Do you like this story?
Dogmobiles: Road-testing the Honda Element
By Gina Spadafori
September 8, 2006
Another true-life Dogmobile road test, this time for the Honda Element. I had to drive a couple hundred miles to attend the U.S. Dog Agility Association’s regional trial, and I was taking one of my dogs, not so she could compete but so she could see her littermate, whose mom is one of the top agility competitors in the world.
With just one dog and feeling lazy, I didn’t put the side-by-side wire crates in the Element. They would have fit, and the Element has well-positioned cargo tie-downs, but I would have had to completely remove the rear seats to make it work. In fact, it’s easy to remove the seats, but it’s even easier to flip them up against the walls of the Element to open up the cargo area, as shown in the picture.
So … running late and opting for easiest, I flipped up the seats, put down the old bedspreads to protect the vehicle (remember, these testers are new and not mine!) and put in a dog bed, followed by McKenzie, the day’s test dog. And off we went.
I immediately noticed a great and surely accidental dog-friendly feature on the Element: Windows that are resistant to nose prints. The windows are placed high on the vehicle — so high that you can’t comfortably rest your arm on the driver’s side window sill — and for a dog resting on the floor of the Element it’s tough to put noseprints on the window. Since I have to wash the noseprints off the windows before I give back any car, I immediate decided this was a spectacular feature. And although I didn’t get much enjoyment from it, McKenzie sure liked the removable mo0nroof over the cargo area.
The Element also has clamshell rear doors, the glass opening up for ventilation and the tailgate flipping down to make a great seat. Love it!
McKenzie (she’s on the left, with her sister Sprint on the right) and I both enjoyed the trip. The Element drives much more nimbly than its boxy lines suggest, and the dog loved having her bed and a little extra room to roam. For two dogs and a longer trip, I’d definitely pop out the rear seats entirely, not only for the extra cargo room but also because when the seats are up they block the rear windows, making changing lanes a little more challenging.
My only quibble is a minor one: The cupholders are on the floor, between the two front seats. That meant McKenzie decided to help herself to my latte when I wasn’t looking. Personally, I’d rather have cup-holders swing out from the dash, since I don’t like sharing my coffee with the four-leggers.
As I’ve mentioned before, you cannot hose out an Element. Taking the leaf-blower idea from a reader, however, I used my forced-air dog dryer to blast any dirt and dog hair from the cargo area before turning the vehicle back in. It worked great!
Honda made a big fuss last year about its prototype dog-car, with built-in crates for small dogs. I don’t know why they thought that was such a big deal, since they’ve had one of the best Dogmobiles ever in their line for years.
Bottom line: Love the look, hate the look, no matter: The Element is as good a Dogmobile as could possibly be imagined.
Share & Enjoy
|
Facebook
|
Twitter
|
Google Buzz
|
Digg
|
|
Technorati
|
StumbleUpon
|
Delicious
|
Email
|
Home
Glad you tried out the blower/force dryer. The other nice thing about the Element is that if you build a platform above the rear cargo bins, 2 regular size crates fit there. I had the side by sides and they were a bit tight for male foxhounds to turn around in. I have 2 24x36 crates plus a 200 size for a little dog in mine. That’s a lot of dog space for the size of the vehicle. My only complaints are the sunroof should be power and the clamshell doors can be difficult in tight parking spaces.
Comment by Myra — September 8, 2006 @ 2:26 pm
I would like the rear passenger windows to roll up and down (with power), too.
I think I need a tough version of Teflon for the interior. One of my dogs spits and drools in the car, and that takes soap, water, and a scrub brush to remove. The Element is certainly much easier to clean than cars with plush upholstery and carpet, though! I’ve had mine for 3 years, and the cupholders are probably my biggest complaint, too. Dog feet can go right through the lids on soft drink cups, although they only do it when the cup is mostly full.
