Overview & Reviews

Sold from 2003-'11, the Honda Element compact crossover SUV remains one of the most distinctive and practical vehicles on the road. Happy Element owners are often city dwellers who appreciate both its small size and generous 75-cubic-foot maximum cargo capacity. Another notable element about the Element is the ability of its access-style rear doors to pivot backward a full 90 degrees, providing unimpeded access to the roomy and creatively configurable rear seats.

A used Element of any vintage is easy to recommend thanks to its functional interior, smooth four-cylinder engine and carlike handling, not to mention Honda's reputation for reliability. That said, it's worthwhile to focus your search on 2007 and newer models, as they offer a bit more power and enhanced safety features.

User Reviews:

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  Perfect "Out of the Box" vehicle - 2008 Honda Element
  By lalande - June 15 - 8:14 pm

  I bought my Element new in February of 08. Two weeks later I made a 9 hour trip each way to Fort Kent, Maine on the Canadian border in the middle of a snow storm to photograph the Can Am dog sled race and she performed wonderfully. Driven her all over the North East and Mid Atlantic. Never had any issues with any weather. Easy clean, load her up and go. Not for those who want plush luxury. Dog owners, campers, hikers, climbers, bicyclists, surfers, Home Depot strollers, this is the vehicle for you. Fun to drive, reliable, very versatile and pretty comfortable. Tons of space for driver and passengers to enjoy. Best vehicle I have ever owned and the most fun to drive too.

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  2011 Honda Element EX 4x4 5SD AT - 2011 Honda Element
  By mcc12 - May 1 - 10:14 pm

  Excellent Vehicle in so many ways. Great design with the Honda badge. This is my 4th Honda dating back to 1977. Wide open design allows for a great view of the road and all the way around. Tall enough to actually see a lot of sky while driving making the view exceptional. Very easy access for a guy of 50 years old. No twisting your back up to access a smaller or lower car. Very roomy interior, great driving position. It is actually quite comfortable on a longer drive. Tons of room in the back for most anything that does not require a truck to haul. I honestly think for the money this is the most well designed vehicle mae. I sure hate to see production stop on these little gems.

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  Excellent for two - 2008 Honda Element
  By gafulham - April 21 - 10:51 am

  We bought our Element used with 24k on it. Overall we are quite happy -- only real drawbacks are as follows: 1. Rear access is a total pain in the a@#! We probably drive 80% of the time with the rear seats stowed -- this would not be a great family car (our kids are grown and gone) 2. Interesting lack of amenities on a top line model - ie., no auto unlock button on passenger door, no outside temp meter, intermittent wipers have only one speed. 3. Towing capacity rating is a joke -- is Honda serious about this or are they being hyper cautious? 4. Mileage is only so-so Still, it is like a storage pod on wheels and it is fun to drive. Also great with dogs (we have 2). A good buy overall for us.

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  great car - 2003 Honda Element
  By atorreon - April 1 - 3:33 pm

  great utility car! this thing can do it all without any worries. not the geatest looking car but can fill any need. the element is honestly the best snow handling car ive ever driven

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  Toaster can GO! - 2006 Honda Element
  By toastergirl223 - March 27 - 1:29 pm

  This is my first car and we had it about 3 years prior to it becoming mine, and this is one of the most reliable cars you can get. A couple of years ago we were on a long trip when we were almost out of gas and this car kept going way past empty until we reached a gas station. The only problem is the exterior. I mean, come on, its a toaster.

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  Totaled my Element. I barely felt a thing. - 2004 Honda Element
  By mudgell - February 19 - 6:47 pm

  I was cruzin around Denver, not paying enough attention and WHAMO! I nailed a solid concrete barrier and totaled the car but I came out without a scratch. The only thing that hurts is that I dont have my Element anymore. I never had one maintenance problem with it while I had it and when I wrecked it, it very well could have saved my life or saved me from getting injured. If you have the money, get one.

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  Buyer Beware! - 2011 Honda Element
  By mmhblg - February 5 - 1:02 pm

  Our Element is less than two months old. It has failed now to start twice in the morning. The first time the dealer determined that a faulty window switch was the cause. The dealer was unable to identify the cause of the most recent failure and could offer nothing more than a suggestion that we bring the car back in should the problem happen again - although they were unclear what additional steps they could take at that point. We currently regret the purchase. We had hoped to use this vehicle as our main car for out of town trips but now are not confident driving away from town should the vehicle leave us stranded. Not willing to take that chance from a safety perspective.

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  Good Car, Not quite as advertised.... - 2007 Honda Element
  By miamioolite - January 15 - 4:14 pm

  I had this car for three years and about 32,000 miles, drove it across the country and in Montana for a year. The drive is good, not remarkable. The gearbox is solid and smooth. The turning radius is very good! The build quality was great, and I had no problems with the engine just regular maintenance. My only problems were with the "realtime" all wheel drive and the cargo capacity. This car is marketed as a young adventure vehicle. Well with a gross payload of 600ish lbs.....4 people generally hits the limit so no gear, as long as you keep it light your ok. The AWD was slow to react to slipping wheels so you start sliding on spinning wheels too often. what is the point of the tilt sunroof?

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  No other like it - 2011 Honda Element
  By gvlivingaz - January 5 - 12:47 pm

  This is my second Element. I traded in my first after losing my dog. Unfortunately I equated the car with the dog. Later I found out I missed the Element so much I had to have another. Traded in my leased MB ML350 early when I found out the Element was going to be discontinued. The versatility is unmatched. You may not think it, but this is a very comfortable car on a long trip. No back ache like I got from some of my other vehicles. On first two fill-ups got 25 MPG. Take the back seat out and youve got quite a hauler. I also like the fact that you can flip up the back seats to the side if you have to and haul a large payload in an emergency.

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  A Love Affair - 2011 Honda Element
  By GVLiving AZ - December 1 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Element. This car does not appeal to a large base. But once you own one and enjoy the versatility and reliability you can become hooked. If you take the back seats out this baby becomes a van! I did have another car in between but knew I had to have another.