Pros: SUV look, options, ride, and performance without SUV buying price or gas price/consumption.
Cons: Uncomfortable on trips, no sunroof on 2WD. Blind spots especially with seats folded up.
The Bottom Line: Although there are some negatives related to comfort and visibility it is still a wonderful vehicle and a good buy for people who want an SUV without the SUV prices.
Off the top I am not an automobile expert, I'm a consumer. So this review is based on my ownership of this vehicle and experiences I have had.
I bought my 2004 Honda Element a few months ago. I bought the 2 Wheel Drive model. NOTE: IF YOU WANT THE SUNROOF YOU HAVE TO GET 4WD!!! When we went to the dealer we were shown the 4WD model and all features but decided we did not need the 4WD. After we picked up our vehicle and came home we noticed... NO SUNROOF! When i called the dealer they seemed unaware why i was missing the sunroof until a manager found out it only comes with a sunroof on 4WD models. (This is just here as a funny story... the sunroof doesn't really do anything great, as it is in the back of the vehicle. They market it as a way to stand up large objects that won't fit in otherwise like plants or statues or whatever. I would have made a bigger deal of it, but.. buyer beware. Also, it is just funny that I went through something so dumb so since I love you all I shared it!)
The added option I selected was the floor mats. They stay in place and are easy to remove. The rubber floor looks fine but with wear would look horrible, I like the floor mats and they are well designed and fitted.
Overall Look: I like it, but I also like raw fish and old trucks. It resembles a Hummer a little, and friends say it looks like a box on wheels, but also think it is "cute".
Body Styling: It is a boxy looking vehicle with little attention paid to aerodynamics. I don't care, I still like it. Bumpers look good and sturdy, lights and lenses look great. The front and rear quarter panels have a plastic coating that I think is pretty nice looking, but there is the marked absence of any dent proofing (the little rubber things) on the doors. The plastic coating can be painted as an option if you wish. The dealer made a big deal of how the quarter panels can not be dented and won't show minor scratches, and I agree... but the doors of vehicles take the most abuse in parking spaces, and there is no dent protection there... Hmmmmm! The Element looks bigger than it is. I also own a Civic, and this vehicle is actually not as long front to rear as the civic. I was really surprised.
Wheels: The factory wheels look good, and I didn't see the need to upgrade. The tires are good and I have no complaints.
Braking: ABS all around and very good brakes but take some getting used to... they are mushy compared to a car, so be ready for that.
Engine: The engine is smooth and quiet with plenty of power. It is a V-Tec 4 Cylinder, but has plenty of power. Don't let the 4 cylinder thing scare you, it really does a great job in this vehicle and is rated at around 163 horsepower. Takes steep mountain grades with little effort.
Transmission: We selected the Automatic Trans. The shifter is on the dash and took some getting used to... it is an unusual place to put one, but really effective because the shifter being off the floor makes space to put things and move about the cabin of the car.
Instruments: Easy to read, and well placed overall. The cruise control button is poorly placed under the dash, very low, on the left of the driver. If you don't know where it is before you get in the car, it will be difficult to find if you need to use it. This is the only poorly placed instrument. The ash tray is just below the cruise button and poorly placed. I use it as a coin holder but if I were using it to smoke, I would feel awkward putting ashes and butts there. I would fear burning my leg or dropping the cigarette.
Seats: Nice sporty styling and overall pretty comfortable for SHORT trips. Anything over an hour driving and you think you are on a crowded jet liner. No lumbar support. Seat adjustment increments are too wide, making it difficult to get into a "just right" position. I dread long drives. There are only 4 seats in the vehicle, so I can actually fit more people in my Civic. The front and rear seats can be reclined to form one nice long bed for resting, and are surprisingly comfortable in this position. Really a good option for sleeping in a rest stop or camping without a tent. You can buy optional seat covers that are neoprene and mesh, and VERY stylish. The rear seats can be removed with little effort (after some practice) or can be folded up onto the sides of the cabin to make room for hauling... this is a GREAT feature and very easy to do.
Accessibility: Getting in and out of the front seats is very easy and comfortable, however, getting into the back requires opening the front door and then the suicide door to the rear seats. Essentially if someone in the back wants out of the Element, the front seat person has to open their door first. This is awkward in parking spaces. When we have rear seat passengers we find ourselves letting them out BEFORE we park in a parking space. Also I feel uncomfortably that it is a 2 step process to get out in an emergency from the back seats. I'm glad I sit in front!
