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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  I love this car!! - 2007 Honda Element
  By Albert - December 14 - 9:24 am

  After test driving many SUVs I could not believe how this car could have the best road feel, since its shorter then most of the ones I tested. It was not the quietest or the smoothest ride, but by far the one I loved the most. I liked many cars in my 50 years of driving, but this one I LOVE.

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  Value and Style - 2007 Honda Element
  By Trent - December 13 - 1:13 pm

  Just got my Element last week after going in to drive the CR-V. While the CRV is nicer and more refined than previous years, there is just no room for my toys and gear. The Element started to be more attractive from a pure cost of ownership standpoint, as I was looking at leasing a more expensive vehicle originally, but I could purchase the Element for the roughly the same monthly payment. I drove both the SC and standard model, and love the handling of the SC and the unique interior trim points. Ill miss 4WD, but love the wider tires and improved headlight/front end look. I drove it in snow/ice 2 days after purchasing, and although I was a bit tense without 4WD there, it was good.

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  2004 Honda Element EX AWD - 2004 Honda Element
  By Elementary - December 12 - 5:23 pm

  Versatile.Many fact. add-ons (fog lights, tow bar,etc) are overpriced I chose aftermarket ones. Wife & I haul a roof box, bikes, kayak, dog & camp gear all at once. Lots of road noise & seats offer very little back suppport for long trips,yet are versatile. Im unhappy with the syncros/shifting in the manual tranny yet AWD system has been amazing in all conditions.24.8 mpg average.The angle of the windshield makes it prone to rock chips in MN winters. The plastic floor, interior & body panels make for easy cleaning, but scratch easily. Great SUV for GenX outdoor folks that like attention and Honda Reliability. Only problem has been with body panel frame creaks.In time Honda will perfect it!

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  my 06 honda element - 2006 Honda Element
  By Ryan Rice - December 12 - 9:36 am

  I bought my Element in august of 06 and never thought id love it as much as I do. It is so versatile! The element has so much leg room in the front and back seats, I never have a complaint from any of my friends. My favorite feature thought is the folding seats. I have plenty of room for a few sets of golf clubs or when I need to take my bulldog somewhere the fold up seats are perfect bc the cargo area is so huge for her cage to fit into. The element body style is not for everyone I must say. You must be a real fan of boxy SUVs to appreciate the body style. But the interior is something that everyone can appreciate.

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  MY SC - 2007 Honda Element
  By AALOOPY - December 12 - 7:41 am

  We traded in our 2006 Civic because we needed more room for our two kids. I had looked at the element in previous years but didnt care for the looks. Well Honda took care of that with the SC.

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  One of Many - 2007 Honda Element
  By Donald - December 11 - 7:55 pm

  This is the most versatile vehicle available in the market segment, We have six of them for our sales people. a 2004,(2)2005,(2)2006 and a 2007 we take the rear seats out and you can fit so much more equipment in them than our two Highlanders,We deliver equipment to construction sites so the all-wheel drive comes in handy as well, I like the new instrument illumiation over the others as well as the vehicle stability control,new seat belt location and side curtian air bags.

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  Honda Element EX-P - 2006 Honda Element
  By Mark Lynn - December 9 - 10:35 am

  Great versatile vehicle. Amazingly useful and fun too. The SUV has loads of features and is easy to convert from passengers to cargo use. Gas mileage is pretty steady around 23 MPG overall, but doesnt vary much from city to highway use. Actually has a reasonable amount of pep. Could use a five speed transmission, which I guess is standard for 2007. Fit and finish is Honda all the way, which is to say fantastic. Forward and upward vision is somewhat restricted due to extended roof line for taller people, but there is a tremendous amount of headroom, both front and rear. Could use a little more legroom for front seats in fully extended position. Maintenance is thrifty.

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  Making the Element even better - 2004 Honda Element
  By EX - December 7 - 8:09 am

  I was initially attracted to the Element because of its interior head and shoulder room. After driving my Element for two years, I am impressed by its road handling. The steering and handling were an added benefit that I did not expect. I hope I can say this 4-5 years from now.

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  It doesnt get better - 2003 Honda Element
  By Paul Nerenberg - December 6 - 7:58 am

  With my very high mileage driving at mostly high speeds on all sorts of road conditions, I can truthfully say that the Element is the most pleasurable vehicle of the more than 20 I have owned. At close to 100,000 miles, I am not pleased that the struts must be replaced at extremely high cost. Other than that, I recommend this vehicle to family, friends, neighbors and strangers every chance I get.

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  Awesome - 2007 Honda Element
  By Carol Ramos - December 4 - 11:51 pm

  I wanted an auto that my husband would hate! When we went in to pick up My new Element. He fell in love with it. I selected the Metallic Root Beer SC. What is so great, it accommodates tall people really well. Hes 6 and my son is 64" and there is head room to spare. Now this is what is really awesome, the base part of the Honda Element is about the same size as an compact car but the box design allows for more interior room and it fits in my garage easily. It maneuvers very well.