2019 / 2020 Honda Clarity PHEV | The Best Plug-In In America
Вставка
- Опубліковано 21 жов 2024
- Honda's Clarity line is best thought of as their line of Accord-sized green vehicles. We have a Hydrogen car that can't be filled outside of California, a short range EV that can't be leased outside of California and then we have the PHEV. Hands down the best plug-in hybrid sedan in America, but there's a catch: the Clarity PHEV will become a "order only" sedan outside of California shortly.
Join Today: bit.ly/2WdCEwW
The Best Cars, Trucks & SUVs: • The A List - The Best ...
Follow AoA on Facebook: theautobu...
Follow The Mountain Garden: goo.gl/icFWcd
I just bought a 2021 Clarity with 10,000 miles. An absolute gem of a car, and I have driven Teslas and Lexus!
Just bought a 2021 with 10k miles too. Such an easy car to drive, smooth and quiet.
As an owner all I can say is: Damn this is a nice car! Large, comfortable, plenty fast, quiet, and roomy. My wife was skeptical at first because of the styling. Recently she has started saying, "That is such a beautiful car!." And she's right. I have been encouraging everyone to test drive one, which, unfortunately is difficult now, because, like us, they will fall in love with this car. We pay 6 cents a kWh for charging. Laughing all the way to the bank.
This was my exact experience. My wife wasn't sold on buying another plug-in hybrid. We test drove it and she absolutely loves the Honda Clarity.
We charge our Clarity at home using the house solar system. Our operating costs are very low.
I believe you, but let's be serious, almost everybody loves their new car. But if we DON'T get one, it will be because of the see-through trunk lid. "Clearly" the best choice... 😀
We are really enjoying ours also. Greatly underrated, unknown mid size car , period. EV is just the icing on the cake......😀
In California we are paying 21c per kwh... not nearly as cheap
Just bought one today and I'm thrilled. Alex, you're one of the reasons why we chose it. Your reviews are excellent and a public service. Thank you!
I was planning on purchasing it too until I visited the Honda website and saw you can't get ventilated seats on this like you can on the Accord Touring edition. I live in the hot south..and ventilated seats are a life saver for us.
Ms. McNair
Did you purchase used or new? We are looking into one.
Can I ask why you didn't choose the Prime?
Alex is a legend 😎
How'd you like the car
Just got one used 2018 30k miles!! First plug and hybrid!
I bought my Honda Clarity 2018 Touring in October of 2018. I am closing in on 30,000 miles and I absolutely love the car. The car has plenty of room for my family (I'm 6'2 and I have two small children in child seats). The trunk is very usable and the interior quality is fantastic. I have had 0 issues with the car and I enjoy driving the vehicle. I upgraded from a Chevy Volt and the interior quality/ride quality are miles ahead on the Honda Clarity.
Great video! This is by far the best PHEV choice on the market today.
The comment is spot on.
Ok but How many miles on Battery
@@josephjohn907 I bought in Dec 18 and have 30,281 as of now ( via the Honda App). I go by fillups --which are from 3 to the max 7 gallons---which I have 14 gas receipts. I plug in at home ( for the EV rate) and at work. Also, Ive mapped out the places with free chargers so I try to do business there ( not fanatical about it).
I owned a Crosstour (2010-2015) and liked the car very much. I had the V-6 version which had great power but the gas mileage that left a lot to be desired. I was excited when the Clarity came out because I had been looking to get into an electric vehicle but still needed to have the back up of a gas engine for road trips. I’ve had my Clarity Touring for five months and have to say that I am really pleased. It’s not perfect - no car is - but I love the ability to plug-in at home and avoid filling up with gas for 75% of the driving I do. I bought a Clarity a few months after I had a robust solar system installed in my house, and negotiated a level 2 charger thrown into the deal. I have taken the Clarity on a couple of long road trips and have found it to be a very comfortable car despite my larger size (both height and weight). I think that your review was very fair and informative.
I personally love the clarity's styling.
It looks like nothing else on the road. A lot of people complain that every car looks the same but the second an automaker designs something different, its deemed as ugly
Exactly what happened with the Prius. Toyota made a mainstream hybrid vehicle with an aerodynamic design. People called it ugly for years.
Alex, you are BY FAR the most complete auto reviewer online! It's wonderful how you completely explain technology in an easily understandable manner! You're the best!
We’ve had our clarity for a year now, 15k miles with one service visit and it tells me my next service visit is 5 months from now. We buy about 5 gallons of gas every month. I can honestly say it is the best car i have ever owned. The style of a vehicle used to mean more to me than anything else; now comfort and efficiency matter.
The styling is beautiful because it is based on function that allows a 4000lb car to get 50-60 EV miles and 42 HV mpg.
Larry Feig EV is decent but the gas mileage is kinda low. I see a good 55+ in my all gas car...
Larry Feig 40s are a bad day...
@@samusaran7317 - First off, for a two ton car to have that level of fuel economy is quite impressive. Second, low to mid 40 mpg is pretty good. Out of a list of most fuel efficient Sedans: If you remove all the PHEV's from the list only nine sedans have a better mpg than the Clarity.
