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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  chris review - 2004 Honda Element
  By all11in4u27 - October 17 - 10:00 am

  nice i like the outside as well as the inside a fun automobile to drive and own

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  glad its gone - 2006 Honda Element
  By 442 man - October 11 - 9:37 pm

  This was our first Honda and our last. Day one the steering went we had to wait for a new rack-pinion to be installed. A steel rod came through the drivers seat, both front seats had to be recovered. Bad tires, gas mileage, tail gate hinges, visibility, if you park next to another car its real fun to get the rear passengers out. Suicide doors need to go, also need to make this a 5 passenger vehicle, as their is plenty of room.

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  THE Best Care to have with Children - 2006 Honda Element
  By Jennifer - October 11 - 7:33 pm

  This is by far the best vehicle to own if you have kids! My 2 kids love this car as do I. It is very fun to drive, very peppy, and very reliable. The Element is very easy to keep clean which is important when you have 2 kids under 7 years of age. Everything wipes down and sweeps out--no worries about spilt drinks or candy. The dog loves riding in this one, too! Plenty of room for everyone with room left over for the extras.

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  fun with function - 2004 Honda Element
  By H K - October 11 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Element for ten months now. It is the most functional vehicle i have ever owned. there are only a few things that can be improved upon. The suicide doors while being essential to the function of this truck pose a problem for back seat passengers. The front seatbelt must be unbuckled and the front door opened before the back seat passenger can enter or exit. Also, the windows barely open at all in the back seat. For this reason I would recommend the vehicle to someone who only carries passengers occasionally. For an active lifestyle the Element cannot be beat.

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  New to me but excellent so far - 2008 Honda Element
  By Brian - October 10 - 1:41 pm

  I picked up a 2008 Element and so far it has been great. The sales person was decent and with the incentives I think it is an excellent buy for anyone looking for a small SUV with good utility uses. Granted, it isnt going to pull a huge load but for normal use, grabbing a dresser, mattress or something like that it will work much better than most smaller SUVs. Any things I might "want" on this truck are minor.

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  Really Dont Like It - 2008 Honda Element
  By JustCC - October 9 - 9:51 pm

  All the stuff I have in it slides all over the place (nothing slides in our Suburban), the seats hurt my butt and back, the headrests puts my head in a weird position, Ive had two very minor fender benders at very low speeds and each one has resulted in mega repair bills because if the front touches anything it caves in. The paint on the cladding chips easily. Small gas tank means more frequent fill ups, rattles, I hate hate hate having to get out of the car to close the back windows.

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  Homeowners Vehicle of Choice - 2008 Honda Element
  By Dominik - October 8 - 10:55 pm

  Ive owned an 06 Element and now just bought an 08. From road trips with the dogs to hauling 4x6 wood posts and 4x8 plywood back from Lowes in the same load this vehicle has done everything Ive wanted it to do. I always remove the backseats out of my Elements, it makes things easier to clean and get in and out of. I treat it like a covered pickup with really good fuel economy.

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  Great Value for the Money - 2004 Honda Element
  By aschulze2001 - October 5 - 10:00 am

  We test drove the Scion xB, Toyota Matrix, Subaru Forester and Element. The Subaru was the smoothest ride, BUT it sits low like a car and handles like a car. The storage options inside are limited. We chose the Element because we need a small city car with lots of hauling capacity for my husbands music equipment. All his equipment fits easily in the E and the E is small and easy to park. We like how you sit very high in the E and have a wide view out the windshield. Visbility is great. You can also fold up or remove the rear seats for plenty of storage. We got the EX model for the Side Air bags. Though crash tests are impressive, side crash test scores were poor without side air bags.

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  two years, still love it - 2005 Honda Element
  By robert - October 4 - 12:10 am

  Ive had my Element for two years now (33+k miles), no problems at all. of any kind. Its great for camping, and typical "family-duty" hauling. Its a lot smaller than my old Dakota, yet I find itll still carry all my stuff. the doors are odd, and are a hassle when wedged in a tight parking spot, but have a lot of advantages too.

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  Ugly but love it - 2004 Honda Element
  By cje - September 30 - 12:50 pm

  I am happy with my Element. Took some time getting use to fine styling :-( (much like an English taxi) But it is so useful, comfortable, cleans up really well, great for hauling stuff and mine is basic beige which really hides the dirt well. I plan to drive it for at least a full 200,000 miles and forgo car payments for sometime.