Just when you thought the 2007 Honda Element couldn’t get any quirkier,

SC... It really should stand for "So Cool", because it is. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

it just did. That’s right, much like Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and a whole lot of other good-girl-gone-bad artists, Honda’s plucky little Element has shifted its focus from nice to naughty.

The SC, which stands for “Street Custom”, taps into the bad girl side of this box-on-wheels. And just what does that include? First off, it’s got a pretty phat, yes phat, set of gunmetal grey 18-inch alloy wheels shod with P225/55R18 tires. That’s a big step up from the rather un-cool looking standard 16-inch wheels on the regular Element, adding plenty of sass. It might not be the definition of bling-bling, but the monochrome Galaxy Grey exterior combined with the toned body kit and new projector beam headlamps make it look much more authoritative than your average Tangerine-coloured Element. Other things that Honda has done include lowering the springs and tinting both the taillights and windows, the former in smoke

New grille is cooler narrower and wider than on the regular Element. It looks better. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

and the latter in midnight black. Truly, this Element is not your average urbanite cruiser.

But when it comes down to it, the Element still has that squeaky-clean, wholesome and outdoorsy feel to it regardless of SC modifications. The interior is nicely organized and the novelty-sized buttons and knobs are easily spotted and accessed. Even more inviting, carpeting can be found lining the inside; a shift from the all vinyl flooring more commonly associated with the Element. And speaking of shifting, a ‘car’ma sutra feature allows for the rear seats to be shaped and shifted in oh-so-many-ways. Honda says more than sixty!

Even though I’ve driven Elements before, it wasn’t until

Open wide! Element can consume up to 2,112 litres worth of science project. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

the SC that I discovered how easy it is to fold, flip, and take out those rear seats, thanks to being forced into the need for creativity. My boyfriend needed to transport his engineering project from one location to another on the assumption that the other mode of transportation wouldn’t be able to accommodate it. Needless to say, we started folding and flipping and all that other good stuff to see how we could get the bulky project in. And after about half an hour, we figured it out, only to later find out Ford’s friendly (albeit recently retired) giant, the Excursion would be hauling the cargo. Oh well. It was great to discover the ease at which I could mould the rear seats to my liking, even if it took a while to sort it all out.

Besides the funky seats, the interior comes with a special something, especially for music buffs. The SC is graced with the top-of-the-line stereo system boasting a 270-watt AM/FM/ 6-disc in-dash CD changer with 7-speakers, plus an MP3/auxiliary jack and MP3/WMA playback capability, and a subwoofer for extra bounce. I feel sorry for salespeople that have to give that speech! It’s a pretty decent system though, and I have no complaints with it.

Judging it on its looks, you might think that SC stands for SuperCharged... sadly it isn't. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

Also music to my ears was the repositioning of the seatbelt anchor which, in the past, was one of this vehicle's weaker links (not literally). Previously, it was mounted to the door, but now it’s located on the front seats enabling rear-seat riders to enter without pawing through the jungle of webbing. Plus, it was much more convenient to reach, now being only inches behind. This update made the new Element that much more appealing.

One thing that would have made the SC a more complete package is a beefier engine. It shares the same 2.4-litre, 16-valve, DOHC, i-VTEC, inline-four with the regular LX and EX models. That means a not-too-shabby 166 horsepower at 5,800 and 161 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm, but more bite would happily match its visual bark. I mean, with all the exterior mods, it’s just begging for a sports exhaust and cold air

The SC package includes some funky fabric... it too is waterproof. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

intake. Overall, the SC isn’t really a disappointment because the engine revs smoothly, and the 5-speed manual transmission is very nice… I just wanted to feel a little more oomph under the hood.

What’s really surprising about the SC is the way that it drives. Even though this little box is built off the old Honda CR-V, it's difficult to tell. The uprated suspension not only makes for aggressive handling, and a huge reduction in body roll, but it also allows for smooth-riding city driving. And since most of my driving was in the city, I’m glad that the SC was front-wheel drive, which helped to reign in fuel consumption. Unfortunately, Honda's RealTime 4WD is not an option on this Element. I know, I know, where is the justice? But chances are the furthest place off-road I would take this puppy is up the ski hill, since it looks darn good and I wouldn’t want to scratch it. Besides, there aren’t any black plastic panels gracing the circumference of the car to protect against aesthetic damage that could incur while driving down an old, bushy back-country road. And I must say that I just loved this colour, though in some light angles the grey could have easily been mistaken for brown, or even olive.

The SC is plenty of fun... did I mention it looks great? (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

It looks good though. Really good, and it works so well with this car. Agree or disagree, but I wouldn’t mind seeing this colour on any of the sport tuner Honda’s out there. Perhaps the Civic Si? Oh wait, it is available on the Si, so I really can have the best of both worlds. The SC can also be had in Root Beer metallic, which is an exclusive hue.

As I mentioned, the SC doesn’t have a 4WD option. On the bright side, fuel consumption isn’t too bad. Although the estimated fuel consumption for both the 2WD and 4WD are relatively close, the 5-speed manual transmission that the SC uses makes for an estimated 11.3 L/100 km in the city and 8.7 L/100 km on the highway. But at the end of the day, I’d buck up if there were more ponies present, be it through displacement, a turbo or supercharger.

So, what we have here is a finely tuned piece of Japanese machinery with a great paint job, cool ground effects, a kick butt stereo, some fly 18-inch rims, great ride quality, lots of interior cargo volume, decent visibility and safety features galore including four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and EBD. I’ll start the bidding at $29,900.

Specifications (Element SC):

• Base Price Range (Element SC MSRP): $29,900 - $31,100
• Price as Tested (MSRP): $29,900
• Body Type: 5-door SUV
• Layout: front engine, FWD
• Engine: 166 hp, 161 lb-ft of torque, 2.4L, 16-valve DOHC I-4
• Transmission: 5-spd manual (opt. 5-spd auto)
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS, EBD
• Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 4,326 / 1,815 / 1,762 / 2,575 mm (170.3 / 71.5 / 69.4 / 101.4 in)
• Curb Weight: 1,595 kg (3,516 lbs)
• Tires: 225/55R18
• Cargo Volume (seats up/folded): 710 / 2,112 L (25.1 / 74.6 cu-ft)
• Fuel Economy (est. city/hwy): 11.3 / 8.7 L/100 km
• Warranty (mo/km): 36/60,000 comprehensive; 60/100,000 powertrain
• Competitors: Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan X-Trail, Pontiac Vibe, Subaru Forester, Toyota Matrix
• Website: www.honda.ca