2006 Honda Element consumer reviews

A real touring car: sit up higher than many, picture windows, easy driving, great turning radius. 4 speed auto transmission: like them all, it doesn't shift when I would, but with D, D1 & D2, and overdrive, should be reasonably able to match the power to my needs. I enjoy bouncing on down country roads. The car just says "C'mon, let's get outta here and go have some fun!" I plan on it.

It's getting exactly the gas mileage listed on the window sticker. My only chage would be better Gas Mileage.

I have 56 thousand miles on my Element. I have never had one thing go wrong with it during the 4 years that I have had it, not one thing! I have taken it all across the country, from Connecticut to Oregon, from Alabama to Arizona. It is a great vehicle and totally reliable. I would recommend it to anyone. I average 24 to 27 mpg. I take good care of it because it takes good care of me.

Very reliable, awd works great for winter driving, rear passengers love the stadium seating, lots of fun to drive, easy to park, a great value, I would buy again.

This review will probably be unlike most, but if you are considering buying the Element, read on. I bought my "ugly green truck", as my wife likes to call it, because it fit my lifestyle; snowboarding, scuba, kayaking, mountain biking, heck I even fit my 8'9" longboard inside before I bought the surfboard rack. Of all of the Elements positives, the one I want to boast about today is safety. As I Am writing this I have just arrived home from the hospital. Twenty four hours ago my wife and I where involved in a three car accident. The two drivers in front of us decided to fight it out for the middle lane. The resulting collision of these two vehicle sent one of them spinning 360 degrees around into a guard rail, it then bounced off spun again and struck my Element with myself and my seven month pregnant wife inside. I have not heard from the insurance adjuster, but I suspect my Element will be totaled, my wife, my unborn daughter, and I did not have a scratch on us. The hospital stay was a precaution to monitor the Baby. In my estimation the Element deserves every star of the NHTSA's five star crash rating. It has front, side and side curtain airbags, go to the Honda website and read the laundry list of safety features on this car. The styling of the Element may not suit everyones tastes, but thank God the people at Honda had the courage to make a vehicle that does not compromise on the important things. I do not know whether or not my Element can be repaired or not, but I do know one thing. When my daughter is born in two months, I will be driving her home from the hospital in a Honda Element.

I love my Element! Its lots of fun to drive and can be a GREAT camping vehicle. All sorts of accessories can be purchased including kit for back floor board to make into table and I LOVE how the seats can be moved around so much. I have hauled all sorts of things in my Element!

The Element has been the ultimate vehicle for my lifestyle, which includes many fishing, hiking, backpacking, camping and road trips. Its access is great for loading and unloading gear, easy to keep clean and has enough room for four people and their gear for a day trip. Its all wheel drive, handling, ground clearance and fuel economy make it ideal for any kind of adventure, though it is more of a rough-roader than an off-roader. Its AWD and ABS make it a tank in the snow and ice. All around versatility, cargo capability and high fun to drive factor make this a great car despite its "toaster" styling.

Late 2006, wanting a fun-to-drive small car with cargo space for big dogs, bicycles, and other bulky items, and with no Honda Fit available in the Portland, OR area, I purchased a silver Element EX-P, 5-speed. Bottom line: this is a few-frills, small little trucklet, with mediocre driving dynamics, that is maddenly efficient at carrying all manner of stuff. After 20 months and 20K trouble-free miles, getting ~ 24mpg (I coast alot, really), I've given up trying not to like it. Foo. The interior has acres of hard plastic, and there's few cabin ammenities, but everything functions well, and the element drives nimbly--though you'd never mistake it's driving characteristics for a 'sporty' car in a zillion years. Our kids have 4 legs and fur, they can jump in the back with ease, so the wacky side doors don't bother us much. A mountain bike (or 2) fits inside with ease, and I've slept inside it, during a solo camping trip--with the gear and bike inside, also. So the Element hits the mark for 2 'sport-hogs' adults (even us in our 40's), with dogs, and gear. This little pokey truck continues to grow on me, dang it.

The Honda Element is very square and very spacious. The brakes should last forever, because if you lift off the gas, it slows like it has a parachute. The back seat is the largest space for two in all the 40 previous cars I've owned. I bet it is rivaled only by the Maybach. The best part is that it is so user friendly, all wheel drive makes it useful, and the fuel economy is darn good in town, decent for an SUV on the highway. The cashier at the Honda store told me that Element drivers are "happy people". That is pretty neat.

My wife and I bought an 06 Element and like it okay, but are now looking for something else. The good things about it are it handles excellent, it's very versitile, great sound system and styled nicely. Now for the not so good, this car is dangerously under powered. Merging on to the freeway is seriously taking your life in your hands as this car is S L O W. Also, I suspect that the reason Honda but an amazing sound system in this car was to cover up all the road noise in the cabin. The seats, in a word are terrible. Basically they are foam over metal frames and after a 200 mile trip, you'll feel like you've been playing tackle football. Also, little things like not having a mirror light, and glove box light tend to get on your nerves after a while. I don't feel like you get much value for the cost of this vehicle because you don't even get carpet in it, and we've found that American builders offer comparable 200+ HP 6 cylinder engine model cars for the same/less money.