#NYIAS Although it's true that the Dog Friendly Honda Element concept
shown here in New York will be an option package for the 2010 Honda Element starting this fall, Honda hasn't yet finalized the package contents or the price. But we have photos of the cute doggy named Sam.
Here you can see Sam on the fold-out ramp for the cargo bay. It leads to an integrated pet bed with restraints designed by Takata, a longtime manufacturer of seatbelts for humans. A non-spillable water dish is included back here, and an auxiliary 12-volt fan keeps your Element from smelling like dog.
There's another set of restraints in the Element's second row intended for a smaller dog. The seat covers are machine-washable, with a doggy print. And the floor mats are heavy-duty rubber with a chew-bone pattern. We'd guess that Honda will let owners specify the restraint setup based on the size of their dog.
Honda doesn't have plans to expand the Dog Friendly option package to its other dog-friendly models (CR-V, Fit, Odyssey, Pilot). Though the Element is getting on in years, it's evidently a magnet for dog owners. Based on company research, 62 percent of Honda Element owners have pets. -- Erin Riches, Senior Editor
estreka says:
02:32 PM, 04/ 9/09
If your dog is too lazy to jump from/to the tailgate, you've got a problem.
brn says:
03:08 PM, 04/ 9/09
One of my dogs isn't able to make the jump.
Still, lifting him up is probably easier than messing around with the ramp. I doubt I'd select such an option on any vehicle.
GT5000 says:
01:44 PM, 04/10/09
I kind of like the look of the new element.