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Honda Clarity PHEV 47 Mile AER Midsize Sedan

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#21
I have used it a few times so far. It does a pretty good job. It's maybe just under AP 1.0 as far as keeping in the lane. A little bit of ping-ponging, but overall it made for a nice and stress free ride on the highway. It's a little slow to accelerate back up after a stop so I find myself having to give it a bit more gas, but once it gets back up to speed, it does well. It does dive towards exit lanes just a bit but I haven't had it take off yet. I think it's just interpreting it as a wider lane and trying to stay in the middle. At a certain point, it straightens out and sticks to the inner line then after the exit it gets back in the middle nicely. It doesn't do lane changes automatically, but its kind of cool how you can begin to steer it into the adjacent lane and as soon as it picks up the lines it will finish the change and center up. The low speed follow feature was great in traffic. I just wish you didn't have to prompt it to start again after each stop, but I guess that's a safety feature.

My top priority for buying a Tesla was the EAP/FSD package so I was really surprised to find out the Honda had a version of these features. They're not Tesla quality, and there won't be any OTA updates, but TBH we haven't seen any real movement on EAP/FSD lately anyway.

I don't know if there is a Clarity owners group but there is myhondaclarity.com which has like 4 legit posts and a bunch of spam. If anyone knows of an owners group website, let me know. I don't have the time or energy to make one myself.
 
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#22
If you are planning on getting an Insight, it's probably better to wait for this one. I think used Insights will have little resale value (e.g Leaf).

Screen Shot 2018-02-08 at 6.25.54 PM.png
 
#23
Just finally watched the video in the first post. Someone should have showed him how to work the entertainment display. The volume control on the screen is very easy to use. Just touch the volume icon and move up slightly to increase or down slightly to decrease. It's a very cool infotainment system and I've been enjoying it very much. My first with Apple CarPlay and I'm starting to wonder how I lived without it.
 
#24
EV-lutioin said:
If you are planning on getting an Insight, it's probably better to wait for this one. I think used Insights will have little resale value (e.g Leaf).

View attachment 279021
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Not sure about the Insight. I don't think they've made those in quite a while, but I might be wrong. The new concept looks very similar to the Clarity but in a slightly lower spec/smaller cabin. Maybe the difference between an Accord and a Civic. If they can get the price in a good place, they will sell a ton of them since they still have plenty of EV tax credit availability.
 
#25
Funny, the guys in the second video didn't seem to know how to make the volume work either. The touring model also comes with power seats and seat position memory so perhaps the demo model they were in just didn't have it.

If I get some time this weekend, I may shoot a quick video or two. Let me know if there are any questions or anything you'd like to see.

Again, I think this car will keep me very happy for about two years when I hand it off to my daughter and hopefully pick up a nicely and fully refreshed Model S.
 
#26
AlanSqB said:
Not sure about the Insight. I don't think they've made those in quite a while, but I might be wrong. The new concept looks very similar to the Clarity but in a slightly lower spec/smaller cabin. Maybe the difference between an Accord and a Civic. If they can get the price in a good place, they will sell a ton of them since they still have plenty of EV tax credit availability.
Click to expand...

2019 Insight doesn't have a plug, no EV tax credit.

A base Clarity PHEV will be about the same as the Insight after the Federal Credit.
 
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#27
AlanSqB said:
I have used it a few times so far. It does a pretty good job. It's maybe just under AP 1.0 as far as keeping in the lane. A little bit of ping-ponging, but overall it made for a nice and stress free ride on the highway. It's a little slow to accelerate back up after a stop so I find myself having to give it a bit more gas, but once it gets back up to speed, it does well. It does dive towards exit lanes just a bit but I haven't had it take off yet. I think it's just interpreting it as a wider lane and trying to stay in the middle. At a certain point, it straightens out and sticks to the inner line then after the exit it gets back in the middle nicely. It doesn't do lane changes automatically, but its kind of cool how you can begin to steer it into the adjacent lane and as soon as it picks up the lines it will finish the change and center up. The low speed follow feature was great in traffic. I just wish you didn't have to prompt it to start again after each stop, but I guess that's a safety feature.

My top priority for buying a Tesla was the EAP/FSD package so I was really surprised to find out the Honda had a version of these features. They're not Tesla quality, and there won't be any OTA updates, but TBH we haven't seen any real movement on EAP/FSD lately anyway.