#1 Hyundai Ioniq Blue with 58 MPG
#2 Toyota Prius Eco with 56 MPG
#3 (tie) Toyota Camry Hybrid and Honda Insight with 52 MPG
#5 Honda Accord Hybrid with 48 MPG
#6 (tie) Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid and Toyota Prius C with 46 MPG
#8 (tie) Toyota Avalon Hybrid and Lexus ES 300h with 44 MPG
That same list ranks the Clarity as the third most fuel efficient, based on the 110 MPGe. BTW, based on the list it looks like USNews 103 MPGe is better than 52 MPG, but less than 56 MPG. (So it looks like they about double the MPG to compare to the MPGe?)
@@samusaran7317 and what car is that?
by the far one of the most informative reviewers in UA-cam. Thanks
After owning a Clarity for over a year now I have to say this car is honestly a dream!!! So comfortable, so roomy, so luxurious. Just wish the Touring Clarity matched the Touring Accord Hybrid with specs. Missing a sunroof, fog lights, heated rear seats, no front ventilated seats, no built in wi-fi (due to older Accord model), no heated steering wheel, no HUD. Many many features I would pay extra for and lose perhaps 5 miles of EV range for due to weight. Front looks are AMAZING. Love the DRLs and so distinctive, you know it is a Clarity coming down the road. Got used to the fender skirt, kind of like it now after knowing the purpose of it. The back definitely takes getting used to. I solely got the black model in order to hide that black glass panel on trunk lid. Wanted white model but thay black bar looked way too bizarre. Overall a great car though! In summer get about 58 miles on a full battery and in winter (upstate NY) about 28-30 miles on a full battery with heating cabin and driving regular. No compromise vehicle, and definitely beats the Volt in every way.
I was planning on purchasing it too until I visited the Honda website and saw you can't get ventilated seats on this like you can on the Accord Touring edition. I live in the hot south..and ventilated seats are a life saver for us. And the other things you mentioned it is missing that is in the Accord Touring is just too much for me. Should be purchasing an Accord Touring next year when the 2020 model is at a better price.
I bought mine april 2018, great car, no regrets here, a test drive will convince most drivers...
Until the battery pack dies and you have to replace it
@@pinkisforpimps battery is generally last very long
@@pinkisforpimps You know people said the same thing about the toyota prius 20 years ago, stay in the past while I save on gas.
Cool ignorant negative comment.
@@gp2003gt bravo.
Alex's usual thorough and enlightening review is enhanced even further with an exception explanation of the differences between various manufacturers' hybrid systems. Great job! Personally, I really like the exterior design of the Clarity, especially the stylistic flourishes in the rear quarter panels.
Great accurate review. One point for California buyers - having the car allows your house the better eva-2 PG&E rate plan. My energy bills FELL $125/month even with the overnight charging. Not $700/yr in power and fuel, more like -$1000!
We recently bought a 2020 Clarity and love it. We live in Washington state in the Seattle area. There was only one dealership that had any inventory of Claritys to speak of. Still get the $7,500 Fed rebate and Washington reduces the sales tax on electric vehicles. My only complaint is that there is no way to set the priority for which cell phone it connects to when there are two phones in the car. It always defaults to the last phone it connected to. In two months of ownership, I have put 7 gallons of gas in it, only because we made a round trip to Portland. In two months I have only seen one other Clarity on the road. Honda needs to start promoting this car. It deserves a bigger audience.
This is the best car I've ever owned, driven, or ridden in. It is super quiet, rides smooth and comfortable, has all the power we need. We charge it at home driving where we need to for weeks at a time without using the engine or any gas. Then when we want to take a 500 mile trip there is no range anxiety or long charge stops that a pure EV would have to do. Great car. I'd buy it again.
I agree and Alex must have been driving on a very rough road when he measured the noise in the cabin. On a regular road this is amazingly quiet! I have owned this car for 2 years and it is the best car I have ever owned with includes an Acura TL that cost more in 2002!
@@lfeig Ive noticed that with Hondas in general. They are super smooth on good roads but loud on bad ones. They are designed for Japan where the roads are maintained with excellent quality like everything else there.
For How many hrs you drive continuously with family Or single?
Larry Feig , Alex already admitted that the cabin noise figure was a typo. It's supposed to be 73dB, not 83dB (IIRC).
Dang, alex, you kill it everytime. We love your videos. Thanks 🤗🤗🤗
Awesome! Thanks Alex! I've owned my 2018 Touring since April of last year. 35 000 km/22 000 miles and I run it 75% on EV! I chose it specifically for the range (and it being a Honda). Keep up the great work!
Definitely function over form, the rear side battery spaces, and wheel coverage for aerodynamics and better fuel economy, its big and a great commuter + passenger business car.
Great review. You did a great job pointing out that the Clarity is a BIG car. In fact, I would caution people who live in cities to realize how big it is before buying one. The external dimensions are about the same as the previous model Toyota Avalon, a full sized car. For some reason, most car reviewers compare it directly with the Chevy Volt and Toyota Prius Prime without pointing out the dramatic differences in size, inside and out. Regarding your mileage, it's likely your modest speeds on your commute than going up and down a mountain pass that gave you such good mileage. It takes far more energy to climb hills and you don't recover all of that going down due to energy losses. In my Clarity, I consistently get 52 mpg at 55 mph on the flats in hybrid mode but that drops to the low 40's at 75 mph.
Sarabeth yes just like the Accord hybrid i have it is much more efficient at 50 to 60mph where you easily get 50plus mpg than at 75mph where low 40s is typical. The Camry hybrid is better at higher speed because it has a larger engine and doesn't have to work as hard.
