If you're lucky this summer when shopping for a compact car, Honda will give you a fit.

That should be Fit with a capital "F," one of the hottest cars on the market. Luck comes into the picture when you try to buy one because they are in such short supply. So don't look for any summer "deals" or "bargains" on this one. Just be glad you've found one!

Honda's Fit is a small car that almost defies description because it's so well designed. Price-wise, with absolutely everything on the top-of-the line Sport model, you'll pay almost $17,000. The base model can be had for around $15,000 or so.

The Fit has as much room inside as a Honda Accord, and seats that you can flip every way imaginable, even into instant beds. Its 109 horsepower, 1.5 liter four-cylinder engine is rated 33 mpg in the city and 38 on the highway, and offers sporty paddle shifting on the five-speed automatic. It's fast, it's hip -- and every single one coming into this country is spoken for.

	The 2007 Honda Civic Si. Click photo for larger image.

The Fit's biggest ace in the whole, as I said, is the amazing flexibility of its interior. It has something Honda is calling a "magic seat," a 60/40 split seat that when flipped up into "tall mode" has more than 4 feet of space from floor to ceiling -- enough room for your bicycle.

In "refresh" mode, the back set flips back and the "magic" seat flips down and voila -- a bed for lounging and relaxing. "Long mode" means lowering both the front passenger seat and half of the magic seat so you can get objects up to almost 8 feet long into the car. With "utility mode," everything folds down except the two front seats and you have more than 41 cubic feet of space.

And best of all, when you have all five positions filled by people, there's still plenty of seating room. There's space under the front seats for rear passengers' feet, and your knees don't touch the back of the front seats even when the driver and front passenger have their seats all the way back.

Driving the Fit is a treat. It loves to be thrown into corners and around curves, and it passes and accelerates effortlessly. It's just about as much fun to drive as the Mini Cooper, in my view.

The sound system is pretty terrific too. We're talking 200 watt amplifier, a CD with text display, a five-mode equalizer and an auxiliary input jack. The sound is strong, clear, and for those liking to rock out while they drive, infinitely groovy.

The gauges are clear, easy to understand and illuminated with a nice bluish tint at night. And the list of standard safety equipment is extensive and includes side curtain air bags, electronic brake force distribution and front side air bags.

Its biggest drawback is the size of the gasoline tank -- only 10.8 gallons. As a result, you feel like you're using an awful lot of gasoline when in reality, you aren't.

Another Honda you don't want to miss this summer is the new Civic Si four door sedan. Up until now, the Si was only available as a coupe.

It's powered by the same engine that propels the coupe: a 2.0 liter, 197 horsepower engine rated at 23 mpg city and 32 highway. Prices have not been released.

The four-door sedan also has the same two-tiered instrument panel as the coupe. Deeply contoured bucket seats hold passengers and driver firmly into place. Tilt and telescope steering wheel is standard, along with a 60/40 split folding rear seat and countless other items.

Like all Hondas, the Si comes with extensive safety features, including traction and stability control and Honda's new ACE body structure for enhanced front crash protection. For aesthetic value, the Si models have a new darker alloy wheel color and low profile rear spoiler.

The Civic also comes in a natural gas-powered version based on the LX trim level. It's available to customers from qualifying Honda dealers in California and New York. It comes with a 1.8 liter dedicated natural gas four-cylinder engine, putting out about 113 horsepower. Buyers of this car can qualify for a $4,000 federal tax credit.

Prices for the Si sedan range from $21,290 to $23,240. Prices for the Si coupe range from $21,090 to $23,040.

What's Coming in 2008

What a landmark year this will be for Honda. It will formally introduce the FCX hydrogen-powered fuel cell car to the public in limited numbers for lease. That will make Honda the first company to go into limited production with a hydrogen fuel cell car for public consumption. Everything else up to now has been either concept cars, cars given to government agencies or test pool cars given to consumers for a period of time.

Honda expects the 2008 FCX will get fuel mileage of around 68 mpg in combined highway and city driving, with a range of 270 miles. The only emission that the FCX's electric engine produces is water vapor created when hydrogen and oxygen combine to produce electricity.

Honda also will introduce an all-new Accord Coupe and Sedan, and both are expected to be more dramatic than the current models with plentiful curves. Expect ecology friendly engines, too.

The first cars should arrive during fall.