWD Dx/Lx, 4-door Hatch FWD Ex/Ex-L Navi. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Air Bags

JV8

25,367 vehicles 78% reported repaired built Apr 11, 2015 – May 21, 2015

Problem Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Fit LX-trim vehicles manufactured April 11, 2014, to July 02, 2015 and not equipped with a sunroof. In the affected vehicles, the rear grab handle brackets were not manufactured properly, and as a result, the brackets may puncture the side curtain air bags upon their deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection" and number 226, "Ejection Mitigation". Risk If the side curtain air bags are punctured upon deployment, the outboard seat occupants may be at a higher risk of injury during a crash. Fix Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear grab handle bracket, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JV8.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 15V697000 reported Oct 23, 2015 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module — Electrical overstress closed

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW. The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with ma

Opened Apr 19, 2019 · closed Sep 19, 2024 · action EA19001 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Fit

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Honda publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Honda’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2016 Honda Fit, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

121complaints filed

5 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 3 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2016: 9 · 2017: 9 · 2018: 9 · 2019: 17 · 2020: 12 · 2021: 16 · 2022: 14 · 2023: 12 · 2024: 10 · 2025: 7 · 2026: 6

Most-cited components

Electrical System → 55

Fuel/Propulsion System 20

Unspecified 17

Engine 12

Power Train 7

Tires 7

In depth: electrical problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Fit. While in reverse, the vehicle accelerated on its own. The driver lost control and the vehicle crashed into a brick wall. The driver sustained an injured neck and back, which did not require medical attention. A police report was not filed.

Vehicle Speed Control at 11,000 miles Apr 11, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11195655

I need a new starter. I bought my 2016 Honda Fit used 5 months ago. It now has 43,900 miles. A 3 year old car with this mileage should not need to have the starter replaced. I tried 2-3 times to start my car but it wouldn't start. No clicking noise, no noise at all. I thought it was a dead battery and when jumped it started right away.

Electrical System at 43,900 miles Feb 9, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11175939

Pertaining to the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) it is my understanding that if a TPMS sensor is removed from the car, the car is supposed to alert the driver via a warning light. My 2016 Honda Fit had all four tires and rims replaced that didn't have TPMS sensors installed and no indicator has illuminated in the vehicle.

Wheels at 37,000 miles Jan 23, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11171633

Takata recall- I was involved in an accident, where I rear ended another vehicle and my vehicle was deemed totaled, but my airbags "failed to deploy", therefore it is obvious that they are faulty and this was not a good experience, please can you help me because my vehicle is not in your list of "recalls" and why not if this occurred to…

Air Bags at 72,000 miles Aug 24, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11122039

Today may 3rd 2018 vehicle traveling on city street when all icons tire pressure maintenance a malfunction codes all the cute little icons are lit up on the dash the performance of the vehicle was impaired and then the whole system shut down as i'm still traveling in my vehicle moving.

Service Brakes at 23,291 miles May 4, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11091681

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Fit. While inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that all the seat tracks and bolts were corroded. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,400

Seats at 1,400 miles Feb 28, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10957655

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Honda itself: 38 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 killed, 42 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every Fit model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 37k

miles, typically

Half the 55 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 11,000 and 55,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 12

10k–20k 4

20k–30k 6

30k–40k 8

40k–50k 6

50k–60k 9

60k–70k 2

70k–80k 5

80k–90k 0

90k–100k 1

100k–150k 2

150k + 0

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Electrical System	25	43,500	0.97×
Fuel/Propulsion System	12	55,000	1.17×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2016-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
5 HB FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	15%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 2 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first · Honda bulletin ABOM02182022Dealer Message - Today, February 18, 2022, American Honda is announcing a warranty extension for certain 2015-2016 Fit vehicles.
Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Honda bulletin A22-002Certain fuel injectors may not have been installed to proper specifications.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Honda warranty extension (66) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 94

Most recentmanufacturer date 2023-06-02

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 94 service bulletins

Most often about: Engine, Equipment, Electrical System, Structure, Air Bags.

