2009 Honda Element Review

The 2009 Honda Element looks more like an SUV than its predecessors, but it's still an Element. And the one enduring truth about the Honda Element is simply this - either you love it or you hate it. Fortunately for Honda, there seem to be plenty of folks of the first opinion.

The Element is unusual in more than looks. It has a flat floor, like most pickups, but is fully enclosed like an SUV or a van. Also like a van, it has side cargo doors. Its seating is designed to handle either passengers or cargo. Honda calls it a light-duty truck. Most of its buyers seem to think of it, like the Scion xB, as a cute little Crossover SUV with good gas mileage.

The Element was refreshed for the 2009 model year, giving it a slightly less boxy appearance. Bumpers, grille, hood, fenders, headlights and taillights were all changed. An overhead console, USB connections, voice activated navigation system and rearview camera are all now available.

The Element engine is a 2.4 liter, 166 horsepower gasoline powered I4. That's matched up with a five-speed automatic with overdrive. There are no options on either engine or transmission.

The Element comes in either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The front-wheel drive gets 20 miles per gallon in the city and 25 miles per gallon on the highway, while the all-wheel drive version gets one mile per gallon less.

Following the current trend, the Element comes in a variety of trims. In all-wheel drive there is LX AT, EX MT, EX AT and EX AT with Nav. Front-wheel drive has LX AT, EX AT, SC MT, SC AT, EX AT with Nav and SC AT with Nav. To be precise, these are written out as, for instance, SC 2WD 5-Spd AT w/Navigation System. They are given here in order from lowest to highest in each category (all-wheel or front-wheel).

NHTSA crash ratings are five-star for everything except rollover, which is three-star. Given the shape and size of the vehicle, the three-star rating is not surprising, but overall these are good ratings, as you would expect from Honda. Other safety features include tire pressure monitor, antilock brakes with electronic braking assistance, traction control and stability control, along with a full array of airbags. Surprisingly, child safety locks are not available.

Aside from fuel economy and crash test ratings, already mentioned, the Element offers better than class average front headroom, one advantage of the boxy shape. Rear headroom and cargo volume are both below average, as is the powertrain warranty.

Price is also better than average for the 2009 Honda Element, with a base of just $20,275. So if you are among those who love it, you should really love the deal you can get on it.