Can You Sleep in a Honda Element?
Honda is the fourth largest vehicle manufacturer in the world, which means there’s a decent chance you’ve got one.
As nomadic trends and “van life” lifestyles become more and more popular, you might be wondering if you can sleep in your Honda Element.
In this piece, I’ll dive into how to sleep in your Honda Element.
Keep reading to learn all the tricks on how to camp out in your car if the need – or desire – arises.
Can You Sleep in a Honda Element?
You can sleep in a Honda Element. Despite what you may think, the Honda Element is an incredibly spacious car. As far as vehicles to sleep in go, the Honda Element is likely one of the best for sleeping.
Its spacious interior, comfortable seats, and made-for-the-elements design make it a comfortable place to spend a night.
How to Sleep in a Honda Element
You know you can, but do you know how to sleep in a Honda Element? Read on for some of the most important details on how you can turn your vehicle into one of the most comfortable nights of sleep you’ve ever had.
How Much Room Does A Honda Element Have?
To be honest, I was surprised to learn that the Honda Element has as much room as it does.
Behind the front row of seats, the cargo area is just below 75 cubic inches.
Moving to the second row, you have another 25 inches.
That means that if you put all of your seats down and prepare the area, you have roughly 100 inches of cargo space that you can sleep in.
That said, there’s a high chance that cargo space won’t be empty.
If you’re sleeping in your car, you likely have a good deal of belongings with you, whether it’s to camp or to move.
Organize your belongings as best as you can to give yourself as much of this room as you can.
You also can use some of it to your advantage, such as using softer items or blankets to help improve the sleeping space.
Don’t Forget Chairs!
If you can’t take advantage of your cargo space, the best thing you can do is to sleep in the chairs.
Depending on your height (or how flexible you are), you might be able to lay horizontally across one of the rows of chairs.
Failing this, putting the driver or passenger seat down as flat as possible can give you a good place to sleep.
You also could move the chair back to give yourself more legroom.
The chairs aren’t the most comfortable way to spend a night, but if it’s the only option you have, it isn’t so bad.
I’ve spent a good number of nights sleeping in my car seat waiting for sunrise so that I could get a move on as quick as possible.
Still, I’d strongly suggest bringing a pillow and maybe some kind of neck support.
Come Prepared
The best thing you can do to improve spending your night in a Honda Element is to come with whatever you need to make it as comfortable as possible.
If you’re camping, you probably brought a tent – but if you didn’t, you’re certainly intending to spend the night in your car.
That means you have ample time and foresight to come with anything you need to make your car bed!
Inflatable mattresses are a great way to turn your cargo space into a comfortable resting area immediately.
Otherwise, use blankets, cots, bedrolls, sleeping bags, pillows, and whatever else you have to make a comfortable bed.
Where to Sleep?
Sleeping in a car is the easiest part. The tougher topic to tackle is where you can put your car.
Here are some of the best places to leave your vehicle while you catch some sleep.
Road Stops
Road stops and rest stops are great places to sleep.
They’re often patrolled by police officers or staffed by overnight security to help them stay safe for travelers.
You also have a great place to stock up on supplies when it’s time to leave.
Most rest stops have stores where you can grab snacks, energy drinks, coffee, maps, and whatever else you need for your drive.
Enjoy Camping
Many camping grounds will also offer places where you can park your vehicles.
Most will charge you a modest fee, but I’ve found several in my travels that let me park in a campground for free.
You also have the benefit of amenities when you do this, such as a firepit to prepare meals or a place to shower.
Some may even offer laundromats so that you can clean up any clothes that may have gotten dirty in your travels.
Safe Parking Lots
If you can find a parking lot in a part of town you trust, there’s nothing wrong with sleeping in them.
Many truckers and overnight freight delivery drivers will park their trucks in supermarket parking lots to sleep, for example.
Still, if your car is idling in a parking lot for hours, there’s a chance local security might feel the need to keep an eye on you.
You also have little protection in such an urban environment if someone spots your isolated vehicle as an easy target, so make sure you’re somewhere safe.
Am I Safe?
Speaking of safety, there are plenty of concerns over the safety of sleeping in a vehicle.
Whether it’s running out of gas, harmful fumes, or some other hazard, many feel anxious over such sleeping arrangements.
Idle Engines
One of the biggest concerns is that sleeping in a vehicle can cause carbon monoxide to fill the car.
In older models of cars, the location of the engine could make it so that harmful fumes could seep into the vehicle.
In an average vehicle, this was never an issue – crack the windows or run the AC and the fumes are filtered out.
If your vehicle is idle, though, won’t the chance of such a hazard increase?
In short, the threat of this is extremely minimal and highly unlikely. If you’re anxious over such a freak accident, keep your air on recirculate or crack a window to stop carbon monoxide from getting trapped.
Safe Locations
The best thing you can do while picking a location is to ensure its safety. Gated campgrounds are usually completely safe and also often have security patrolling them.
A well-lit parking lot should be safe as well, though this varies from locale to locale.
You can make it safer by sleeping during the day or just before sunset.
Primarily, this is when there are usually more people around.
Since there are more people around, there is a much lower chance of any mischief or threat to you as you rest.
In Your Element
Sleeping in a Honda Element isn’t just possible – it’s downright comfortable! With the right preparation and knowing how to prepare your space, you can spend weeks of comfortable rest in your Honda Element.
Ensure that you’re somewhere safe when you bed down for the evening, and you’ll enjoy your sleeping adventure more than you thought imaginable.
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Sources
The following information has been cited in this piece:
Honda Manufacturing.