The Volkswagen Golf-cum-Rabbit is the kind of home-on-wheels designed for a hip bachelor or bachelorette down on their luck. Though not enough room for a family, the smartly-designed hatchbacks have always offered style and storage at a reasonable price. The four-door models are ideal for urban campers who want to curl up in the backseat but still have street cred with people who don't know they're living on the street. Price New: $17,575 (base four-door) Price Used: $5,000 and up (Mk III - Mk IV)

9.) Mazda Mazda5

The Mazda5 may seem like an unconventional choice for a live-in automobile, but it offers a lot for a little. Based on the sporty Mazda3 platform, the Mazda5 has the benefits of a small economy car: good mileage, low cost-of-ownership and affordability. It also offers some of the benefits of a minivan: sliding doors, three-row seating, fold-out table, under-floor storage and fold-flat seats. The possibility of getting one with a manual, no longer a possibility with most vans, makes it the perfect choice for a down-on-their-luck dad who still likes to drive but may have to outrun creditors. Price New: $18,665 (base) Price Used: $12,500 and up

8.) Ford Econoline

We imagine people have been jamming Econoline as long as people have been living in vans. They're cheap. They're big. They're available in a privacy-enhancing panel version. When Chris Farley's motivation speaker said he was "living in a van down by the river" he was almost certainly talking about a Ford Econoline. The panel version is the cheapest model and, though it lacks carpeting, has ample room for an air mattress or stolen love seat. A top-of-the-line conversion Econoline from the 1980s can be had with a TV/VCR combo, reclining bed, wood inserts and velour drapes. If it's good enough for Mike Watt, it's good enough for us. Price New: $23,940 (E-150) Price Used: $3,000 and up

7.) Honda Element

The Honda Element may be one of the most configurable cars available. The SUV with the soul of a Civic, the Element's seats can be stowed, laid-out or removed as necessary. All of the Honda's seats can be folded backwards to create two long, thin beds. This is the ideal living space for a close couple not willing to face the harsh elements outside of an Element. Additionally, the water resistant interior means that you can hose off the interior after it collects the various liquids of life. Those with a little extra dough can get an ECAMPER conversion for a true camper experience. Price New: $20,990 Price Used: $8,500 and up

6.) Chevy Suburban

There have been a few large SUV models in America's history, but none of them have lived as long as the Suburban, which holds the record for longest continuous nameplate in production. That's good if you're looking for parts for your new home. An increase in gas prices has caused an increase in availability and a decrease in price (the base model came with a 5.7-liter V8). Now that gas prices have dropped along with the economy, it's now even affordable to drive. At over 18-feet long, the Suburban's interior rivals some small studios. The GMT400 models from the 1990s could have come with the 6.5-liter diesel, which is perfect for long nights of idling to keep the heat running. Older models are tough and cheap while newer models get more expensive but offer more in the way of creature comforts. Price New: $40,820 Price Used: $2,500 and up (GMT400)

5.) Volvo 740 Wagon

A Volvo station wagon is a great choice for a family looking for a safe place to live and the Volvo 740 is perhaps the best balance of value and space. Nearly 16-feet long, the early 1990s models run cheap and aklthough not fast, they're quite roomy. Most importantly, the build quality and reliability of the last model years of the 740 are among the highest of any vehicle Volvo's ever built. When you get kicked out of your gated community you can also use it to sneak back in as a soccer mom and not as someone who uses a soccer ball for a pillow. Price New: N/A Price Used: $2,000 and up

4.) Dodge Caravan

What better way to celebrate your new life in a failing economy than buying a car from afailing automaker? Kids love the Caravan because of the cool features, like the fold-out table, DVD player with A/V hookup for the video games, fold-flat seats, tall roofs and many storage spaces. When the kids ask why they spend all the time at the beach and never go home just tell them it's like that vacation you took to Florida.. except it never ends. A small family could do much worse than life in a Caravan or its ritzy Town & Country brother, though we recommend a third generation if you want all of those features. Price New: $28,500 Price Used: $14,500 and up (third gen), $2,500 and up (second gen)

3.) Ford Flex

The automotive gypsy lifestyle once meant big vans or SUVs but the era of the crossover is here. Balancing van-like space and amenities with car-like handling, the crossover could be the sleeping place of choice for the next Great Depression. The Ford Flex might be the best choice for those who may soon be evicted but are currently of some means. The long, seven-seater Flex offers space, comfort and luxury in a package that looks like a house. Throw in a fridge in the second row console that can fit a six-pack of beer and you've got quite a home. Price New: $28,295 (base) Price Used: $25,000 (or even as low as $7,500 off of a repossession. How meta is that anyway?)

