Honda Element

ateixeira

I disagree, but I don't let monkeys get behind the wheel of any of our cars. ;-)

Latitude would be interesting, as long as they give it a decent power/weight ratio. The original Odyssey/Oasis only needed a V6 to succeed, Honda never really gave it a chance.

Then again the new 4 bangers are more powerful, at least.

-juice

chris777

I agree my gripe is basically visibility on many of the suv's particularly the rear with the extra wide pillars that are placed in odd places and many rear windows that are small or blocked by stadium seating/headrest.

The original oddesey was ahead of its time if they weren't over priced or ragged out I'd love to have one.

If the could bring stream over as the latitude and get it here before summer 2003 I might hold out on it rather than element if it gets reasonable mpg otherwise ill buy element or a civic or a some used car until some manufacturer decides to make something interesting and useful

I'm sick of honda behaving like all of the other auto makers as of late and cowering down from trying to be a leader rather than a follower

I'd still rather see the step wagon with a modified exterior, wouldn't take much to do either. I liked the old toyota vans save having your legs amputated in a front collision

ateixeira

You can't blame them. They followed with the new Odyssey and wait lists formed. Same with the Pilot now. They tend to be late to market, but then really nail it.

I'd love to see what they could do in a sport wagon.

-juice

chris777

is their any truth to this or is it a total hoax

I heard rumors of the stream back before element was officially announced

but I've seen nothing on latitude other than the post by ropedart

diploid

I honestly don't think that small 3rd row would fly in the N.A. market. I'd rather have them bring over the 5-door, 5-passenger Civic hatch.

ateixeira

AN had an article on the Honda Fit, that's a pretty cool looking wagon thingy. Apparently it's been a huge success in the home market.

BTW, the CR-V was named an IIHS Best Pick in offset crash tests, a major improvement over the previous generation. That bodes well for the Element.

-juice

diploid

Speaking of the Fit wagon...what about a sedan?

http://motioncars.com/autobuzz/articles21/2003_honda_city.html

chris777

well I've wanted the 5 pass hatch since I first saw it but stream would have been more useful

element keeps growing on me in a dog thats so ugly it's cute sort of way ( still don't like the appearance of the backside )

I still wish they would make a hybrid element

the batteries on the civic could easily have fit into the engine compartment considering the small size of the electric motor honda used(or into the hollow parts of the body panels hint hint though safety might be an issue here)

speaking of which I wonder why they didn't use a larger I'm a to produce more hp other than possibly battery size

also anyone heard about those zero emission accord engines honda has supposedly developed?

ateixeira

Nah, tall wagons are cool, tall sedans simply look dorky. Like the Echo, I bet that would look better as a wagon.

The Aerio, too. The SX is cute, the sedan is plain goofy looking IMO.

Is the Element the Pug of the auto world? A Boxer, maybe?

The Civic hybrid is a cool car and I hope it succeeds, but honestly they need to do better than a tax deduction. Like how 'bout a tax credit? A nice hybrid Element would cost $25 grand instead of $21 grand.

-juice

chris777

lee I wonder where they possibly came up with this from

ateixeira

Look at cars from previous Tokyo Auto Shows and they all pretty much look the same - boxy and tall. Look at the bbX on the left margin of this page, there's one example.

-juice

vuefor2

There are some Element pictures posted on the Auto Week web page today. Says it will hit showrooms in December.

All I can say is brutal !! Honda should not make this vehicle.

rsholland

I think it's great! My hat's off to Honda for having the courage to produce it.

The AutoWeek article also showed a picture with two Elements, and the tires looked a tad smaller than those found on the show car. Honda did the same thing with the Pilot. The show car had larger tires than the final production version.

Also in the AutoWeek article, it mentioned, besides being available in both FWD and AWD, that it would be available with three trannys: 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic, and a 5-speed automatic. I bet we also see the 5-speed automatic in future CRVs!

Bob

paisan

I love it personally. It's got nice boxy features that make it UTILITARIAN!

And I absolutely can't stand most Hondas!

-mike

diploid

Awright, easy there Mr. Isuzu.

I bet the 5-speed automatic will be the 21K model. Too bad I already spent my 21K on a RAV4.

varmint

It's a van with character. How many of those are on the market? The Microbus (coming) and the Aztek (going) are the only two I can think of.

There are plenty of folks out there who want the utility of a van, but not the stigma of a mommymobile. Right now, their only choice is a SUV or crossover SUV. Both are relatively expensive. The Element fills a niche. A small niche, but a niche nonetheless.

tekwarrior

Where is the Aztek going? I've already seen an 03' and the plant's contract was renewed until 2005. Sales aren't as bad as people are saying, especially in foreign countries.

diploid

Honda's target is the so-called Y-generation. I can picture young couples who can't afford a minivan but need the utility shopping this vehicle, also.

shellymeister2

In this week's Autoweek there are 2 great shots of the actual production Elements snapped near the East Liberty Ohio Honda plant. Interestingly, the Element looks exactly like the prototypes we've been seeing for a while except for the color of the plastic body panels which are grey.

rsholland

The tires are a tad smaller than the show models, just like what they did with the Pilot.

