The Honda Fit is a subcompact car known for its versatile and configurable interior seating. One of its standout features is the Magic Seats system, which allows the rear seats to be folded and maneuvered in multiple configurations to accommodate cargo and passengers.
The Magic Seats system refers to the 60/40 split fold-down rear seats that can be flipped up or folded down in various arrangements. This gives the petite Honda Fit hatchback enormous cargo space and flexibility to haul larger items. With a quick flip of the seat cushions and fold of the seatbacks, the Fit can be instantly transformed to handle nearly any load.
How the Magic Seats Work
The Honda Fit’s Magic Seat system allows the rear seats to be configured in multiple ways to maximize cargo capacity and versatility. There are three main configurations:
Tall Mode
In Tall Mode, the rear seat cushions flip up vertically against the backseats (from Honda Fit Magic Seat®). This allows you to fit tall items in the rear footwells that would not normally fit with the seats down.
Long Mode
Long Mode is enabled by folding the rear seat cushions up and pushing the seatbacks forward. This creates a flat extended cargo area from the rear of the Fit all the way up to the front seats (from How To Use Magic Seats).
Utility Mode
Utility Mode folds the rear seat bottoms up while leaving the seatbacks upright. This allows you to carry both cargo and rear passengers at the same time.
To switch between configurations, simply pull the straps on the sides of the rear seats and fold the cushions and seatbacks as needed. The Magic Seats make it easy to reconfigure the Fit’s interior for optimal cargo or passenger carrying.
Rear Magic Seat
The key feature of the Honda Fit’s Magic Seat system is the rear seats. Unlike most cars where the rear seats simply fold down, the Honda Fit’s rear seats fold completely flat and lower down into the floor of the car. This allows for a flat and expanded cargo area when the seats are folded down.
When the rear seats are folded flat, they create a completely flat surface from the rear of the Fit all the way up to the front seats. This allows large and long items like surfboards, ladders, and furniture to fit easily in the cargo area. Here’s a visual of how the rear seats fold down into the floor from this page: [https://www.battisonhonda.com/blog/what-is-the-honda-fit-magic-seat/]
The rear seats fold down easily in a simple one-motion process. There are no removable headrests or tricky mechanisms. Just pull up on a handle at the top of the seat and the whole seat folds flat into the floor. This simplicity makes converting the Fit from a passenger car to a cargo hauler quick and easy.
When upright for passengers, the rear seats also have a clever under-seat storage compartment for extra cargo room. Overall, the rear seats are the core of what makes the Magic Seat system so useful.
Tall Mode
The Tall Mode in the Honda Fit’s Magic Seats system allows you to configure the rear seats to accommodate tall or large items. To activate Tall Mode:
1. Fold down the rear Magic Seats completely so they lay flat on the floor.
2. Then lift up and secure the bottom seat cushions against the seat backs. This will create a tall, open cargo area behind the front seats.
With the rear seats in Tall Mode, the Honda Fit can accommodate items up to 3.9 feet tall. This makes it easy to transport large plants, furniture, appliances, and other bulky items while still leaving the front passenger seat free for another passenger. The Tall Mode takes advantage of the Fit’s spacious interior and flexible seating arrangements to provide extra cargo capacity when you need it.
Sources:
https://www.hondainfocenter.com/2019/Fit/Feature-Guide/Interior-Features/2nd-Row-Magic-Seat/
Long Mode
The Long Mode in the Honda Fit’s Magic Seat system is designed for carrying long items like lumber, ladders, surfboards, or other recreational gear (Honda InfoCenter). To configure the seats into Long Mode:
First, push the front passenger seat all the way forward to maximize cargo space. Then, fold down the rear passenger side Magic Seat by pulling up on the seat bottom and folding it up against the back of the front passenger seat.
On the driver’s side, unlatch the Magic Seat by pulling up on the seat bottom. Then slide the whole seat rearwards on its track while still folded up. This exposes the floor space to accommodate long items.
With both rear seats configured this way, there is enough room to carry surfboards up to 8 feet long diagonally inside the car. The folded seats and front seat position securely hold long cargo in place during transport.
