Dream Car ! 🚙

I talked about my favorite/dream car in the previous post and was talking to my girlfriend last night and decided to make a post talking about my dream car. Without further ado, 

THE HONDA ELEMENT !!!

It's a Compact SUV which was in production from 2003-2011, which sadly means it's no longer being made. This is due to a declining number in sales for seven years leading up to its discontinuation. Literally breaks my heart but I can always get it used fr ! Even with the absence of new models there's a cult following around this car, with websites and online clubs based around camping, preserving this car, or even just to talk about one's experiences with it.

I think what really makes this car my favorite is its usability/utility and how effectively it uses it's compact suv size. Now it's mostly used by people who take them on camping trips as this car is pretty good for it. Also when I was younger, I had a Matchbox Honda Element and to be totally honest...I thought it was the ugliest car I've ever seen. I don't see it that way now, although the plastic on some of these cars haven't aged well, others who have taken the time to care their viewless are left with some beautiful cars in their driveways. I like its boxy look now, in my head, when you say compact I think of the scene in Wall-e where he crushes up the trash in his... robot abdomen??

I feel like if you got the essence of utility, comfort, and like metal and plastic (obviously), compacted them together it would resemble something like the Element. Duh.

Its engine was also used in Honda's CR-V models at the time which means that this car had some power behind it and a relatively good mpg, with the 2010 model having the best MPG at combined 22mpg (20 city/25 hwy), giving it a range of about 350 mi. range on a full tank. It was available with a 5-Speed manual in the EX-4WD trim the other trims came with automatic transmissions with 4 and 5 speed available. I don't know how to drive a manual car sadly, one day I might learn especially if a great offer arises with one. 

Since it was removed from production in 2011 it never had features like CarPlay or Android Auto, however, in 2010 Honda began offering a navigation system in the LX, EX, and SC models. The navigation system model also had iPod support, I love my iPod. SHOUTOUT TO ALL MY IPOD LOVERS OUT THERE!!! However the addition of navigation had gotten rid of the CD support. I am also a big fan of CD music.

Obviously, these features don't mean much to the average person. However, because of the intense cult following of this car there is some great aftermarket support for it even this far out of its life. (13 years as of 2024) The system installed is Double DIN which for the uninitiated is the size/dimension of the stereo. With it being Double DIN you could install any system you see fit, even if it is Single DIN I am sure it would be very easy to find an adaptor or cover. I was right. There's one being sold online through Wal-mart which converts the empty second slot to a small cubby or shelf. Link will be at the bottom if anyone is interested. Either way the possibilities are endless. 

These are just quality of life features though, it does come with appropriate safety features for its time. The one safety feature I would make sure to add is a back-up camera. I know how that might sound, rest assured I know how to navigate without one but at the same time it's a feature that really gives you a better view on what's going on and is very valuable to have. 

Let's take a look at the rest of this interior!

One thing special with these cars is the floor, there are no carpets. It's all textured rubber which is helpful with the cargo/stowing aspect this car can provide. More on that later though. 

When I say "it uses its space" I mean it !  All 4 seats can fold down into one large cushioned area which some people who use this car for camping throw a kind of comforter over or just sleep on it like that its pretty awesome in my own very personal opinion. If you thought that having all the seats down that way is a great way to get some more space you won't believe this next part. 

THE SEATS FOLD UP! This is pretty legendary. I've never owned or been inside one (sadly), but I've read that the seats hinge under the windows and latch and lock in the up position. You must be thinking, "Okay Germ, this is awesome but surely it really can't get better than this." You'd be plain wrong. It does in fact, "get better than this". 

THE SEATS COMPLETELY REMOVE! This feature also means that the rubberized flooring could be fully realized. I just can't believe that people didn't want this car. I mean this guy put his motorcycle in the back. Firstly, who does that, and secondly I know it isn't a large bike however the options that this provides and ideas it allows you to have are pretty cool. Just know when you see someone with this car they could just have a motorcycle in the back. Keep your eyes peeled. Returning back to aftermarket support there's even accessories you could add to make the seats swivel backwards facing away from the front of the car. This would be legendary for tailgating. However, these accessories and modifications need to be very safely made and because of that they fetch a higher price than most other accessories. Either way, pretty legendary! 

(This color and trim is my favorite, I like green a lot.)

The doors are also pretty awesome, at the start of the post I used a picture of an Element with all of it's doors open to introduce it because bi-parting side doors or suicide doors like this aren't common place with many cars. They're mostly seen on high-end/luxury cars or some few pick-up trucks with extended cabins. I think they work great on a car like this. It only adds to the utility of it and is one thing that differentiates it from other "boxy" cars like the Scion xB, Mazda Flair, or the popular Ford Bronco (if the glove don't fit you must acquit). It makes it so that the cargo and anything else you may be carrying in the rear isn't limited to being moved only out of the rear. 

The trunk also has an interesting way of opening. It splits in half and the bottom section extends the trunk/bed behind the rear seats. The top section of the door, containing the window and badges offers shade to the trunk as well.

 The Element also benefits from the creativity and love in the 2000's Hondas because it contains the fabled "trunk table".  If you look closely you can see a hole in the middle of the trunk and a latch/handle closer to the edge of the bed. Similar to the CR-V models of the time a section of the bed can come out and the legs can fold out from under. Unfortunately the Element does not come with this feature directly. The table surface does one out, but to reveal the spare tire. However, because of the amazing aftermarket support, this plastic and rubber slab can be easily converted into a portable table. One common and popular method is purchasing compacting table legs from Amazon and they can be fitted to an adaptor that sits on the bottom of the table top. This adds to the capabilities/utility of this car and I'm so sad that it is severely under-looked and under-loved. 

Even though I share a deep love for this car, I do not own one, neither does any family members or friends. One day I hope to own one. It is a Honda so even with a higher milage, if it was taken care of and I continue to do so, it will serve me well. I hope Mr. Beast would see this post or something and he just throws one of these at me out of pity or something. I'd do a Mr. Beast challenge video for this car lol. In all truth I'd probably fail if I did something like the squid games challenge but that grocery store video I would win like I understand the isolation would be so extremely difficult to overcome but by the time I start going crazy from that I'd have enough to buy a great condition Element so I won't really lose. Thank you for reading about my love and interest in this vehicle, if I can add to this in the future or if there's anything I missed and I can't add to it I might be upset but I think I can also just add a comment so check there just in case.

Thank you, sincerely, 

Germ

Honda Element Single DIN Conversion: https://www.walmart.com/ip/AMERICAN-INTERNATIONAL-CORP-Honda-Element-Radio-Installation-Kit/2160599448?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101373823