28/08/2008 23:00. LOS ANGELES -- The Honda Fit is a big hit, what with fuel prices near all-time highs. And company executives expect the redesigned 2009 version, which arrives in dealerships this week, to be just as hot.

The new Fit is longer, wider and heavier and boasts more passenger and cargo space. It has a more powerful engine with better fuel economy on the automatic version. The exterior design is sportier.

"The 2009 Fit arrives during conditions like the '70s, when gas prices started to rise," says Dan Bonawitz, head of corporate planning and logistics at American Honda Motor Co. "Small on the outside, big on the inside -- this is the right car at the right time."

The basics: The Fit is a five-seat hatchback that comes in three trims: base, Sport and Sport Navi. The new 1.5-liter I4 engine... // CNET News