What do you think about the Honda Element?

I'm suprised that the gas mileage isn't better...if that's what your looking for go for the XB

 

my sister has one. absolutely gutless. if you want to merge, change lanes, pass a slower car..you really have to plan in advance. you are not pulling any move off without building up a head of steam (momentum)...her's is AWD, and her MPG is not that great.

 

I drive it couple of time during long trip with my friend. He own 2006 Element AWD 4 cyl. Gas mileages was not that bad. Plenty of room and kind of fun. Now he like Tacoma, thinking about purchase it this year.

 

I like them. The mileage is my primary hold back, as the cube, Soul, and xB all get MUCH better mileage in a similar package. Since you are looking at used, if the price is right, and the condition good, I'd say snag it.

 

Thanks for all the input.. I did think the Element got better gas milage than that..

Found (possibly a good deal) '07 yaris on craigslist. Am going to see it later today.. 36,000 $8,000. Under KBB..

I would only be using it to get to work (7 mi), and let the Tacoma sit at home in case the wife needs it in an emergency..

Already agreed though that the 1 yr.old would most likely never ride in it.. If we were ever going out with him, we would take the Tacoma..

 

A friend of mine drives the Yaris, and I must say, it does what its supposed it. I was fairly impressed with what you get for the money, not to mention the gas mileage. Now the looks, well, thats another story.

 

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A good friend has a new 2010 Honda Element and loves that thing. My wife has a 2010 Honda Fit and that thing is made like a Swiss Watch in quality and is super fun to drive too. Our second Fit too, her other (traded in) 2009 Fit was just as good too. The Fit is sort of peppy and "Made In Japan" too, where Q/C comes first. That engine is designed to catch air to keep cool and that intake is cool to the touch, even in summer heat.

FWIW ... Our Honda Fit always gets 30.1 MPG with combined (mostly city) city & highway driving. And the Fit has some decent looks too.


Only drawback with a Fit ... don't hit any big potholes with the small sidewalls on the tires.

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I actually like the Element. Have a few friends who swear by theirs. Decent mileage, roomy, a wee bit underpowered, pretty durable, ugly as sin but a great value. Honda isn't going to be making them for much longer because they just weren't selling. I've test driven a Fit and it's a pretty rad car. If I lived in a city and commuted a lot it'd probably be my first pick. The manual tranny on it is a hell of a lot of fun too.

 

I considered an Element before I bought my Taco 2 months ago. The utility of it amazed me, everything was so well thought out. Considering the amount it can haul, and can traverse slightly offroad (AWD) and the rear legroom, I'd say the fuel mileage is more than ample. The one I drove seemed to have poor quality interior plastics, but with a watertight floor and stainproof seats why would you want primo plastics? I wouldn't mind owning one.

 

Element has all the interior features that the Taco should have. It's a great vehicle for its intended purpose and also as a normal commuter.

Box it is, but a box is also the most efficient design to maximize interior space.