Confirmed: Honda Element to exit after 2011 model year

Get your order in now: Honda's Element won't last beyond the 2011 model year.

Confirming an earlier report, Honda announced today that its quirky, slow-selling Element will be discontinued after the 2011 model year.

Introduced for the 2003 model year, the Element enjoyed a reasonably successful start, but remained mostly unchanged for its production run aside from a mild upgrade in 2007 that brought with it more power. Sales ultimately trailed off; through November, Honda delivered just 12,860 Elements, a 3.4 percent decline from the year before. A mere 939 were delivered in November, a nearly 12 percent drop from 2009. By comparison, Honda sold 18,263 CR-Vs in November and is on track to sell just under 200,000 for the calendar year ending this month.

Honda released a statement saying that it was pleased with the Element's overall run.

"The Element proved that ultimate functionality can often come from thinking inside the box," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda, in the prepared statement. "It made boxy vehicle designs cool, and Element owners continue to enjoy its unique styling and unmatched versatility."

Future bright for CR-V
Although the Honda CR-V is in its last model year in its current generation, it's expected that Honda will offer a more lifestyle-oriented model based on the next-generation CR-V.

Don't look for the Element name to return, since Honda might try to capitalize on the strong market presence of its hot-selling CR-V. However, Element cues like a tall and roomy interior and utilitarian touches seem likely to return on a reborn model.