Trying to define the Honda Crosstour will surely give you a headache. It’s a lot easier to pigeonhole the Element, though. Its cubic shape (that came before the tell-tale Nissan) heralds a purely utilitarian function that instantly brings the term “four-wheel box” to mind. And if we follow this train of thought, we can safely label the Element SC a “trendy box.”
Which trend, exactly? The tuning trend, of course. In fact, tuning aficionados claim that the SC stands for “Sport Compact”. Something that Honda isn’t confirming. After all, who wants to associate the product with a fad that hasn’t always been well received?
It wouldn’t help the Element’s cause in any case, as it was never as successful as expected. Introduced in 2003, this unconventional little ute quickly reached a sales ceiling in Canada, stabilizing at around 3,000 units per year up to 2007. That’s when sales started dropping, and not even 1,000 units were sold last year. And yet, in 2009 nearly 8,500 Canadians stampeded towards the Kia Soul, a brand-new ride that featured the same convenience – but was also cheaper and more fuel-efficient.
Is the Element an endangered species? Likely not, judging by an interview published in December 2009 in Automotive News, a Detroit weekly periodical. One of the executives of Honda’s American subsidiary stated that the automaker was going to redesign the vehicle “in the near future.” He didn’t specify, however, if it would keep the name and feature a similar profile.
Make it funky
In the meantime, the Element SC was launched with the goal of piquing buyer interest. That was in 2007. The funky little ute features much of what we’ve come to know, with a dollop of extra boldness thrown in.
The SC model is recognizable by its imposing 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels. It wears an exclusive grille. Its bumpers, door handles, door sills and roof mouldings are all body-coloured: Royal Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl or Alabaster Silver Metallic – but not Citrus Fire Metallic. That colour is reserved for the more down-to-earth LX and EX versions.
 |
| The Honda Element SC targets the young at heart. (Photo: Philippe Champoux, Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
Which trend, exactly? The tuning trend, of course. In fact, tuning aficionados claim that the SC stands for “Sport Compact”. Something that Honda isn’t confirming. After all, who wants to associate the product with a fad that hasn’t always been well received?
It wouldn’t help the Element’s cause in any case, as it was never as successful as expected. Introduced in 2003, this unconventional little ute quickly reached a sales ceiling in Canada, stabilizing at around 3,000 units per year up to 2007. That’s when sales started dropping, and not even 1,000 units were sold last year. And yet, in 2009 nearly 8,500 Canadians stampeded towards the Kia Soul, a brand-new ride that featured the same convenience – but was also cheaper and more fuel-efficient.
Is the Element an endangered species? Likely not, judging by an interview published in December 2009 in Automotive News, a Detroit weekly periodical. One of the executives of Honda’s American subsidiary stated that the automaker was going to redesign the vehicle “in the near future.” He didn’t specify, however, if it would keep the name and feature a similar profile.
Make it funky
In the meantime, the Element SC was launched with the goal of piquing buyer interest. That was in 2007. The funky little ute features much of what we’ve come to know, with a dollop of extra boldness thrown in.
The SC model is recognizable by its imposing 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels. It wears an exclusive grille. Its bumpers, door handles, door sills and roof mouldings are all body-coloured: Royal Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl or Alabaster Silver Metallic – but not Citrus Fire Metallic. That colour is reserved for the more down-to-earth LX and EX versions.
 |
| The SC version is recognizable by, among other things, its imposing 18-inch alloy wheels. (Photo: Philippe Champoux, Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |