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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  In My Element - 2008 Honda Element
  By troydvance - January 23 - 10:13 pm

  Thanks to Edmunds, I chose the Honda Element! After considerable research and test drives, the Element fit perfectly. Since I am 6 feet 4 inches tall, I could not have found a more perfect match. The ride is much better than the other vehicles that I looked at. The design is very unique and utilitarian. It gets a lot of compliments. It is useful and well designed. Even when the weather is below 0, the Element starts and warms quickly. The cargo room is amazing and can hold things that I did not think it would. It feels very stable in high winds. It can turn on a dime and leave change. I am very happy.

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  In the ELEMENTs - 2005 Honda Element
  By c_go_oldland - January 18 - 11:52 am

  I hated this car at first. I opted for the manual tranny. After about 6 months behind the wheel, I fell in love and have intention of letting "scarlet" go!

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  excellent - 2003 Honda Element
  By sungmin lim - January 14 - 2:00 am

  element is for young buyers, but perfect for family second car, too. easy in and out, spacious interior, waterproof floor, adjustable back...

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  NICE LiL SUV - 2003 Honda Element
  By ElementMan - January 14 - 2:00 am

  The function of the interior is great. The interior is really nice for a car this price! Peppy little engine and the 5 speed is a blast. Hard to find 5 speeds at the dealer, but it is worth it. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone that only needs to seat 4 or less. Not a better vehicle out there for this price (under 20K). Solid.

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  This is a gas! - 2003 Honda Element
  By Ximenez - January 14 - 2:00 am

  I have never driven a car so well though out and practical. The developers took some time on this one. I LOVE IT!

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  Cool. Fun. Versatile. Reliable. GREAT! - 2003 Honda Element
  By Patrick D - January 14 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Element for a few weeks now, and I love it. Great performance, the 4WD handles snow and ice excellently, and theres a ton of space inside for cargo and passengers - very flexible and versatile. Plus, its so funky looking, it attracts attention wherever it goes. A very cool car, I mean SUV, I mean van...well, whatever it is.

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  Plastic - 2003 Honda Element
  By nstern1118 - January 14 - 2:00 am

  Everything about this car is great, except the gray area you see on the outside of the car, its all plastic. When i bought this car the man at the dealership said it was "scratch proof material incase of a stray shopping cart but once i put my hand under to feel the whole thing caved in with very little force. I am not too sure how safe it would be for my kids to drive.

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  The Element - 2007 Honda Element
  By Mark - January 13 - 11:05 pm

  I was first concerned about the location of the stick shift lever. However, the location is in a suitable place and this is not an issue. The manual transmission aids the driver to control the vehicle and requires little effort to employ. Both the suspension and transmission handles very well. I preferred the manual over the automatic after test driving both vehicles. The Element’s large interior dwarfs my 1997 Grand Cherokee. Very large or older adults can enter and exit the rear seat of the Element with ease. The rear seats can be configured to carry various loads. This is important to both home owners and active individuals that participate in outdoor activities.

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  Finally, logic built into a car - 2007 Honda Element
  By David Parks - January 10 - 4:45 pm

  The Element is the ultimate utilitarian vehicle. I love the flexibility of having a large cargo area. The entire interior is easy to clean, I am never worried about getting it muddy, wet, or dirty. There is tremendous flexibility with the cargo area since the seats go up. The AWD works great, Ive been through heavy snow with great results. On long drives I fit a twin size air mattress in the back and sleep 2 people. I can fit just about anything in the back (bikes, sofas, tons of gear, etc). It seems like every inch of this car is build purely on logic. Its a no frills car that is brilliant in its simplicity. Hey, it took genius to discover E=mc^2, the element follows in that tradition.

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  LOVE The Element! - 2008 Honda Element
  By mach1mustang6 - January 7 - 2:27 pm

  My girlfriend purchased a used orange 2006 Element EX-P with AWD and it had every option available on it. We both have fully enjoyed the Element. Originally looked at the new CR-V at the time but decided to go with the Element for its versitility and durable interior. Its fun to watch everyone look at you going down the road too especially with the orange paint job. Very easy to keep clean and HUGE room even for people over 6ft in the back seats. Love the interior design and simple climate control dials. Sweet sound system and it has a great spot for your iPod to hook up to the raido on the passenger side shelf above the glove box. The split liftgate/tailgate is a great feature too.