CRV vs Element

[Styx555]

What are the differences between the CRV and the Element? Pros and cons to each one:

[AnuCrv]

CRV IS BETTER LOOKING :)

[mau108]

i second anu

CRV is waaaaaaaaaaay better lookin :)
engine wise im not too sure... (gotta read up about the element...never had an interest to cuz i no i wouldnt be getting one lol)

[Vigor25]

CR-V seats 5 ppl while element seats 4..
Elemets have rubber floors while CR-Vs uses carpet
Element looks better than the CR-Vs....thats all I know out of the top of my head

[thomasj2]

After we bought the CRV we took a look at the Element. We were torn between another CRV and ????, we settled on a Pilot.

Both the V and the E are built on the same chassis, same engine and transmission and AWD system. The E seats 4 and the rear doors require the front doors to be open. This would be a major pita for us with 2 kids. The E we looked at had vinyl seats, looked like my old truck, hose out the inside when you wash the outside.....

The E is a few grand cheaper, runs on 16" wheels, (just like the V should....) but looks like a shoebox on wheels.

[Advanex]

E is uuuugggglllllllyyyyyy.
V looks good and has the more elegant features.

[Varmint]

The E handles better, comes cheaper, looks more distinctive, has a wash & wear interior, and has more cargo space.

The CR-V accelerates better, has more features, has a center seat in the rear, and more car-like interior.

[bumpzter]

For a CRV you have to buy rubber floormats. For the Element you have to buy carpet floor mats.

[Turnbud]

The E only has more cargo space if you're not using the back seats. As soon as someone is sitting in the back the V has way more cargo room. With the E the back seats are pushed far towards the rear - tons of rear legroom, but it eats up the rear cargo area.

[ShootingStar]

The Element has WAY too much ugly black rubber cladding. The CR-V just looks right.

Mark

[AnuCrv]

I would love the element if they got rid of the plastic panels. The sound system in the V (EX) is a definite plus. The doors, i hate. If they could design a safe suicide doors that could open indepently of the fronts, got rid of the plastic panels, carpet the floor and put 17''/18" wheels i may reconsider.

[bobrobin]

I've never driven the E, but what I've read says the E's ride is a little stiffer and choppier. While the CRV is smoother. Also, the E's back seat has a little shorter leg room and the rear doors are smaller making it a little bit harder to get in and out. Plus, like it has already been said, the E has a very utilitarian interior, while the CRV is more passenger friendly while still maintaning a fair bit of versatility.

[jamlinrich]

For the E, in order for the person in the backseat to get out, the driver has to take off his seat belt and open his door to open the rear passenger door. Same on both sides. This would get really inconvenient after a while. Also, there have been miscellaneous problems with windshield crackings and lots of noise and rattlings that just haven't been settled in the Elements. I think after a few years it will be a great vehicle but it's still too new. The V is a tried and true gem.

['Curly Q Links']

Stys, there's upsides and downsides... What's your usage / family requirements? Element is supposedly TERRIBLE if you're hauling two more adults because opening and closing that back 'door' is very tedious after a while.

[EnglishBob]

Also, the E's back seat has a little shorter leg room .

There is about a quarter inch difference between the two, though the E feel sroomier in back to me.

AWD E's have skylights in the back, EX V's have moonroof's up front.

EX in both has ABS.

All EX CR-V's have side airbags, Elements do not and and it is hard to find one with them.

The V has just under 2 inches more ground clearance.

EX-V has a CD changer, E only has single but it does have a sub-woofer and 270 watts.

Engines are almost identical though the CR-V one has lower compression ratio and slightly more torque.

V Gets better gas mileage.

