work and family

tires

http://hubpages.com/hub/Honda-Element
my review site

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1978 honda motor bike

Fun to drive, solid feel, versatile, comfortable on long hauls - who knew?! Tons of cargo. Legroom abound in rear. Great in the snow and wet weather. Excellent reliability, driver vision, handling.

Suicide doors are impractical (very "unHonda"). Rear sliding doors would be a better substitute. Unnecessarily expensive accessories should be included at that price point since similar vehicles for thousands less get them standard. I opted for the sound-insulation undercoating for a quieter cabin experience - Honda you build great vehicles but the "inherent pronounced road noise" in all of your vehicles cheapens the perceived value of your product - "beware the South Koreans!"

I have to say that it's sometimes laughable the way Consumer Reports gauges their criteria for their product tests. The Element has always held one of the highest overall scores, in its CR category, yet CR still writes "the Element scores too low to be recommended" - don't listen to them just drive one then decide! I have had this vehicle for over a year and it is, hands down, the best all-round vehicle I have ever owned and I've owned many - everyone I know who has one thinks the same! It's a real pleasure to drive; Secure drivetrain deceivingly cavernous interior and a driver-friendly dash. With it's unconventional/funky styling and "alone in it's class image", this is not a vehicle for everyone. This is a vehicle for people who are comfortable with their individuality and don't need to be part of the herd. Having said that, it still draws more attention than expected from curious onlookers. I hope Honda will continue to improve on this "best kept secret" in the next generation; If they do I will definitely purchase another!

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A few months after purchasing my Honda Element in September 2006 I would have been writing a rave review. I was thrilled with my car's performance and its versatility.
That feeling of euphoria continued until I noticed uneven wear on the vehicle's tires after I had had it aligned. I took the car in again to be aligned and discovered it was not possible. Apparently, Honda engineers designed the vehicle so the rear tires can not be realigned. The only other manufacturer who ever did this was Subaro on one of its 1970s models and they suffered similar bad press as a result.
The Element rear alignment problem is such a common problem that independent companies have now developed an after market kit that costs upward of $500 plus installation to correct it. And my informal survey of repair shops indicates the problem is widespread.
My car is and was under warranty when I discovered the existence of the design flaw; and already I needed a new set of tires.
Buying new tires doesn't seem a viable option if the problem that created the uneven tire wear is not repaired.
I contacted Honda asking that they resolve the issue under the warranty.
Its response: We don't warranty alignments! Though Honda executives I contacted readily admitted the design problem exists and the rear tires can not be aligned, they refused to pay for the necessary repairs to align it, and even refused to pay for installation of the after market kit because they claimed they couldn't publicly acknowledge that such an after market kit was necessary.
They did however, offer me a $300 payment toward the purchase of new tires which I refused.
I asked them why I would accept $300 for new tires when, in six months if the car is not repaired, I will need yet another set of tires. Their response was too bad.
Since then I have lost all faith in Honda and its policies especially as they relate to the inherent design flaws in the Element.
To that end, I have contacted the state of California's Lemon Law Division and the California Attorney General's Office, and the U.S. Attorney's Office demanding that Honda either repair the problem or provide me a vehicle that does not have this problem.

Space, rubber floor board

Can't think of any!

This is the neatest car I have ever owned. It's great with children and pets. I have two dogs and it is very easy to travel with them. The rubber floor board is amazing. I wouldn't change anything about this car. I'm in love with my Element. I can't ever see myself driving any other car.

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Honda's

v-tech motor, roomy, water proof interior, awd system, theater seating in back, its veery quiet, 270 watt stereo system, it gets lots of compliments.

absolutley none!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE have owned this element for five years, and it has been the perfect car for us. it has gotten us out of hard merging situations, with its powerful 2.4 liter 166 horsepower i-vtech engine. it has lots and lots of room in it. WE also like the waterproof interior. it is also cool how the seats fold up angainst the inside of the car.

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TONS of legroom for backseat passengers and love the rubber flooring. An incredible family vehicle.

Not enough legroom for the driver (I'm 6'3") and not enough adjustment in the seat height or steering wheel angle. I sacrificed my legroom so my growing daughter would have it in the back. I have the seat all the way back and all the way down and the steering wheel all the way up and I squeak in. The armrest is too short, also. Some blind spots. Poor visibility for taller backseat passengers but awesome for kids. Getting people in and out of the backseat in tight parking spaces is very difficult.

I love, love , love this vehicle. I wanted a CRV but my brother told me to look at the Element. (I thought they were silly looking.) In the interest of family peace I did and am I glad. Once the clamshell doors opened I was sold.

