driving impressions: Honda Element, Volvo C30

[Nebtek2002]

Let's think about this comparison: A vehicle that makes you open the right front door by hand every time to get the right rear door open or closed; or a minivan with a power slider you can open/close at the touch of a button.

Making 100+ stops in route service every other week, I know what I'd want and it ain't no "cute ute". My Aztek still has to be opened and closed by hand, but at least I only have to open just the door I want, not the whole fricken side of the vehicle, to get at the load.

Another thing to consider is that a fully-laden Element would have big trouble getting out of its own way in the summer with the AC on. Most "obsolete pushrod V-6s" take the extra load of AC in stride.

Based on my own experience with V6 automatic Aztek vs. OHC 4 5-speed Ranger fully laden on a 90-degree, 70+% humidity day, the OHC 4 gets LESS mileage and is ridiculously slow off the line.

[MX793]

Let's think about this comparison: A vehicle that makes you open the right front door by hand every time to get the right rear door open or closed; or a minivan with a power slider you can open/close at the touch of a button.

Making 100+ stops in route service every other week, I know what I'd want and it ain't no "cute ute". My Aztek still has to be opened and closed by hand, but at least I only have to open just the door I want, not the whole fricken side of the vehicle, to get at the load.

Another thing to consider is that a fully-laden Element would have big trouble getting out of its own way in the summer with the AC on. Most "obsolete pushrod V-6s" take the extra load of AC in stride.

Based on my own experience with V6 automatic Aztek vs. OHC 4 5-speed Ranger fully laden on a 90-degree, 70+% humidity day, the OHC 4 gets LESS mileage and is ridiculously slow off the line.

The 4 banger in the Ranger is also significantly less powerful and, if fully laden, significantly overworked, which kills fuel economy.  Not that the OHV V6 in the mid-level Ranger returns particularly good mileage (or performance).  We had one as a runabout at work and regularly joked that it provided 4 cylinder performance and V8 fuel economy.