Looks like Homer (below) is a little jealous and is having problems coping. The Element has been out since January in showrooms in some places and 35000 of them have reportedly been sold already. Is it an absolute mystery that 40 of those owners have posted reviews on this site? It is to Homer. All the reviews on here are from genuine consumers I believe and even if they weren't......so what? You still gotta drive and like the car before you buy it. A million positive reviews are not going to sell me a car. But a thorough test drive will. To anyone doubting ANYTHING about the Element, all I can say is DRIVE one. I've got 3K miles on mine and this car is like nothing else. The vehicle sells itself. There's a reason for it. It drives like a luxury car, handles like a sports car, has more versatility than anything out there, gets over 20mpg, and has TONS of space. Oh yeah AND it's a HONDA....meaning HONDA quality and reliability. One test drive is all it took for me. And sorry homeslice, Homer.....I don't work for Honda. And by the way, I'm sure the rest of the world is on the edge of their seats waiting for all those Chrysler Pacifica minivan reviews!!!! I'm sure lots of soccer moms know about this site.....not.

All the staandard features and options on my 03 EX 4WD.

Haven't found any.

This is the best thing on 4 wheels! Finally someone built the car for me, and people like me. They thought of almost everything you need for a rugged outdoorsy lifestyle. The seat configuration is engineering genius. The waterproof interior is finally practical. The seats are the most comfortable I've ever experienced (I have a bad back). The campability is superb. The dash mounted shifter is great. The cup holders, and what I call the "Freedom Fry" holder are fully functional for American products (i.e. buckets of soda) unlike those in my Toyotas. The orange color is awesome - my favorite!! The skylight is great - sleeping under the stars in Big Bend was glorious :) I have no complaints whatsoever.

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Toyota 2000 Rav4

Utility STORAGE capacity (especially with back seats folded up) Head/Leg room Stadium seating for the back seat passengers

Poor side impact crash test rating No passenger side arm rest No locking gas door or gas cap *there is OEM equipment for the above weaknesses stated, but they should be standard features

Purchased this vehicle for my wife. She has driven it daily, for three weeks now. She absolutely loves this vehicle. We are expecting our first child and her 1995 Honda Accord coupe was not going to be practical (good enough excuse for us). The Element sells itself. You will know if it is right for you when you go see it and drive it. You either love it or hate it. Also, we have two "Scotties" that go everywhere with us, and "family hair" clean-up has been a breeze. Although they are two different vehicles, I still wouldn't give up my Subaru WRX Sportwagon for the Element. I am glad the wife is happy with her choice of vehicle, and it should serve us well. I do occasionally take it for a spin, for a change of pace (even if it is a little slower pace than my vehicle). Anyway, it is a Honda and we have total faith in their vehicles. Try one on and see if it fits you and your lifestyle. The Honda Element just made sense for us.

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None

Ride Fuel economy (average 23mpg during breakin) Value Safety

Wind noise at cruising (less than my saab though) Comfort (i'm 6'2" with 36" inseam and knees could use another 2") Ticking/creaking noise from dash/windshield car needs alignment (came from factory that way)

Really fabulous car! 2.4 is torquey and provides sufficient power for passing and cruising at 80. DX is definitely stripped (no power side views, no remote entry, no stereo) but at $17,418 this was an AWESOME deal with AT and Air! Stuff DOES slide around and will need to add carpet (pic 'n save here i come!). Very curious is the maintenance schedule which DOESN'T call for first oil change until 10,000mi! Apparently Honda has secret additive (i asked honda parts for Part # for this additive and they don't have it). I will add the following: 1. Carpet to rear ($15) 2. floor mats ($100) 3. stereo (kenwood DPX-MP4030 double din CD/CAS/MP3 unit) + reasonable speakers ($400 4. keyless entry ($110) 5. Alloys later ($400) I also bought the 7year/100K HondaCare warranty for $1500 - this is refundable warranty if not excercised. All in all i'm extraordinarily pleased.

everything-car is a joy to drive/own

My dash was creaking but dealer fixed it. Some road noise but it's a tall truck....but not bothersome Everything slides on the floor-easily remedied with a $15 carpet mat.