[wbhikergirl]

I love them both, and for very different reasons. In the CRV you know that you're in a safe dependable car. In the Element, there's a feeling of freedom or something. I can't describe it. Have you driven them both yet? The vehicles are mechanically about the same. The E engine was taken from the V. The differences are all in the design. While one person loves the E and hates the V, the next person will feel the opposite. The only advice I can give is to visit a dealer on a weekday if possible where the salespersons won't be too busy to answer all of your questions and take plenty of time to sit in it, play with ALL of the features, and drive them both. Park them side by side to make it easier to compare. You'll be able to see which one is for you.

One thing about the doors on the E needs to be mentioned. When you are looking at the E, make sure it is parked between two cars the same as it would be in a parking lot. I had some of customers (depending on their physical build) have a difficult time getting out of the back with other cars around.

[02CR-V]

You sell Hondas? If so I'd read the literature Honda provides again about the CR-V and the Element engines. What you said isn't exactly correct, but perhaps that is what Honda is telling you.

[EnglishBob]

The honda fact books and brochures both agree with my information, as well as the online service specs.

[02CR-V]

A cursory look would tell most that they are the same, but they are not. Similar but not the same. The Element and 4 cyl. Accord (US) are the exact same. Not the Element and CR-V. Minor tuning differences but not the exact same. Some of it is semantics. All three have 2.4L engines. Are they the same? Well some would say so based on displacement but unless the specs are exactly the same I would say no.

And when I look at the engine specs on Honda's website I see the differences and I'm not looking very hard.

[wbhikergirl]

Let's not nit-pick. I believe that we both said "about" or "almost" the same. No one said anything about "identical" or "exactly". Geeze. Truth: because a good friend of mine worked on the design team in Ca, Element's was based on the CRV engine.

[AnuCrv]

so wbhikergirl what did your friend say was the rationale behind the unpainted boby pannels on the element? a vehicle doesnt have to be ugly to be fuctional. The best looking Element i saw was a black and a red one the was element of the month on the is site. http://www.hondasuv.com/element/viewtopic.php?t=105
http://www.hondasuv.com/element/viewtopic.php?t=117

even if the pannels were made out colored materials the color of the vehiclelike a lawn chair or fisher price kids furniture. that would make me consider buying an element

[02CR-V]

The vehicles are mechanically about the same. The E engine was taken from the V. The differences are all in the design

In rereading the posts, English Bob got it right. My first post wasn't directed at him, it was directed at you. When Bob responded to my comment to you I wrote back thinking he had made a mistake. I owe him an apology.

Perhaps when you wrote the above you knew what you meant. Others may not be able to read your mind.

[wbhikergirl]

so wbhikergirl what did your friend say was the rationale behind the unpainted boby pannels on the element?

I didn't ask about the panels. I guess I like the way they look. The E's that Anu refered to are pretty cool looking though. Does anyone know how they prepped the plastic for paint? Neither said.

In MY opinion the reason for the body panels is purely $$$. The E would definitely cost more if it had metal painted panels. And you can usually see a difference in the paint between plastic and metal surfaces. It would be priced out of the young-active-male market (even though that's not really who's buying it, right?!) Also, most times (not every time 02) it's going to be a lot cheaper to replace a chipped or scratched panel than to do body work on a painted metal surface.

It would be nice if it came with painted metal panels and offered accessory cladding just like they do for the CRV. The DX E is meant to be a blank slate for customers to accessorize to their own tastes. This way everyone could be happy.

[Uncle Smitty]

I don't understand why the moonroof is in the back on the Element.

Also, the cladding needs to be on the doors to protect from dings, not on the front and rear.

The Element's rear windows do not roll down, which is the first thing my kids do when they get in the car.

That's three strikes and out for my purposes.

[1075]

:!: One other difference worth noting, the Element got a POOR rating on it's side impact crash tests. :!:



Heres the link:

http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/side/s0308.htm

[CR-Vince]

:!: One other difference worth noting, the Element got a POOR rating on it's side impact crash tests. :!:

Hmmmm . . . The only models that look good overall in these tests are the Forester and Santa Fe. . . .

http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/summary_smsuv_current.htm