The Good: Tricked-out styling, value for pricing, Honda ...
 

The SC comes equipped with Honda's 2.4-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder engine. Its 166 horses won't impress any aftermarket tuners, but prove plenty to push this bread box around.

Though Honda says it tuned the SC's suspension for sport, this is still the boxy ute it always was. Braking performance was good, and acceleration healthy if not very impressive. And, in snow and ice, even the two-wheel-drive model stuck to the ground admirably.

Styling is largely personal, but the SC manages to faithfully maintain the most compellingly street aspects of the concept vehicle it's based on. The lowered stance takes away profitably from the normal Element's cube-on-wheels look. But it's hard to imagine there'll be much crossover between Element buyers and SC buyers. The design is unabashedly polarizing.

Whether in the SC trim or not, the Element's virtues remain largely the same, namely a roomy interior, especially in the back. It's a shame that the rear seats only make way for two rather than three since there's enough room. But, instead, the seats can be folded up to make maximum cargo room. The bi-level hatch is handy, allowing you to gain quick access to the trunk by opening just the top portion or, more thoroughly, by opening both components. This makes loading bikes and other equipment particularly easy.

The alter-ego theme continues inside the cabin. Interior controls, as well as the steering wheel, have been retouched with orange trim. The whole package has a very comic-book sensibility, which seems as if it might limit its appeal. Then again, it is a look rarely found outside of vehicles that have been heavily customized. The styling goes beyond the options available in many Scion models, the brand Toyota launched specifically to go after that market.

Playing to the street stereotype, another prominent SC upgrade is in the dash. The stereo is equipped with seven speakers, a decent subwoofer, XM satellite radio, and an auxiliary input jack. Though it probably won't compare with some of the aftermarket monsters lurking in the dark, the sound system's 270 watts produce a nice amount of thump and grind when blasted outright.

There's a good deal of SC-specific detailing inside as well. A few of the cabin elements are configured slightly differently, like the center-console cup holders. The seats have a barbed-wire-like design on them that's intended to be reminiscent of certain tattoo patterns. Only problem is, Honda's about 10 years behind the times.

Source: [url=http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/mar2007/bw20070323_078434.htm]BusinessWeek[/url]