![]() At least, until the Toyota RAV4 Prime arrives with its 39 miles of electric range - less than the Clarity, but still respectable in this class. Of course, the Honda is no match for the spaciousness of an SUV with its seats folded flat and it doesn't offer all-wheel drive, which many SUVs do, but for drivers who value people space more than cargo capacity, the more efficient Clarity isn't a bad compromise. Competitively priced, these plug-in SUVs tend to average at or below 20 miles per charge and offer even lower hybrid economy than a sedan beyond that. Being designed with a battery in mind and landing at the large end of the midsize sedan class means that the Honda's trunk is about as large as the hatch on many of the plug-in SUVs, vehicles like theĪnd the aforementioned Subaru Crosstrek. ![]() The Clarity's scale also works in its favor. At $34,330 (including a $930 destination charge) or $37,530 as tested for this Touring model, the Clarity delivers nearly 50 miles of range per charge at a price competitive with smaller plug-in sedans, like the Prius Prime or Hyundai's Ioniq and Sonata plug-ins, all of which only manage 25 to 28 miles per charge. Still, LaneWatch is better than no blind-spot system at all.įor starters, it's one of the longest-range PHEVs on the road today for the money. It's also packing Honda's LaneWatch blind-spot camera system, which I don't love since it only works on the passenger side of the car when the turn signal is active, and requires I look away from the road to see the camera's dashboard feed. Safety tech consists of the standard Honda Sensing suite with automatic collision mitigation braking, road- and lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control that works in stop-and-go traffic. That said, standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay allow me to pretty much gloss over the OEM software and use the superior maps and apps on my phone, so I found the day-to-day cabin tech experience to be quite pleasing. Both the software and hardware are about a generation older than much of Honda's current lineup, which has - for the most part - been updated over the past few years. In the center of the dashboard is the 8-inch Honda Display Audio system, which is starting to feel a little dated. I especially like the floating center console, which looks a tad weird offers good ergonomics and opens up a generous storage shelf beneath. Cabin materials are well-chosen and varied, giving the dashboard a high level of visual and tactile interest. The Clarity's cabin is about as nice as that of the average contemporary Honda. There, I'm seeing averages around 60 to 80 mpg from many users, presumably those who charge more often, stretching all the way into the 200-mpg neighborhood. Thankfully, there are plenty of real-world estimates for all three Clarity PHEV model years on user reporting sites like Fuelly. With plug-in hybrids, your mileage may vary based not just on your driving style, but also your charging habits, local charging station infrastructure and a host of other factors. Calculating what those numbers mean in the real world is fun if you love math, but frustrating for most, I know. L2 chargers can be installed fairly cheaply in the average American home and are highly recommended for plug-in drivers.įully electric operation is estimated at 110 miles per gallon equivalent, dropping down to about 42 combined mpg for hybrid operation beyond that first 40-odd miles. The PHEV can be juiced at a regular 110-volt wall outlet in about 12 hours or a more reasonable 2.5 hours at 240-volt, Level 2 stations. Together, they grant the plug-in hybrid up to 47 miles of electric range per charge. The Clarity differs from the Accord Hybrid (and the smaller Honda Insight) in its larger, 17-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack and the charging port on the driver's side front fender. This is a vehicle that shines best when you're just enjoying the smooth, quiet ride. There's a Sport mode that livens things up a bit with snappier throttle response and a more liberal application of torque, but it does nothing for the heavy car handling, and the scale and weight of the Clarity make themselves apparent when attempting any sort of dynamic driving. The big, heavy sedan feels better suited to a relaxed driving mode, which, I know, is basically a nice way of saying it's a bit boring. There's not a whole lot to say about the Clarity Plug-In's driving style: With decent electric torque, it's fairly spry off of the line, but it's also not particularly impressive. ![]()
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