Comment by kabbage — September 9, 2006 @ 7:26 am
I also wanted to ask how quiet the side-by-side crates are when you have had them installed. My ex-pen has latches similar to the ones pictured on the side-by-sides, and that thing drives me nuts in the car because the latches rattle.
I have a Kennel-Aire Commander crate, and it is very quiet in the car. The Y-latch really can’t rattle if it’s shut. None of the sides rattle, either. The Midwests are easier to find than the Kennel-Aires, though.
Comment by kabbage — September 9, 2006 @ 7:43 am
The Midwest side-by-side crates rattle like all get out. They are very noisy. I actually prefer crates made of high-impact plastic, but have to use wire because the dogs need all the ventilation they can get while waiting their turn to work.
I suppose you could put the crates on rubber mats, and duct-tape the edges to quiet bumping between crates. The doors don’t rattle — they’re tight — so you could probably lessen the racket with a few modifications.
Comment by Gina — September 10, 2006 @ 6:34 am
My husband tells me it’s dangerous to have the cargo door open or the rear window open (if it does) while the car is running, as the exhaust will enter.
Comment by KathyF — September 12, 2006 @ 10:42 pm
Absolutely true! But the vehicle is never on when I have the back open for ventilation. Thanks for the clarification.
Comment by Gina — September 13, 2006 @ 6:50 am
I wish the Element had a gate that could be put up to keep dogs from getting in the front seat…have you heard of any?
Comment by P. Knill — October 10, 2006 @ 7:11 am
I have the Honda CR-V and it works well with my 2 Miniature Schnauzers who have car seat harnesses that attach to the back seat belts. They sit upright and can see out the windows. They can stand or lie down, too. I bought a special bench seat cover so I don’t have to worry about any accidents, etc.
Comment by Kay — October 16, 2006 @ 2:27 pm
There is a universal gate at Petco that will work to keep the helpers out of the front seat.
Comment by Heather S — March 19, 2007 @ 7:21 am
I bought my Element specifically for my dog who is a Great Dane. It’s perfect for her size and easy to clean up.
Comment by Keisha T — March 20, 2007 @ 11:45 am
I love my Element. I’ve had it for nearly 3 years and haul my Jack Russells around in it quite a bit. It’s easy to clean and handles like a dream. I also use it for dog rescue runs and find it easy to load even the shyest dog. My dogs give it the two paws up award for a great vehicle.
Comment by Linda — March 22, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
I’ve had my E for a few years and love it! When I was browsing at the dealership (I didn’t even have a dog then!), the salesman mentioned that it’s very popular with dog owners and I remembered that and bought it 4 months later. I have a chihuahua so he is firmly strapped into his carseat in the back and because the seats are higher in the back, he can see me well when I’m driving. He can peer out the window but I like the fact that he can’t stick his head out the window (even though he’s already strapped into his carseat) because that is dangerous. I love the flooring although if you haul stuff around like me, you really need the rubber floor mats since the floors underneath are cheaply made and wear out rather quickly (I’ve seen with other people’s cars). We have many adventures in our E and love it!
Comment by Eileen — March 27, 2007 @ 2:29 pm
I am so glad to see the Element finally getting some deserving praise; I also see them more around the City since they are easy to park (short wheel base) and to squeeze through narrow streets (not as wide as other SUVs).
I bought an Element only 6 months ago to tote around two terriers, and I couldn’t be happier. At Christmas when returning to my parents, we removed the seats and had room for a large 24 x 36 crate for the dogs plus luggage and all our gifts! There are many tie-down options, so securing the crate is easy. We can also fit the crate with both seats flipped up to the side. No matter how we configure it, it’s a win-win. I also love that it’s easy to clean since the dogs are always tracking sand into the vehicle. Oh, and it’s super for trips to the hardware store, too! The dark window tinting in the back is a nice detail, too, for those brief stops when the dogs are left in the car. I worry a lot less now that someone would target them for theft.
