The Honda Element - All Its Cracked Up to Be

My most recent car purchase was the sweet Honda Element EX I bought new, back in February of 2004 when it was still a head-turner. How did I arrive at that choice? friends asked me. What made me want to get a vehicle that resembled a toaster? Well, first the back story:

Buying a car has always brought on a mini-anxiety attack. After all, I don't tend to do the research that others seem to do. My version of sifting through all the choices is to pay attention to what's driving around me on the road. If I see a lot of one model, I make a mental note. If I see a car broken down on the side of the road, it gets crossed off my list. It's as simple as that. If it's cute, if the color catches my eye, it moves up the list. Somehow the forces of the universe have smiled upon me because this very unscientific approach has brought me to several solid decisions over the years. I had a Ford Explorer back when they first came out and were the first all-purpose SUVs. Then I had a Toyota 4-Runner, a gem of an SUV but way more than I needed after the 6'4" guy in my life became part of someone else's life. Next came the Honda Element. I still love it every time I'm behind the wheel and it still offers me just about everything I need. Here's my assessment of my four-wheeled pal:

First of all, and most importantly, it is a beautiful shade of pine green. I feel good surrounded by green. I live in the mountains and it stands to reason that green is a color that just belongs here. It makes me happy to look at my little guy out there in the carport. Go figure.

Okay, on the sane side. It was affordable. My Element EX model ran about $23,500 with a sunroof. The lower priced model didn't come with A./C, and that was a must have for me. So the EX it was. As far as the sunroof, I don't see the point. You can't reach it from the driver's seat and the four-legged passengers I usually carry can't reach the mechanism that opens the roof. It's probably been opened twice in three and a half years.

The whole interior is rubber of one sort or another. They say you can hose down the interior though I've never tried. There's no carpeting which is fine by me since rubber doesn't hug dog hair like carpeting does. The seats are a synthetic blend of old soda bottles or something similar. I like them. They're neither super hot nor cold, like leather can be.

The interior is incredibly roomy. Get inside one. You won't believe it. It's like some sort of magic trick. Like a house that looks small from the outside, but seems to expand once you enter the front door. There's tons of room in my Element, and best of all, it has amazing ceiling height. No one, not even someone 6'5" would have to contend with noggin bumping. The doors open like the old Lincoln Continental. The front door handle and the back door handle are inches apart. In other words, the back door swings open like an old London cab. Very retro.

I like the little coin collector by the drivers left knee. Useless space put to good use. And I like the double coffee cup holder between the two front seats. There's even two niches in which two cell phones can sit perfectly.

The car has good mileage (22 city/25 hwy), a very good sound system and a big windshield. It's a nice vehicle for cruising and viewing. That brings me to my main structural gripe. Actually I've only got two, one big, one little. There is a huge blind spot where the front windshield meets the side windshield. That part of the car's structure is extremely wide, and if you live in the mountains, like I do, and travel lots of windy roads and curves, like I do, there are just too many times that an ongoing car seems to appear out of nowhere. It's a bit disconcerting, especially at night. My only other gripe is that the back two windows only open about an inch. They open by way of one of those latches so you have to contort yourself like a pretzel to swing around to open a back window. I like being able to open them from the driver's seat, electrically. It would be great if the back window would open at all., but I suppose that's why the 4-Runner costs a lot more than the Element. I got spoiled, but these adaptations aren't deal breakers.

Lastly, I can tell you that the Element is a camper's dream come true! Whether you're into mountain or beach-side camping, this is the vehicle for you. When all four doors swing open, without a post between them, and the wind blows through the car, you feel like you're outside, yet enjoying a few creature comforts. And the best I've saved for last. With a little seat and headrest adjustment, you can actually turn the inside of the Element into one big bed....just like the old days in the VW vans of those who shall forever remain nameless.