Honda Element will be Discontinued in 2011

Honda has announced that 2011 will be the Element's last year of production.

The demise isn't all that surprising.

The Element remains virtually the same model that went on sale in December 2002. Plus, sales are down 3.7 percent from last year.

From 2007 to 2009, sales fell by more than half.

Still, the Element makes sense for buyers who need a utilitarian car.

The Element has an interior that's easy to configure for different cargo needs, and rubber flooring make it easy to clean.

Since sales are already slow and the Element is on its way out, you might be able to negotiate a big discount. We expect to see incentives increase down the road in 2011.