A21-007 Service bulletin
2023-06-02 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Service Bulletin - The MIL comes on with DTC P0300 (random misfire detected) or P0301âP0304 (cylinder misfire detected) due to carbon buildup on the intake valves may be affecting combustion.
A22010A Service bulletin
2022-06-08 · Equipment
"Service news article - When diagnosing a Fit within the above VIN range with a misfire complaint, start by doing service bulletin, 21-007 (Carbon Buildup with Misfire DTCs) instead of replacing fuel injectors. These vehicles use an improved injector design that addresses the failures that may have occurred in previous model years. In fact, fuel injectors within the above VIN range with misfire co
A22-019 Service bulletin
2022-06-01 · Fuel System, Gasoline — Storage — Evaporative Emissions — Hoses/Valves/Sensors
Service bulletin - The MIL comes on with DTC P0300 (random misfire detected) or P0301âP0304 (cylinder misfire detected). Carbon buildup on the intake valves may be affecting combustion.
A21-007 Service bulletin
2022-06-01 · Engine And Engine Cooling — Engine — Oil/Lubrication — Seals/Gaskets
Service bulletin - The MIL comes on with DTC P0300 (random misfire detected) or P0301âP0304 (cylinder misfire detected). Carbon buildup on the intake valves may be affecting combustion.
10213565 Service bulletin
2022-05-05 · Fuel System, Gasoline
"Customer letter - On some 2015-2016 Fit vehicles, certain fuel injectors may not have been installed to proper specifications. An incorrectly installed fuel injector may lead to increased wear inside the injectors. This could result in reduced flow in the injectors and cause misfire, air/fuel ratio imbalance, catalyst deterioration misdetection and/or fuel metering, resulting in MIL (Malfunction
ABOM02182022 Service bulletin
2022-02-18 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Dealer Message - Today, February 18, 2022, American Honda is announcing a warranty extension for certain 2015-2016 Fit vehicles. This warranty extension covers fuel injectors to address concerns of internal wear inside one or more injectors. American Honda is extending the warranty coverage of the fuel injectors to 10 years from the original date of purchase or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first
A22-002 Service bulletin
2022-02-18 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission
Service Bulletin - Certain fuel injectors may not have been installed to proper specifications. An incorrectly installed fuel injector may lead to increased wear inside the injectors. This could result in reduced flow in the injectors and cause a misfire, air/fuel ratio imbalance, catalyst deterioration misdetection and/or fuel metering, resulting in MIL On.
A21-007 Service bulletin
2022-02-18 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission
Service Bulletin - The MIL comes on with DTC P0300 (random misfire detected) or P0301-P0304 (cylinder misfire detected).

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0300 P0300 on Honda →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	9 bulletins
P0301 P0301 on Honda →	Cylinder 1 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	4 bulletins
P0304 P0304 on Honda →	Cylinder 4 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	4 bulletins
P154A	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
B12C5 B12C5 on Honda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	2 bulletins
P0420 P0420 on Honda →	The catalytic converter on bank 1 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Catalytic converter →	2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 3.7%

failed emissions

2,170 initial inspections of 2,113 vehicles.

Measure	The 2016 Fit	Every 2016 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	3.7%	4.2%	2,165
Failed the safety inspection	1.7%	2.2%	2,170
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.23%	0.27%	2,170
Miles driven a year	8,344	10,028	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	85,675	103,109	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Fit by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2020 C 4 36 36 mpg 2019 D 6 136 36 mpg 2018 C 4 117 36 mpg 2017 A 0 43 36 mpg 2016 this page A 1 121 36 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 Fit

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Honda Fit have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 1 recall campaign for the 2016 Honda Fit. The most serious on file is 15V697000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 Honda Fit?

NHTSA gave the 2016 Honda Fit 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (92/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Honda Fit?

Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Honda Fit, the best EPA combined figure is 36 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Honda Fit?

Transport Canada measured it at 159.8 in long, 66.9 in wide (body, without mirrors), 58.3 in tall, on a 99.6 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 2,493–2,579 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Honda Fit?

Owners have filed 121 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Honda Fit, most often about electrical system, fuel/propulsion system, unspecified. Of those, 5 involved a crash, 3 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2016 Honda Fit?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Honda Fit runs 5 to 6 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Bin 5, LEV-III ULEV125 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Honda Fit?

The manufacturer has filed 94 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Honda Fit, most often covering engine, equipment, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2023-06-02. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2016 Honda Fit do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Honda Fit failed the emissions check on 3.7% of first inspections — close to the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.7% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	3 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	3 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	1	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	121	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	1 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	94	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	1	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	11 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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