2003-2011 Honda Component | Utilized Motor vehicle Highlight

The early 2000s introduced about a handful of fascinating design tendencies, and just one of the most unconventional was the fascination with containers. The Scion xB kickstarted the fad in The usa, and sizzling on its heels was the considerably larger sized subject of present day highlight, the Honda Factor.

The Factor was based on a idea identified as the Product X that was proven at the 2001 Detroit Vehicle Demonstrate, and aside from the retractable rear roof area like that used by the Studebaker Wagonaire and GMC Yukon XUV, there have been pretty couple adjustments designed to the rugged, square entire body for manufacturing. Rear half-doors, plastic composite fenders, extremely-configurable seats and a break up tailgate all designed it to the closing car or truck.

Although Honda’s significant box was endearing for its exceptional appears to be like and remarkable practicality, the model did not make it to a comprehensive ten years on the current market, ending with the 2011 model calendar year. In that time, it noticed two refreshes, a person very small and the other reasonable.

Why the Honda Ingredient?

As we touched on earlier mentioned, a single of the key good reasons you could possibly be interested in the Honda Aspect is its immense practicality. It can be dependent on the Honda CR-V, and it truly is in fact a bit shorter in duration and wheelbase, but at 74.6 cubic feet, it has an more 2.6 cubic toes of maximum cargo space. That is many thanks to its boxy shape and nearly 8 inches of more peak. Coupled with seats that can be taken off or flipped up and to the sides, it is a breeze to load bulky objects from bikes to household furniture.

There were myriad other versatile features. The ground all over the cabin was a rubberized materials that was easy to wipe down or flippantly hose off, and it was completely flat beneath the movable seats for straightforward loading. The seats on most trims experienced a difficult-donning, drinking water-resistant material. The break up tailgate presented adaptability for carrying extensive products. In between the front seats was a movable tray or console for simple entry to the rear. It was generally a little van that failed to glimpse like a van.

All those people useful attributes had been wrapped around trusty and verified Honda mechanicals. Powering it was a normally aspirated 2.4-liter 4-cylinder making all over 160 horsepower (in 2006, electrical power dropped to 156 and then rose to 166 the subsequent yr). Possibly entrance-wheel-push or all-wheel-drive were being readily available and equally drivelines could be paired with both a five-speed handbook transmission (until 2010) or an automatic, which had 4 gears until eventually 2007 when a five-speed was introduced. And according to Dashboard Mild, the Component has a good dependability rating of 81.3 out 100, 35 points in advance of the ordinary for the compact crossover/SUV phase. On leading of all that, in our experience, the Factor is nimble and relaxed with great steering, building it an fantastic all-close to automobile.

Which Honda Component to select?

Since the Element failed to change considerably by its lifetime, you can expect to be very well-served by just about any variant. That claimed, there are some factors you may possibly want to preserve in mind. Arguably the major point is transmissions. If you want a handbook, you are going to be skipping the 2010 and 2011 model many years. And if you might be wanting for an automatic, you could as nicely check out to get a 2007 or more recent for the five-velocity that nets an added mile per gallon.

In addition to the enhanced automatic, 2007 also marked the introduction of critical basic safety functions for all trim stages: particularly Abs, facet airbags, facet curtain airbags and stability command. Prior to 2007, only the EX arrived with Ab muscles and had the selection of aspect airbags. The LX only bought Abdominal muscles in 2006, but no side airbag choice.

Amid the early Things, you can expect to probably want an EX not just for the Ab muscles, but for other convenience attributes it included this sort of as cruise control and air conditioning, the previous of which was not available on DX and LX designs the very first few years of production and the latter of which was an solution. 

All-wheel generate was offered across all decades, and one particular effortless way to notify if it is really geared up is if it has a rear sunroof. That tilting and detachable skylight was included on just about every all-wheel-travel model until finally 2009 when the aspect was dropped completely.

If you want the room and versatility of the Aspect, but want a sportier design and style and come to feel, Honda launched the SC trim stage in 2007. It showcased a one of a kind front fascia and headlights, stiffened and lowered suspension, 18-inch wheels and absolutely painted entire body panels. Inside it obtained carpeted floors, a preset center console, “Tattoo” pattern cloth upholstery (try to remember, “tribal” tattoos were being well-known) and metallic orange accents with certain exterior colors. This model was only available with entrance-wheel travel.

On the topic of body panels, for most of the Element’s lifestyle it came with unpainted, dent-resistent plastic composite fenders, roof rails and lower rear tailgate. But if you don’t treatment for that glance, you will find the aforementioned SC, as effectively as EX-P and later EX trims that painted the panels. With the Element’s last refresh in 2009, the plastic panels ended up finished away with fully in favor of traditional painted metal fenders.

Eventually, we cannot speak about the Component with out mentioning the Pet dog Pleasant package deal introduced in 2010. It was a package that extra a smooth canine bed, cargo space kennel, spill-resistant water bowl, rear ventilation fan, rear seat include, doggy ramp and exterior badging. The mattress and protect experienced a alternatively cute doggy-themed sample, and the rubber ground mats had pet dog bone shapes molded into them.

Availability and listings

With numerous many years of output and mass industry charm, there are plenty of Aspects to opt for from, and they are quite very affordable. In accordance to Kelley Blue E-book, you could fork out as little as $4,000 for early styles in excellent affliction up to all around $12,000 for a late model one particular.

Our applied automobile listings can be practical to find a fantastic deal close to you. Slim the offerings down by a radius all over your ZIP code, and fork out consideration to the deal ranking on just about every listing to see how a motor vehicle compares with others in a related region.

What else to consider

The Element was a distinctive combination of fashionable boxy style and compact SUV dimensions and ability. As these types of, choices to think about are possibly much more conventionally made or lesser. The Scion xB is likely closest all round, with the first-generation versions becoming arguably a lot more cubic and 2nd-generation types showcasing more sizing that approaches the Aspect. The Kia Soul and Nissan Cube also offer comparable styling.

On the other hand, you have the Honda CR-V on which the Ingredient is primarily based, as effectively as the Toyota RAV4. Equally of all those popular offerings element all-wheel-generate as an choice and identical in general measurement. They aren’t as distinct, while.

For sheer practicality in a smaller offer, while, you may also want to look at the Mazda5 and Kia Rondo (while that one may well be challenging to identify in close proximity to you), equally of which are minivan or minivan-esque and even provided 3rd-row seating, all inside of a small footprint. They would have the practicality of the Element, nevertheless without the rugged look.

All of these motor vehicles really should be priced equally to Factors relying on yr and affliction.