RSS
Home
Is the auto industry going to the dogs? Honda to offer pet-friendly accessories on the Element SUV
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Honda will soon offer a dealer-installed accessory package designed to make its
Element SUV appeal to dog owners, unveiled as a concept car at the 2009 New
York Auto Show.
A new "Dog Friendly" concept version of the Honda Element SUV adds a canine access ramp, a built-in dog bed, animal restraint systems, a cargo area fan, and sturdy seat covers.
The automaker promises many of these features will soon be available as dealer-installed accessories on the EX version of the Element, which starts at $22,385.
As DC Dogs Examiner Michelle Critchell reported, an estimated 74.8 million dogs live in the United States, with at least one in 39 percent of the country's households.
Honda is hoping that more of those dog owners will choose the Element; its sales slid by over 70 percent last month compared to March 2009, to just 912 units, despite a recent restyle for the 2009 model year.
Honda has not announced pricing for the dog accessories, but the company's profit margins would likely be high. Aftermarket accessories could likely serve the same functions more cheaply than the Honda-issue equipment, though the dealer accessories are a guaranteed fit for the car.
Even without the Honda-issued extras, the Element was DogCars.com's top auto pick in 2007 for its spacious and washable cargo area and stain-resistant seats, though it was more recently unseated by the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan.
The Element is a decent car for its interior versatility, strong reliability record, and reasonable pricing, but be advised that you can find other SUVs with more refinement and seating for five to eight passengers instead of just four. Shop the competition closely -- and check out a comparison review of eight other compact SUVs to be posted here starting tomorrow -- before buying a Dog Friendly Element for your best friend.
For a full list of Dog Friendly Element accessories and photos of some of those accessories in action at the New York Auto Show, see the article from the DC Dogs Examiner and Honda's web site.
Related Articles:
Comments
