Honda Element Reportedly Returning in 2029 as a Boxy Hybrid
Dealers say Honda previewed a new Element at a Las Vegas meeting, reportedly due in 2029 as a 2030 model. Honda has not confirmed it.
Honda is reportedly bringing back the Element, the boxy crossover it stopped building in 2011. Attendees of a Honda dealer meeting in Las Vegas said the company showed a teaser with the familiar square shape and swing-out rear doors, according to Torque News, which cited Autoblog. Honda has not confirmed the model.
Reports point to a 2029 launch as a 2030 model. No price has been announced.
What dealers say they saw
Attendees told reporters Honda previewed future products at the meeting, including the next Accord, CR-V, Pilot and Ridgeline. The Element was reportedly a small part of the show: only a teaser silhouette appeared, enough to make out the boxy body and the rear doors that swing open from the back.
Honda reportedly gave no launch timing at the meeting. The 2029 date comes from other reports.
What the reports say about the vehicle
- Size: between the HR-V and the CR-V.
- Platform: shared with the CR-V.
- Powertrain: likely a hybrid, with front-wheel or all-wheel drive. No transmission has been listed.
- Build location: Ohio.
- Styling: boxy, with influence from the Honda Passport.
- Doors: swing-out rear doors.
The hybrid expectation follows Honda’s plan for the CR-V. Torque News reported that the next CR-V will be hybrid only, and the Element would ride on the same platform.
What the original Element was
Honda sold about 325,000 Elements before production ended in 2011. The original was based on the CR-V but looked and felt different, with no B-pillar (the post between front and rear doors) and rear doors that opened the whole side of the vehicle. Some owners who sold theirs still say they miss it.
Honda exported the original Element to Japan from 2003 to 2005. Sales there stopped, in part because of its relatively large 2.4-liter engine, according to Torque News. Whether the new one would be sold in Japan has not been reported.
What this means for CR-V and HR-V shoppers
For anyone shopping now, the Element is years away, and the next CR-V is due sooner. If the reports hold, Honda would add a boxier model below the CR-V in a market where automakers are adding rugged trims and square-shaped crossovers aimed at buyers who camp, surf or kayak.
Pricing, trims and fuel economy have not been reported. The only official detail so far is the teaser itself, and even that is known only from dealers who were in the room. When prices are announced, the final total a buyer pays can differ from the sticker; see what an out-the-door price includes.
What to watch next
Torque News said it has asked Honda for comment and would update its story with a reply. Until Honda confirms the Element, the launch year, platform, build location and powertrain remain reported details that could change.
Source: Torque News
