When Honda launched the Element a couple of years ago it was aimed at the young – snow boarders, mountain bike enthusiasts, college attendees, and the like. What happened in reality was those very people couldn’t really afford it, or wouldn’t part with their money for it. Instead, the Grandparents bought it! A lot of people didn’t “get” the plastic covered fenders and rear quarter panels. They were designed so that you could lean a bike against it without worrying about scratching/denting the vehicle. It was a great idea, but the vehicle tended to look silly in any color other than black or charcoal grey. The interior was plastic and rubber so that you could hose it out after a muddy trip to the back-woods. It was shaped like a brick on wheels to maximize cargo capacity, and the clam-shell doors were employed to make it easier to load and unload your stuff. Ditto the rear split door.