I bought a touring model last year. Taking dealer/fed/state incentives into account, the car cost me just a hair over $20k. Styling stopped bothering me as soon as I drove it off the lot; creature comforts more than make up for the odd styling.
Seriously, from the plush ride, to the accent soft-white lighting throughout the cabin, this car oozes class. Also, I'm consistently exceeding 50mpg(after accounting for battery miles) and get roughly 55miles on the battery.
Not bad for a large car with decent pickup!
After nearly a year of owning it, I have zero regrets with this car. Absolutely love it!
I’m so glad we bought our Clarity before Honda pulled them from the car lots. We love this car and get so many comments on how great this car looks. All this and we got a new 2018 model for under $20k after federal rebate.
Under 20??? How?
@@youthought1343 I made a video on this, but to keep it short, I bought it in Indiana right when Honda was moving all inventory to California. We got the car out the door for $26K. I do have the base model and not the touring, but still a great deal. I also qualified for the $7500 tax credit, so that brought it below the $20K mark. I live in KY, so I did not have state rebates.
Kudos to Alex - the first automotive journalist to cite a 0-60 acceleration time for a PHEV operating in "EV Mode".
Great review! I’m a very happy owner of a 2019 Clarity Touring white with the tan interior. The inside is beautiful, spacious and elegant. The infotainment is ok, would be nice to have the volume knob. The exterior is different and was engineered to be efficient and more aerodynamic. I personally like it and I’m happy with my Clarity. We got such a good deal on it in the USA. The Clarity is almost $60k in Japan! I got mine for $29,650 and with close to $10,000 on rebates and incentives is going to cost me less than $20,000!! If this car was a hatchback and had a 100 mile range it would be flying off the dealer floors.
Ty for the dets.
I was planning on purchasing it too until I visited the Honda website and saw you can't get ventilated seats on this like you can on the Accord Touring edition. I live in the hot south..and ventilated seats are a life saver for us.
Few comments from an owner (Feb 2018):
1. What is shown as a battery pack, is actually the gas tank. The battery pack is under the floor and extends all the way to the front seats;
2. The battery pack is 18.4 kWh, of which 17 kWh is useful;
3. The motors combination works differently from the description in the video: In hybrid mode, Clarity acts as serial hybrid at low speeds (motor charges the battery, battery runs the electric motor, the motor will go on and off, as a function of the battery charge) and as parallel hybrid at higher speeds (ICE rotates the wheels, battery recharging is done through the "regen" on the electric motor, the ICE stays ON all the time). If full power (212 HP) is required, both motors will work together, regardless of the speed.
There is some "bugs", but overall it is an excellent vehicle.
You are by far the best car reviewer on youtube hands down, liked.
Had a Honda Clarity, unfortunately wrote it off then got a Model 3 LR RWD. The Clarity was a great car, still miss it even with a model 3. It was quiet smooth, lots of room with a conventional interior and Honda quality. Miss Android Auto and Apple carplay. Love the Tesla too but I was perfectly content with the Clarity.
J C I have both a Clarity EV and 2015 model S. I have to say Clarity is more comfortable day to day car. And much better value.
@@Mr_Nobody_CA We have a Kia Soul EV and will probably get the Clarity. My son-in-law has the Tesla 3, but my wife hates the cockpit layout.
Absolutely no Tesla for me. Electric vehicle is a nuisance. Plug-in hybrid is a bless.
My first plug-in hybrid car! Terrific job bro.
Alex, your the best reviewer on UA-cam, @ 1535 I spit my coffee all over my IPad !!!!! You looked so comfortable half in the back seat and the other half in the trunk, that was ingenious and hilarious!!!!! Keep up the great videos
Yeah Alex, you should warn us about the video to become that graphicy. I almost chocked.
Did u have to use a lot of lube?
Hey Alex, I really enjoyed your review. Love your consistency with camera shots and scenes.
A critique, if I may, regarding the exterior front/back shots. Sometimes you have the opposing signal light active as you discuss the styling and such. I'd like to suggest that you do a quick run through of all the different lighting setups. Brake lights, Lowbeams highbeams fog lights DRLs, etc. Thanks! Keep it up!
Great video Alex. I have had the 2018 Clarity PHEV Touring for almost a year. So far I still LOVE it!! Summer time in WV I get 56 miles EV range. It gets me everywhere I need to go. I do have the level 2 charger and it charges from empty to full in just under 2 hours. I love this on long trips also. I’m short- I would totally recommend this to anyone. Especially if anyone wants a stepping stone towards getting an all EV later.
Came from a ‘10 Prius, bought a ‘19 Clarity PHEV first as a lease & then decided to keep it. It’s not a looker from the outside, but Alex is on-point for the car’s functionality. I’ve covered about 8-9 roundtrips from northern CA to southern CA since ownership with no issues. It’s not the quickest, but it’s definitely an improvement from my old Prius. Spacious backseat & trunk capacity. Great EV functionality for daily commuting. Can definitely shove more electricity when using public chargers, never felt any sense of range anxiety. Relatively smooth ride.
This has been the unexpected value proposition, especially considering that gas is $6/gallon in CA at time of posting this. Not the sexiest design (on the outside), but this really is a solid choice & so easy to live with.
I visited the four largest Honda dealerships in my state (MS) and all four REFUSED to order a Clarity PHEV for me. I ended up going out-of-state to purchase a 2018 left-over - as there are no differences between the 2019 and 2018 models.