Utility Mode
The Utility Mode is designed for maximum cargo capacity in the Honda Fit. To enable Utility Mode, start by folding down the rear Magic Seat to open up cargo space. Then return to the front passenger seat and locate the seat bottom lever under the front corner of the seat cushion. Pull up on the lever to unlock the seat bottom and fold it upwards against the seatback (Honda, 2019).
This allows you to flip down the entire front passenger seat, creating a flat extended cargo floor from the rear all the way to the dashboard. With both rear seats and the front passenger seat folded down, Utility Mode provides a sizeable 52.7 cubic feet of maximum cargo capacity (Honda, 2019). It creates enough space to haul large and long items like ladders, furniture, or camping gear that would not normally fit in a subcompact car.
Utility Mode is great when you need to transport bulky cargo and take advantage of the Fit’s expansive cargo capabilities. Just make sure not to overload the vehicle and to properly secure any items so they don’t shift around while driving.
Advantages
The Magic Seat system offers numerous benefits and versatility compared to traditional folding seats. According to Honda (Honda Infocenter), the Magic Seat allows owners to configure the Fit’s interior in multiple ways to accommodate cargo and passengers. For example, the Tall Mode folds up the rear seats to create abundant vertical space for hauling taller items. Long Mode folds the rear seats flat to maximize length for longer cargo. The seats can also fold flat into Utility Mode to increase overall cargo capacity.
The Magic Seat system essentially transforms the Fit from a small hatchback into a versatile mini cargo van. With some clever seat folding, owners can haul bikes, furniture, camping gear, and other large items that normally wouldn’t fit in a subcompact car. Yet the seats still provide comfortable space for rear passengers when needed. This flexibility and practicality are major advantages of the Magic Seats.
Disadvantages
The Honda Fit’s Magic Seat system does have some drawbacks to consider. According to reviews, the folding seats can feel flimsy and may not hold up over time with heavy use (Cars.com). The lightweight Fit also gets blown around easily on windy roads or when passing large vehicles, which can affect handling (Reddit).
The rear legroom and headroom is fairly tight, so tall passengers may feel cramped, especially with the seats folded into Utility Mode. Loading large, heavy items into the Fit can be tricky due to the small hatchback opening.
While versatile, the Magic Seats take some practice to configure and fold up/down smoothly. For quick access to the cargo area, some owners prefer rear seats that simply fold flat.
Tips for Using
The Magic Seats system in the Honda Fit provides versatility, but there are some tips to get the most out of it:
- When folding the rear seats, start by folding down the seat bottoms before folding the seatbacks for easier operation (source).
- To get into Tall mode, fold the front passenger seat fully forward before folding the rear seat flat to maximize vertical cargo space.
- For Long mode, slide the front seats all the way forward before folding the rear seats up to maximize a clear flat area in the back.
- When loading cargo in Utility mode, distribute weight evenly and avoid overloading one side which could damage the rear seats.
- Make sure there is nothing on the rear seats before folding them to prevent damage.
- Return the seats to their original positions when not in use for optimal safety while driving.
With some practice, you’ll be able to swiftly configure the seats for any need.
Conclusion
The Magic Seats system in the Honda Fit is an innovative and versatile rear seating system that allows owners to configure the interior in multiple ways. By folding the rear seats up or down in different combinations, owners can maximize cargo capacity or passenger room as needed. The key advantages of the system are the ability to haul larger cargo while still carrying passengers, the ease of operation, and added utility over a traditional rear seat. After learning how to utilize the different modes like Tall, Long, and Utility, Honda Fit owners have an incredibly flexible interior at their fingertips. The Magic Seats allow owners to get the most out of their small Honda Fit, making it punch above its weight when it comes to practicality and versatility.
In summary, the Magic Seats system is a standout feature of the Honda Fit that gives owners configurable rear seating arrangements. This allows them to optimize the interior space for passengers, cargo, or a mix of both as needed. The seat folding designs enable hauling larger objects while retaining some passenger capacity. By understanding and utilizing the different modes, owners can take full advantage of the Magic Seats’ flexibility and utility.