I think James'(review below) was having a bad day when he wrote the review, is on drugs, or is 90 years old. It's gotta be one of those. Some people are born complainers. I can't see this guy happy with any car. This car should have come with a big box of Kleenex for James to cry into. Listen to the other 99% that drive E's and love them. Anyone doubting the Element need only to test drive one. The car sells itself. And I don't know how anyone ends up paying $25k for an Element!! The MSRP on a 4WD EX auto tops out at $21,560 and no one pays sticker. I paid $18,995 for my 2WD EX auto. I've got 2500 miles now on my E and I disagree with almost everything James said. The most ridiculous comment about James review is that he states the ride is terrible and the seats are uncomfortable. He must be comparing the Element to a Maybach. I honestly can't begin to describe how smooth the ride on the E is and the seats are very comfortable. Long highway drives in the E are effortless and soothing. It's probably be the first thing you notice when you drive one....how silky smooth it is. Drives like a $30k car. I don't know what this guy is smoking. The car won't fit everyone perfectly but I find the driving position is excellent. No telescoping steering wheel needed. The other biggest innaccuracy is that this car is underpowered. I don't know ANYONE who thinks this car feels underpowered. You can cruise at 80mph all day in an Element and it's not sluggish off the line. Take it from someone who's had plenty of V8 muscle cars. The E has plenty of pick up especially for a 4 cylinder. The seats are SIMPLE and EASY to fold to the sides of the car...except for James. I don't keep the rear seats in the car at all. I removed them since I don't use them and now have more room for my bikes and such. If you've got an active lifestyle......this is the car for you. I bungie my bikes to the back side door ceiling handles and they don't move an inch. Everything does slide a lot on the floor. Fixed that with a $15 6x4 carpet mat from Home Depot. Now nothing slides. The sunroof in the rear of the car I think is a dumb idea, which is why I didn't pay for it and my E doesn't have a sunroof. Many of the accessories are a waste of money which is why I only bought the ones I needed.....remote entry (should be standard) and an alarm. I think James should trade in his E for a (yellow) Buick Century or a motorized shopping cart. Sounds like its more his style.

If you want that much cargo room, you should buy a truck with an engine to handle that much cargo. It's ok for light camping trips, but there are probably other SUVs that are even better for camping.

Lack of driver comfort. Everything slides around. Air works very hard with the uncovered sunroof. No sunroof in the front. No passanger arm rest. Inconvienent cup holders. Not enough horsepower. Noisy. No tie downs on the roof and no rain gutter to use hooks. The list goes on and on.

It tries so hard to do everything, that it doesn't do anything well. The sunroof has no cover, and after been parked, the air has trouble keeping up with the heat. You can't open the roof from the front seat. And I would rather have the sunroof where I drive (spend most of my time). I have yet to get any cool air out of the rear vents, so I'm not sure what those are for. The steering wheel needs to be telescoping. To get my arms comfortable, my knees are in my face. To get my legs comfortable, I can't reach the steering wheel. I like that you can sponge the floor, but everything slides around. It is noisy. And the window vents make the noise level much worse. Performance is sacrificed for gas milage - too much. If you carry an item, like long lumber, which hangs out the back, there is no place to tie the hatch down, so it hangs wide open. The ride is terrible, which is made worse by the most uncomfortable seats I've ever owned. I bought the large armrest to help make the passenger comfortable (since it doesn't come with a passenger armrest) and now I can't get to the cupholder (and the seatbelt it difficult to latch). It would have been nice to have the option of purchasing a armrest console,with the cupholders lifted off the floow. A good point is the tight turning radius which makes it very manuverable. I don't object to the two tone effect, I just wish the paint colors looked better. What happened to red? or yellow? and surely there is a better looking green. I haven't met a 20something that wanted one of these. The intruments can be difficult to see during the day. The camping tent is nice and easy. The picnic table is worth the money. I wish there were some underfloor storage for the table legs, sunscreen, tent, privacy curtain (another good add on for camping). The roof rack seems weak, and there are no tie downs on the roof, which limits its use. The backseat configurations are a good idea, poorly executed. Doing anything with the back seats is cumbersome, especially removing them. There is low ground clearance, so the running boards are just a nuisance. The cargo cover is a waste of money because it doesn't meet the rear of the back seat, so any look in the side window reveals the cargo space. The cargo organizer is nice, and easily removable (a worthwhile add-on concidering the slidding problem).

