2009 Honda Element User Reviews

Pros

Cargo Space, Realiability, Safety, High Visibility, Better MPG than my Carvaran

Cons

Seating for only 4

Purchased As New

I have been in the automotive consulting buisness for 25 years and always have been facinated with cars, I have seen them all that I decided to purchase an Element. No vehicle is perfect, but I can tell you that the E is very underated. The engineering folks at Honda took a 2001 protoype displayed at a car show and within 2 years it hit the streets. They REALLY listen to the skiers and surfers to the degree of adding the grey colored panels to the fenders.By doing this ,they created a perception to the customer that this is "ugly". However, times have changed and now that the panels are painted with a more uniformed body which makes it a better looking vehicle.The other day, I parked next to my neighbors 2009 Jeep Libery and the E won hands down in styling and forget about the rest..












































































The E is not a hot seller with Honda. But I purchase it because it met the criteria in the PRO section above. I took avantage of the cash for clunkers as a motivation and told my family to test drive the E. They loved it at first site and after 6 weeks of ownership, I sneek out to the driveway and quietly open and close the doors to look at the quality and the space that is has to offer. I drive a company car during the week which I love to death, but I ask permission to my wife to drive it on weekends. You already know from the previous reviews what this vehicle has to offer. The E is not for everybody, but many are missing the oportunity in owning one.

















































If you compare the E to others, you can say that this is the reborn model of the Izuzu Trooper who in the late 80's dominated the highways. It was purly utilitarian! Then they changed the model, jacked up the price by $8,000.00 and it never had the sales like the original trooper. (You do nto need to look hard to notice that the 2009 Honda Pilot has same looks as the last Isuzu model). The older Pilots had better looks.Take a look at the Land Rover LR4. Boxy, but with twice the price tag. Bring your paycheck for maintenance and repairs. The Jeep Rubicon is boxy as well, but more like a Hummer. The Nissan Rogue is a sales hit with Nissan, but you you take a look at it from all angles, no beauty at all. The CRV's is 7 inches longer then the E. However, the rear seats does not fold flat..


































































Regarding the seating for four, the engineers could have eliminated the cup holders and added cushion to provide for an additional rear passenger. All that is needed was to have a 3 point seatbelt on either side.You can put a lumbar support cushion and have a 5th passenger but it would not be legal since there is no seatbelt,. I would not encourage you to do this. But to me this is minor, since 95% of time my E will have only have two passengers. No biggie.







































































In essence, I would encourage America to take a look at the E. The vehicles that I presented above, do no have the utility, price, value that this vehicle has to offer.Underated or not, I am keeping mine untl it dies.