The Honda Element is a SUV built from 2003 to 2011. Most were assembled in the United States — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Element is
The Honda Element is a SUV that Honda built from 2003 to 2011 — 9 model years. It has been offered with 4-cyl power. Its closest siblings in the Honda range: Civic, Accord, CR-V.
Where the Element is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 1,044 Elements on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 5J6 | 2003-2011 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Honda VIN decide which of these 1 lines your Element belongs to. What every character in a Element VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Honda Element adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Honda Element tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Element owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Honda Element have? Power & range
The Honda Element is offered with 1 powertrain — 2.4L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Honda Element, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 2.4L · 4-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
Can a Honda Element tow? Towing & payload
As an SUV, the Honda Element is built to tow and haul. The exact maximum towing capacity and payload depend on the engine, drivetrain and whether it has the factory tow package.
What sets your Element's tow & payload rating:
- Engine — a larger or turbocharged engine tows more than the base unit.
- Drivetrain & axle — 4WD/AWD and the axle ratio shift the rating.
- Tow package — the factory towing package (hitch, wiring, transmission cooler) raises the max.
- Payload & GVWR — GVWR caps the combined load; more passengers and cargo lower how much you can tow.
Exact towing capacity, payload and GVWR are added per engine, drivetrain and trim — decode your VIN above, or check the driver's door-jamb and hitch labels. Curb weight from vehicle specifications.
The Element by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Honda Element. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Element | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 100 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 1,304 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Insurance | $1,299/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 770 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Honda Element?
The Element is a SUV, built from 2003 to 2011. Engines offered: 4-cyl.
Where is the Honda Element made?
Across 1,044 cars in our records the split is: the United States (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Honda Element warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Element reliable?
It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Element?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Honda
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Civic | 1981–2026 | 412 | 49 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Honda Accord | 1981–2026 | 415 | 48 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Honda CR-V | 1997–2026 | 177 | 40 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Honda Pilot | 2003–2026 | 197 | 23 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Honda Odyssey | 1995–2026 | 206 | 22 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Honda Fit | 2007–2020 | 94 | 118 mpg | 4.0/5 |
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.