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First Drive: 2003 Honda Element
Dude, Here's Your Car
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By John DiPietro
Date posted: 08-30-2002
You've gotta like Honda. Here is a company that does its homework and usually
doesn't bring a product to market until it's fully developed and ready to make
a serious dent. Honda's latest attack into a new segment (tall wagonlike mutations
such as the Toyota Matrix and retro-themed Chrysler PT Cruiser) proves this point.
Geared towards young and very active Generation Y types who want an affordable
vehicle with flexible cargo-hauling ability along with a sporty persona, the Element
is chock full of features that make it easy to take the mountain bikes to the
trailhead, the surfboard to the waves or the 27-inch TV from Best Buy to the dorm
or apartment.
Testing the market waters with the Model X concept (that debuted at the 2001 NAIAS
in Detroit), Honda's team of engineers and designers took the vehicle to various
university campuses as well as outdoor hot spots where snowboarders and mountain
bikers get their adrenaline rushes. Lots of valuable feedback was gained in this
fashion, and the Honda folks even went so far as camping at a surfing beach in
California, observing how the diehard surfers would sleep in their pickups and
vans overnight so they could catch the gnarly waves early the next morning.
Honda was overwhelmed with favorable public reaction to the boxy, two-tone wagonlike
vehicle with barn-door-style doors that opened up like those on a 1966 Lincoln
Continental. Apart from minor details such as larger side-view mirrors and small
differences in the front and rear fascias, the production Element is nearly a
dead ringer for the concept vehicle.
Though it may look as if the front and rear fenders missed the paint booth as
the Element rolled down the assembly line, those rugged composite panels allow
things like bikes and snowboards to be leaned against the vehicle without worrying
about scratching the body up.
Another example of "form follows function" is the door design. By having no B-pillar
and allowing the doors to swing open wide (fronts open up 78 degrees and the rears
pivot a full 90 degrees), a 55.5 inch-wide portal allows bulky items to be loaded
with ease. The typical problem with this sort of design is that it usually makes
for a weaker body structure, but Honda says it more than compensated for the lack
of a traditional B-pillar by, in essence, hiding one in each rear door as a reinforced
vertical brace. The bottom of the rear doors has a stout tab that fits tightly
into the sill when closed, adding to structural rigidity. In addition to that
feature, a reinforced roof, side sills and cross members give Honda the confidence
to anticipate a five-star rating (the highest possible) for the government's side-impact
crash testing. Even the two-piece rear tailgate was thoughtfully engineered; the
flipped-down bottom portion can seat two 220-pound people and the larger, upper
section that flips up provides protection from the elements, whether sitting by
the campfire or moving furniture on a crummy day.
Riding a wheelbase of just 101.4 inches and measuring only 166.5 inches in overall
length, the Element is compact, yet the space inside makes it hard to believe
that the Element is actually eight inches shorter than a Civic coupe. The
secret is in having a tall body (at 74 inches, eight inches taller than a CR-V)
which allows the seats to be higher, providing plenty of legroom for legs to drape
over the seat rather than being splayed out. Headroom is so generous that one
could probably wear a 10-gallon Stetson cowboy hat, though we can't imagine the
target demographic having anything other than a baseball cap (turned backwards,
of course) on their heads. A removable rear sunroof is available, which, along
with the rear privacy glass, allows one to stand up inside the vehicle (with one's
head poking up through the roof) to change into or out of a wet suit or ski suit
without fear of being arrested for indecent exposure. That sunroof also makes
it possible for campers to stargaze as they use their Element for their night's
lodging — more on that later.
Although the Element, at 71.5 inches, is some three inches wider than a CR-V it
is configured to seat four, not five. With stadium-style seating for the rear
passengers, those riding in back will enjoy plenty of room and high visibility.
Whether driving or riding, the Element's seats proved comfortable and supportive
throughout a full day of meandering along the coastline.
When it's time to load up the mountain bikes, one or both of those second-row
seats can fold up to the sides of the interior, making for a large cargo bay in
which bikes can be stowed standing up. Honda says even a 10-foot surfboard can
be carried inside the Element. If, after a day of getting pummeled by the trails
or waves, you need to catch a few z's, all the seats fold down flat, making a
bed. Of course, this feature makes the Element a great vehicle for campers, as
well. Whether or not this attribute came about via the Concept X's tour of fraternity
houses is open to speculation.
