As someone who is active (camping and biking), the Honda Element is versatile and gets the job done. From hauling bales of pine straw for yard work to traveling with a tandem bicycle inside, the Element never disappoints. It is easy to maneuver, and it is as other Hondas, dependable. We have hauled appliances, used the cabana/camping features in the pouring rain and stayed dry, and have hauled two mountain bikes on the inside plus our gear. Our big guy friends are always surprised when they get in the back seat. They are never cramped! On really curvy mountain roads, it can seem a bit unsteady, but I have never lost any traction. The fact that it is now 14 years old, there are features I would love to have. One of the reasons I have loved it is the wonderful sound system, and it had an MP3 jack way back when! But now the CD player skips a bit at times. One other drawback is that the trailer hitch doesn't easily accommodate a 2" hitch. Even with an adapter, most 2" compatible trailers wouldn't fit well on the Element. The A/C never has really come on strong and cool in the Southern heat. However, like other Hondas I have had, if you cut it on lower, let it get cool, then try blasting the A/C, it tends to work much better. I have always taken it in for regular service, so I have never had huge problems. One expects that with a 10+ year old car. And I haven't been a huge mileage gatherer, so even at under 150,000 miles on an '03, that really isn't too many. Given the age of the car, you have to give it to the quality of the vehicle. A lot of people say an all-wheel drive car is going to give you problem. So far, so good on that front. And Hondas had something called "real-time AWD" which kicks in when it needs to. Never has it let me down. It was a real performer when I lived through five Maine winters. When I bought it, it was one of the first in my town. I had to pay full MSRP. It had to be ordered. I have never regretted that--ever! I told a dealer trying to get me to trade to have a new Element on the lot and I would. I will keep it until it dies. I love the vehicle!

Many people treat their vehicles like pets, and if you were to adopt a Honda Element, it'd be the golden retriever of vehicles. You can always depend on it to get you out of a sticky situation. Say you want to go camping, but your wife hates the outdoors, just plunk the seats down and in 15 seconds you've got a bed with a moon roof that allows you to sleep under the stars! You can't find these guys on used car lots often, too many people want to keep them, and it's no wonder, when is the last time you saw an Element on the side of the road broken down? I'll bet it hasn't happened. The main thing that I like to remind people when they're using my vehicle is that it's shaped like a box; it's going to drive like a box on wheels. You can't expect it to fly around corners like a sports car or power you up a hill like a heavy duty truck. In the rain, especially, it's little bit difficult to keep it steady when compared to a compact car. However, the water is generally no match for the mighty Element. When my Element was eight years old, we got caught in a flash flood through which it carried three people, two large dogs, and three cats to safety through rushing waters. Even if it is a little squirrely on wet roads, it is a lifesaver of a vehicle.