I do wish we could find a crate for 2 dogs that fits the cargo area when 3 or 4 seats are inside. That’s rare for us, but one of these days we may have more human passengers, and we need some sort of elongated crate.
Comment by Kaylynn — March 28, 2007 @ 10:47 am
I have had my Element for about 6 months and I love it. The tires wear quickly but, with the seats up or taken out, I can haul anything. I skipped buying the floor mats and just bought bathroom floor mats to put in back. That covers the entire back floor of the Element when the seats are up or out so the dogs do not slip and slide around. They have something to grip when I go around corners. Up front, I just got a couple of carpet remnants so that I can easily take them out to clean or just throw them away when they get dirty and buy new ones (they were only 3 bucks each). Yes, the windows are high and make it difficult to rest your arm and those stupid clam shell doors (they used to call them suicide doors in the old days) are a pain. But, with three dogs of my own and fostering others, this car makes my life easier. The only other thing I had to buy was a ramp for my older big dogs who could not jump up into the back themselves. If you have dogs, if you haul things, if you just want the room in case you may someday want to, get an Element.
Comment by Paula — April 5, 2007 @ 9:49 pm
I have 2 rescue greyhounds, neither of whom have ever sat in their lives (some greyhounds just never take to sitting), and researched a new car for nearly a year. They’re each almost 80 pounds and over three feet tall, so I didn’t have a lot of options. I wanted a hybrid (the Highlander was the only appropriate option for me), but the male dog doesn’t jump (females are kept in the top kennels at the track and are used to jumping), and the Highlander, like most SUVs, is fairly high off the ground. The ONLY car, and thank heaven the PERFECT car for me, was the Element. I have removed both seats and put a memory foam mattress pad on the floor, and all is swell. They step in from the side, which is much lower than the back. They don’t slide around, and are very comfortable standing or lying down.
Comment by Mary Martin, Ph.D. — April 11, 2007 @ 6:03 am
Hello, I have an infant and two german shepherd dogs (80# and 50#). Is it possible to fit kennel(s) large enough for them behind the rear seats when the seats are down in standard position? Would it require folding up or removing one seat? Is it even necessary to have the dogs contained? The back seats look tall enough to prevent “rushing the stage” and the space behind the rear seats seems large enough to fit two dogs on the floor. If the back seats are down, is there enough storage space between front/rear seats to hold a stroller and other baby gear? What if my wife sits in back with the baby, to unsuccessfully prevent his cries, would it be better to place gear in the front pax seat (seatbelted in so it doesn’t become a projectile in the event of an accident?)
Any thoughts Element owners? I want to buy this car but there are all these pesky questions!
Thanks!
PS: we live in Seattle and frequent the mountains, so a not-quite-gas-guzzling Element long-term is a practical choice for us.
Comment by Pk — October 25, 2007 @ 11:08 am
The crates won’t fit behind the seats, and you’ll probably have to remove the rear seats to fit them in, besides.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — October 25, 2007 @ 11:37 am
Thanks, Gina. But just to clarify, do you mean that even with one seat folded up against a wall that there would not be enough room for crates? There is still room behind the rear seats for two medium-large dogs with no crate, right? They fit in the back of my focus hatchback, which must have less room than the element.
Comment by Pk — October 27, 2007 @ 11:19 am
I bought an element 2.5 years ago … after getting my dog (traded in a brand new acura tl ….because it didnt work well for her or our lifestyle — i take her everywhere)
my element is constantly muddy - as I take my dog hiking, swimming nearly every day ….
what is the best way to clean a very muddy car>
Comment by Alyson — March 6, 2008 @ 6:45 am
I’d say lots and lots of water to drive the dirt off while not wiping (which would mar the finish because you’d be rubbing the gritty dirt all over the car’s finish). One possibility would be a power washer, or something like this nozzle used for washing horses:
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_de.....tent=31403
Comment by The OTHER Pat — March 6, 2008 @ 10:12 am