I am not sure the reviewer and I are looking at the same vehicle....

The styling — is curvy retro
Huh? There's not a curve on the FJ

I do have to admit, as retro goes, they did great with the FJ Cruiser.
It's a "retro" what? Jeep?

According to Jin Kim, who designed the exterior, the look he wanted was "industrial modern."
Ok, it's curvy retro in an industrial modern way.

if you are looking for a formidable off-road monster with charm and a reasonable price tag, this is one truck you'll love long after its looks fade.
My well-equipped FJ came in at $29,784, including my very favorite bit: a three-part center gauge with a temperature gauge, compass and inclinometer
I guess $30K is now considered "reasonable"
And if plastic IS the new steel, the E was 5 years ahead of the trend!!

 

...I do have to admit, as retro goes, they did great with the FJ Cruiser.
It's a "retro" what? Jeep?..

No, a retro FJ Land Cruiser

 

My step sister has one, and apparently she loves it. My step mother (who has ridden in the back seat of that and my Element) says that the E doesn't feel as cramped as the Toyota, but the Toyota feels significantly more rugged and truck-like. Apples to oranges, I guess. :shrug:

 

A buddy of mine who is an Accura parts manager said that FJ Cruiser is a truck and rides like one...

Also, the headroom is very small in comparison with the E, as is the legroom in the back... also because of the way the backseats fold, there is a lot less usable room in the FJ Cruiser than in the E...

Lastly, he said that the driver side blind spot is aweful in the FJ Cruiser... changing lanes is pretty dangerous for the average driver. Lastly, my buddy indicated that reversing either in or out of a parking space is challenging in comparison with the E... the outside spare tire, along with the short window and passenger-side blindspot all contribute to this dilemma....

 

I just "hosed" my E' yesterday night. Vacuum hose of course!

Regards,