More accolades for the dog-friendly Honda Element
By Keith Turner
March 18, 2010
Another “Two paws up” review for the new Dog Friendly Honda Element has come across the desk of our DogCars.com editor, and like any other proud, puppy-loving parent, we are happy to share this information with the world.
You see, as PetConnection’s sibling site, DogCars.com takes great pride in the fact that if not for us, the 2010 Dog Friendly Honda Element would most likely not exist. That’s because back in 2007, the doggedly dedicated auto reviewers at DogCars.com came out with our first-ever DogCar of the Year awards for vehicles that are popular among folks who routinely travel with their pups.
Topping off that debut DogCars awards list was the Honda Element, which we honored as Best In Show for 2007. The Element’s versatile cargo area offers many features that dog owners can appreciate, such as an easy-to-clean interior; squared-off rear hatchback that easily fits crates and side doors that open opposite each other to provide extra access for dogs to jump in and out.
The Best In Show award was immediately embraced by Honda, which proceeded to create an advertising campaign that featured our four-legged friends enjoying the dog-friendly attributes of the Element. But Honda didn’t stop there. In 2009, the automaker announced that a special Dog Friendly edition of the Element would soon be available. This special package, which is priced at just under $1,000, offers dog lovers a host of items that are designed to make the ride safer and more comfortable for all involved.
Dog Friendly features include:
– A stowaway rear ramp
– Built-in nylon crate on comfy bed
– Rear fan
– Bone print rubber floor mats
– Built in doggie bowls
– Special dog print emblems
And much more.
The new Dog Friendly Element is so impressive that it warranted a repeat honor as Best In Show for 2010, tied with the versatile Toyota Venza.
The new Element has also been getting plenty of attention and accolades from dog lovers and automotive writers alike. And when you combine the two – an auto writer who loves to travel with dogs – you get a first-hand account of how well Honda had hit the mark with dog owners.
Here’s a sample of what Alex Nunez, of AutoBlog.com, has to say about how his pups rated the Element:
Our Honda Element pooch-pack tester was a loaded, all-wheel-drive EX with navigation ($27,270 MSRP including the dog package). The centerpiece of the kit is a crate secured to the Element’s cargo bay via straps that loop right into the standard floor-mounted tie-downs. Once it’s in there, know that you have zero storage behind the second row seats; the crate eats up all the usable space. Installation is rock-solid, though, and the top and sides of the crate are a breathable mesh material that the dogs can see through. Not that they’ll be seeing too much – the clamshell-style tailgate obstructs their view backwards and the side windows are too high for them to really see out of. Since the roof of the crate is mesh, light still gets in and they can see the sky.
Frankly, I was okay with all this, because my dogs’ general reaction to seeing any living thing out the windows is to bark loudly and incessantly, as if they have just spotted flying saucers unloading giant cat warriors in a mass invasion. That gets old in a hurry. In the Element, Millie and Pepper basically sat quietly once zipped into the crate. However, if your dogs get motion sickness or really like to look out at the passing world, this is likely a less-than-ideal setup
Read the rest of Alex’s review here. And for more dog-focused reviews, check out our comprehensive list at DogCars.com.
When Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori first launched
We love to drive with our dogs. And when we do, it’s important to keep them as safe and as comfortable as possible.

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