2003 Honda Element: trims, real prices & how to pick yours
16 builds left the factory as a 2003 Element, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 12 main configurations sell for $2,000–$15,225 today.
- 12 main configurations
- 8,289 vehicles built
- 82 for sale right now
- $2,000–$15,225 typical price range
Which Element is yours?
Enter a VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or the title — and we’ll match it to its exact factory configuration, typical price and equipment.
Works with any VIN — a different year or model takes you straight to its own page.
Pick your Element
-
Most common — 59% of 2003 Elements
EX · 4WD 5J6YH285-32.4L 4-cyl, 160 hp, Automatic, Four-wheel drive. 4,874 built.
$2,000 great deal $6,999 typical $15,225 top of market -
EX · FWD 5J6YH176-32.4L 4-cyl, 160 hp, Manual/Standard, Front-wheel drive. 25 built.
-
EX · FWD 5J6YH175-32.4L 4-cyl, 160 hp, Manual/Standard, Front-wheel drive. 277 built.
-
DX · 4WD 5J6YH272-32.4L 4-cyl, 160 hp, Manual/Standard, Four-wheel drive. 23 built.
-
DX · FWD 5J6YH172-32.4L 4-cyl, 160 hp, Manual/Standard, Front-wheel drive. 97 built.
-
EX · 4WD 5J6YH276-32.4L 4-cyl, 160 hp, Manual/Standard, Four-wheel drive. 81 built.
-
EX · FWD 5J6YH186-32.4L 4-cyl, 160 hp, Automatic, Front-wheel drive. 84 built.
-
EX · FWD 5J6YH185-32.4L 4-cyl, 160 hp, Automatic, Front-wheel drive. 1,663 built.
$4,500 great deal $8,990 typical $13,075 top of market -
EX · 4WD 5J6YH286-32.4L 4-cyl, 160 hp, Automatic, Four-wheel drive. 366 built.
What actually differs
| EX · 4WD 5J6YH285-3 | EX · FWD 5J6YH185-3 | EX · 4WD 5J6YH286-3 | EX · FWD 5J6YH175-3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Four-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive | Four-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic | Manual/Standard |
| Typical price today | $6,999 | $8,990 | $7,999 | — |
| For sale right now | 49 | 15 | 5 | 1 |
| Vehicles built | 4,874 | 1,663 | 366 | 277 |
Same on every 2003 Element
- Engine 2.4L 4-cyl
- Power 160 hp
- Fuel Gasoline
- Body Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
- Doors 5-door
What people actually pay
138 price observations · updated Aug 30, 2026Safety, in plain English
What 5J6YH285-3 means
- 5J6
- the World Manufacturer Identifier Honda registered — assembled in the United States
- YH285
- together encode the Element line — Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), 2.4L 4cyl, Four-wheel drive — as Honda filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
- 3
- in position 10 — model year 2003
- 9, 11–17
- differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
4 rare configurations — mostly fleet, export or irregular VIN patterns. Fewer than 20 known vehicles each.
Already looking at a specific Element?
Paste its VIN — we’ll open that exact car’s page: its configuration, market position and every listing we’ve tracked.