The Honda Element sport-utility remains one of the most distinctive and useful shapes on the road. It's relatively short -- 7 inches shorter than Honda's smallest sedan -- and surprisingly tall. But behind that cubist philosophy is a level of versatility that bests that of many other small wagons or compact SUVs.
As opposed to a conventional four-door setup, the Honda Element's "clamshell" rear doors pivot backward a full 90 degrees. Without a B-pillar to intrude, opening both side doors creates an extra-large portal through which to easily load passengers or bulky cargo. In back, the tailgate lowers like a pickup's and is split from the upper glass.
The theater-style rear seats provide plenty of visibility and legroom, and can be configured in multiple ways. And with the rear seats removed, you've got a larger SUV's 75 cubic feet of cargo space to play with.
The Honda Element easily accommodates the lifestyles of all kinds of people on road and off with smooth, efficient four-cylinder power, crisp and balanced handling, and optional all-wheel-drive traction for beach or snow. We like it just fine for the light-duty utility it delivers for its size, but if you regularly fill the seats or need serious off-road/towing capability, you'd do better to check out other larger competitors.
Honda Element Used Models
Honda's Element is still in its first generation, introduced for 2003. It received only minor feature upgrades until 2007, when there were significant changes made. That year saw an increase of 10 hp and the introductions of the SC trim level and the more efficient five-speed automatic transmission (prior Elements featured a four-speed auto). There have been minor feature changes as well, including standard stability control and optional side curtain airbags for 2007 and a new navigation system for '09.