Continuing its minimalist, functional design dictum, the Element's cabin is devoid
of gimmicks and boasts plenty of storage. The simple instrument panel has three
large pods for the gauges, simple climate controls and the gearshift handily mounted
at the bottom of the center stack, much like the Civic Si. Above the glovebox
is a segmented tray perfect for holding things like munchies, the obligatory cell
phone and a garage door opener. Deep pockets in the doors and rear side panels
allow secure stowage of other items as well. The EX model even has an overhead
compartment sized to hold a small CD wallet, as well as bungee cords on the backs
of the seats that are ideal for holding cycling helmets. Five cupholders are provided,
in case one passenger is a two-fisted java drinker. The Element's flat floor may
seem naked without carpeting, but it's actually made of a tough, scratch-resistant
material called Thermoplastic Olefin that can be swept with a broom and/or wiped
with a wet cloth. Even the seats were designed with messy sports in mind as they
are also water-repellent.
Behind the Element's bulldoglike snout is the same 2.4-liter inline four introduced
on the current CR-V. Boasting Honda's latest i-VTEC variable valve timing and
lift technology, output is rated at 160 horsepower and 161 pound-feet of torque.
During our drive loop along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway, we noted that there
is enough power on tap to make the 3,400-pound Element feel peppy at low to medium
speeds. Thanks to the constant valve timing and lift adjustments, the power band
is broad; the net effect is that it feels more like a healthy V6 rather than a
four. Of course the performance drops off at higher speeds, where the vehicle's
weight and bricklike aerodynamics come into play, but even then, the engine maintains
its polished demeanor, never getting thrashy or feeling labored no matter how
lead-footed the driver.
Standard four-wheel disc brakes provide confident braking through an easily modulated
and progressive pedal. The EX versions get ABS as well as EBD (Electronic Brake
force Distribution). Although ABS has been around for over a decade, the latter
technology is fairly new and optimizes braking by automatically adjusting the
braking power to the front and rear wheels, taking into account vehicle load and
weight transfer under hard deceleration.
As with the CR-V, the Element is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel
drive configurations, with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic
sending the power to the wheels. To maximize fuel efficiency and performance,
Honda's Real Time 4WD system operates in a front-drive mode until slippage is
detected, at which point up to 70 percent of the torque can be sent to the rear
wheels. The system is completely automatic, coming into play only when needed
such as when driving in nasty weather or negotiating sand- and dirt-strewn roads.
We first drove a manual and it felt like a typical Honda, a light, progressive
clutch matched to a precise gearshift. The shifter's location might look odd at
first but it works great, with short throws and a lever that is right at hand.
We then sampled an AWD automatic and were impressed by the sensation that its
performance didn't seem to suffer for the automatic tranny; it felt nearly as
sprightly as the manual version. The Element should be frugal with fuel compared
to a thirsty SUV, as mileage ratings range from 20 mpg city/23 mpg highway for
an AWD with manual to 21 city/25 highway for a FWD with the automatic. Initially,
the AWD Elements will only be available with the automatic, with the manual coming
on-line in mid-2003.
Holding up the Element are MacPherson struts in front with a double wishbone setup
at the rear. Goodyear Wrangler 215/70R16 HPs are fitted to the Element, and with
firmer suspension calibrations and a wider track than the CR-V, the Element has
sportier handling than its brother — pretty impressive when one considers
that the CR-V is certainly no slouch in that department.
Zipping through a variety of tight turns, we were amazed by the lack of body roll
exhibited by such a tall vehicle. Adding to the driving enjoyment is a steering
system endowed with a meaty feel to the wheel and quick response. At one point,
we had to turn around, expecting to perform a three-point turn, but thanks to
the Element's tight turning radius, all we had to do was pull a U-ee. Heading
down to the beach, we subjected the Element to severely broken pavement which
was absorbed without so much as a shudder from the Honda nor gritted teeth from
the passengers.
Adhering to Honda's "keep it simple" (hey, wasn't that its tagline in the 1970s?)
philosophy, the Element will be available in just two trim levels, base DX and
loaded EX. The DX is indeed pretty basic. Although things like power windows and
door locks and height adjustment for the driver seat are standard; air conditioning
and a stereo are not. Go with an EX and not only are air conditioning and a stereo
standard (a thumpin' 270-watt AM/FM/CD system with a subwoofer and MP3 player
input jack), but cruise control, alloy wheels, power mirrors, the aforementioned
ABS and seatback bungee cords are also thrown in. Side airbags are optional on
the EX. Not surprisingly, Honda expects no less than 80 percent of Elements sold
to be the EX versions. Pricing will be friendly toward the youngsters that the
Element is aimed at, ranging from around $16,000 for a strippo DX to around $22,000
for a loaded EX.
Following hot on the heels of its redesigned CR-V and new class-leading Pilot
SUV, Honda's new Element, with its combination of fun, frugality and functionality,
should give the company yet another vehicle that will shred in its segment.
See all the Ratings: 2003 Honda Element DX Fwd 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5M) Road Test Scoreboard
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