2008 Honda Element

When the first Element rolled out in 2002, Honda got a surprise. Aimed at young, outdoor actives, the boxy-bodied SUV proved more popular with Baby Boomers than it did with the Boomer's babies.

Styling

Age aside, what appealed to buyers most was Element's resounding utility. That functionality was based on form. Element is basically a big box; and, as anyone whose moved recently will attest, the box is a pretty efficient shape. Properly packed, they'll hold plenty. Element's anti-design design took the concept and ran with it. The side doors open clamshell style, with no center pillar in between. The resulting wide mouth opening allows easy access for whatever you want to bring along. Cargo capacity ranges from 25 to nearly 75 cubic feet, depending on how you configure the floor plan. Element's rear seats fold, or flip up and to the side, or can be removed altogether. The front passenger seat folds flat forward to accommodate long items, be they surfboards or stepladders.


Interior finishes and fabrics put a premium on ease of cleaning. The cargo bay floor is made of a urethane coated plastic. It resists scratches and spills, damp-wipes easily and is textured for traction, although on the latter point, my dog Herschel has a bone to pick with Honda. Unless properly lashed down, dog crates and other objects tend to skid back and forth across said traction textured floor.

Open Door Interior

My bones to pick with the Element interior are two. First, access to the cargo bay is via a two-piece tailgate, which is much less convenient than a one-piece lift gate would be, especially with arms full. Second, the design of the side flip seats is more cumbersome than a typical, fold to the floor arrangement, though with seats removed altogether, Element's storage is admirably large. When used for people and not cargo, the back seat area provides roomy accommodations for a pair of passengers, too. Access was improved last year, when the design of the front shoulder harness was repositioned, so you no longer have to limbo beneath the strap to get in or out of the back.


All this utility found favor with small business owners and middle-aged antiquers. While happy to have these customers, Honda was still convinced that the prime market for the Element was younger—25-35 year-olds, single males, or DINK's (Dual Income, No Kids). With that target in mind, Honda recalibrated their sites and rolled out the Element SC.