It may be on a Honda Civic forum, but a user links to an article suggesting that Honda has confirmed the return of the Element small SUV. It’s rumored to return for the model year 2029 with a hybrid powertrain.
Those with long memories will remember the Element. The small, squared-off SUV was meant for people with active, outdoorsy lifestyles. Indeed, Honda made it a point to tout that buyers could stand up inside to change into or out of a wetsuit for surfing.
The Previous Honda Element Was Oddly Styled But Beloved
The Element got raves, but its odd styling may have held it back from being even more popular. And not every buyer used it for surfing or camping or kayaking - the boxy shape made it great for hauling pets, sports equipment, small-business supplies, and the like. It put the “utility” in “sport utility”.
The report that claims the Element will return is suggesting it will be priced between the Honda HR-V compact SUV and the CR-V midsize. They also suggest that those models will be redesigned by then and also given hybrid powertrains - and only hybrid powertrains.
The rumor continues that the hybrid powertrain in question for the next Element would pair a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with an electric motor. It’s also rumored that there will be an off-road-oriented model. On that one, all-wheel-drive will be standard and the Element will get decently high ground clearance and have mission/model specific tires.
The report also claims that a new Element will keep a lot of the same styling, uh, elements of the previous vehicle, but will also be more modern in terms of looks. Take that to mean that the vehicle will have the same boxy shape, but perhaps with curves or angles that look more appropriate to current styling trends.
Furthermore, this report suggests Honda will be expecting to produce around 100,000 units per year. That’s a higher number than we saw with the previous Element - Honda produced about 350,000 of those units during the vehicle’s single-generation run from 2002 to 2011.
A new Honda Element would likely sell well, given the popularity of crossover SUVs that promise to work well for those with active lifestyles. Not only that, but a new Element would likely be popular for the same reasons that the previous one got positive attention - a large, boxy cargo area would be useful even for folks who don’t know the difference between a surfboard and a skateboard. Hauling dogs or groceries or hockey gear or whatever - a new Element could do very well at that.
It would also give Honda one more option in a crowded crossover/SUV market - and a chance to fulfill a niche that doesn’t have many available options at present. A reasonably priced small SUV with lots of cargo area that could serve equally as an urban runabout or a transport for camping gear will be attractive to a lot of customers. Especially if it’s a hybrid promising a high MPG number.
If Honda Builds A New Element, It Could Be Popular
Of course, reports like this can be dicey. There appears to be little in the way of sourcing - usually reports like are based on a presentation to dealers, or the spotting of a patent filing, or an anonymous source gets cited. Unless I missed it, this report doesn’t make mention of its source. So this may be clickbait in the pejorative sense, not the neutral sense.
Still, we can dream. The first Element was very cool, and a new one would likely be as cool or cooler. So we’ll hold out hope.
What do you think? Would you be interested in another Honda Element? Or would it be a mistake if Honda builds it? If it’s built, should it be a hybrid or a gas-engine vehicle? Or maybe an EV?
Let your opinion known by sounding off in the comments below.
Images: Honda
About The Author
Tim Healey is an experienced automotive writer and editor from Chicago. He has covered automotive news at Consumer Guide Automotive, Web2Carz, AutoGuide, and was the managing editor at The Truth About Cars. Tim is a member of the Midwest Automotive Media Association. You can find him on Facebook, X/Twitter, and on LinkedIn.
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