Honda will soon be out of its Element

Even though it's cold outside, First Coast News Chief Meterorologist Tim Deegan has a warm spot for the Honda Element.

As the proud owner of his second Honda Element, Deegan - an avid runner and surfer - was surprised to learn that the compact SUV crossover would be discontinued after the 2011 model year because of seven years of declining sales. The Element premiered in 2003 with 67,000 units sold in this country. This year, less than 13,000 have been bought.

The made-for-fun vehicle, known for its boxy shape, roominess and easy-to-clean interior, is perfect for the ever-active Deegan family. Deegan's 2007 "Irish-green" vehicle has been outfitted with special racks to carry his kayak, bike and surfboard.

"Between surfing and running, I don't need anything luxurious," Deegan said. "This is a good sand and sweat vehicle for me."

Deegan has a long-standing relationship with the Honda brand. His wife, Donna, anchorwoman for First Coast News, drives a Honda Fit. They previously owned a Honda Odyssey minivan. Deegan prefers the headroom of his Element, and likes what he refers to as its "compact length."

Tim and Donna, between them, have five children either in college or getting ready to go to college. With that in mind, Deegan said he appreciated the affordability of the Element, saying it was at a "good price point."

"I'm disappointed. I had no idea they were discontinuing the car,'' said Deegan of Honda's annoucement on Dec. 3. "I have 130,000 miles on my Element and hope to get more than 200,000. I'll drive it till it craters. I was hoping they'd keep the same style and come out with a hybrid, something environmentally better."

Portia Murphy of Fruit Cove, featured in a Times-Union story in June on the Element's Dog Friendly Package, was also surprised to hear that Honda would be ceasing production of the Element. As someone who owns three dogs, she bought her 2010 Honda Element LX largely because of the accessory package that allows her to transport the dogs safely to and from agility competitions.

"I'm very surprised they're stopping the Element," Murphy said. "I've been very happy with mine. I drive it everywhere and take the dogs everywhere. It serves me great."

Murphy said she expects her "spunky, little" Element to keep running for "quite a few" more years.

Tim Peeler, general manager of Lou Sobh's Honda of the Avenues on Philips Highway, said he's definitely sad to see Honda pull the plug on the Element. He has his heart set on getting an Element for himself as soon as he gets his next child settled in college.

"I'm disappointed to see it go," Peeler said this week. "I never talked to a person who owned one who didn't absolutely love it. It was a niche car and, when Element buyers came into the dealership, they were coming to buy the car; they weren't shopping for other cars."

Peeler said it's not unheard of for Honda from time to time to stop producing a car model. For instance, he recalled when they dropped the Prelude coupe in 2001 after 23 years in favor of the high-performance S2000 roadster that was introduced in 1999. The latter met its demise in 2009 when Honda put its energy toward the CR-Z, a sporty hybrid two-door that debuted earlier this year.

Peeler knows of no other replacement planned for the Element, but said sales for the Honda CR-V - a versatile compact crossover that appeals to more buyers - continues to surpass the Element.

"We sell three to five Elements a month," Peeler said. "But we sell 25 to 30 CR-Vs a month."

The CR-V, built on the same line as the Element in East Liberty, Ohio, is the top-selling model among U.S. SUVs and crossovers this year - up 4.7 percent to 180,589, according to Bloomberg.

Peeler has already received some of the 2011 Honda Elements, and expects more in the next 30 days. He believes there might be a sense of urgency among those who want to buy one while they can still get it.

"It's still a great car," Peeler said. "Parts will be available, no one has to worry about that. And for the $20,000 price range, it's a really good, high-quality car."

For more information on the Honda Element, go to automobiles.honda.com. Lou Sobh's Honda of the Avenues is located at 11333 Philips Hwy.; call (904) 370-1300, or go to hondaoftheavenues.com.