In a big Honda dealer in Las Vegas, they only have 1 or 2 Clarities on the grounds at any time. They have to be ordered in advance and the customer has to allow enough time for arrival. As of August 2018 the salespeople really didn't know about many of the controls on this car. As for charging, it took a lot of questions and outside digging to find out what kind of 220 volt charger to use (Muststart ordered not from Honda but Amzon!), and even the electrician had a problem knowing what was required for the installation in the garage. We finally made sure to put in a RELAY in the circuit to minimize the likelihood of fire in case of malfunction. My conclusion is that the Honda company itself isn't too keen on producing any more of these vehicles than they think they can sell, especially since sedans are a shrinking percentage of the American market. Also this car is designed with the bulbous rear end in order to accomodate hydrogen fuel cells, which I understand Honda believes may be the future. Also I believe the dealers are wary of electric cars, which could have a huge negative impact on their service department business.
I live in the middle of the state of Illinois, and the rarity of this vehicle was quite apparent. About three months ago I was looking for a new car, and really wanted to "cut my carbon footprint". I was looking at this car and the Hyundai IoniQ. They were both very rare here in the state. I found a 2018 model about an hour away, but they were acting like they are selling quickly. Really!?, a 2018 in 2019 is "selling quickly". I ended up getting a great deal, like $31K on a touring model, including an extended 8-10 year warranty. All I had to do is be open to drive another 2 hours to St. Louis or Chicago. I let the previous dealership know that I found the price I requested elsewhere and they tried to bend over backwards to bring me back. I actually found NO 2019 models in this state, the KBB tool was great in finding availability even for new cars. I am very happy with my choice. I basically use electric 95% of the time, only when I go on longer trips to either Chicago, St. Louis, Iowa, or Wisconsin, do I even touch that hybrid mode. Great review.
Wow what's their problem? ?
I personally quite like the styling. I like how the rear fenders somewhat reminisce of the first gen Insight. Maybe I'll buy a clarity once it's a few years old because ev's seem to depreciate in value. No sunroof really seems to be a deal breaker though! I think touring trim should have gotten one. Love the video!
I agree that the Clarity is likely the best plug in on the market.....that I found completely by chance two months ago. Crazy since, as you noted, this is a 10 year old addition to the Honda family. And I likely wouldn't have heard about it until today had I not been actively searching high and low for a new hybrid to replace my 2015 Ford Fusion Energi since it's leaving the market. I've never seen a commercial for this vehicle and while I see MANY Hondas on the roads, I rarely see this one. I find it weird that Honda has such a quality car in its lineup, yet it does little to let the public at large know it exists. Even the dealer at the dealership I went to thought the car had been discontinued because he'd been given so little info on it. It's almost as if they want the car to fail.
I REALLY hope this car sticks around for a while longer (maybe given a physical refresh and adding a sun/moon roof) before Honda decides to let the car go; which is what it feels like they are moving towards.
And on the flip side of the price-point coin, it kind of sucks that all of the federal tax credits are dwindling away. It's going to make buying these cars far less attractive in the eyes of the common blue collar work force (which I'm a member of). I suppose too many people were buying into these fuel-saving vehicles for the government to want to keep writing those checks. The well had to dry up some time I guess.
The Clarity is a little over a year-and-a-half old, not 10. But everything else is spot on. It's like Honda wants the car to fail. But are the tax credits officially going away? I think the Republicans want to kill them but they keep surviving.
@@MikeLoomis Thanks for the clarification. When I googled the car's life, it stated that it dated back to '09. Maybe it existed as a different vehicle before it was refreshed...
This can be a great deal if you're going to use it electric mode most of the time.
Having grown up in North Jersey, I love the look of '80's Cadillac wheel shrouds. So, yes, I like the Clarity exterior styling. :)
Awesome review. Perhaps the finest and most informative review I've downloaded. Convinced me to purchase the Clarity Plugin (Touring)
We are about to pull the trigger on the Clarity. I was very happy to hear your only big knock being the exterior, because I think it looks great in comparison to anything else I've seen. It looks little different to me than the Accord, which was my standard for how I wanted a mid-size to look. But then again, I'm just a major Honda fan. The straight rear well design looks great - distinctive more than anything. The little spoiler in the back is supposed to help with the aerodynamics and mileage and I'm all for that. I didn't have any problem seeing out the back on our test drive today. I'm in love.
As far as the quality of your video, I give you an A+.
Where were you able to find one?
Don’t care for exterior and interior designs. Powertrain configuration, operation, and efficiency are great; they just need to fire the design teams.
Remember, this car was designed in 2014...
@@narphizoid And it looks it.
Not range is terrible for a plug-in Hybrid
I just bought the Clarity and I’m absolutely in love!
THIS. CAR. IS. PHENOMENAL. I have a 2021. I was able to get it on the East Coast.
We has owned this car for seven months. We owned 5 Honda in the past. This one is absolutely a joy to drive. Quiet, smooth, reliable, comfortable and cheap to operate. We have not put in any gasoline. Not once. We drive it every single day.
We only drive in the city. It might not be your first choice if you want to do highway driving frequently.
Honda needs to improve on the back end of their cars.....they don't look as good as they did in the early 90's but I appreciate how they try to do something unique.
totally agreeing with you on everything you said, i got a clarity and loving it
Nice car overall! I really love it in the green-teal color it comes in. I wish they would ditch the rear skirt but, I totally get why they do it for aerodynamics. Extremely informative review as always, Alex. Keep up the great work!
