One Element Ruins the Honda Element

2009 Honda Element EX

model as tested $25,995

Test Drove 7/28/09 – 8/10/09
reviewed by Lori Hindman

At first look, the 2009 Honda Element seems like the perfect kid-mobile. Virtually every surface in the Element is water-resistant and wipeable. The floor is rubberized and has no cracks or grime-collecting slots. There are tons of cubbies for storage, and there’s almost nothing in the car that the kids could destroy. Even the doors work like prison gates to lock the little monsters, um, I mean, angels inside. It sounds perfect, but it’s not.

The Element’s center-opening, swing-wide doors, aka suicide doors, meant my kids couldn’t get in or out of the car by themselves. When both front and rear doors are open there’s a lot of space for getting in the car, but I had to reach around the door frame, which sits right at the front edge of the rear seat, to help buckle the kids in. I was grateful I didn’t have to schlep an infant-safety seat up and around the frame to the seat. It would be a back injury waiting to happen. Those doors are the one element of the Element that completely destroys any possibility of the Element getting my stamp of approval.

The doors are such a huge disappointment because almost everything else about the Element is great. It’s a fun, practical vehicle, as long as you don’t have anyone climbing in or out of the backseat very often. It’s a four-seater that transforms into a cargo carrier in minutes, which is fantastic as long as your cargo isn’t kids.

The Element is fun to drive, with a perky four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive that gets an EPA-estimated 18/23 mpg city/highway. I managed to get a combined 21 mpg during my test drive. It handled curves with ease and rode fairly smoothly, with only a bit of road noise to annoy. Actually, I had to go looking for the road noise since the Element EX comes with a great stereo that includes a big, fat subwoofer to easily drown out irritations. Even the kind that comes from the backseat!

The Element is by no means a luxury vehicle. While you can get an audio package and a navigation system, there’s no leather option, sunroof, rear entertainment or power liftgate. If you want bells and whistles, this isn’t your car.

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