Honda Element

Honda Element

Manufacturer	Honda
Production	2003- 2011 Chassis Y1, H1
Assembly	East Liberty, Ohio, USA
Class	Compact crossover SUV, economy car
Body style(s)	5-door SUV
Layout	Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Engine(s)	2.4 L I4: K24A4 2003-2006, K24A8 2007+
Transmission(s)	5-speed manual 4-speed automatic 5-speed automatic
Wheelbase	101.4 in (2575 mm)
Length	2003-08: 169.3 in (4,300 mm) 2003-08: 170.2 in (4,323 mm) (EX-P) 2003-08: 170.3 in (4,326 mm) (EX) 2003-08: 170.8 in (4,338 mm) (SC) 2009-: 169.9 in (4,315 mm) 2009- SC: 170.4 in (4,328 mm)
Width	2003-08: 71.5 in (1,816 mm) 2009-: 170.2 in (4,323 mm)
Height	70.4 in (1,788 mm) 69.5 in (1,765 mm) (SC)
Related	Honda Civic Honda CR-V Acura RSX

Honda Element logo

The Honda Element was a compact crossover SUV based on a modified CR-V platform, manufactured in East Liberty, Ohio and marketed in the United State, Canada and Mexico from December 2002.

Overview

The Element followed a concept vehicle called Model X, which was first shown at the 2001 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It was developed by a core group of young R&D engineers in 1998. The Model X was designed to be the ideal vehicle for their activities, combining some features of a pickup truck and a sport utility vehicle. They wanted a vehicle that they could use for road trips and hauling outdoor sports equipment and conducted informal on-site focus groups at colleges, beaches, campsites and in the mountains.

The 4-seat Element was optimized to carry large loads. The floor was made of textured urethane that is easy to clean; the fabric was tough and stain-resistant; the individual rear seats recline, fold up, and were removable. The rear clamshell tailgate arrangement was large and the vehicle was tall, allowing large loads.

The rear side doors opened outwards from the front but were not referred to as suicide doors, as they could be opened if the conventional front doors were not. The design forwent B-pillars to create unobstructed access for side loading. In return, the chassis featured reinforced joints, strengthened lower side sills, larger cross members, enlarged rocker panels, and five bulkheads per side.

Powering the Element was Honda's 2.4 Litre K Engine, an i-VTEC four-cylinder engine producing 166 hp (124 kW) at 5500 rpm and 160 ft·lbf (217 N·m) of torque at 4500 rpm.

The Element was available with front-wheel drive or Honda's optional "Real Time" four-wheel drive system — a hydraulically-actuated system that operates only when front wheel slippage occurs. Four wheel drive was discontinued in Japan with the 2006 model.

Honda Element Price History

Year	DX/LX/EX MSRP	SC MSRP
2003	US$16,100–$20,850	N/A
2004	US$16,100–$20,300	N/A
2005	US$17,450–$20,925	N/A
2006	US$17,750–$21,525	N/A
2007	US$18,900–$22,310	US$22,695–$23,495
2008	US$18,980–$23,190	US$22,775–$23,575

2003

• Colors available: Sunset Orange Pearl, Shoreline Mist Metallic, Satin Silver Metallic, Nighthawk Black Pearl, Galapagos Green Metallic, and Eternal Blue Pearl
• The 2003 Element was launched with two trim levels — DX and EX.
• Four-wheel drive models came with a large rear sunroof.
• Windshields:
• A service bulletin was released regarding the windshield flange surface being uneven. This bulletin along with the warranty obligated Honda of America to replace the windshield at no cost to the owner.
• The class action Daniels, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co. reached final settlement November 16, 2006. It provided for warranty replacement of windshields in 2003 and 2004 model Honda Element for 6 years or 60,000 miles.

2004

• Colors available: Fiji Blue Pearl replaced Eternal Blue Pearl from the previous year.
• The class action law case Daniels, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co. reached final settlement November 16, 2006. It provides for warranty replacement of windshields in 2003 and 2004 model Honda Element for 6 years or 60,000 miles.