Roominess: The Element is wonderfully roomy, plenty of leg room front and back. Head space to spare.
Interior features: The Element has nice placement of interior items, plenty cup holders (I think 6) 4 in front, 2 rear. There is plenty room in the back behind the rear seats, and if not enough, as mentioned before, the rear seats are easily folded out of the way or removed. Lots of grocery space. The front seat arm rests SUCK! They are placed so low on the seat to be useful. The guy who decided to put them where they are should be beaten, shot, then fired! It really is the inability to rest your arms when taking a long trip that makes me dread doing so in our Element. Of all the great features found in this vehicle, the inattention to driver comfort is insane! You would need to have the arms of an orangutan to reach the stupid arm rests. I swear if I ever meet that guy, he better look like a chimp or I'll be really mad! ;-) Don't the engineers in Japan have any data on the average length of the human arm?
Ride: This vehicle has a really smooth ride, good shocks, and handles well for an SUV type vehicle. Anyone expecting sports car performance from an SUV or more accurately Mini-SUV is a nut! It does really well for what it is designed to do. The Element has you sitting up high like an SUV, lots of forward and side visibility like an SUV, and quiet smooth ride like an SUV.
Visibility: Good front and side visibility up to 120 degrees in front, but after that the door joint from front to back gives a scary blind spot. When the rear seats are folded up onto the sides they cover the rear side windows making lane changes dicey at best. I recommend just removing them to carry loads for a better chance of seeing to the rear sides.
Gas Mileage: The 4 cylinder engine makes this vehicle cheap to fill up, NOT like an SUV. It has about a 10 gallon tank which will take you quite far before a fill up. The mileage was as advertised around 27 hwy. It provides SUV features without the SUV price.
Price: We paid a little under $20,000 out the door, but paid cash. If you finance it might be a little more after financing and interest charges. This is much less than the starting price for an SUV.
Since we bought our Element I have seen quite a few more on the road. It gets looks, and comments from people who think it is a cute car. It performs well, and because it is no longer than a Civic/Accord it is easy to park or drive in tight spaces and has a small turning radius. While 9 of 10 SUV drivers seem unable to get into a parking space properly (they take 2 or have their tank parked diagonal in a space making it hard for other drivers to get into spaces next to them) and really ticks me off, you will not have a problem parking the Element or fitting into a space. The crafting and overall quality of the vehicle is excellent, and I plan on having it for 200,000 miles or more.
Buy this vehicle, especially if you have mutant arms, but take a GOOD test drive first and closely examine the functions and features first.
UPDATE!!! I have made a couple upgrades to my Element and want to tell you about them. I have purchased and installed (myself, not at the dealers) the roof racks, cargo bin, inside bike racks, side steps, and perhaps the BEST thing made for the ELEMENT the adjustable driver's side arm rest!!! All are easy to install if, and I emphasize if, you know the basics of do-it-yourself. The Arm rest was perhaps the most difficult and yet easy of the installations, and definitely as made long trips more comfortable. Not only does it enable the average American to rest their arm while driving, it is wide enough that I share it with my boss (read that wife) when she is driving. VERY NICE!!! I recommend purchasing this add-on first. The Side steps are kind of useless unless you have kids climbing in and out, but they look good. I installed them myself, but probably could have saved myself considerable trouble (and body aches obtained from an hour under the car) by paying $50 to the dealer for the install. I recommend doing the bolt set nearest the rear tire first or you may be sorry later... just trust me on this. Roof Racks are really solid, easy to put on, and look great too. I attached surfboard attachment to it for the long trips to the beach I often make, you can also do other stuff like skis and bikes with the proper attachments. The Cargo Bin in the back is a folding box attachment and really comes in handy for holding small amounts of groceries and such. Has really been a nice addition to the ELEMENT. All told I have paid around $700 for everything, and getting fog lights next.
As for the rest of the ELEMENT it is running like a champ, no issues whatsoever and we are at the 17,000 mile mark soon I think. The paint is still good, tires are still like new, and we still love our little "Baby Hummer". I still recomend buying this vehicle and definitely love driving it now that the arm rest issue is over. I am only upset that the upgraded arm rest is not standard in the U.S. market.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 20,000.00
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: 2 Wheel drive
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