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Solid construction, safety, visibility, ease of entry and exit. Fun to drive,we put on over 10,000 trouble free miles in three months, and we both love driving it.

Sun visors do not reach out far enough nor do they have extensions so they are of no value in blocking the sun if it strikes the side of the vehicle. We put up removable plastic film to correct and plan on having the side window tinted in the future. The head restrains are positioned to far forward in that they force ones head forward and down when the
seat is in the perpendicular postion. Only way to get away from this is to either turn the head rest backwards or slant the seat which is then not condusive to long drives do to inproper seating position. A Honda design flaw that should have been caught when designing. The vehicle could use more hooks and storage locations. Factor options are priced too high, need to go to aftermarket for items as trailer hitches, fog lights, etc.

Great utitility vehicle. Comfortable, fun to drive, great visibility, decent gas mileage, 20- 21 city and 24-27 highway.
Easy to clean inside, seats easy and fast to convert for hauling, everything form, bikes, furniture, lawn clipings, etc. Well thought out vehicle for practical needs.

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We tried out the competitions offerings, but because of the versitility, comfort and features in this vehicle meeting our transportation and hauling needs it was a no brainer in selecting the Element.

Great ride! If you never owned a truck you may think its rough. It's a TRUCK! It will be but this is sweet. U turns and parking are a snap! Head room, Head room, Head room!! Great engine.4WD when I need it! 7 speaker 270 watt stereo. Seats in rear fold up and off the floor or come out! 75 cubes of space. Looks sharp! I have seen people look long and hard at the truck! View out the windows are great! You park and you can see over the roof of the car next to you. Nice and high!

Wiper needs delay for rear. More delay selection for the front wipers. Would be cool if front seat could fold forward when people get in. Roller shade for skylight. Instant MPG readout, Individual tire pressure on read out and Average MPG selection on display. (saw it on the HHR and liked it)

This is the best thing I could have purchased! I have a f150 that is 12 years old and what a change! I'm a personal chef in the Chicago area and this fits the bill for my all my needs! That 2.4 has the right power and the cabin is massive. I'm a big guy 6'4" 350+ and I fit!! I was looking at the Chevy HHR but forget it. I can't wait to drive it in the winter!

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HHR has 57 cubes of space. My F150 is still great to have if I need it!

It can haul alot in one load from a college kid moving into an out of a dorm to a 7 foot christmas tree without leaving the back open. Great price for an SUV 23K with tax and licence out the door along with Honda financing, it was less than 2 hours and our the door. Honda has a great financing systems. Good job Honda!

The gas mileage is not as good as I expected a Honda to be, it is about 19-21 in the city and about 27-29 on the highway driving conservative. There are some blind spots that I had to correct with a extra large clamp on rear view mirror. Make the Element rounded in future models or put on ground effects to improve gas milage

I have always loved the Honda Element, but not with the multi colored fenders, but once is became one color, I had to get one. I purchased the Sports Coupe (SC) and it is great. The comments I get vary from nothing, to it is great, to it is boxy. Regardless, I love the extra driver compartment roomyness and great sound system and XM satellite radio.

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N/A

Versatility, manuverability, comfort, visability, 5 speed auto transmission, low rpms at highway speeds, reasonable gas milage, sound system.

Rated for 1500 lbs towning capacity, sunroof does not have built-in cover(what's up with that?), rear seat rated for only 2 people, not enough storage.

I love this little suv!!! I am in my 60's and this is by far the most useful and enjoyable rig so far. It is used every day as a commuter vehicle and it is comfortable, economical, and a joy to drive. I have read other reviews that say it is none of these things and I wonder if they are talking about an Element or just blowing smoke. There is a huge amount of room im a very small package. Talk about versatility; carry grandkids, lumber, bulky items, camping stuff, bikes, and so on. Seats up, seats down, or seats out. Drive on the beach (tires at 15 psi) or through the snow with ease. Easy to drive, I find changing lanes safe because of the higher seating and excellent visiblity. The Ellie turns on a dime. Cruises the freeway at 75 and parks in the tightest of spaces. Whats not to like? It is not a perfect vehicle but suits me fine. Has a great sound system and I am hooked on the satellite radio. It does have a bit of road noise (not more than other cars I have been in) so we purchased a carpet kit that really dampened the noise and looks great. The bare floors are an advantage to some but not for us. Good grief, this sounds like a commercial but it's not. I really appreciate this car. Gas milage varies from 23 mpg to 27 mpg depending on how aggressive I feel. The clamshell doors are a great benefit most of the time. The little floor consol is useless so we purchased an armrest-high consol with mounted cup holders which should be made standard.

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