Go to any automotive press event and you will hear the “we build vehicles for people with active lifestyles” mantra repeated over and over again. The Honda Element definitely draws a bead on the Gen Y crowd that likes to tote their gear around and sometimes slap a surfboard on the roof and head off to catch a wave. But the Element may still be your vehicle of choice even if you don’t consider yourself to be a surfer dude or dudette. Perhaps your friendly four-legged tail wagging family member is instead.
Honda has come up with a CUV (Car Utility Vehicle) that offers a number of features suited to the canine set. First getting your pup in or out of the Element is a lot easier than a traditional sedan or truck, thanks to side doors that open to provide an ultra generous 55.5 inches of obstruction free clearance.
Once inside, you will quickly notice that interior surfaces have been designed for quick clean up, and you never know when you will need that. The floor carpet has given way to a urethane coated utility covering that has the look of the rubberized material you see in department store high traffic areas. Seating surfaces are crafted from a waterproof fabric called FXC. The headline here is after a hard day of four paw off roading or perhaps a doggy swim, the mess your best friend creates in the back seat can be hosed down and wiped off without a problem.
If you plan on using a carrier to transport your canine you will find 77.1 cubic feet of space in the all wheel drive Element, with slightly less in the two-wheel drive version. In any event, there is plenty of room for all puppy support gear. Reconfigurability plays a big role in this Honda with rear seats that can be arranged in over 70 positions from hanging on the inside of the vehicle to reclined in a bed position. Keep in mind to always secure your pet with a properly designed harness that attaches to your seat belts in any vehicle, it is safer for you and your dog The Element is available in three trim levels including the base DX, two wheel drive EX and the top of the line all wheel drive EX. Like all Honda’s Element is very well equipped from the factory and offers only few dealer installed options.
All vehicles in the line-up utilize the 2.4 liter four cylinder VTEC engine rated at 160 HP, which returns mileage in the mid twenties on the high-way. I found its performance to be quite acceptable around town and at highway speeds. In the drivers seat you get the high seating position desired by SUV drivers, but since the Element is only 14 feet long it’s easy to maneuver and park.
The exterior looks fall in somewhere between “Cute Ute” and “Hummer in training.” The Element’s boxy form coexists well with its function, which is the most efficient shape for storing all of your active dog stuff. You also get your pick of some cool colors like Galapagos Green, Sunset Orange Pearl and Shoreline Mist Metallic.
The Element is a CUV definitely to consider when thinking about the active dog in your life, especially with its mechanical reliability, decent fuel economy, tons of cargo carrying space and prices ranging from $16,000 to $21,000. Remember, if your canine companion takes up surfing, you’ll always have a place to put his board.
They Have You Covered
So here’s the scenario, your day at the beach is over and its no surprise that your favorite furry friend has managed to put his nose, paws and tail into every bit of sand, seaweed and soggy goop for 100 miles around. Those big soulful eyes are looking up at you, anxiously waiting for your luxury car or SUV door to pop open, so they can clean off every bit of nature and dog remnants all over your new leather backseat and plush pile carpeting.
Tired of her husband’s complaints about a backseat fouled by their Eve dogs, Anne H. Rojas teamed with Emile Hight to create an elegant and functional solution to the problem of soiled seating surfaces. Starting with a roll of fabric and a pair of scissors, Rojas began cutting out patterns for seat covers on her living room floor; it was the genesis start to her company now known as Canine Covers.
Their wide selection of specialty car seat covers for dogs range from the “Econo,” starting at $89 to the “Custom” tapestry models retailing for $275. According to Rojas these covers are built to take all the punishment your pup can dish out, “We don’t make ‘foo-foo’ products,” she adds, “only durable easy on/off no-slip washable covers. Carine Covers not only protect the upholstery, but also offer a comfy ride for your hairy friends with some models featuring four layers of padding.
Rojas and Hight also hold a worldwide patent on the “Canine Coverall” that extends protection to the back of the vehicles front seat and floor as well as the rear seat, prices start at $165. They’ve recently introduced “Custom Canine Cargo,” bed liners that fit exact all the curves of SUV and station wagon rear decks with prices ranging from $165 to $275.
Canine Covers is available on line at http://www.caninecov-ers.com and by calling 1-866-K9Cover or directly from over 300 Lexus dealers. One other thing Rojas and Hight have is a great company tagline; it relates to other family members known to make a mess out of the back seat besides animals, it reads, “Canine Covers are great for kids too!”
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