2007 Honda ELEMENT Review

Specifications

When we last met, the Element and I, the time was late summer and the place was unfamiliar; not for the car, but for me. Under normal circumstances, the vehicles adapt to my routine. They endure my favorite winding roads, my scrutiny on handling, ride, comfort and build quality, and the piece de resistance, my daily shuffle through traffic jams. The Element was different in that it inspired me to switch things up a bit, and rather than force it into my routine it caused me to learn about what it was made for. So, I bit the bullet and did something most unusual, at least for me, I took it camping. I gained an appreciation for the little box that could, an appreciation that I never thought possible and to this day, its triumph of form following function has escalated its position on my list of vehicles that impressed me.

Therefore, it was a good source of surprise (and confusion) when I was presented with this, the Element SC, an Element designed by someone that spends too much of their free time playing Need for Speed Underground on their xBox.

Indeed, this latest Element looks like something from a video game. If the stark boxiness of its body weren’t enough, the effect is magnified by the removal of roof rack headgear, body kit, lowering springs, 18-inch gunmetal-gray painted wheels, and most certainly the all-black paint job and complementary midnight tinted windows and smoked taillights. The marquee color for the SC is Root Beer, as in the fizzy beverage; brown rarely looks good on any vehicle, but here it’s quite sharp. On its own, the primer-like shade of gray that makes up the car’s secondary trim is dull, but it too manages to work on the Element. Yet there’s still more to discover about the SC’s looks. Honda went so far as to send it in for plastic surgery, resulting in a new face. Wider set eyes with projector beam pupils twinkle brighter, with a narrower grille pursed between. It’s different, and more attractive to boot.

Most people are probably familiar with hopped up funk boxes like this, made even more popular by the Scion xB cult. The SC, though similar, maintains a different stance, coming straight from the factory ready-tuned and a decent performer at that. It’s also a much bigger vehicle, 170.3 inches in length and 71.5 inches in width versus 150.5 inches and 66.5 inches for the Scion.

Honda’s “Street Custom” Element wouldn’t be a very complete Street Custom without some interior modifications. Nothing too serious has been changed; no LCD screens on steering wheels or dashboard that looks like a melted wine gum, just simple mods like the addition of carpets instead of hose-out rubber mats (oh, and if you own an Element, please don’t hose it out as it will short out your electrical system - Ed). Those in charge of interior design must’ve felt a certain magnetism towards copper, as it’s been liberally applied to as many trim items as possible, like the HVAC gauges, the accordion boot shifter and the new instruments. Gloss piano black effect trim ensures that the orangey hue isn’t too overbearing. Gone, unfortunately, is the large tilt sunroof over the cargo bay and the bungee cord seatback pockets, two of my favorite details.

A new armrest console has been put in place with more little storage pans and cubbies to hold things like cell phones and extra large bottles of water. Also, the aux-in jack has moved from the storage tray in front of the passenger on the dashboard to inside the armrest; it was fine where it was before, always in sight and within reach. The seat fabrics have been imprinted with the same kind of pattern most often found wrapped around a club bouncer’s arm. Sorta, kinda cool… And though they may not be weather resistant in the same way as the wetsuit-like material from the standard Element, the seat covers can be unzipped and tossed in the wash. Just make sure you don’t run them through the drier, or else they may end up two sizes too small, like they’re suffering from woolen sweater syndrome. SCs also get the top of the line stereo system that’s got a six-disc stacker, a subwoofer and mega wattage for enough power to blow all six of its doors clear open.

Most importantly, Honda remedied my biggest complaint with regards to the entire car, the seatbelt design, a change that affects all Elements, not just the SC. In pre-updated models, the front seatbelt was anchored to the side door (it doesn’t have a B-pillar, remember?), which meant you had to take your seatbelt off before you could let anyone out from the back. By relocating the belt into the seat, as is so often found on four-seat convertibles, this problem is fixed. My second big complaint, the extra-hard moulding of the driver’s side bolster that provides a perfect surface to bruise one’s shins, was not fixed. The rest of what makes the Element such a practical vehicle remains, however, such as the seats that can be reclined, or hung from the roof like vines. It’s safe too, with standard stability control, ABS brakes, plus front, side and side curtain airbags.

