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2003 Honda Element
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A Vehicle Honda DOESN'T want Women to Buy!
And the back seats perform other tricks: Seatbacks also fold forward until flat, then each seat has a hinge on its outboard flank so the entire seat flips up to rest in vertical stance out of the way against the cabin wall. Or each seat pod may be removed entirely -- they're light in weight and easy to eliminate.
This clears the bay for stuffing aboard big loads.
Dimensions of the bay -- 70 cubic feet with the rear seats flipped against the wall or almost 75 cubic feet with the pair removed -- open Element to haul a diverse collection of cargo.
A pair of mountain bikes fit easily, and without needing to remove the front wheels or handlebars. A pair of snowboards also fit, and the wagon even accommodates long items like a ten-foot surfboard -- with cargo doors shut. A couch for the dorm or a big recliner chair? Even these bulky items may squeeze inside Element.
Honda's designers, led by Eric Schumaker, executive design manager at Honda R&D Americas, equate the concept of Element with a California lifeguard station -- a shack on stilts like the ones on "Baywatch" TV shows. It's a small but livable space, carefree but cleanable with a broom or sponge, secure and lockable, but quite simple in design, scale and concept.
The variation for Element is that a set of wheels have been added, plus the locomotion mechanisms of a sturdy sport-utility vehicle rigged with a thrifty but strong four-pack powerplant.
Foundation for Element traces to Honda's Global Compact Platform also employed for the CR-V sport-utility, only the wheelbase has been abbreviated by a couple of inches as the wheel track is expanded. The unit-body platform merges chassis and superstructure to forge a single framework that's extremely strong and rigid, with extra bracing applied in the area of pillar-less side portals where the double doors go.
The CR-V suspension -- MacPherson struts up front with toe control linkage and a reactive double wishbone design in the rear -- was also applied, but with a more compact rear damper and spring assembly installed and the geometry modified by lowering contact points for links in order to drop the equipment and make room for a flat cabin floor.
In addition, larger wheels and tires go to Element, with 16-inch rollers capped by P215/70R16 99S Goodyear Wrangler HP tires. Silver-painted steel wheels are standard, but silver alloy wheels come with the up-level trim.
