xB Element Comparison
06-27-2004, 07:21 PM
#1
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xB Element Comparison
Sorry if this is a repost but This month's Road and Track has a good article comparing the xB and Honda Element. Pretty interesting...basically says the the Element is better for utility but the xB has better handling and styling.
Road and Track Magazine....check it out.
Road and Track Magazine....check it out.
06-27-2004, 07:34 PM
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Well I think they are hardly comparable....
xB= compact wagon
Element= SUV w/ 4x2 or 4x4
xB= 2400lbs
Element= 3000+ lbs
The list Goes on! one thing I thought was funny, is the xB has more passenger space!!
The Element is DUMB because you have to open the front door to open the rears...
xB= compact wagon
Element= SUV w/ 4x2 or 4x4
xB= 2400lbs
Element= 3000+ lbs
The list Goes on! one thing I thought was funny, is the xB has more passenger space!!
The Element is DUMB because you have to open the front door to open the rears...
06-27-2004, 09:18 PM
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Originally Posted by UnFocused
The Element is DUMB because you have to open the front door to open the rears...
I'd like to see an honst poll of how many Element owners really hose out their floorboards or go off-road or into an environment requiring 4x4...
I use the handling AND styling EVRYDAY...
06-27-2004, 10:59 PM
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Originally Posted by kwicslvr
Originally Posted by dinkjs
I am soooooo glad I didnt buy a Element..
I almost bought it until I saw the xB the 2nd time at the Dallas Auto show they have at there State Fair every yr....then I finally made up my mind and went for the Scion...the rest is history
06-27-2004, 11:36 PM
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A buddy of mine who owns an Element stopped by today. He told me that his dealer "doesn't recommend" actually hosing out the interior. So, what's the point of advertising this feature if the dealer isn't recommending that you actually do it?
Bontster
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06-27-2004, 11:41 PM
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I myself like the Xb better but only because it suites ME better. I don't think it's necessary to say that one model is better then the other. The XB is an urban cruiser. I consider it a hatchback(sorta) 4 doors, no trunk space, but very spacious passenger room.
The element I consider an compact SUV. It is physically larger, comes in a 4 wheel drive option, and has more trunk space. Each has a target market and a purpose. Do you see any Xb's trying to manuever in sand at the beach?! lol just as well, do you see people struggling to get out of the back seat of an Xb?
Each have their pro's and con's. I just wish alot of people would understand they are 2 different vehicles and the BEST vehicle is the one that suits YOU best
! thanks
-Rafael
The element I consider an compact SUV. It is physically larger, comes in a 4 wheel drive option, and has more trunk space. Each has a target market and a purpose. Do you see any Xb's trying to manuever in sand at the beach?! lol just as well, do you see people struggling to get out of the back seat of an Xb?
Each have their pro's and con's. I just wish alot of people would understand they are 2 different vehicles and the BEST vehicle is the one that suits YOU best
! thanks-Rafael
06-27-2004, 11:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Brownrice909
I myself like the Xb better but only because it suites ME better. I don't think it's necessary to say that one model is better then the other. The XB is an urban cruiser. I consider it a hatchback(sorta) 4 doors, no trunk space, but very spacious passenger room.
The element I consider an compact SUV. It is physically larger, comes in a 4 wheel drive option, and has more trunk space. Each has a target market and a purpose. Do you see any Xb's trying to manuever in sand at the beach?! lol just as well, do you see people struggling to get out of the back seat of an Xb?
Each have their pro's and con's. I just wish alot of people would understand they are 2 different vehicles and the BEST vehicle is the one that suits YOU best ! thanks
-Rafael
The element I consider an compact SUV. It is physically larger, comes in a 4 wheel drive option, and has more trunk space. Each has a target market and a purpose. Do you see any Xb's trying to manuever in sand at the beach?! lol just as well, do you see people struggling to get out of the back seat of an Xb?
Each have their pro's and con's. I just wish alot of people would understand they are 2 different vehicles and the BEST vehicle is the one that suits YOU best
! thanks-Rafael
The xB is better....hahaha I am unnecessary (from his first paragraph)
06-28-2004, 03:54 AM
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Originally Posted by TheScionicMan
Yeah, picture how "cool that is in a parking lot. Open the front door to open the rear. get your kid out of the back. Now you're trapped with a door on each side. Everyone shuffle forward to close the rear and then step out to close the front. Sounds practical to me.