2005

• Colors available: Same as 2004, plus Cargo Khaki and Rally Red. Shoreline Mist Metallic was eliminated.
• The LX model was introduced with more standard features. Improvements were made to the front seats as well as the inclusion of an armrest for the passenger's side captain's chair.
• The DX model was eliminated from the model lineup. Side airbags were an available option, and XM satellite radio and MP3 capabilities were added as standard features in the audio system for the EX model. The charcoal gray that was the standard plastic tone was darkened and a navy blue was offered with the Satin Silver Metallic. Wheel covers on the LX were changed to mimic the styled alloy wheels.
• Miles per Gallon: 19 in City, 23 highway, 20 combined

2006

2006 Honda Element EX-P

• Colors available: only Rally Red and Nighthawk Black Pearl carry over with new colors Tango Red Pearl, Tangerine Metallic, Kiwi Metallic, Atomic Blue Metallic, and Alabaster Silver Metallic
• A fully painted version called the EX-P became available (an extra US$500 compared to non-painted counterpart). It came standard with a 5-speed manual transmission or an optional 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive.

2007

2007-2008 Honda Element EX

• Rally Red was retired and replaced with Galaxy Gray Metallic, the rest of the colors remain the same as the 2006 line-up.
• EX-P was retired and painted panels become standard on all EX models. Only the LX has the unfinished body trim.

The 2007 Element received a mild refresh, which included 10 hp increase to 166 hp, along with a 5-speed automatic transmission, and an Integrated Seat Belt System on the front seats that allowed rear seat occupants to exit the vehicle without the need for a front occupant to disconnect his or her seatbelt. Side airbags are also now standard, as well as electronic stability control. The plastic latticework grille was replaced by silver-colored slats, similar in style to the 2005-06 Honda CR-V and 2006-08 Honda Pilot.

2007 SC

2007-2008 Honda Element SC

• Available in Nighthawk Black Pearl, Root Beer Metallic, Galaxy Grey Metallic, Alabaster Silver Metallic.

A new "urban cruiser" trim level called the SC was offered with a custom bumper and grille, lowered suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels. It featured upgrades to the original Element such as projector-beam halogen headlights, custom tribal print seat fabric, standard center console and carpet in the seating areas.

Unlike the other trim packages, the SC had a rigid center console which could not be removed and which rised above the bottom portion of the seats. Like the rigid seat-level consoles in most other SUVs, this crowded the seat belt receptacle into the seat space, making this trim level less comfortable for larger drivers than the LX and EX models.

Advertising

Gil the Crab

After a summer break, Honda decided to bring back a portion of the "Element and Friends" ad campaign, but with a focus on the crab, who now had a name: Gil. The most popular character from the ads with his "I Pinch!" catch phrase, Gil had a myspace page that chronicled Gil's trouble with the law. In order to tap into social networking sites, which began to play larger roles in ad campaigns in the mid-2000s, Gil was to maintain a blog, promote an online petition to save his job. and endorse Gil paraphernalia through a website. ll this led up to the launch of the new commercial dubbed Element TV, which premiered September 28, 2006 and rolled out with the new Honda Element SC that went on sale that same day.

Gil the Crab's popularity has spawned a game similar to punchbuggy or slugbug, wherein seeing a Honda Element on the road gives the first viewer an opportunity to pinch their less-observant companion, exclaiming "I pinch!" like Gil the Crab.

Element and Friends - version 2.0

In the fall of 2006, the Element and Friends website was re-launched with the introduction of the new Element SC trim. The previous version had the driving game using the Element EX-P (now simply called the EX) in a desert, snow topped mountains, forests, and a beach. They now renamed that area "above ground". A new second option from the main page allowed you to select the Element SC to go "underground" in an urbanesque environment featuring a drive-in, central park with a basketball court, a seedy mainstreet, and project housing. The six new SC friends included a rat, mole, hamster, pigeon, roach, and a dog. The drive-in served as the venue to view the TV spots that feature only the rat, mole, pigeon, and hamster. The format remained the same with new mini-games, but both maps now included a tunnel to venture above or below the surface, through the mountain and building respectively. Changes to the above ground included the removal of the previous TV spots from the website and a link on the beach to Gil's Myspace page.

RPA, the company which created the Element and friends website, won the "Best in Show" from MIXX Awards for the microsite. They revealed that visitors average 15 minutes on the site.

2008

In mid-June 2007 Honda started selling the 2008 Element. The only change from the 2007 Element was the addition of the color Royal Blue Pearl for the SC trim. This color, however, was not listed on at least one roster of SC colors, which included only the somber palette of Nighthawk Black Pearl, Galaxy Gray Metallic, Root Beer Metallic, and Alabaster Silver Metallic.

The color roster for the 2008 LX model was Tangerine Metallic, Kiwi Metallic (a bright grass-green), Atomic Blue Metallic, Nighthawk Black Pearl, Alabaster Silver Metallic (a very light silver), and Tango Red Pearl (a dark red).

The EX model included all six of the LX colors, with the addition of a medium gray, Galaxy Gray Metallic.

