Why the Honda Element Is the Quirky Used Car Most People Should Buy
Unique vehicle buying is the process of seeking out rare used vehicles and used quirky cars whose value comes from unconventional design, limited production, and cult appeal instead of mainstream popularity or traditional practicality.
If you want one unconventional car that still makes daily sense, make the Honda Element your first target. It is a boxy sport-ute built on a modified CR‑V chassis, with a shorter length, slightly shorter wheelbase, a much taller roofline, and a lower floor that make it feel like a dorm room on wheels. Power comes from Honda’s i‑VTEC 2.4‑liter four-cylinder with 160 horsepower and 161 pound-feet of torque, paired with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic and four-wheel disc brakes; all-wheel drive is available.
According to one period test, “the Element tackles sinuous back roads the way Kelly Slater surfs 20‑foot waves,” pulling 0.78 g on the skidpad and even tying a BMW 330i. HIGHS include cargo-van flexibility, SUV convenience, dormitory capability, and sports-compact performance, while LOWS include refrigerator styling, a Rubbermaid interior, problematic side doors, chintzy materials, a commercial-van feel, and cartoonish looks. Honda explicitly aimed it at a 22‑year‑old, extreme-sports, X‑Games crowd, and four-wheel drive is recommended for buyers who drive just a bit calmer than they play. For most shoppers dabbling in unconventional car deals, this balance of practicality and oddball character is exactly right.
Isuzu VehiCROSS: The Off-Road Cult Oddball
If you want your used quirky cars to scream “what on earth is that?”, the Isuzu VehiCROSS deserves a hard look. It is a two-door SUV with four wheels, serious ground clearance, notable off-road prowess, and an interior that can be covered in bold faux-leather combinations. Many owners add rooftop tents, using it as a compact overlanding rig with real off-pavement ability.
The VehiCROSS shines for buyers who value scarcity and drama more than subtlety. It suits people building small adventure rigs who also want something that turns heads at every fuel stop. As a rare used vehicle, it attracts fans who prefer condition, originality, and collector interest over low mileage. Cosmetic quirks like loud interiors matter less than structural rust, drivetrain health, and evidence of abuse off-road.
This is not the sensible choice; it is the “I want a vehicle, but cross!” choice. If the idea of combining chrome wheels, trail ability, and toy‑like styling makes you grin, the VehiCROSS is worth chasing.
Ford Explorer vs Suzuki X‑90: Practical vs Foolish 90s SUVs
The 1990s SUV boom produced both workhorses and weird experiments, and the contrast between a Ford Explorer and a Suzuki X‑90 shows how market perception can flip over time. SUVs and the internet rose together, reshaping family transport; four-door models took over minivan and wagon duties, while two-door SUVs became the fun choice.
One featured Explorer uses a 4.0‑liter OHV V6, a five-speed manual, and 4WD, has 177,000 miles, and runs and drives well. It represents the “incredibly useful” side of cult classic SUVs: roomy, capable, and practical for everyday tasks. By contrast, the Suzuki X‑90 uses a 1.6‑liter OHC inline‑four with a five-speed manual and 4WD, has 100,000 miles, and also runs and drives well.
The X‑90 was only sold for three model years and about seven thousand reached this market, so it is now a rare used vehicle. Both SUVs can be fun to drive, but one is far more practical, and the other is “a funny little failed experiment” with T‑tops. That makes the Explorer the rational unconventional car deal, and the X‑90 the foolish-but-charming pick for buyers who want something few others have.
Go-Karts and Other Specialty Toys: When Practicality Does Not Matter
Not every unique vehicle buying decision is about commuting. Some shoppers gravitate to pure toys, like collections of 12 go‑karts or tiny urban runabouts, which sit at the extreme end of used quirky cars. These machines are about fun first, practicality last, and they appeal to buyers with storage space, mechanical curiosity, and a taste for mechanical mischief.
In this world, specialty vehicles demand different evaluation criteria than mainstream cars. Condition, rarity, and collector interest matter more than mileage or creature comforts. One guide notes that for rare models, buyers who want to avoid auction-site premiums “may have to put up with a little scruffiness,” because supply is thin and perfect examples rarely appear. What counts is whether the engine and drivetrain are healthy, whether the chassis is safe, and whether critical parts remain available.
For hobby fleets of go‑karts or similarly odd machines, think in terms of projects rather than plug‑and‑play transport. Both practical and foolish choices can be enjoyable, but it depends what you are looking for.
How to Judge Unconventional Car Deals
Specialty cars will never behave like anonymous hatchbacks, so you must judge unconventional car deals on their own terms. In this space, value depends on desirability and story more than resale averages. One guide points out that, with unique models, “it all depends what you’re looking for” and notes that quirky SUVs can both be fun, even if one is wildly more practical.
For cult classic SUVs like the Element, it helps that the driving experience is surprisingly lively; the stiff suspension, low floor, and wide track make it feel sporty despite its mail-truck appearance, and it can even match a BMW 330i’s 0.78 g skidpad number. With prices described as hard to resist for such a unique, versatile, fun-to-drive vehicle, it is clear why niche buyers are willing to pay for oddballs.
Meanwhile, rare used vehicles like the X‑90 sold poorly in period but now draw attention because of low production and novelty. As rare as they are, buyers must accept some cosmetic wear if they want to avoid top-tier auction pricing. In short: prioritize structural condition, mechanical health, and the long-term appeal of the weirdness over odometer readings.
Buy if / Skip if
- Buy the Honda Element if you want a unique, boxy SUV with dorm-room flexibility, sports-compact feel, and genuine daily usability.
- Skip the Honda Element if refrigerator styling, Rubbermaid-like interiors, and commercial-van vibes make you cringe.
- Buy the Isuzu VehiCROSS if you want a rare off-road toy with bold styling, real ground clearance, and overlanding potential.
- Skip the Isuzu VehiCROSS if you prefer subtle looks, easy parts availability, and conventional crossover comfort over cult status.
- Buy the Ford Explorer if you want a practical 90s SUV with a 4.0-liter V6, manual gearbox, 4WD, and everyday usefulness.
- Skip the Ford Explorer if you are shopping for something truly odd and do not care about space, towing, or family duties.
- Buy the Suzuki X‑90 if you want a rare, T‑top, 1.6-liter 4WD oddball that stands out at any cars-and-coffee meet.
- Skip the Suzuki X‑90 if you need more than two seats, real cargo room, and a vehicle that feels like more than a fun experiment.
- Buy the go‑kart collection if you want pure hobby machines where rarity, tinkering, and fun matter more than mileage or practicality.
- Skip the go‑kart collection if you lack storage, tools, or interest in maintaining multiple small, specialized vehicles.