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There is nothing else like this. If you are worndering: I let someone else talk me into buying this.

110,000 mile service, MP3 plug in, sound system, smooth drive, stick location, longivity, unique, great Alaska car, best car on the road.

No keyless entry (I'll buy AutoStart so it doesn't matter to me), Impossible to add after-market front sunroof with the current design, the roof rack "hums" at around 55-70 mph.

I'm probably the first in Fairbanks, AK to have a MANUAL EX 4WD. I love the stick shift location (even though it looks odd) and can't get over the smooth drive. My last vehicle was a 99 VW Beetle (yellow - so are you surprised I got a Sunset Orange Element?) I find the EX even funner to drive than the Beetle! My 6'5" husband fits very well. The only other car he fits is his 99 Honda CRV. I thought the CRV was the best SUV until I drove the Element. GREAT CAR... I'll have it forever - especially with the 110,000 mile services.

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Husband's 99 CRV

Price and quality unmatched. Versatility unmatched. Seats that fold against side walls. Nice stereo.

Can be a bumpy ride on rough road due to short wheelbase. Can be noisy at highway speeds.

Probably the most versatile vehicle currently offered. A mini-hummer at less than half the price (and will probably be running a lot longer than the Humvee too). Engine so refined that oil changes are every 10K miles! Bicycles go in without taking wheels off! Rear seat room is better than most SUV's - especially overprized Jeeps! Rear seats fold up against walls, or come out. A nice feature. The "tupperware" is easy to clean. Won't get rugburn in this one!

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Jeep Wrangler. Jeep Cherokee Limited.

smooth engine, roomy, flexibility, decent stereo,affordable.....

no remote entry for EX trim.

This is the most versatile vehicle I've ever own.I love it more after the camping trips and gardening shopping.The MTN bikes fit in perfectly.I was a SUV hater before. This Honda is my new toy as my wife names it. My wife and I love it from the first time we saw it in the auto show. People even love it or hate it.Who cares, You have to test once to understand the feeling. This is the first car that make a 38 yrs old dude feel this much happy.

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Great 270W sound system with 7 speakers....open the doors and it is like an Ampitheater. Subwoofer is really impressive. Plenty of pep. Feels good to drive. Lots of headroom leg-room(even in the rear seats). Plenty of space to haul stuff.....even 10' poles. Lots of compartments to store stuff. Nice powerful antenae that can turn this into a roving office. This car has one of the best ratings for front impacts. Whole car is well engineered. This is one funky car.

Stuff wants to slide on the rubber floor....however this can be overcome by using a roll of thin rubber shelving material.....nothing moves now. Have to remember to unbuckle person in front seat before opening rear "suicide door"...otherwise classic "clothes line" routine happens...oops. Might want to use cruise control for highway....this is not a dragster, but can get up to 85mph easily and quietly.

This is a "Boogie Buggy". Has a lot of room in front seats or rear for 6'2" people and yet length is equal to that of the Ford Escort. With the wider body it grips the road well and takes the corners. There is so much room inside it has the feel of a retro-Woody. People sitting in the back can recline look out the skylight or because they sit higher than the front seat....look out the front without restriction. The entire vehicle is built to last...durable engine, rubber floors, tough material for seats, Poly quarter panels. I like the fact that it can be configured inside to whatever I need. Plenty of tie down places to firmly keep everything in place. 16" tires, 4 wheel drive, disk brakes on all wheels means it can go where ever I want and stop quickly. It is funny to watch the reactions on people....older people say "ugly"...the younger people say "cool....sweet". The people who are adventurous (women especially) love it.....those that need to be "conventional" do not. (Interesting to note that some "Ugly" car people sat in my seats and couldnt get over the sound quality.) This will be a classic car in the future.