I don't know if there is a Clarity owners group but there is myhondaclarity.com which has like 4 legit posts and a bunch of spam. If anyone knows of an owners group website, let me know. I don't have the time or energy to make one myself.
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Thank you for the detailed post! I think my thoughts are aligned very well with yours, AP was my biggest draw to the Model 3, but I haven't seen much in the way of AP improvements lately (we'll see about this supposed big upcoming release). I'm starting to think that the Honda Sensing Suite might be enough for my needs, especially with such a big price differential. Now that my delivery estimate has slipped to Q3, I'm forced to think further if I really want to spend this much on a car (I've never really been a car guy).

I've seen bits and pieces of Clarity posts on GM/Volt/EV forums but nothing dedicated.
 
#28
RobStark said:
2019 Insight doesn't have a plug, no EV tax credit.

A base Clarity PHEV will be about the same as the Insight after the Federal Credit.
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Oh, boo to that then. I have been driving my Clarity like crazy all week and have used a total of 3 gallons of gas and that was because I don't have a place to plug in when I commute to Denver. What a shame they're not putting a plug on it.

I get $12,500 between the state of CO and the fed. This brings the price of the Clarity down to the range of a well optioned Civic for me AND I get Honda Sense AND I don't have to use gas much. I really hope Honda gets on this train because they've got a winner here.
 
#34
RobStark said:
I know what you meant, but it is important to note the interior functionality is superior in the Clarity. It is not just "almost a Volt."

Honda only intends to sell a handful of Clarity BEV in CA and OR. Mostly to former Honda Fit EV owners. I think they calculated accurately how many BEVs they will sell. They have no intention of selling as many BEV as GM, Nissan, nor Tesla.
Click to expand...

I too am terribly Honda biased, we are on our 3rd Odyssey now. There is something about the ergonomics, and the steering and ride quality, along with reliability, that makes them stand out.
 
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#37
RobStark said:
Parking lot review


2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid First Drive | Review | Car and Driver

On the road, the Clarity feels a lot like an overloaded Accord. Honda says the plug-in Clarity has a curb weight that tops 4000 pounds, which makes it between 600 and 900 pounds heavier than the company’s family sedan. While the Clarity has a premium feel to its well-damped ride, the tidy handling of the new Accord is nowhere to be found, compromised by the many extra pounds of batteries under the back seat. Their placement gives the car a low center of gravity, but the Clarity feels as if it reaches the edge of its cornering limits prematurely, despite relatively wide 235/45R-18 tires. Steering effort is low, with plenty of electric assist and some feedback (but not a lot). Isolation from road and engine noise, however, is mostly excellent—at least until you encounter a steep hill with the battery depleted, in which case the little gas engine has to rev to the sky to keep the car moving.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My brother in law will not consider a pure BEV because of range anxiety. A Detroit brand is a tough sale for him because concerns over reliability.

He has driven Toyotas and Hondas for the last 30 years. The Volt is too small. Prius Prime,Fusion-Optima-Sonata PHEV AER covers about half his daily commute and he doesn't think they are worth the trouble.

He was leaning Toyota Avalon. I seemingly convinced him to get a Buick LaCross mild hybrid for the same cash as a base Avalon in part because Buick is rated in Top Ten in Reliablity by Consumer reports rising as high as 3 a couple of years ago. Then he decided to delay his purchase.

If he finds Clarity styling acceptable this may be just the ticket for him and buyers like him. After Federal,State, and Utility incentives a Clarity Touring is cheaper than a base Avalon or LaCross although these are a bit bigger.
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I agree the Clairity is quite nice and a bit more room than the Volt. That said we have had one minor issue with our Volt over it's 61,000 miles fully covered under warranty, a heater pump for the electric heater. And I have pushed that Volt pulling a camper over the Rockies and back, and it has performed well.
 
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#38
I love my Clarity, but I don’t want to take anything away from the Gen 2 Volt. It is a great car and has a more advanced drivetrain than the Clarity. It also comes in a really nice blue!

I have no reservations about recommending the Volt for friends that want an American brand* or a smaller car.


*Made by LG
 
#39
1) The fact that you can stay 100% in electric power in a Volt while pressing the accelerator 100% is irrelevant to mainstream buyers.

2) That fact that Volt gets 6 more miles AER is a plus for mainstream buyers but not a deciding factor.

3) That fact that Clarity PHEV is one size category larger, not just a bit larger, with more premium interior materials and standard features like standard driver assist package (Honda Sense) for an $80 premium is a big deal to mainstream buyers.

4) On the West Coast, where most PEV in America are sold, having a Honda badge instead of a Chevy bow tie is a big advantage.

* Mainstream buyers for my reference point is adults in greater Los Angeles who have never owned a plug-in vehicle nor seriously considered one before 2018. California residents who have never purchased a PEV is the next wave of PEV buyers, much sooner than Southerners or Midwesterners.
 
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