The Honda Element is powered by Honda's i-VTEC 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. It comes with a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission ($800), and it's available with front-wheel drive or Honda's Real Time all-wheel drive ($1,400). Models with all-wheel drive feature a large rear skylight that tilts open or removes completely and stores inside the vehicle.

The 2005 Honda Element comes in two trim levels, LX and EX. The LX ($17,450) comes with air conditioning with micron filtration, power windows, power door locks, power mirrors, cruise control, an adjustable steering column, and a four-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo. (The base DX model has been dropped for 2005.)

EX ($19,525) adds side-impact airbags and anti-lock brakes (ABS); aluminum wheels; remote keyless entry; a passenger-side armrest; and a seven-speaker, 270-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with XM Satellite Radio capability plus an auxiliary input for MP3, WMA, or other digital media. Silver EX models are accented by blue cladding and trim, while Red and Magnesium EX models feature black trim.

Safety features on all Elements include front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters to reduce the chance of belt-related injuries. The Element earned a five-star rating for both driver and front-seat passenger in the federal (NHTSA) frontal crash test. As mentioned, 2005 EX models include ABS and front-seat side-impact airbags, the latter designed to protect driver and front-passenger's torsos. Curtain airbags, designed for head protection in a side impact or rollover, are not available.

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