Bob

dindak

Brutal. Clearly this is Honda's version of the Aztek. Strange looking niche vehicle for people who want something really different. All the import people that like Aztek but won't buy GM will probably but this thing, further littering the roads with oddmobiles.

diploid

The design is very un-American. Take a look at Nissan's Yanya concept and the upcoming SCION bbx (right up there in the left hand corner in the "Future Vehicles" thumbnail) and you can see Honda is not the only one who values function over form.

Here is Ford's Transit Connect from Germany:

http://www.wieck.com/public/*2PV_039867

The Aztek really had a chance to win the youth market, but for some reason GM decided to slope the rear and broke up the headlights. The sloping of the rear took away the utility of the car while the broken up fascia made the car look very incoherent. Add in Pontiac's ugly trademark side molding and you've got one poorly executed design. All the reviews rave about the Aztek's interior, though...clearly the designers were on the right track until they got to the exterior. Had it looked a little more like a taller, boxier Pontiac Vibe without the cladding, the Aztek might've seized a niche in the youth market.

ropedart

That production grey cladding is neither here nor there. IMO it is too light. I can't think of any good colour to go with other than a silver body. Silver is soooo vanilla these days. The dark blue cladding was OK but BLACK would have been a better choice. Wasn't this suppose to be a guy thing?
I guess I will have to wait for the Latitude/Stream. The present Stream is at the end of its production cycle. I hope Mag-X will have spy photos soon.

varmint

The Stream is at the end of it's production cycle? I thought they just redesigned it back in 2000. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was just redone along with the addition of the i-VTEC 2.0. It was the first Honda to get the technology.

chris777

"a picture with two Elements, and the tires looked a tad smaller than those found on the show car."
I agree I'm no expert at tire sizes but I think they were at least 17" or 18'

"-speed manual, 4-speed automatic, and a 5-speed automatic"
why bother with 5 speed I wonder why they don't go ahead and throw on a cvt?

"There are plenty of folks out there who want the utility of a van, but not the stigma of a mommymobile." if I really cared about stigma I wouldn't be driving an 86 civic hatch back getting laughed at by ford explorer drivers nor would I even consider the element lol

Element looks exactly like the prototypes we've been seeing for a while except for the color of the plastic body panels which are gray. "
like I said about the college hills accessory preview maby I'm off but you usually don't see accessories that aren't actually planned for production with part numbers included unless they are probably legit. (08P48-SCV-100A Body Side Trim - Moonlight Gray)I just hope this cladding is as durable as that that was on folder Hondas

I was dissapointed in the standard colors of red and blue as well

ropedart where did you get your info about latitude/stream?

chris777

its really beginning to appear that this forum is the place to get news about the element neither tov or element .org have a peep

ropedart

I got it from a guy on the net who predicted the production of the Model X way before anyone had any idea, even Mag-X.
I mean the Stream has to be reworked IMO for the NA market. Sales are falling in Japan because of Scion, Jazz, Fit stuff hitting the market.
The next wave in Japan is luxury vans. Imagine a Super Luxury Stretch Odyssey.
Imagine Honda Luxury RVs for the retiring Boomer. Imagine a Honda unibody RV with 50mpg.
Well after Honda takes the truck market.

odman

I hope ropedart is right about the Latitude/Stream. I'm looking for something as a second car in addition to our '98 Odyssey. I want something that is tall (I'm 6'5") but not a big van/SUV. I was looking at the Vibe/Matrix but a Stream would be perfect -- a zippy, nimble, tall-wagon that does not try to impose a fashion statement.

However, I suspect that with the Element and the CR-V, Honda will conclude that it has the "small-box" category covered and won't see much opportunity for additional sales for the Stream to make it worth the hassle of safety/environmental certification. The Axxess, the Eagle Summit, and the Odyssey/Oasis have all tried this path before, and none did well because they were perceived as "small" minivans (and not cheaper than big ones, not tall wagons. The PT Cruiser shows us that the basic packaging concept has appeal, but that the wrapper has to look good for it to sell.

Let's hope it comes.

dindak

PT Cruiser is a beautiful vehicle. Element could have been something like that and it would have sold like hotcakes. The Element will have very limited appeal. I'd take the CR-V over it any day.

chris777

man its scary how much color affects the appearance of the element.

like I've told several people I kinda liked the front end but I've been looking at those photos of red and blue and boy is the back ugly . no horrible as a friend put it when I showed him.
I see I'm not the only fan of the micro/van
i had an 87 plymouth colt vista which mitsubishi later refined into the eagle summit and it was the most functional (but least reliable) vehicle I've ever owned and i agree with odman if someone would put out an econobox microvan, price it right, and market its utility it might sell i don't know i may still get an element if its functionality is what its hyped to be