I was reluctant to buy this in 2003 but Kim really wanted it. Now, I'm such a fan of the toaster we are seeking a 2nd one. This thing has 156K miles on it and has been incredibly reliable. Only Honda's ready-to-warp rotors are a pain. We switched to drilled and slotted ones and are happy. The driver's seat cushion wears out too quickly and that's a problem on many older E's. We have had tremendous luck with this little SUV under all driving conditions. It always makes it up the steep driveway in winter under conditions that leave the Civic at the bottom until I run the snowblower. We have enough room in the back to sleep side-by-side on a full size air mattress. Great vehicle. Honda should never have ended it's life.

Most practical, versatile and reliable vehicle out there. Can’t wait to take this thing on adventures!

The Honda Element is sooooo fun to drive. I absolutely LOVE t !! The huge windshield makes you feel like you aren't even inside a car. VERY spacious..I can fit my bikes in with no problems..So easy and fun to drive..So easy to wash out..Just take the hose and spray away...The performance is top notch..NEVER had a problem..I will ALWAYS buy a Honda.

I've had many cars and been happy with most, but this car is the car of my life. For background: I purchased a 2003 EX AWD Element in 2014, so it was over a decade old, it had some wear and tear and was definitely not a new vehicle. I paid cash for it and planned to use and abuse it on trips to the greenhouse, home improvement store, etc. I wanted something with all wheel drive for the winters and something that had a ton of storage and that I wouldn't feel terrible if I scratched or dinged up. I found this Element about 4 hours away and scooted off to get it. After the first week at home, I realized how very much in love I am with this car. It's my main ride now. At 10 years old, it runs and drives like a brand new vehicle and, although it has 160K on it, you'd never be able to tell that this Element was more than a year old. It's a blast to drive, it handles so perfectly and the interior space is really unmatched. Although the gas mileage is lame, I drive this everywhere. My little boy is obsessed with the moon roof that's directly over this seat and I've fit a TON of stuff in this baby, with the removable and fold-away seats. I love the rubber mats - I don't feel terrible throwing in bags of pea gravel into the back. I love the rear doors - being able to just open the window to throw in groceries, or having a tail gate to sit on to watch fireworks. I love opening all of the doors and the tailgate and laying in it when we're out in the country. It's like having a gazebo with a radio built in, especially since the front and rear sets form a queen size bed when down. Overall, I could not be happier with my Element. In fact, my partner and I will probably buy a second (2011) Element next year, just to have the last version they made (and hopefully find one with super low miles. We are sold. These cars are fantastic.

Performance (-) No Pickup on acceleration (+) Very good handling and braking (+) 4 wheel drive was especially good in the freak winters Build Quality (+) Good Quality Appearance (-) Looks interior and exterior are purely utilitarian Cost of Ownership (+) Maintenence is easy no problems with the car (-) gas cost for a 4WD is more costly (+) takes regular gas Fun Factor This car has actually been fun to drive, extremely utilitarian, and helped out a lot during moving and helping people move.