Honda Element By Tom Strongman

A study in practicality and versatility

The Honda Element is one of a handful of small vehicles aimed at youthful buyers who want a practical, adventuresome vehicle that can go anywhere and do anything without breaking their wallets.

The Element is based on Honda’s very successful CR-V. It uses the same chassis platform and same powertrain, but it has a 2-inch shorter wheelbase. It is, however, 4 inches taller and 12 inches shorter. Most of the Element’s spacious feel comes from the extra height.

The Element is available in front-wheel or all-wheel drive. There are three trim levels: DX, LX and EX. Standard equipment for the DX includes 16-inch wheels and power windows. The LX adds AM/FM/CD audio system and air-conditioning. The EX adds alloy wheels, cruise control, anti-lock brakes, power mirrors and a seven-speaker audio system.

All-wheel-drive models comes with a large rear skylight that tilts open or comes out completely so you can carry tall items.

The DX starts at $16,100, the LX at $17,100 and the EX at $18,900. The test vehicle, an all-wheel-drive EX, had a sticker price of $21,310.

The flat, plastic floor and waterproof seats are designed to resist soiling when the vehicle is used to carry muddy mountain bikes or wet camping gear. Fold the rear seats up against the side walls and the load space is surprisingly generous given the vehicle’s overall size.

While Honda originally targeted the Element at young buyers, many older buyers find it appealing because it is so practical. The blunt nose, boxy shape and plastic body cladding on the fenders give it a rugged, military look.

The flip-and-fold interior is one of the Elements strongest features. It is as flexible as a small minivan when it comes to carrying cargo. Half-size, rear-opening back doors combine with the front doors to create a huge aperture for loading people and things. Back-seat passengers step right in. A drawback is that front-seat passengers have to undo their seat belts and open the door before the back-seat passengers can get out. People with mobility problems or wheelchairs are likely to find the Element fits their needs very well.

Because the front doors latch against the rear doors instead of a side pillar, the doors are not as solid as the Honda CR-V. In fact, much of the Element’s interior seems to lack the bank-vault solidity of the CR-V.

The split-folding rear seat can be laid flat, almost like a bed, or each side also folds up against the cabin walls for maximum load carrying. The folding mechanism is not unlike the one Toyota used in the Previa a decade ago. The seats are held against the side wall with a strap which can be hard to fasten. I really like the extra cargo space that comes from having seats fold up against the side instead of tumbling forward. I wish the Element was a couple of inches longer for even more cargo flexibility. That would make it almost as big inside as a small minivan.

The interior isn’t finished as nicely as the CR-V, even though many of the interior pieces, such as instruments and heating controls, are similar. Cubbyholes, tie-downs and hooks are sprinkled throughout the interior, all the better for carrying “stuff.” The speedometer sits in a deep well that made reading the numbers a bit difficult in low light.

The test vehicle had a bike rail mounted on the roof rack, and it created an annoying wind whistle even at 35 miles per hour.

You might think the a four-cylinder Element and its boxy shape is a tank to drive, but it isn’t. Honda’s 160-horsepower, 2.4-cylinder four-cylinder engine is a delightful piece of work. It produces the majority of its torque at low engine speed, and it accelerates like a larger engine. The Element weighs a couple of hundred pounds more than the CR-V, so performance suffers a little, but not much. I often found myself cruising past the speed limit on the highway.

The Element is a bit more nimble than the CR-V because it sits about an inch lower to the ground. It felt secure in turns and didn’t bounce around on rough roadways.

Overall, the Element seemed to be louder than the CR-V. I missed the CR-V’s little table that fits between the front seats, and the extra cup holder that slides from the dash. The overall level of fit and finish did not seem to measure up to the CR-V.
With the Element, Honda may have learned that practical vehicles have an appeal that transcends age groups. The Element embodies many of the qualities that brought people to SUVs in the first place, but because it is efficient and inexpensive, it has few of the drawbacks of those bigger vehicles.