2009

2009-2011 Honda Element

2009 Honda Element SC

New color combinations for the dashboard became available. For the exterior, Tangerine Metallic was replaced with Citrus Fire Metallic for the LX and EX trim packages. For the first time, neither Kiwi Green Metallic nor any shade of green was offered for any trim package. The color roster for 2009 included:

• Crystal Black Pearl
• Polished Metal Metallic (dark gray / pewter)
• Alabaster Silver Metallic
• Citrus Fire Metallic (orange; not available for SC trim package)
• Omni Blue Pearl (pale aqua pearlescent)
• Royal Blue Pearl
• Tango Red Pearl (for LX and EX trim packages only)
• Midnight Red Pearl (a dark "black cherry" for SC trim package only)

For 2009, the Honda Element got a navigation option and some cosmetic changes to the exterior. The front end is similar to that of the second generation Honda Pilot and Honda Ridgeline. The hood and front grill have been redesigned, and the front fenders were now all-metal rather than painted composite material.

A significant style change was the squaring of the wheel arches for 2009 models.

The moonroof previously available on AWD Elements was eliminated.

Dog Friendly concept

See "external links" below for dog-friendly concept car photo gallery.

In 2007, the Honda Element won the Dogcars.com's "Dog Car of the Year" award. Honda chose to follow up on that with a concept vehicle unveiled in 2009 New York Auto Show specifically designed for canine transportation. It included a "pet restraint system", an extendable cargo area load-in ramp, a 12V DC rear ventilation fan, second-row seat covers with a simple beige dog-outline pattern design to match the bed cover fabric, all-season rubber floor mats with a toy bone pattern, a fan, and "Dog Friendly" exterior pawprint emblems. A spill-resistant water bowl, also included, can be placed into a nook in the corner of the pet bed.

The second row pet restraint system was a small net crate suitable for cats or small dogs, which could be belted into place. It strapped directly to the lower portion of the seat and the captive animal could not see out the windows, unlike the pet "booster seats" sold by pet-supply vendors specifically designed to allow small dogs to see through the windows and sniff the incoming airflow.

The pet bed was a thick cushion for the whole of the rear cargo area. The cargo area pet restraint system consisted of netting on the sides and the top of the dog bed, as well as a zip-up fourth side to be secured after the dog was loaded. Unless the top of the restraint system could be opened, which was not clear from the press release and accompanying photos, it severely limited the ability of the dog to see out the side windows or rear window.

However, the concept vehicle did not include an element much requested on sites dedicated to Element owners with dogs: roll-down rear windows, which would allow dogs to put their noses outside. The concept vehicle's windows remained the pop-out vent type.

The package was dealer installed and retails for $1,000.

Cancellation

In December 2010, Honda announced it planned to cease production of the Element by the end of model year 2011. The company said that declining sales of the Element (just over 14,000 were sold that year) compared to other Honda SUVs was the impetus for the decision.

Payload and towing capacity

The Honda Element had a towing capacity of 680 kg, or 1500 lbs. A tow-hitch needed to be added to make use of the towing features. The payload was a low 675 lbs.

Sales

Honda expected first year sales of 50,000. Sales in 2003 amounted to 67,478 units in the U.S., exceeding Honda's projection. By December 2010, shortly before the model was scheduled to be discontinued, it had sold a total of more than 325,000 units.

Appearances in Popular Media

The Element has appeared in a number of movies and video-games.

It was seen in Michael Bay's 2005 film The Island during the city chase scene and also in several video-games:

• In 2003, Honda had the Element featured in EA Sports BIG's SSX 3. It featured in-game billboards with the Honda Element logo, as well as the signature car itself parked on the slope with its front and rear doors open to have the snow boarder dart through for extra points.
• In 2004, Element was featured for the first time in Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo series in Gran Turismo 4 as a 2003 model.
• In 2006, Honda and EA teamed up again to have the Element featured in The Sims spin-off, The Urbz.
• In 2006, Honda and Bikemag.com cross-promoted each other in an online dirt bike game called Monster Park Motor Madness.

The "Element and Friends" campaign also advertised the 2006 and 2007 models.

Awards

• The 2007 Honda Element won the Dogcars.com "Dog Car of the Year" award.

• The 2010 Honda Element won the "Small SUV" category as a "Top Safety Pick" in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Annual Awards.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Honda Element

• Honda Element official webpage
• Photo Gallery: 2009 Honda Element Dog-Friendly Concept Vehicle
• "Honda eliminating boxy Element." CNN. December 4, 2010.