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Rarity is determined by two factors: the number of model years a color was offered, and whether it was restricted to a specific trim. The following colors are the hardest to find in the used market.

Eternal Blue Pearl (B96P) — 2003 only. This is the single rarest non-SC color in the entire Element lineup. Offered only in the first model year, it is a rich cobalt blue with a warm pearl shimmer. Community discussions on the Honda Element Owners Club confirm it as one of the three single-year Element colors.

Midnight Red Pearl (R538P) — 2009–2010 SC only. The darkest red offered on the Element, this near-maroon SC-exclusive is widely considered the rarest color in the entire lineup when combined with its SC-only restriction. The SC itself was a low-volume trim, and Midnight Red Pearl was one of its most distinctive options.

Root Beer Metallic (YR569M) — 2007–2008 SC only. A warm, deep brown metallic exclusive to the SC trim. This color is beloved by SC enthusiasts and is extremely difficult to find in good condition. It was paired with the SC’s copper-accented interior option, making for a uniquely cohesive color story.

Cargo Khaki (YR547) — 2005 only. A medium brown-tan that appeared for a single year on all trims. While not as sought-after as the SC exclusives, it is genuinely rare due to its single-year availability.

Magnesium Metallic (NH675M) — 2005 only. A medium warm gray that appeared for a single year. Like Cargo Khaki, it is one of the three confirmed single-year Element colors.

Desirability in the collector and enthusiast community is driven by a combination of visual uniqueness, rarity, and the color’s association with the Element’s identity as a rugged, personality-driven vehicle.

Omni Blue Pearl (B562P) consistently ranks among the most sought-after late-model Element colors. Its unusual chameleon-like quality — appearing blue in direct sunlight but shifting toward green or gray in overcast conditions — is unlike any other color in the Honda palette. Community members affectionately call it “Ghost Green.” It was offered on LX and EX trims from 2009 to 2011.

Sunset Orange Pearl (YR539P) and Galapagos Green Metallic (G511M) are the two colors most closely associated with the Element’s original identity. Both were offered from 2003 to 2005 and appeared extensively in Honda’s early marketing for the vehicle. They remain the most recognizable Element colors and are highly desirable to collectors seeking an authentic early-generation example.

Root Beer Metallic (YR569M) and Midnight Red Pearl (R538P) are the two most desirable SC-specific colors. Their combination of rarity, SC-exclusivity, and visual distinctiveness makes them the most collectible colors in the entire Element lineup.

Crystal Black Pearl (NH731P) is the most-ordered Element touch-up color according to PaintScratch sales data, reflecting both its popularity and the large number of late-model Elements still on the road. It is a deep, blue-tinged black pearl that photographs exceptionally well.

The Honda Element SC (Street Custom) was offered from 2007 through 2010. It featured a lowered suspension, 18-inch alloy wheels, body-color painted lower panels (eliminating the unpainted plastic cladding of standard trims), a unique front fascia, and a sport-tuned interior. The SC’s fully painted exterior meant that its colors had a fundamentally different visual character than the same color on a standard EX with unpainted cladding.

Three colors were exclusive to the SC trim:

Root Beer Metallic (YR569M) — 2007–2008 SC only. A warm, deep brown metallic with gold undertones. On the SC’s fully painted panels, it presents as a rich, jewel-like finish. It was paired with the SC’s optional Black/Copper interior (YR355L Copper Metallic upholstery). It was also used on the Honda Accord Hybrid in 2007–2008, making it one of the few Element colors shared with another Honda model.

Midnight Red Pearl (R538P) — 2009–2010 SC only. An extremely dark, near-maroon red pearl. On the SC’s painted panels, it reads as almost black in low light and reveals its deep red character in direct sunlight. It was paired with the SC’s Black/Red Metal interior option (R166L SC Red Metallic upholstery).

Royal Blue Pearl (B536P) — 2008 SC only (expanded to all trims in 2009–2010). A deep, saturated navy blue pearl. In its 2008 SC-only year, it was one of the most visually striking configurations available on any Honda vehicle of the era. When it expanded to LX and EX trims in 2009, it lost its SC-exclusive status but remained a popular choice.

Several other colors were available on the SC alongside standard trims:

Early Honda Element models (primarily 2003–2006 EX trim) used unpainted textured composite exterior panels. These panels were molded in color and used separate codes from the body paint. The EX-P package (available in later years) replaced these with body-color painted panels using the same code as the steel body panels.

Honda Element interior color codes are also found on the door jamb sticker, typically adjacent to the exterior paint code.

1. Production numbers by paint code — Honda Element Owners Club
2. Rarest Honda Element color discussion — Facebook
3. Omni Blue Pearl color discussion — Facebook Element Classifieds
4. Honda Element Touch Up Paint (30 OEM Colors) — PaintScratch
5. Honda Element Color Codes — RamblerDan
6. Paint Colors & Codes (2003–2011) — ElementDIY
7. Honda Element (2003–2011) Paint Colors and Brochures — ImportArchive
8. Honda Touch Up Paint by Year — AutomotiveTouchup
9. Honda Element Colors by Year — CarsDirect