The Honda Element, popular with dog owners and some types of businesses, will be discontinued after the 2011 model year, American Honda Motor Co. announced Friday.
Introduced in December 2002, the Element started a trend of box-on-wheels design reflected in Toyota's Scion xB and Mitsubishi's Outlander, among others.
"The Element proved that ultimate functionality can often come from thinking inside the box," John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda, said in a press release. "It made boxy vehicle designs cool."
Edmunds.com gave the short-but-tall utility vehicle generally positive reviews.
"Behind that cubist philosophy is a level of versatility that sets it apart from many other small wagons and compact SUVs," the editors wrote of the 2011 model.
The Element was the subject of several recalls: 2003/04, ignition switch mechanism; 2007/08, braking system and stability module; and 2010, transmission shift cable.
Honda said it has sold about 325,000 Elements, but customers are increasingly attracted to crossover SUVs.
I OWN ONE AND LOVE IT , WHY ?
LOT OF ROOM , PLASTIC FLOORING IS 100 % CLEANABLE , GOOD MPG IN CITY , I GET 23 ON AVERAGE ,
I GOT 150K AND NO PROBLEM AT ALL !!!!! UNBELIEVABLE !!
I AM VERY SAD TO HEAR THIS . I WAS PLANNING ON BUYING A NEW ONE .
NO TOYOTA OR FORD I OWNED GAVE ME SUCH A SATISFACTION LIKE THIS ONE ,
IT IS SO HANDY TO DRIVE IT , AND FOR THOSE WHO SAY IT DOES NOT HAVE STRONG ENGINE ,
NO IT DOES NOT , ONLY DUMMY CAN ASK THAT , LOOK AT THE SHAPE OF THIS BODY ,
I LOVE CAPS LOCK!
i hate this car they are everywhere in Boulder, they are soooooooooooo uglley.
"ugliey"?
Bad spelling is Ugly. Honda Elements are funky, fun, and cute.
🙂 As they're Honda even if they've stopped making them, I think they will still be around for quite awhile...!
"I OWN ONE AND LOVE IT , WHY ?"
Because you touch yourself at night?
Anyway...I think Honda made the right choice. This thing looks hideous. Get an Escape, or something.
I've looked at the escape, its just not the same vehicle. The cargo area is not designed the same. I wish it was, I love Ford. If their new commercial cargo van had awd I would probably look at one of those. But it doesn't. I just need something like a mini van with awd that I can use as a small rv. The element fits that bill.
I bought this car in lat 2005 and loved it. This is too bad because I thought it was an awesome car and ahead of its time.
I love my Element! What SUV can you fold the seats up and fits two bicycles in? Lots of space. I hate Honda is deleting the Element..
I can fit two bicycles in my vehicle. I just put them in the bed of my pickup truck 🙂
Oh I dont know....any of them.
It's ugly and that is a major reason people didn't buy it...therefore they have discontinued it...no surprise.
I bought one and i think it is a sharp looking vehicle
Oh my dog is going to be sad. I've had them all: Subaru's, GMC trucks, even Cargo Vans. But my Element was my favorite. I sincerely hoped they would have put a diesel in it and pumped up the horsepower to the point that I could haul the trailers I use in my business.
Hey dude. Discontinued doesn't mean you have to give your Element back to Honda.
There's one in Cambridge with the plate BOXY LADY.
"...popular with dog owners..."
I'm a dog owner, and the Element was never close to what I would be caught driving. To me they are butt ugly and Gay looking.
Gay looking? Seriously? What are you 15?
These guys are basket cases. They get rid of the hatchback, they get rid of the Element. I see a lot of these on the roads. I worked for them, one messed up company, not to mention the lawsuits.
what a shame. Popular with dog owners it was, great for crates and equipment for trials, easy to clean, practical. I guess we don't have anything to say huh?
I agree. I was planning to buy an Element, and may still do it if they mark down the price enough before taking them off the car lots. I've got three dogs and I really wanted to be able to take out the back seats and just use it as my "dog car". Pity.
Ok, I couldn't read passed the first paragraph. I want to know what idiot wrote this. "...trend of box-on-wheels design reflected in Toyota's Scion xB and Mitsubishi's Outlander..."
As this person ever seen an Outlander? Nissan's Cube is a box. Mercedes' G-Class is a box. Kia's Soul is a box. THE OUTLANDER IS NOT A BOX.
This news is a shame, though. Cause of all the ugly boxes, the Element at least was bearable to look at.
I was thinking the same thing. The Outlander looks more like a slightly smaller Toyota Highlander than it does a Honda Element. I agree that not everybody likes that funky boxy look but it was easier to take with the Element than it is with a Nissan Cube, Kia Soul, or Scion Xb. And none of those are available with 4 wheel drive.
wont miss em. Ugly cars.
Want to carry a dog, buy a Subaru Outback. Mines going on 200,000 miles and is still great. I will buy another when I need to or when their diesel model comes out – whichever comes first.
Safe , reliable, functional, VERY COMFORTABLE (heated seats anyone) and made in America at a green zero waste plant.
Yes I live in the Wisconsin woods with a dog. Yes I appreciate function of slippery looks. Yes I love the last 113,000 miles on my 2007 Element. Today it snowed another 6 inches, and I know my 4 WD will get me around safely and assuredly. I will likely buy a new one before they are gone. I am a big guy who LOVES the room in a very practical form. Dang it.... the roomy jeep with a Honda engine - going going gone.... life isn't fair. Back to Lexus I guess with my hair in the roof. Bummer.
The Mitsubishi Outlander is NOT a box on wheels!! Know your cars before you report on them. Box on wheels is known as a B-segment car, Scion xB, Kia Soul, Nissan Cube, etc.. An Outlander is a crossover type suv.