Further distinguishing the Element LX are the dark gray panels used for the front and rear fenders, front fascia, and rocker panels. They're made of a scratch- and dent-resistant composite material. These panels are painted to match the body color on the Element EX, diluting the Element's function-first look just a little.
The tailgate is split horizontally. The top half lifts like a hatch, while the bottom half drops like a tailgate. Honda suggests the lower half can be used as a seating surface for parties. That's a fine idea, but the tailgate has its drawbacks. It effectively raises the liftover height for cargo in the rear, and it requires a little more leaning to heft larger objects into the back. That said, there remains an impressive amount of cargo space in the Element. With the easily removed rear seats taken out, it offers 74.6 cubit feet of storage space. That's more than the maximum available in much larger vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz M-Class.
The Element's rear corners are nicely curved, so it doesn't look as chunky from behind. Large wheels help ensure the Element doesn't look like a minivan. In all, the Element makes a stylish box, or at least a box with some personality. Next Page