When it comes to the sub-compact class, entry-level no longer means stripped down to bare bones. Buyers want healthy tech features, quality materials, and a fun to drive experience to go along with their high mpg.

And when we asked Toyota and Honda for their smallest cars, they both sent their top of the line trimmed out models. So we match the 2015 Honda Fit EX-L with Navigation against the Toyota Yaris SE.

First-off, Honda offers their Fit five-door hatch with a higher top-end of trim than does Toyota with their Yaris. Our Fit EX-L had features like leather seats, navigation, a sunroof and many other things the Yaris came to us without.

The Fit as equipped priced out at $21,590 while the less equipped Yaris SE tops out at $18,825. Don’t worry though, our comparison here is about how these cars stack up in the basics like utility, handling, performance in addition to value for the money.

When it comes to styling, they are both fresh on the scene for 2015. The Fit is all-new from the ground up, while the Yaris brings a restyle of a previous design to the table. While styling is subjective, the higher roofline and slightly longer profile of the Fit is fact.

Inside, the two take distinctly different directions when it comes to design. Moreover they quickly become worlds apart in feature content, utility, comfort, and value.

The Yaris interior was redesigned for 2015 with higher quality materials that have a good fit and finish. It’s very simple in design, layout, and the basic levels of features which come standard as well as how far you can go with options.

At the top of the line, it’s missing a few of the most basic things like a tilt and telescoping steering wheel and a center armrest with a storage area. When you look at the option sheet, things like satellite radio, backup camera and a sunroof aren’t available at at any price.

The Fit on the other hand offers the tilt and telescoping steering wheel, center armrest and storage as well as a backup camera are standard equipment. And when it comes to options you can have the full-boat which Yaris doesn’t offer.

Utility shows another major divergence as well. Both cars offer a split folding rear seat that allows for full use of the cargo area in the rear. The Yaris has a near flat load floor when the seats are down. The Fit has a load floor much flatter with seats folded, and its higher roof allows for much more cargo volume.

The Fit one ups the Yaris with what Honda calls its magic seat. In addition to the standard folding routine, the lower cushions can fold upward creating a large and tall cargo space for things you might buy at the home store.

When you get to driving, the two cars also offer up a distinctly different recipe. The 2015 Toyota Yaris comes with a 1.5 liter engine producing 106 horsepower and mated with a rather outdated 4-speed automatic.

Driving it isn’t a great deal of fun for lack of forward gears. The EPA rates it at 30 mpg city, 36 mpg highway and 32 mpg combined. We achieved that 32 mpg combined in our tests.

The 2015 Honda Fit comes also with a 1.5 liter engine but more powerful with 130 horsepower. If there is a downside, it’s that it comes with a constantly variable transmission which is rarely any fun. Honda however does a good job at tuning it to be plenty livable.

When it comes to fuel economy, the Fit is rated a bit higher as a result of the CVT with 32 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 35 mpg combined. We were however able to easily beat the EPA with a 37 mpg average.

Now just when you thought the Yaris had nothing going for it, when it came to handling the SE trim-grade came with a very nicely tuned sport suspension and larger alloy wheels with stickier tires. It was fun to drive in this regard with a nice tight turn-in, cornering response, and overall character.

While the Honda Fit also handled quite competently, its chassis didn’t quite offer the level of cohesiveness in its feel and steering. The ride however was more than comfortable at all speeds.

Safety is another major area where car buyers weigh decisions. And here we always look to the IIHS for their data.

The Yaris performs with “good” ratings in all of the IIHS testing with exception of the new small-overlap test in which it received a “marginal” rating. With these measures and lack of an available crash prevention system, the Yaris does not earn a Top Safety Pick status from the IIHS.

The Honda Fit on the other hand tops its class with an IIHS Top Safety Pick honor. It achieved Good ratings on their full battery of testing except the small-offset crash where it achieved an Acceptable rating.

The last frontier to our match-up is value. While our two testers had different levels of trim, we did some sleuthing on the brand’s respective websites to compare apples to apples on comparatively priced models.

Here we found that price for price, the Honda Fit still offers significantly more standard equipment than does the Yaris, even things the Toyota cannot be optioned with at any price. When considered in that regard, the nod goes to the Honda Fit for best value.

2015 Honda Fit Full Test Drive

2015 Toyota Yaris Full Test Drive