Please don't change how you normally review the interior. Typically, you pan around from the passenger side to the center console to the driver's side. I missed that in this video! Love your work!
Thank you for your excellent review. We bought 2019 Base model. Couldn't be happier with the purchase. Over 2200 miles on the car now but only used less than 3 gallons of gas since new.
Bought my Clarity in May 2018. Love it still. I have only had to put gas in it about 8 times when vacation traveling. Very comfortable and classy looking in black. It gets lots of looks and questions...all favorable. I get a big bonus since my home is powered by solar and thus my Clarity!
I Love mine , best car that i ever had , i highly recommend it !!!!!
I was planning on purchasing it too until I visited the Honda website and saw you can't get ventilated seats on this like you can on the Accord Touring edition. I live in the hot south..and ventilated seats are a life saver for us.
Take a drink every time he says ‘2200’ mountain pass’
So many people say these cars need "getting used to" but I think they look nicer than normal cars in the same category
We drove one. It's a gem.
83 dB (20:48)? That HAS to be a mistake. I bet Alex means 73 dB. 83 dB would be extremely loud! Alex, please comment.
Jeff Arnholt pretty odd since that’s last review of this I think was under 70db too
Oops. 73, not 83. That is a typo
73db is freaking loud too
Alex, on your previous review about a year ago, you said it was 69.5 db. Which one is correct?
You said 2018 clarity was 69.5db. Can’t be 73 db for upgraded ones
I've had my Clarity for 7 months and put 12,000 miles and have nothing but good things to say about this car. I easily get mid 50s to low 60s miles in EV mode even though it's only rated for 47 so my daily commute of 48 miles is done in electric only (no emissions!). Having the gas generator as a backup gives a lot of ease of mind for longer trips and when you use it the car gets great gas mileage.
Seats are very comfortable and the ride quality is unreal. The infotainmnet system is the old Honda model but since I use Android Auto I don't have to worry about the lackluster features and lag of the Honda system.
Have you watched the youtube videos on changing the screens? I changed mine to the floating blocks.
Clarity is the best riding hybrid ever made, a friend of mine owns one, it's great on every level!
The goofy design makes me think of the original Insight.
least thing i can do for you is watch the ads w/o skipping, thank you for your reviews
Undocumented feature of the Clarity is the Level 1 EVSE provided with the vehicle can be used on 240v power. I've used mine for several months on 240v, and it takes about 5.5 hours to charge the battery from empty to full. No need to purchase a Level 2 EVSE.
Mowcowbell I have been tempted to do this for a while, just cautious. I am an engineer and it is against my religion to ignore the UL guidelines. lol I might give in and try it though.
I've done this modification using an adapter cable.
I didn't know we could do that. So would I have to buy an adapter to plug it into the 240?
@@sillygoose4176 I made one by using a NEMA 6-20 (240v) extension cord, cut off the receptacle end, replaced that with a NEMA 5-20 plug. This will allow you to plug the Clarity evse into that end. Plug the other end of the modded extension cord into a NEMA 6-20 outlet and you got a 240v Level 2 evse for about $20 in parts.
@@TheCommonSenseProfessor If you look at the side of the J1772 end of the Honda evse, it says 120-277v.
I owe the clarity touring. It's a great car. Comfortable driving and interior. I don't notice anything unusual about style. The rear back is different but not in a bad way. The car is on the larger size when you park it beside other cars and it will show. If you're thinking about it, go for it
I purchased a 2018 Clarity in June 2018, which replaced a 2010 Honda Insight "mild hybrid," that I gave to my daughter. Note: I purchased the Clarity because the only problem I had with the Insight was a defective tire pressure sensor in one wheel at ~33k miles. I averaged 46.8 mpg (Highway EPA rated @ 43 mpg) for almost 80 k miles. The computer for the Insight consistently over-estimated actual fuel economy 6.25-6.5% (probably software "calculated/dictated" by marketing (LIZARDS!) instead of engineers)!! However, I could easily get 535-550 miles range on the highway with Insight's 10 gallon tank.
The Clarity - when driven conservatively - has consistently yielded better than 53 mpg (you really have to ignore the computer generated displayed fuel economy, since it only approximates fuel burned and does not factor in electric range as you stated. However, one thing I have noted is substantially longer range than the 320 lies total. On a long trip, I "pack" the 7.3 gallon tank (NOTE: packing the tank is not recommended, since the liquid gasoline can expand and possibly force liquid gasoline into the gasoline vapor carbon cannister, which is designed to absorb gasoline vapors only! As soon as I enter the highway (not in town driving), I select "Sport Mode" w/"HV-ON" forcing the drive train to operate in hybrid mode where the battery "helps" the engine for passing, etc. I also monitor when the engine, or both is supplying power the electric motors. Keeping highway speeds not exceeding 65 mph and/or getting behind a tractor-trailer has a significant reduction in wind resistance and you still average overall what the speeders do, since "health stops" are a big factor. I have consistently achieved highway ranges from 400-430 miles between fill-ups and no recharging of the 17 kwh battery stack over 1300 miles.
