Few vehicles on the market today appeal to the logical left side of a human brain and the creative right side as equally as the 2007 Honda Element. This car is plain smart, but it's emotional, too. High on style and functionality, the Element is the kind of vehicle that becomes integral to daily life, a member of the family, like a pet with a nickname. Safe, efficient, utilitarian, comfortable, able to battle stormy weather, and as cute as a frisky Pug puppy, the Element is a terrific do-everything kind of car.

Of course, it's not perfect. Pug puppies might be cute, but they aren't good looking. The clamshell doors become a liability in a tight parking lot. The sunroof is placed over the cargo area rather than the front seats. And the rear seats are a pain to wrestle with when expanding cargo space. Good thing the amount of room behind the rear seats is generous, and easy to load thanks to a cube-shaped opening complete with a small tailgate for pre-game parties.

Like the rest of the SUV, the Element's interior is functional and stylish. Everything is easy to locate and use, and there's a ton of storage space – especially with the SC model's positively gigantic center console. Sure, there's plenty of hard plastic inside the Element, but this is a $20-24,000 vehicle, so whaddaya expect? At least it looks good and feels substantial, a trick some car makers can't pull off no matter how hard they try.

Over the years, the Honda Element has done nothing but improve in terms of appearance. The EX now gets painted body panels for a more cohesive look, and the SC manages to make the cute Element look tough, cool – dare we say desirable? It looks like a tasteful custom job, with just enough modification to make sure everyone knows it's special but not so much that only people under the age of 15 might want to be seen in it.