[quote="TheScionicMan"] I'd like to see an honst poll of how many Element owners really hose out their floorboards or go off-road or into an environment requiring 4x4...[quote]
Well, that off-roading had better be cautious, as the Element has 6.9 inches of ground clearance. Our low-slung xBs have 6.1 inches, but no off-road pretensions!
The "hose out" interior really isn't, as the speakers are very close to the floor, and they aren't waterproof. I think that "sponge out" would be a better term.
George
06-28-2004, 05:34 AM
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https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...hlight=element
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Originally Posted by rbloedow
They're two different vehicles for two different types of people.
I'd get the element if I was into many outdoor activities, planned on going off road (Element has AWD available), and planned on getting the interior of my vehicle dirty. That's what the element is for - the interior can practically be sprayed out with a hose, there's body cladding on the outside because paint would get scratched up. It's a very utilitarian vehicle, offering more horsepower and torque the the xB, more interior room, and a better transmission than Toyota could ever WISH to build.
The xB is a vehicle for people who value space, but don't plan on driving their car on the beach or off road. It's small, has a lower price, much smaller engine (although it's pretty light), and more standard features than the Element. What we sacrifice in size we get back in option, what the element sacrifices in options it makes up in sheer size. It's marketed as a tuner car, touting it the amount of customization that's available from the factory and in aftermarket accessories.
Two different cars marketed to two different types of people. Don't knock on it if it doesn't appeal to you, the Element and xB are both great cars. Unfortunately, some people around here feel as if some rivalry should exist, creating zealous hatred of the other
And to Jatt - where did you get your theory on better resale value?!?? We're talking about freakin' Honda and Toyotas - two brands that have nearly equal residual value percentages - both are amoung the highest in the industry. That's like saying that a Honda is going to be unreliable, so you should buy a Toyota!
I'd get the element if I was into many outdoor activities, planned on going off road (Element has AWD available), and planned on getting the interior of my vehicle dirty. That's what the element is for - the interior can practically be sprayed out with a hose, there's body cladding on the outside because paint would get scratched up. It's a very utilitarian vehicle, offering more horsepower and torque the the xB, more interior room, and a better transmission than Toyota could ever WISH to build.
The xB is a vehicle for people who value space, but don't plan on driving their car on the beach or off road. It's small, has a lower price, much smaller engine (although it's pretty light), and more standard features than the Element. What we sacrifice in size we get back in option, what the element sacrifices in options it makes up in sheer size. It's marketed as a tuner car, touting it the amount of customization that's available from the factory and in aftermarket accessories.
Two different cars marketed to two different types of people. Don't knock on it if it doesn't appeal to you, the Element and xB are both great cars. Unfortunately, some people around here feel as if some rivalry should exist, creating zealous hatred of the other
And to Jatt - where did you get your theory on better resale value?!?? We're talking about freakin' Honda and Toyotas - two brands that have nearly equal residual value percentages - both are amoung the highest in the industry. That's like saying that a Honda is going to be unreliable, so you should buy a Toyota!
06-28-2004, 09:20 PM
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Originally Posted by bontster
A buddy of mine who owns an Element stopped by today. He told me that his dealer "doesn't recommend" actually hosing out the interior. So, what's the point of advertising this feature if the dealer isn't recommending that you actually do it?
Bontster
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06-28-2004, 09:59 PM
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Originally Posted by TheScionicMan
Yeah, picture how "cool that is in a parking lot. Open the front door to open the rear. get your kid out of the back. Now you're trapped with a door on each side. Everyone shuffle forward to close the rear and then step out to close the front. Sounds practical to me.
**shuffle shuffle, move, shuffle shuffle, move**
06-30-2004, 07:35 AM
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Originally Posted by iamslow
they are both aimed at the younger generation. difference, toyota did it right and honda horribly failed at it. Another note, you notice the xb and element have basicly the same color options.
The xB was purpose-designed in Japan to be a urban runabout. The Element was designed by an American design staff to be... what? Kind of like the 2-box cars that were so popular in Japan, kind of like a Jeep utility vehicle, but with kewl, but somewhat impractical features like the suicide doors and sunroof in the rear (only).
The first priority was to keep it cheap, which is why it has the "non-off-road" CRV drivetrain, the Accord engine, and various other compromises. When I was considering an Element, I came across an article on-line from an automobile design publication. It described some of the cost-cutting moves that Honda went through to get the MSRP down to 16,100. Lots of parts were adapted from other models, some corrosion-proofing was omitted, and finally they took off the radio and A/C to get to the target price. I wonder if any Elements have actually been sold in the "stripped" version?