If you drive it like a Corvette or Porsche, you will probably be unhappy with the fuel economy, although it does meet it's EPA numbers. As stated in the review, ride and handling is very good, although road noise on certain pavements were excessive at times - run flats issue?. Even though the hood, rear deck lid and door panels are aluminum (NOTE: top and rear quarter panels are steel), curb weight is around 4100 pounds.
In summary, if you can accept Clarity's controversial style and drive like it is intended to be operated, this is a very good automobile - it is a HONDA!!
Ok but how many miles in total and how many on Battery
I just bought an off-lease low miles 2019 Chevy Volt. I like it better than any PHEV I've looked at.
Alex you are right on it!!! Best Phev choice and if you get a low mileage used the value for price is great. Recently bought ours .......
Consumer Reports gave Clarity a 54 and made worst hybrid list.
@@normt5463 the Clarity is the most underrated rated Phev but it is the best. Now, that makes for a great value for a great electric car with extended gas assisted range.
@@htnowpro CR disagrees rating the Clarity last place with the lowest rating in the segment.
I remember you saying how much you loved the Fusion Energi interior. I have a 2017 Fusion Energi. I have been inside the interior of a Clarity. Without a doubt the Fusion Energi interior is much better. Competing a Energi vs the Clarity Touring. The sunroof is an added improvement on the Ford. By the way Used Fusion Energi's are the best Used Plug-in deal in the USA. If you can find a one year old Fusion Energi with low miles and Ford Certified Used Warranty it’s by far the best deal. I bought a 10 month old Fusion Energi with 14,000 mikes at 40% off the list of new. I must say, I don’t need a truck since I have no kids and my back seat is my truck. If you need a truck get the Clarity. On your test the Fusion is quieter and I can attest to that. One of the quietest cars I ever had.
I’ve had this vehicle for over a year now with 18k miles on it. It’s pretty comfortable overall. There’s plenty of room for people and stuff, pretty large trunk space for a plug-in. But there’s still some range anxiety because if you drive it with an empty charge, you’ll hear the engine when stepping on the acceleration. It’s a pretty good vehicle overall for everyday commuting. My weekly fill-up at the gas station averages $12. For LA, and with a daily commute averaging 80 miles a day, pretty good. I do use a second gas vehicle for long trips though, to be on the safe side.
Anan Chiang how is range anxiety related to engine noise? Also can you comment on reliability (may be too early to say) and power when battery is depleted? Thx
@@garykong7597 The key is to not let the battery get depleted. Even on long trips it can be done. Using HV mode on the highway uses the gas engine to keep the battery charged at about the same level as when you put it into HV mode. Starting with a full charge and using HV when you reach the highway it should keep it at about 55% full. Then your stops are for gasoline, not charging. Unless you find a charge station that is.
gary kong The engine noise is probably related to it having to work harder to accelerate when the charge has run out (I’m no engineer or expert). So my range anxiety is related to the vehicle no longer getting as many MPG if charge has run out. Also, the fuel tank only has 7 gallons capacity. Personally, I’m just annoyed with the loud engine noise when the car is usually very quiet. You will notice some noise too if you stay in HOV mode while in stop and go traffic, every time you hit the accelerator. But the car gives you the ability to choose the setting so I use charge only when I’m stuck in traffic, and see the charge level maintain very well. Then use HOV mode for good traffic flow on the freeways. It works out well for me. It’s a nice car overall, but I’ve learned to always calculate my trips with my charge level. I personally have not had any issues with the car reliability wise. I did run out of battery once and I was still over an hour from home. I made sure to drive slower because without the battery to help out, you’ll see less miles on a small tank.
Range anxiety = Pure electric with 50 miles left and the next charging station is 55 miles away.
@@oldtwinsna8347 I agree. I drove a pure electric and a CNG before I got the Clarity. Huge improvement on range anxiety.
I have 67k on mine now. Averaging 108mpg in total. Have taken some long road trips in the vehicle. It's a great vehicle.
How’s your battery capacity after those miles? Still good?
@@derek78w on cold days it's about 37 and warmer days 41. The actual milage I have not tested out. It seems to be pretty close what the computer predicts when it's charged.
I like the styling personally... I'm a former 2001 Honda Insight owner.
I have the 2018 Clarity...nice drive, beautiful car..roomy, nice interior and we love the drive. My wife loves the fact that there are no emissions in electric mode as she is sensitive to odours and this is a big plus for her. We got the incentives as we are from Toronto, Canada which was 13500 at the time now has been taken away and am not sure how much we are entitled to. Perhaps we only get 5000 now. The care was about 50000 canadian so the incentive makes a huge difference when buying these vehicles as now I can also justify putting in a new battery in 8 years.
I have this car and it's simply awesome. Once you drive it, you love it. I don't understand why Honda doing such a pretty bad job promoting the car, and limiting only to CA.
I think they’re planing on replacing it that’s why
I just bought the 2019 Clarity here in Florida and I’m quite happy with the vehicle. It was a very hard find since the vehicle itself is not being sold new here in Florida.
Please make it a hatchback Honda, the back already looks like it!
Hughes Le yeah was thinking the exact same thing why on earth would they have not simply made it a hatchback?? Can’t get my dogs in there as a “sedan”
You are an excellent speaker!!! Thanks for the great review.
Thanks Alex! Another great review. Bought a new 2019 Clarity base in silver and got a super low price via Costco. It's beautiful in a Japanese sort of way making it a little more unique. Solar at home and many free charging stations here in California makes this a no brainer purchase! Japanese build quality and reliability, what's not to like! ;-) Keep up the good work Alex..