2.) Volkswagen Vanagon/EuroVan Westfalia

The Westfalia VWs were designed for living for, though not necessarily for extended periods of time. Offered through VW, the Westfalias were essentially a Volkswagen Vanagon or EuroVan with a camper top that folds out to create a living space. Many also came equipped with small refrigerators, stovetops, sink and other appliances. The Vanagon pictured above was created by this guy to be an all-season living space. They no longer sell the Westy here in the US new, so you'll have to find one on the used market. Price New: N/A Price Used: $6,000 and up (Vanagon) $12,000 and up (EuroVan Weekender)

1.) Dodge Sprinter

There's really nothing like a Dodge Sprinter commercial van if you have to live your life on wheels. Daddy Coppola turned one into a portable studio and we'd be proud to live in one. Based on the Mercedes Sprinter van, this is the Mercedes of commercial vans. At nearly 23-feet long, nine-feet tall and six-feet wide the cargo area of a Sprinter is a cave. Throw in a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6, 12-volt power outlet and a hydraulic jack and you're traveling the US in comfort. For real style you can convert your Sprinter into a Mercedes with a few cheap trim pieces. In extended form there's enough room in the back for a bed, small couch, table and desk. High-mileage, used cargo versions can be found at quite a reasonable price. And, we hear it may actually be bigger than Wert's entire place in Manhattan — and for 1/10th the price new! Price New: $42,170 Price Used: $14,000 More »
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Yes friends, this is the 2009 Honda Element, revealing it's new-look Honda shield grille unceremoniously on the web thanks to "HandA-Accessories.com." Along with the Honda branded grille on the front, the exterior upgrades include bigger, wraparound headlamps and a newly-styled front bumper. In the back, the facelift reveals a new set of tail lamps and a newly redesigned back door, complete with slightly revised bumper. More »
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If you have a 2008 Honda Element, don't panic, but your car (or whatever you want to call it) might be subject to a recall issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If you're driving your Element right now, pull over to a safe spot on the side of the road and call 1-800-999-1009 to make sure your car isn't one of the 241 vehicles that might have an improperly welded front bushing bracket on the left trailing arm of the rear suspension. If you are one of the unlucky few, have your vehicle taken (not driven) to a Honda dealership, where it can be inspected and fixed if necessary. [NHTSA via carscoop] More »
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These cars are so green they're covered in grass. Well, fake grass, anyhow. Some kind of Astroturf. We're not sure why these people are covering their cars in grass, but it is amusing. Our main questions is, How do they make the turf adhere to the car? It's not like automobiles are the greatest planters in the world. Some of the rides are easy to identify: VW Beetles (surprise, surpirse!), a Citroen 2CV, and a Honda Element. But what about the others? Here's an idea: How about the opposite of Winter Guessing Game for this one? How about Grass Car Guessing Game?
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CES saw a plethora of cars showing off mobile electronic goodies this year. The trend towards bigger and louder continued unabated in the audio category, while stealth was the order of the day for the classic rides. We've put together some noteworthy display vehicles for you to ogle and we even went out of our way to break them into two categories - a no holds barred systems and classic steel. Be sure to check out the Impala in the classics gallery - twin turbos! The gratuitous booth babes are just to brighten the place up a bit. More »
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There's nothing quite like the moment you first see the top pop off of a VW Westfalia for the first time. It's like the world and the roof open up at the same time. For those who want that same experience in a new vehicle, there's the Ursa Minor ECAMPER, which uses the Honda Element instead of a Vanagon. This sharp modification includes a 7' x 4' mattress, low-current LED lighting and panoramic views. It'll set you back $4,300 to camper-ize your Element (a little more if you want it to match the color of your Element). Photos and details below: More »
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You may wonder why Honda would bother building a faster, better-handling Element. But it did it with the 2007 Element SC. Now, The priests of the Temple of VTEC have all the gifts of speed within their walls. – Mike Spinelli More »
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You can't stride athwart this wide-ass donkey show without stumbling on Honda's modded vehicles. The company does know its place in the aftermarket; this year it's gone after nearly every sport-compact sub genre, from drifting to urban to "unfortunately appointed with kandy orange." That last one's new — Priimedia doesn't even have a magazine about it yet. [Gallery] More »
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The gang at Temple of VTEC procured some Doane/Priddy spy shots of the 2007 Honda Element SC, a near doppelganger in streetable guise to the SC concept introduced at the New York show this year. At the show, Honda officials said the SC would appear this fall as a special edition, sporting lower-than-stock suspension, a smoothed-out body style, and a 166-hp version of Honda's 2.4-liter DOHC, i-VTEC four. It'll also get a swankier interior, with carpeting — making those famous hose-outs a kind of soggy affair. Nope, this one will be strictly for playahs, not players. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=179051&view=rss&microfeed=true We're so glad auto ad-folks are finally realizing something we in the blogosphere have known for like, ever — funny sells. In fact, these ads, created by Rubin Postaer and Associates, originally began as a web-only campaign, but due to its success, made the jump to the boob tube. It's good that they're going for funny cause it certainly won't be the pretty factor selling the car/suv/cuv/minivan/etc that is the Element. Look out for the adorable one called "crab" — heck, check 'em all out after the jump. More »
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Honda's getting all Elementary like Holmes on Watson with their new, more on-road, less wild-land-plundering-pretentious Element SC prototype. They're overtly threatening to drop the thing this fall, and it begs this question: we know Americans love items of questionable taste — leg-warmers, bell-bottoms, Sonic Youth, etc. But why not just build-tall box wagons in the first place? For all our blustering, all we really want is an internal-combustion Conestoga Wagon. Just don't tell the lowering-kit manufacturers. More »
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