pet connection

Not satisfied with simply having the Honda Element named the first-ever DogCars.com Best In Show DogCar of the Year, the folks at America’s No.1 foreign automaker have dug deep into their bag of dog tricks to roll out a new version of the Element that is sure to get the attention of canine lovers everywhere.

The 2010 Dog Friendly Honda Element, which made its debut last spring as a wish-list concept car at the New York Auto Show, will officially start rolling into Honda dealerships by mid October and will go on sale Nov. 16.

What makes this Element so dog friendly? Check out these features:

• a soft-sided cargo area car kennel made from seat belt-grade netting;
• a cushioned pet bed in the cargo area with an elevated platform;
• a 12V DC rear ventilation fan;
• second-row seat covers with a dog pattern design (matches the bed fabric);
• an extendable ramp (stores under the pet bed platform);
• all-season rubber floor mats with a toy bone pattern;
• a spill-resistant water bowl; and
• Dog Friendly exterior emblems (driver’s side and rear).

You may recall that the Honda marketing folks were caught somewhat off-guard when DogCars.com, our Internet littermate, named the Element as the DogCar of the Year for 2007. Upon learning about the award – and the multi-billion-dollar annual spending appetite of American pet owners – they quickly shifted advertising gears to appeal to the dog-loving public.

For a while Honda even had the DogCar of the Year “Best In Show” logo in some of their print and online advertising. Other manufacturers soon followed Honda’s lead by rolling out their own dog-friendly vehicles, like the Toyota Venza, which was introduced in late 2008 with a carload full of features for our four-legged friends.

But sources inside Honda had hinted that the automaker was not ready to sit back and let others hog the DogCar spotlight. So it wasn’t a total surprise when they rolled out the dog-friendly concept in New York. What was surprising was the extent that they loaded up on the dog-friendly features.

Bone patterned rubber floor mats, a hideaway ramp with raised dog bed and exterior “Dog Friendly” badges are sure let everyone know that the Element has clearly – as the press release states – “gone to the dogs.”

The price of having the dog friendly package added to your new, 2010 Honda Element is a cool $995. That’s about what you’d pay for an upgraded sound system or heated seats.