Car Research

2009 Honda Element
The Element enters its sixth year in Canada in 2009, but has only seen slight changes over the years and it's for all intents and purposes the same thing it's been for more than half a decade - a cargo hauler on wheels. (Daniel Barron/AUTONET)
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2009 Honda Element
With a stronger focus on styling and street cred, the Element SC adds standard 18-inch wheels, smoked headlamps, lower ride height, and carpeted floor under the first and second row seats. (Daniel Barron/AUTONET)
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2009 Honda Element
The SC model's suspension also gets tuned for a sportier feel, though don't expect a souped-up engine to go with it, as it gets the same one found under the hood of the LX and EX models - a 2.4-litre four-cylinder that leaves something to be desired if you're driving anywhere but along busy city streets. (Daniel Barron/AUTONET)
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2009 Honda Element
The tall boxy shape of the Element is perfect for fitting, well, tall boxy objects, while the plastic floor is great for throwing stuff in, no matter its weight or degree of cleanliness. (Daniel Barron/AUTONET)
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2009 Honda Element
The interior of the Element SC leans much farther toward the cargo side of things and less toward being hip and cool. The amount of cubbies and trays to place random stuff like MP3 players, cell phones, sunglasses (several pairs!) or loose change is astounding. (Daniel Barron/AUTONET)
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2009 Honda Element
If something like the Scion xB or Nissan Cube is what the Element is pitted against, it has its work cut out for it. Those other upstarts are better looking, more customizable and will be (presumably) cheaper. (Daniel Barron/AUTONET)
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2009 Honda Element
The Element's rear seats sit high up for a stadium feel, but many passengers (large and tall) complained about feeling too high up. (Daniel Barron/AUTONET)
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2009 Honda Element
The Element's rear seats have a lot of travel as well, but if a passenger wants to really stretch out his or her legs, they'll be doing some serious reaching to close the rear door. (Daniel Barron/AUTONET)
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2009 Honda Element
Though the seatbelts in the Element are attached to the seats themselves, they're still not easy to reach, which becomes annoying quickly. (Daniel Barron/AUTONET)
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2009 Honda Element
If all you need in a vehicle is the ability to transport a lot of cargo, but want something shorter than a pickup, the Honda Element is a pretty safe bet. (Daniel Barron/AUTONET)
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