The one thing that I’d hoped SC stood for was supercharged, but nodice. The root of my desire isn’t because the Element is a slow vehicle, its revised 2.4-liter VTEC inline-four is more than capable of moving the little box about with finesse, particularly since the extra short ratio five-speed manual keeps the engine boiling… it’s just that with looks like these, you expect more. Though the SC packs an extra 10 horsepower over last year’s model, so do the other trim levels. Needless to say it’s sufficient, as it’ll still fervently tug at your hands when accelerating. Yeah, it might be based off of the CR-V, but it torque steers, and no, the little SUV’s RealTime 4WD system is not available as it is on the regular Element. At least the keen-to-rev engine, growly exhaust and upright windscreen creates the sensation of hyper speed.

The five-speed manual that comes standard with the SC abides by the Honda norms of slickness and precision. Blessed with a clutch that’s light as a feather and a shifter that’s no more than a couple of inches away from your right hand at any given point in time, it really brings out the racer inside. Even the pedals are set up for heel-toe action, which is not at all expected from a vehicle bearing the Element’s shape. The SC ought to only be offered with the stick, but it can be had with a new automatic gearbox that has five speeds instead of the previous four. As with the old model, the Element could really do with a longer final gear ratio, or a sixth gear to reduce fuel consumption at highways speeds.

Odd vantage point aside, there are times when the SC feels less like a Swiss army knife and more like a sport compact. Mission accomplished, or at least to a degree. The steering feels more direct, nimbler, which makes sense because the ratio is 6-percent faster. Fat stabilizer bars, which are between 25- and 30-percent more rigid depending on the chosen axle configuration, snuffs out body roll, while a new suspension setup that has 30-percent firmer springs and dampers keeps the body perpendicular to the road. All eighteen of those wheels’ inches do a good job of filling up the fender gaps too. The combination of subzero temperatures and all-season tires meant true exploitation of the Element’s outer limits would have to wait for another day, as it proved to be nippy beyond all expected means. In order to be a jack of all trades in the handling department, it must trade off its ability to gracefully absorb bumps and go off road. The latter is OK by me, but the SC’s ride is unsympathetically stiff to the point where I was changing lanes to avoid manhole covers.

You have to hand it to Honda’s engineers, mind you, because as a sporty vehicle they’ve done a laughably good job. It didn’t hurt that the bog-stock Element wasn’t a bad drive to begin with, of course.

With happy thoughts of camping embedded deep in my long-term memory, I felt compelled to become at one with the Element in the great outdoors once again, but on a slightly smaller scale. This outing was far less extensive, consisting of an afternoon of snowboarding with three friends. With a little bit of arranging, three medium sized snowboards were wedged into the trunk, plus all vital accessories. Sans subwoofer, the boards would have been an easier fit. Two sets of wide opening side doors provide enough sit-down room to get gear ready, although the coveted spot was the tailgate that not only provides a steady seating surface/tune-up bench, but shelter from rain (or in this case snow). Those riding in back enjoyed the view from the car’s stadium seating, as well as the reclining seats.

And when all were finished, three heavily battered, bruised and wind-ravagedyoung adults appreciated the Element’s rapid heater, an effective tool for thawing human popsicles. That heat would’ve also caused a mess in the cargo bay, had it not been for the wipe-down plastic cargo area, kudos for Honda resisting the urge to carpet that. The flat-folding seats also proved useful, turning the Element’s cabin into a chill-out lounge allowing all four occupants to face each other while recounting tales of carving powder, landing jumps and riding boxes, while indulging on pizza. Good friends, good tunes, good times, all in the Element. It would’ve made a good TV ad spot.

Having experienced the cross pollination of a tent and a Civic Si, the Element SC has left me in a state similar to when it first arrived: confused. I applaud Honda for going the extra mile and tweaking the look and the driving dynamics of the car, but its message of poise and performance may fall upon deaf ears. The crowds that buy Elements don’t really do street style; look at the Subaru Forester for example.

Bar the wacky Japanese STI-tuned special, it’s still a rugged looking machine. Buyers of these vehicles do outdoorsy things, for which the Element is still capable, but without its higher ground clearance and AWD system, it’s simply less capable. On the other side of the equation, people that are interested in street style rarely find appeal in boxes, let alone boxes that specialize in moving muddy, rain-soaked gear.

There’s a select group that may be so inclined to purchase the SC for its anti-derivative looks or its capacity to hold three dozen twelve-inch subs, but really, Where’s Waldo? Instead, SCs are more likely to inadvertently end up in the hands of mid-aged couples during clearance season, rather than its intended target, the youthful, active urbanites that appreciate the tuner style. Given its fate, you can’t help but feel a little sad for the new Element SC. As for the regular Element, it’s already so good that you need look no further.