Besides its lower gas-mileage rating, the '09 Fit is pricier than its rivals in the crowded subcompact field.

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Riddle me this, Batman: When is a fuel-efficient subcompact not?

Answer: When it's the 2009 Honda Fit.

Appearances can be deceiving, and seldom more so than in the case of the 2009 Honda Fit.

The little Fit is the latest in a new generation of small cars arriving in America to help us weather unpredictable gasoline prices.

It's an admirable vehicle in many ways. Perplexingly, though, it's got a bigger interior than Honda's Civic compact, and EPA highway fuel economy ratings for the Fit that I tested trailed the most efficient models of the larger Civic and Chevrolet Cobalt XFE.

It's a conundrum of the growing class of little global cars coming to America that while smaller overall size no longer means a cramped and Spartan interior, it doesn't necessarily equate to higher fuel economy.

The Fit is all-new for 2009, despite the fact that its attractive, wedgy body bears a strong resemblance to the outgoing model. It comes with a 117-horsepower, 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine and a choice of a five-speed manual or automatic transmission.

Prices for the Fit start at $14,550 for a base model with the five-speed manual. The least-expensive Fit with the five-speed automatic costs $15,350.

I tested a Fit Sport, the up-level model that adds features like cruise control and a good sound system, with the manual transmission and a sticker price of $16,060.

The Fit competes with other small cars like the $11,965 Chevrolet Aveo 5, the $13,325 Kia Rio 5, the $9,900 Nissan Versa and the $12,205 Toyota Yaris.

The Fit comes in at the high end of the price spectrum, but it aims to justify the tab with attractive styling and a sporty character.

The Fit's little engine revs willingly to the redline. That's good, because you have to spend a lot of time at high revs and shift the manual transmission frequently and fast for the best performance.

The manual transmission in the Fit that I drove for a week was surprisingly notchy, given Honda's usual velvety gearboxes.

The ride is a bit bumpy over rough surfaces, but handling is good.

Electronic power steering provides good feedback and assistance both in parking lots and at road speed, although there is a numb spot at around 15 mph when the system shifts from one level of assistance to another.

The Fit that I tested had EPA ratings of 27 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway. Among manual-transmission subcompacts, the Aveo 5 comes in at 27/34; Rio, at 27/33; the Versa, at 26/31; and the Yaris, at 29/36. The optional automatic transmission boosts the Fit's EPA rating to 28 mpg city/ 35 mpg highway.

The longer and more powerful Chevrolet Cobalt and Honda Civic both top the Fit's highway fuel economy, with maximum EPA ratings of 37 mpg and 36 mpg, respectively.

While the Cobalt and the Civic are larger on the outside, the Fit provides considerably more interior room than either.

The Fit grows larger when seen from the inside. Despite an overall length of just 161.6 inches — 16.2 inches shorter than the Civic sedan — the Fit provides 90.8 cubic feet of passenger room and 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space.

Headroom and front legroom are excellent; rear legroom is good.

The Fit's interior materials are acceptable, but not lavish, and the fits between some interior trim pieces are uneven.

The cupholders are tough to reach and don't hold their contents securely. The instrument cluster is lovely to look at and easy to read.

The exterior styling is equally appealing, with creases in the hood to create a diamond-shaped front view, a subtly rising line that does nothing to impede clear sight lines in all directions.

The Sport model adds a deep chin spoiler and fog lights, among other upgrades.

The Honda Fit is not the subcompact to choose if you want maximum fuel economy at the minimum price.

If I were shopping for a small Honda, I'd almost certainly choose a $15,205 base-model Civic over the Fit. However, the Fit's roomy interior and nifty looks make it a good choice for maximizing people and cargo capacity in a stylish and comfortable little car.