The Honda Fit EX-L is larger for 2015, and somehow added more power while also increasing fuel efficiency. We took the Fit for a one-week spin to find out how great a compact car can be these days. Prices start at around $16,000, but can climb significantly when adding features and moving up trim levels.

When Honda took to redesigning the Fit, you can quickly see that style was going to play a large role in the new car. The new Fit sports a fresh and dynamic exterior design with slimmer headlights that integrate into a solid grille design and an aggressive lower intake. Chiseled sides emphasize the wheels and the dynamically tapered roofline that terminates in a color-matched spoiler. Eight colors, including several new and vibrant options, accentuate the fresh exterior styling. From some views, the 2015 Honda Fit EX-L can resemble a shrunken minivan, but when you are reaching for practicality, there is only so much room to thread the needle in regards to design.

Inside, the increased interior room and visibility create a sense of airy spaciousness, which is complemented by upgraded, soft-touch materials that raise the feeling of quality. The rich and sophisticated black with silver accented design of the interior surfaces and controls, and blue backlit instrument dials, are stylish and functional. The available Display Audio touchscreen interface and first-ever leather seating (on EX-L models) further increase the premium feel of this new Fit. New standard features on all Fit models include auto on-off headlights, LED brake lights, Bluetooth HandsFreeLink and a center storage console with armrest. Items such as Smart Entry Push Button Start, a one-touch operated moonroof, 7-inch touchscreen Display Audio with next-generation HondaLink, and heated leather seats are among the upgrades available for the first time in Fit.

We did find the driver seat to have relatively limited room to slide back to make room for taller drivers. There is also a feeling of tilting into the long windshield where you get that minivan feeling, and not in a good way.

A highly space-efficient new body structure pairs with an all-new chassis to create a completely new, more rigid and lighter subcompact platform. The new Fit’s platform features a longer wheelbase and numerous improvements to front and rear suspension, and steering systems that improve overall driving dynamics. The net effect of these upgrades is a more settled and stable, yet nimble and sporty ride, with greatly improved steering and improved ride comfort and quietness. The adoption of a new frame structure, including Honda’s next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering front body structure, also benefits safety performance, with the 2015 Fit targeting the highest-available crash-safety ratings of both the U.S. government and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2015 Fit also raises the bar on acceleration fun and fuel efficiency with major advances to its powertrain. A new Earth Dreams Technology engine significantly increases power, torque and throttle response with support from two newly developed transmissions: a slick-shifting 6-speed manual and all-new CVT with G-Shift Control. The 1.5L DOHC 4-cylinder engine with i-VTEC+VTC valve and timing control features direct fuel injection, reduced weight and friction, increased compression ratio, and other changes to deliver an 11 percent increase in peak horsepower to 130, and a 7.5 percent increase in peak torque to 114 lb.-ft. The 6MT is an all-new design, with closer ratios to aid performance and a wider overall ratio range to improve fuel efficiency. The newly-developed CVT enhances engine responsiveness by providing quicker and smoother acceleration while improving fuel efficiency with a wider ratio range and reduced internal friction.

With the combination of the new engine and transmissions, the Fit has an EPA fuel-economy rating of 32/38/35 for the EX as tested. The new Fit sports a fresh and dynamic exterior design with slimmer headlights that integrate into a solid grille design and an aggressive lower intake. We weren’t overly excited about the power, or lack of, as there are times that you clearly need more under the hood to navigate through busy traffic!

With best-in-class passenger and cargo space, increased power, impressive fuel economy ratings and more refined, yet sporty dynamics, the completely redesigned 2015 Fit is poised to do well in the subcompact segment. Add to this an abundance of class-above standard features including roofline spoiler, LED taillights, Bluetooth connectivity and a segment-exclusive rearview camera for a starting price just $100 more than the outgoing model. Honda is as good as any automaker in building compact cars, and the 2015 Honda Fit EX-L will do just fine in a very competitive segment.