Is the Fit 1.3 equipped with an imported engine?
3 Answers
The Fit 1.3 does not use an imported engine; it is a joint-venture engine produced domestically by GAC Honda. The relevant introduction of the Honda Fit is as follows: 1. The Honda Fit adopts the overall design concept of "Exciting-H-Design," featuring Honda's latest family-style front face design concept "Solid Wing," where the front grille and headlights are integrated, highlighting a sharp and cool appearance. 2. The side of the body employs a unique and cool blade-style double waistline design, complemented by a tension-filled rear design and LED light source rear combination lamps, presenting a more premium texture. 3. There has been significant improvement in safety. The redesigned front beam structure differs from previous models, offering better energy absorption during collisions. 4. Honda's new safety system further protects occupants. The system is equipped with a front wide-angle camera that works in conjunction with eight front and rear sonar sensors to enhance the vehicle's emergency automatic braking function. This feature is expected to become standard on the fourth-generation Fit.
I've been driving a Fit 1.3 for over ten years. When I first bought the car, I specifically researched the engine origin. The first batch of domestically produced Fits in 2003 did have some models equipped with imported engines, but the quantity was very limited, mainly because Guangzhou Honda's engine plant wasn't fully operational at that time. My 2004 model came with a domestic engine, the L13A model, and even after 200,000 kilometers, it's still fuel-efficient and durable. All Fit 1.3 models produced after 2005 were equipped with domestic engines, but the quality is genuinely good—Honda's quality control standards are the same globally. So if you come across a Fit 1.3 with an imported engine in the used car market now, it would be a twenty-year-old relic with little practical significance.
In repair shops, most Fit 1.3 models you see are equipped with domestically produced engines. The early batches from 2003 to 2004 might have imported engines, but the probability is very low. You can distinguish them by the engine nameplate—imported ones are often labeled with a Japanese origin, while domestic ones are marked as L13A models produced by GAC Honda. To be honest, after repairing cars for so many years, there's no significant difference in failure rates between imported and domestic Fit engines; both are exceptionally durable. Factors that owners care about, such as fuel consumption and power output, are identical. In fact, domestic versions have more readily available and cheaper spare parts. So nowadays, when purchasing an old Fit, we pay more attention to the maintenance records rather than specifically seeking the imported label.
