A breadbox designed for Pizza Pockets

Some think it looks good, others think it's ugly. There seems to be no mixed opinions about Honda's Element, which has been on the market since 2003. The first ones looked decidedly unusual, with gray plastic front and rear fenders and rearward-opening back doors.

In 2006, the Element was available with a completely-painted body in EX trim, and this year, the SC model is added with a distinctive exterior appearance package.

The aesthetic update gives it a more modern appearance.

The body
The difference between the various versions of the Element are easy to spot this year; the base LX still has unpainted fenders, the EX-P gets the monochrome treatment, and the SC has a specific front end, with slimmer headlights and a different grille. Body-colored bumpers and great-looking 18-inch alloy wheels with fat 225/55HR18 tires are also part of the package. The suspension of the SC is lowered, as ground clearance drops by 18 mm.

So, the sportier Element draws stares. There are only four colors available for the SC, including a nice Root Beer, but it misses out on some great choices that the EX-P offers, such as Tango Red, Tangerine Mist and Kiwi Green. It will most definitely please the younger, Gen-X crowd rather then the fortysomething audience who also purchase Elements for their practicality.

Half the staff is sold on the SC's looks, while the other half avoided looking out the window when it was sitting in the parking lot. I'm in the first half, fortunately, as I've always though the Element was an interesting alternative to other compact SUVs that all seem to look alike these days.

The performance
As this SC is an automatic-equipped version, which gained a 5th gear for 2007, you must realize that this ain't no hot rod. With 166 horsepower on duty to pull 3,600 lbs (1,630 kg), don't expect to win any stoplight races. Still, the engine is smooth and the transmission makes to the most of the available power.

The engine output is amply sufficient for the daily commute.

Very minor changes were brought to the SC's suspension. There is a slightly wider rear track and a bigger rear stabilizer bar, in addition to the bigger wheels and shorter springs. The result is being able to take curves and tight corners a little faster than in lesser models, if that's important to you.

Most people find the monochromic paint more pleasing.

But the downside is that the ride is stiffer, which gets tiresome after a while, especially when driving in the city, which is where the SC is supposed to be at home. It's more bearable on the highway. I averaged 11.1 L/100 km during the course of the test.

Safety-wise, all Elements get anti-lock brakes and electronic force distribution, front side airbags, side-curtain airbags as well as traction and stability control. Only the EX model is available with all-wheel drive.

Inside
Unlike other Element versions, the SC doesn't have waterproof fabric on the seats, and there's floor carpeting instead of rubber. It also gains a centre console with an armrest. The steering wheel is pretty big for a vehicle of this size, and gives the impression you're driving a milk truck.

The seats proved their worthiness during a back-and-forth weekend trip from Montreal to Quebec City, and there's a lot of storage spaces spread around the cabin to keep stuff within reach. The A-pillars are too fat, though, and visibility suffers a bit. The climate control rotary dials are simple and the CD player sounded pretty good and reads MP3 files, which is important for the SC's target clientele.

There's a lot of room for back-seat passengers, but there's only seatbelts for two. If you've got two small kids like me, it doesn't matter anyway, because the width of two child car seats would compromise the 3rd occupant anyway.

The wide A pillars make tight maneuvers a bit difficult.

The cargo hold is extremely practical, and that's one of the Element's strongest points. I really liked the two-section hatch, because you can open the top portion to drop things inside, and the bottom section is great for tailgate parties. The back seats can fold down to create a surface big enough for a siesta, and they can also swing up flat against the sides for maximum cargo capacity. They can also be removed completely.

The Element is indisputably one of a kind.

Competition
Equipped with the automatic, the Element SC costs $31,100. That's a lot of dough. Does the SC have any rivals? Well, if we're looking for a two-wheel drive, sporty compact SUV, we could consider the Dodge Nitro SXT with an automatic and an appearance package costs $26,230. A Ford Escape XLT V6 with 17-inch wheels costs $27,094. A Jeep Compass Limted with a CVT automatic, chrome wheels and side airbags costs $24,700.

The Element has the highest-quality interior of the bunch, but still, it's expensive compared to the others. The EX-P 4WD is even worse, at $31,500 with an automatic.

Conclusion
Honda's Element has some interesting qualities, such as distinctive looks and undeniable practicality. It drives well and isn't too hard on fuel, and its base price is lower than the CR-V's. But the SC unfortunately costs too much for what it offers, as its performance doesn't match its racy appearance; with another 40 horsepower, it would be tempting.

The SC's mission is confusing. It seems as though it would better please the Gen-Xers than older people or young families, those who feed themselves on Pizza Pockets and Red Bull. Yet I think this crowd would rather spend $31,000 on a slammed Civic Si than a breadbox SUV. However, if you like the way it looks, and if you want an Element but don't care for those nerdy gray plastic fenders, you might just be happy with the SC.



Unbeatable practicality
Reasonable fuel consumption



Fat A-pillars reduce visibility
Not as quick as its looks suggest



Needs a rebate