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2008 Honda Element SC Review by Marc Bouchard / Auto123.com |
My friends know that I have a soft spot for strange-looking cars. After all, I'm the only automobile journalist who had the guts to drive a Pontiac Aztek for a few years. And it's probably because of this weakness that the Honda Element has always drawn me like a moth to a flame.
Because, let's be honest, even though it's anything but an anonymous vehicle, the Element is not exactly the Brad Pitt of the highway. It's boxy profile and slightly skimpy look give it the air of a delivery truck rather than that of a true leisure vehicle. A New Type of Crossover In the face of this decidedly widespread view, Honda reacted by fine-tuning the look of its modern crossover, giving it a few finishing touches aimed at its target market, young professionals with a passion for design and a sense of adventure. The monochromatic body is certainly one of the most important changes made. Not because that much work went into it, but rather because, style-wise, ditching the black rocker panel (often accompanied by an orange body) gives it a more modern and pleasing appearance. Same thing for the wheels, now equipped with 18-inch alloy rims, which definitely suit the Element SC much better. And in a simultaneously aesthetic and mechanical endeavour, the suspension has been seriously lowered which, believe it or not, lends a streamlined and--I swear--almost sporty look to the ensemble. New Interior Another important change in the Honda Element SC is the interior layout. The interiors of the basic versions, the LX and EX, remain true to the previous years' models. However, the modernized SC has been jazzed up a bit while the characteristic feel of the vehicle has been maintained. The shifter is still smack in the middle of the dashboard.
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