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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  The BEST I have owned - 2004 Honda Element
  By maguu - November 30 - 2:23 pm

  I purchased my 2004 Element in 2007 w/36000 miles off a lease. I now have 86000 miles on it and have not had any mechanical issues so far. I hope to drive it for a long time yet. This is the best I have owned,I have owned several cars and trucks American and foreign but none of them was as trouble free as this has been. It drives very stable and AWD can take you thru a lot of snow and mud. I have used as a car,truck and camper,have towed my boat and ATV side by side without any complaint from her. Honda really screwed up dropping this from their lineup,they should have just kept tweaking it to improve it more. I really dont know what I will replace this with,maybe try to find a clean 2011.

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  This car feels like home now - 2003 Honda Element
  By chasitye - July 13 - 9:25 am

  When i first saw this car I thought it was the ugliest thing I had ever seen. Upon further driving and testing, it was PERFECT! The roominess has spoiled me. I cant even tell you how many times Ive hauled things inside the car with the seats up and peoples jaws drop because they "had no idea". Countless times I have used the suicide doors to get the kids out and people come up to my car to check it out. Its a 2003!!! Dont act like youve never seen one. With two kids under 10 the rubber floors have been a Godsend! I cant tell you how many ice creams and food disasters have been avoided. Not to mention that after beach trips I just take my leaf blower and blow ALL the sand out of the car

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  Overrated - 2011 Honda Element
  By ahjah9 - July 5 - 9:29 am

  Bought a used 2011 last yr and had it for a few months. Pros: Easy to clean, esp vinyl flooring, which is a must w/dogs. Able to remove back seats for more room. Consistent 25 mpg. Cons: No telescopic steering wheel, hard, uncomfortable seats, other than power windows/locks, there was nothing updated. Suicide doors were horrible, as were vent windows. How this vehicle was aimed for dogs is beyond me. It should have been 4 doors, all windows could fully open even the back one. Sluggish and the place to charge a phone was also at a inconvenient area.

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  Turned my opinion of it right around. - 2004 Honda Element
  By stryker91 - December 8 - 11:46 pm

  When I first saw this car, I was repulsed. A front-wheel-drive SUV? What were they thinking? But my wife has one, and I was wrong about it in every way. Its stylish, comfortable, versatile, and has more "giddyup" than one would think.

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  I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU - 2004 Honda Element
  By guest2011 - September 5 - 8:52 pm

  04 EX was my first SUV, first Honda. I hated the seat discomfort, the cheap-feeling floors, scratches in interior plastic, exterior plastic, worn bushings, rear differential, some other minor things and annoyances. Thats until i bought 2014 CRV LX. I love my Element now!!! I miss it and i want it back!!! My second honda is my last, thats for sure.

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  good value - 2007 Honda Element
  By boeserkritiker - March 14 - 12:38 pm

  I bought this vehicle new in 2007. got 97K miles now. It has served us reliably well as you hope from a honda with 2 exceptions. right after the warranty expired we had to shell out 500 bucks to replace a rear strut that was gone. and the original battery left us stranded multiple times when it was only 3y old. . i read on blogs that many people had that problem. since it got replaced, out of my pocket, that issue is gone. the door design is weird if you have people actually using the rear seats. especially in tight parking spots. you get trapped in the space between 2 doors. it gets worse if you have to get little children out of their child seats in the rear.

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  2007 ex AWD Atomic Blue Element Automatic - 2007 Honda Element
  By sarasmydog - October 21 - 10:54 pm

  Although I bought it used in 2012 about 6 months ago with 53,000 on the Odo, it has been very worthwhile in just about all catagories although Im used to V6 power in other vehicles it is still "peppy" enough for me although I did wish it got better gas mileage or maybe it is I am just not used to it? Overall in 99.9% I would give it a definate thumbs up. Its been very dependable and durable and I cant wait to try it out on the snow this year in NE Iowa. Of course I was almost sure I would love it? Its a Honda and they are known for reliability!

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  Pros and Cons - 2005 Honda Element
  By hondaelementex - September 11 - 1:45 pm

  Nice car, great for a tall person and carrying groceries and other stuff including smaller bicycles. MPG is about 20.

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  I loved this SUV - 2004 Honda Element
  By mommabllck - August 20 - 9:03 am

  I had this SUV for 5yrs, they only thing that I didnt like was the comfort of the seats and that the vehicle rode rough.

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  Good car for the value - 2005 Honda Element
  By laura_e_som - August 2 - 12:05 pm

  My husband and I purchased this car new and it has been a blessed experience thus far. It handles well, cleans up well and is holding its value well. With 96,000 miles on it, we are grateful to God, that it has had no real problems, it has needed one set of breaks and a set of tires, with another one due here pretty soon. My husband drives this car almost everyday back and forth to work and it has been very reliable. AWD does seem to help it to handle well enough in the snow, and its car we plan on keeping until it finally says no more.