Alex: I actually LIKE the interior styling of the Clarity. Of course I was OK with the Crosstour and this actually comes closer to the best oval style ever, the 1994 Saab 900. So given your fantastic review on everything else, we'll start shopping for this car. too bad the full BEV was discontinued...
Great car, it should be selling more.
I just heard that Toyota is coming with a Rav4 PHEV, can't wait to se your review on it.if should be shown at the LA Auto show in a few weeks, hopefully with all the specs!thanks for you great show.
Having owned a 2018 Clarity for over a year, I'd comment on statement: starting at 21:12..."if you treat the Clarity nicely you could about 50 mi of EV range...etc" This is an untrue 'sales statement!' Electric (EV) mileage is *not* related to how you "treat the car". I wish the following was *explained to customers* by Clarity dealers: the car's battery operated mileage varies greatly according to ambient air temperature. Once you set the desired 'cab temperature', let's say at 72F, then the car will automatically heat cab whenever the ambient air temperature is much below that set point and will operate the A/C when above, except you can optionally turn off the A/C. Automatically heating the cab is a considerable drain on the electric power, and the lower the ambient temperature the more energy the cab heater will drain from the battery. I've gotten as little as 28 mi using just battery power in the cold of winter. In the Spring, when air temps are near 72F, the car gets as much as 54 mi per battery charge. In the summer, slightly less (but not nearly as low mileage as in winter) around 44 to 48 mi depending on how strongly the A/C must run. So Honda averages the battery mileage (and presumably the air temps) to get its advertised battery (EV) mileage = 47 mi. But as explained (above) that's not what buyers will experience once the car is in their hands.
Ok but how many miles in total and how many on Battery
@@josephjohn907 Aren't sure if you mean me? But here's my 1st years stats: Electrical Miles = 7,426 Gas Engine Miles = 1,702 Yrs Avg Cost/Mi when Electrically Driven = 3.9 cents Yrs Avg Cost/Mi when Gasoline Driven = 5.4 cents
@Word Carr
I believe what Alex meant is that if you drive this car like a Porsche 911..stomping on the gas pedal and speeding all over the place..then you will not get as good MPG as if you drove it like a little old lady in a Cadillac. What you stated is true..but so is what Alex stated. Both things count if trying to achieve the highest MPG possible.
I was planning on purchasing it too until I visited the Honda website and saw you can't get ventilated seats on this like you can on the Accord Touring edition. I live in the hot south..and ventilated seats are a life saver for us.
From reviews I've read that drop in the battery's EV range is NOT a result of heating the cabin but rather because the BATTERY is cold in cold weather. They sell battery heaters for some cars for that reason. Then the battery performs at normal capacity.
Such a thorough review. Really helpful, especially during Covid, when I'm wanting to shop from home.
Why oh why did they stop making these? PHEVs are definitely the best way to go. Best of both worlds,
I went to a dealership to look at one. I liked the size and the looks were acceptable. I asked the salesman if they had a battery capacity warranty (i.e., not a defects warranty). He didn't know, but said that he would find out. A few days later he called to tell me that it did not. I explained my lack of trust in Honda due to my experience with the Honda Civic Hybrid (there was a class action lawsuit).
If consumers told the manufacturers that they would not buy these vehicles without capacity warranties, they would have to do so or not sell any. The average manufacturer is going to have a much better idea of the expected lifespan of the battery than the average consumer.
Interesting, because the EV warranty states "dealer can determine the state of
health of your high voltage battery
and determine if the degradation
level is within the expected range.
Greater than normal degradation
is covered under the High Voltage
Battery Capacity Warranty, subject
to applicable limitations in such
warranty. "
@@ALMX5DP Thanks for the information. They told me that there was no capacity warranty for the Clarity at the time. When I had the Civic Hybrid, Honda said that the battery would have to lose over 85% of its capacity to be replaced under warranty. Did Honda provide a percent value and, if so, do you know the number or have a link for the warranty?
@@michaelcavalier8750 I didnt see a percent value, and you could be right in the fact that this verbiage is missing from the hybrid versions (I couldnt find a link to that warranty book). The source I found was this: owners.honda.com/Documentum/Warranty/Handbooks/2018_Honda_Warranty_Basebook_AWL_06779__Clarity_BEV_SIS_.pdf
@@ALMX5DP The phrase "Greater than normal degradation" is not worth much to me from a company that told me that my car's 84% loss in capacity was not a problem.
@@michaelcavalier8750 It has to drop below 36.8Kwh within the period of 8 years to be replaced under warranty. The new battery is 55-ish Kwh (forgive my approximation) I am talking specifically about Plug-in Hybrid version (NOT full electric)
I am certain, if I owned a Clarity, I would be EV over 90% of the time. When I consider incentives, the Clarity appears to be half the price of the Tesla model 3 of similar range rating. It’s not as fancy as the Tesla but the Clarity gets the job done.
Bought mine in Feb 2019. Only filled it 3 times since then and I have 4,000 miles on it so far. Summer get 61 miles of EV range. Winter 30 on electric. Styling doesn't bother me and very comfortable. Glad I went with Honda. Free charging = no limited gas bill. Buy it.
how or where do you get Free Charging?
@@designthinkingwithgian Charge point in my area is free,
Very insightful comparison of hybrid technologies. Thanks!
