Honda has five multi-use vehicles for '07 and each differs in size, organization and purpose. The collection includes mid-size Pilot sport-utility vehicle, CRV compact crossover, boxy Element for cargo-hauling, and Odyssey, a minivan with room for eight. Then there's Ridgeline, Honda's pickup described as a SUT, or sport-utility truck.

Ridgeline acts like a full-size pickup or high-hiked SUV. It features a four-door cab and a rear truck bed designed to carry outdoor sports equipment. Honda builds Ridgeline on a unibody structure also used for Pilot. The AWD system aboard every Ridgeline senses when four-wheel traction may be needed and shifts engine torque electronically from front to rear wheels. Muscle comes from a 3.5-liter V6 which hits 255 hp with an electronic five-speed automatic transaxle. Honda casts Ridgeline as the well-equipped RT, full-featured RTS and luxurious RTL or new RTX with standard towing equipment aboard.

Honda's mid-size SUV shows a two-wheel-drive (2WD) format or smart all-wheel-drive (AWD) system that's permanently engaged and directing the engine's muscle to all wheels to maintain traction. Honda's 3.5-liter V6 delivers 244 hp for Pilot's AWD versions, but with 2WD the V6 employs Honda's variable cylinder management (VCM) to trim the number of cylinders firing when a power boost is not required. Safety equipment includes frontal and side air bags plus curtain-style air bags for three rows. Cabin capacity extends to eight with twin front buckets, a middle bench for three plus the back bench for three children.

Honda's cubistic wagon brings a wash-and-wear cabin with four seats plus a powerful stereo system. Check out the flat-sided double doors: Front one's hinged up front but the rear door has hinges on the tail side and both doors open wide in pillar-less fashion to stuff gear aboard. Inside, the flat floor is covered by a urethane-coated surface that sweeps out fast and four flip-and-fold seats in the cabin are designed for quick cleaning.

For locomotion, Element stocks a twin-cam 2.4-liter in-line-four engine that reaches 156 hp and mates with the standard manual five-speed or optional automatic four-speed transaxle for FWD traction or a version with Honda's intelligent AWD system. This year there's a new top trim on tap -- the Element EX-P with premium gear from the EX edition plus body-colored painted side panels and exclusive paints like Tango Red Pearl or Tangerine Metallic.

The name explains Honda's compact SUV -- Comfortable Runabout Vehicle. It's a five-door crossover wagon with the cabin containing front buckets and a folding bench in back for three. Honda gives the CRV a face-lift in 2007 with bold new body styling patterned after Acura's RDX. There are 2WD versions plus AWD. All CRVs pull from the same engine, a 2.4-liter in-line-four that ties to a five-speed automatic or a manual five-speed with AWD. Safety items on all trims include an anti-lock brake system (ABS), VSA and curtain-style side air bags.

Honda's minivan contains substantial safety devices, which extend to a traction control system (TCS) and vehicle stability assist (VSA), plus curtain-style air bags above all outboard seats. Honda constructs Odyssey in four trims -- LX, EX, EX Leather and top Touring. Inside, there are up to three tiers of seats in place with options for folding or removing the second-row seats and a 'Magic Seat' in back that folds into the floor. A strong V6 engine delivers 244 hp. The top two trim grades apply Honda's VCM to decrease cylinder firing to conserve on fuel.