Which Crossover Makes More Sense To You? 2002 Honda CR-V vs 2004 Honda Element

Crossover SUVs have taken over the automotive landscape, and let’s face it, a lot of them aren’t much fun. But that wasn’t always the case. Twenty or so years ago, there were some genuinely fun and interesting offerings with some cool features. Honda offered two crossovers that were mostly the same underneath, but had very different designs and characters.

Yesterday we saluted the GMT800 truck chassis in all its forms, and the consensus seems to be that the Chevy Suburban is the way to go. The Sierra pickup’s scruffy condition didn’t help its case, but the Suburban’s practicality and only slightly higher price made it a shoo-in for the win. And is that really a nine-passenger vehicle? I didn’t realize the third row held three. Learn something new every day, I guess.

For my choice between these two, I have to take into account that we already have a long-bed GMT400 pickup and a SWB GMT800 Yukon, and the combination of the two makes for a pretty formidable fleet. The Suburban could technically replace both, if we really wanted to, though it has slightly higher mileage than either of our trucks. And I have no real use for a short-bed crew-cab pickup. So, yeah, Suburban for me, but I’m not about to give up our two trucks anytime soon.

The term “sport-utility vehicle” is meant to conjure up images of fun road trips to cool places that are off the beaten path far enough to require four-wheel-drive. They’re marketed with images of surfboards and skis and whatnot, parked rakishly on a beach or a mountaintop. But we all know that most of them end up hauling the kids to daycare, or making Costco runs, or just plain old commuting. Hardly the carefree lifestyle shown in the brochure. But all the stuff is there, and you could go skiing or surfing or hiking, if you so chose. Honda’s crossover SUVs of the early 2000s did a good job of selling the lifestyle, and gave you two distinct flavors to choose from. Let’s check out one of each.

2002 Honda CR-V LX – $5,300

Engine/drivetrain: 2.4-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, AWD

Location: Klamath Falls, OR

Odometer reading: 200,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

Honda and little 4WD wagons go way back. As far back as 1985, the Honda Civic Wagovan, with a taller roofline than other Civics, was available with part-time four-wheel-drive. The Wagovan lasted for two generations, but it was dropped after 1992. It wasn’t until 1995 that a successor appeared, in the form of the CR-V. This is a second-generation CR-V, with a little more power and a little more refinement.

The CR-V has a lot of Civic DNA underneath, but uses a larger engine, a 2.4 liter four-cylinder from the Accord. This one has a five-speed manual transmission and Honda’s “Real Time 4WD” system, which is front-wheel-drive most of the time, but can kick in the rear wheels when needed. The seller has only owned this one for a year, but speaks highly of it. Unfortunately, that short ownership period means they’re unlikely to be able to tell you anything about its history. Best assume it needs everything in terms of maintenance, just to be safe.

It’s in really good condition inside, especially for 200,000 miles. Even the side bolster on the seat looks good. Unfortunately, the seller doesn’t say anything about the functional condition of anything inside, so it’s up to a potential buyer to try stuff and ask questions. But it does still have the CR-V’s coolest interior feature:

Yes, that’s a folding picnic table. It stows in the floor of the cargo compartment. I’ve heard more than one CR-V owner say they had no idea it was there. The outside of this CR-V looks pretty good. I see a few dings and scrapes, but nothing worth worrying about. And since it’s an Oregon car, it’s unlikely to have any rust problems.

2004 Honda Element EX – $6,900

Engine/drivetrain: 2.4-liter DOHC inline 4, four-speed automatic, AWD

Location: Seattle, WA

Odometer reading: 179,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

The CR-V is a cool little car, but if you’re looking for something a little less conventional, Honda has you covered. The Element, introduced for the 2003 model year, is mechanically more or less the same as the CR-V, but it’s in a class all its own. With its gray plastic fenders and pillarless “suicide” rear doors, the Element is an acquired taste, but the folks who have acquired that taste seem to really love it.

The Element uses a similar 2.4-liter four-cylinder and Real Time 4WD system, but this one has a four-speed automatic transmission. The seller says it runs well and has been well-maintained, but it’s being sold by a dealer, so I don’t know how they know that. Maybe it comes with all the records, but dealerships don’t typically hold on to that stuff. Again, you’re better off checking it out yourself, but really, you should do that with any used car.

The interior of the Element is unique: it features rubber floors and spill-proof fabric. The rear seats in most small SUVs fold down for more storage, but in the Element, they fold up and to the side, and stow along the sides of the cargo compartment. This creates some enormous blind spots, but makes for a nice, big open floor in the back. Most of the interior of this one is really nice, but the bolster on the driver’s seat is worn through.

With the exception of a dent above the right rear wheel, the outside looks pretty good. There shouldn’t be any rust on this one either, but it’s never a bad idea to take a look. Elements came in some really cool colors, but sadly, this isn’t one of them. It’s hard to make one of these look bland, but this dark silver color is sure trying its best.

You can’t really go wrong with either of these; they’re Hondas, after all. It’s more about which flavor you want. Do you prefer a manual transmission, or weird and unique styling? Do you want a picnic table, or the perfect place to put your dog? I’ll leave it up to you.