The newly-redesigned Honda Fit beat the Toyota Yaris and Nissan Versa in Consumer Reports’ tests of six subcompacts and small sedans and remains CR’s highest-rated subcompact.

The Honda Fit became a hot-selling vehicle when gasoline prices topped $4 a gallon. A redesigned and slightly larger Fit arrived last fall, and it improves on the space-efficient formula that made the last one such a hit with buyers.

“The Fit seems roomier on the inside than you might expect, with an interior that is unusually versatile and flexible-and cargo capacity rivaling that of a small SUV,” said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports’ AutoTestCenter in East Haddam, CT.

Consumer Reports tested two trim lines of the Fit, a base model with an automatic transmission and a manual upscale Sport model, both of which earned “Very Good” overall road test scores. CR also tested two other subcompacts-a base model Toyota Yaris and a Chevrolet Aveo5, both of which scored “Good” overall, and two small sedans-the Suzuki SX4 and Nissan Versa, both of which were rated Very Good overall.

Prices for the six cars in CR’s tests range from $16,020 for the base Fit to $17,378 for the Suzuki SX4.

The Fit and the SX4 are the only vehicles from this month’s test group that are Recommended by Consumer Reports, meaning they have performed well in its tests, have at least average predicted reliability and perform at least adequately if crash-tested or included in a government rollover test.

The Versa sedan’s reliability is much below average; reliability for the hatchback Versa has been average. The Aveo and Yaris scored too low in CR’s tests to be recommended.

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