Great video! I recently bought a 2019 Camry LE hybrid, and was curious about the Clarity. They both should be similar in size, but I was surprised the hybrid mode didn't get as good of mileage as the Camry LE hybrid. I think the Camry is also a smidge quicker 0-60, but its electric motor is very weak compared to the Clarity. So EV mode (up to 20mph in the Camry) is not as livable as driving a Clarity. I do think PHEVs are way more practical than just EVs as most people don't drive 100 miles a day, and if you go out of town you can just splash more energy into the gas tank. The newest Prius Prime should be about as quick/more efficient, but still does not match the size of the Clarity.
I'm going to try to remain happy with my Camry Hybrid for at least a decade. Maybe by then the car industry will have tons of exciting options and new tech! The Clarity's 47 miles of range would handle 99% of my daily needs.
A great video! Alex has become my go to guy for practical, unbiased, and thorough reviews. Thank you to Alex on Autos! I have been looking at a used Volt to drive for daily use and limit the use of my full-size SUV for towing and trips. Alex's comments on the Volt vs. Clarity are persuasive, and we have a very good Honda dealer here in Rochester, MN. I note that used car values are a little bit higher for the Clairity, but not that different from the Volt. Is there any particular year I should be looking at? For Volt, I don't want anything older than a 2017, and preferably a 2019. Same for Clarity?
Absolutely enjoy your Reviews - Thank you
I REALLY like our 18 BMW 530e xDrive. I know that it's more expensive but it has the power, the comfort and handling. It would be nice if it has a longer EV range but overall we're averaging close to 50 mpg. The EV range is great for going to the store or around town. I don't consider it to be any larger than a mid size and bought it largely based upon AonA's review.
Mike Metzler how about the reliability and overall cost? I almost purchased a CPO 330e and it broke down during the test drive. It was two years old with only 20k miles. I’m so glad that happened! Love my Clarity and I’m it will outlived the BMW for half the cost
@@bmbrabus I guess time will tell but so far so good. I didn't like the seats in the Clarity or the 330. I agree that the 530e cost more but for my wants it works well so far. Don't know about driving performance of the Clarity because I couldn't get past the seats. I'm sure that your Clarity will outlive my 530e. Happy Driving!
I don't think it's ugly at all. I think it's a good looking, "stately" car, and I don't mind the back wheel skirt in the least.
To clarify the 212hp, it is ‘total system power’ instead of ‘wheel horsepower’!
ANYTIME you floor it, 212 hp is delivered by engine-generator and battery, but due to energy conversion loss only 181hp is offered from drive motor.
To clarify even more:
If a conventional gas car advertises 212 HP, they will call it "SAE net horsepower." That means that it is the maximum mechanical horsepower that the engine can provide to the car, not just to the wheels. Some powers your power steering compressor and several other peripherals. Some gets lost in the transmission. The rule of thumb used in the industry is that at most 85% can reach the wheels. In this hypothetical car, that is 0.85*212=181 HP.
But in this car, the engine doesn't deliver power mechanically. (At least, not when the demand for power is high.) It is delivered electrically. Electricity from the engine-generator is combined with electricity from the battery in a device called the Power Control Unit, or PCU. The maximum output of the PCU is 212 HP. Using the exact same rule of thumb, it was designed this way to match the capabilities of the traction motor; that is 181/0.85=212 HP.
Not happy that they discontinued this line, especially with no similar replacement and as gas prices continue to soar. I purchased a 2018 Clarity plug-in hybrid in early 2019 and love the car, but couldn't afford the Touring version. Now that I'm more able to afford the Touring version and looked to upgrade, I find out they're no longer made! Plus the used market is more expensive than what the new ones went for, and no tax credit. So I guess I'll stick with the current one I have. :-(
What a good video as always, I have a question regarding wich car do you consider is a better buying option, Hyundai ioniq (phev or hybrid) or the car featured on this video Honda Clarity phev thanks
the Honda is better suited for passengers (rear headroom is a joke tbh in Ioniq). I prefer the looks of the Ioniq though.
I love its funky looks.. looks unique
This will be Honda’s fastest car to depreciate in value. After their announcement it’s order only
you will never sell it. I have had one for 2 years, its the greatest car I have ever known- and after rebates its about 26K and that is the touring model!
Trigger Troll Tesla’s service infrastructure is part of the plan of model 3 volume sales. It’s coming, even to those people who lives in towns less than 5,000.
Great timing. I'm getting more serious about buying a new car soon and this might be tops on my list unless something new comes out over the next year from Toyota.
Excellent report. A funny looking car that I would call different. Like you said, when you are inside you do not see it! A friend bought one and he is in love with it after almost a year.
The battery is under the rear seats. What reduces the size of the trunk is the charging hardware.
What's peoples deal with the design? I think it looks amazing! It looks sporty, aggressive and modern, it doesn't look like an egg or a weird bubble like many other eco mobiles. So why are people complaining I really don't get it? What makes this more ugly than a Volt or an Ioniq? I personally think it looks better than the Ioniq.
A great review like always! But missed the passenger seat shot where you run down the usual list (seat belt height adjustable or not, how many ways the headrest adjusts, the door and dash plastics). But like I said, very thorough as always!
I like the exterior. Thanks! I was looking at the Subaru Crosstrek plug in Hybrid but it's not available in my area. So, I'm looking around at other options. Thanks, Alex!