Introduced as a Model X concept, Element is now Xed out. Civic is canceled in Japan, but not here.
The 2011 model Honda Element will be the final year of the boxy crossover utility vehicle, American Honda Motor said today. Honda sold fewer than 1,000 Elements in November.
First introduced in concept form as the Honda Model X at the 2001 North American International Auto Show, the Element was typical of a class of utility vehicles that were popular at the time in Japan.
However, in the U.S. compact sport utility vehicles such as the pioneering Toyota RAV4 introduced in the in 1996, as well as subsequent copies including the Honda CR-V and the Ford Escape proved far, far more popular.
The Honda Element was different when it debuted during the 2003 model year with its versatile seating and cargo area, but the awkward half-rear door, which couldn’t be opened unless the front door was opened first, was problematic. It was also noisy and underpowered.
“The Element proved that ultimate functionality can often come from thinking inside the box,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. “It made boxy vehicle designs cool, and Element owners continue to enjoy its unique styling and unmatched versatility.”
Upgrades were made through the years, including more power and safety features in the 2007 model year. More recently, the Element introduced the “Dog Friendly” Element accessory package in 2009.
More than 325,000 Elements have been sold in the United States since its introduction in December 2002.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
