Honda Clarity, the best car you never heard of.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ย. 2024
- Honda Clarity Plug In, the best kept secret. The 2018 Honda Clarity
is an unbelievable Plug In and for an unbelievable price. It seems the
vehicle is so under publicized, under rated that you may find one for a very good price. This Plug in hybrid meets almost all the needs, for range, mpg, ride comfort, tech and a vastly roomy interior. Imagine a roomy vehicle that gets over 40 mpg at a good price point, that is well built and can get over 199mpg on electric. (That's what the dash says, lol. ) Actually running on no gas for up to 55 miles (my car).
![Shareปลาวาฬ ส่งท้าย SS1 พาเปียโน ขึ้น Ferrari ก่อนไปขาย แลก Nissan l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KAknGkTNIvg/mqdefault.jpg)
I've had my Clarity since April of 2018 and I absolutely love it! I bought it specifically due to the range (17kWh). The fact that it is a Honda helped as well.
I have put over 37 000km on it and I have used gas for about 7000km. Unbelievable economy. Also I have spent exactly $159 on non-ICE maintenance. A brake "inspection." I also did two oil changes myself which were the most ridiculous exercises. Oil came out clean each time of course. Cheap, quiet, (so far) bulletproof, comfortable, and spacious. For a practical car it is hard to beat! I plan on having it for a long time!
Best of luck with the channel! Thanks for the video! -Brad
Thank you for sharing your great experience with your Clarity and the words of encouragement. I have watched your videos on Clarity and they are of great help to us new comers to Clarity. Thanks for watching....👍
I have a 2007 Honda Civic hybrid that’s 13 years old. I bought 2018 clarity plug-in hybrid and I simply love this car. I cannot believe that it is not the number one selling car at Honda. The Honda dealerships here Memphis hate this car. They don’t even try to sell them. I experienced some of the same situations that you did with the dealerships here. One dealership the salesman told me to come back and see him when I made up my mind what I wanted. An hour later I bought a clarity at another dealership. It’s crazy
Yes, truly unbelievable from a dealership that exist only to service customers needs. Honda needs to take notice.
Thank you for watching and sharing your thoughts and experience.
Clarity owner for 6 months. Great EV acceleration. Most trips less than 50 miles so no gas stations for a month Then only 2 or 3 gallons. Made a 1800 mile trip on HV. no worries. Level 2 chargers are hard to find so just did HV. I home charge with a level 2 which takes a couple of hours depending on battery level. No range anxiety with a 350 mile HV range. Great car for transition to all electric in a few years. Honda guaranteed battery for 8 years. Once you drive it you will love it!
I agree completely. 1100 miles, 6 gallons of gas. Most trips less than 50 miles, EV is Great
Thanks for sharing your experience with this car. I just got a used 2018 two weeks ago and absolutely love it. I'm usually well within the 47 mile range doing my day-to-day activities of driving the kids around and errands. I like the fact you can just turn it on and drive and the car can just manage itself, but also customize your drive modes based on your situation and eke out even more efficiency. I came from a 2018 Civic so I was already used to the much maligned infotainment system.
You are welcome. The attributes if this vehicle are unknown to the masses. You have stumbled on to a gem of a car. Sadly ours was rear ended yesterday. Thankfully we are doing well and it can be repaired. Looking on Carmax, almost all Clarity's are pending or on hold. Enjoy your new ride. Thanks for watching and commenting. Have a great week.
@@htnowpro Oh no, so sorry to hear about your accident. Glad you guys are OK though. Looks like Carvana has a few 2018s available and I think shipping would be free (not totally sure on that). But yes, this is a hidden gem and a purchase I made after researching EVs and Hybrids for weeks. Somehow this car showed up on my radar and I quickly ended my research and luckily there were a few local ones to pick from. Good luck, sir!!
The 2021 Insight (which I have) is a little better known but still available in limited quantities. Nice cars which Honda doesn't seem to advertise. I suspect in mid 2021 with gas prices skyrocketing. that all electrified vehicles will be flying off the shelves.
You are correct, they should be flying off the shelves. Ironically consumers still seem to be hesitant and manufacturers are talking the talk but way too slow to produce. I just saw a commercial for the new Ford Lightning but no one can have one today. Similarly the new Rav 4 hybrid they only made 500. The Id4, the new Ionic, not available yet. I think by the time you can drop in and buy one of these the buzz will of all faded away. Fords new Escape hybrid is the same. No inventory. When I purchased our Clarity Carmax had two and the dealer only had one base model. Now they are very hard to come find. I imagine you insight is few and far between. The new Ford Mach E is obtainable but rare to find also. Batteries are the hold up, otherwise I feel all should be plugin hybrids or full electric. Thank you so much for watching and especially for commenting. Hope our rare Hondas go the distance.
Great review! We just got a 2020 Clarity Touring after owning a Ford Fusion PHEV for 6 years. I love the extended battery range of the Clarity. I learned more about all the controls from your video than I have so far from the manual. We live about 15 miles from the nearest town so now we can go to town and do our chores then come home and never use any gasoline. As a side note, we are off grid solar so we charge it back up for "free". It looks like it is going to take about 12 hours to recharge after going to town and back. Thanks again.
CONGRATULATIONS on your new Clarity. I agree, the extended battery rang is something the other manufacturers either don't understand or are not willing to step up. We just finished a 3,000 mile trip and I can say we are extremely pleased with the Clarity being the best of both worlds, full EV and gas. Thank you for watching and commenting. Enjoy your new ride. Check out the Clarity Facebook group also. Thanks again. 👍
Good review of the car. I bought 7 month ago, a 2019 Clarity PHEV. Like you, the car answers my daily needs. One of the best car I’ve bought to date. But when you compare to the 2019 Insight’s interior, the Insight is better.
Yes, I'm guessing the price of the 17Kw battery made them hold the line on a few other things. The Battery " electric rang was my priority " 😀
I agree this is a great car. It rides smoothly, corners well, has sufficient power, is super quiet, carries 5 passengers well, and has decent cargo space. Best car I've ever owned. We drive for six weeks without the engine coming on. Then we take a 300 mile trip using gas and get 42 mpg.
You said it well. I agree completely. Thanks for watching. 👍👍👍
Awesome!!! Thanks for sharing. You’re amazing.
You are so welcome!
Like you, i am in florida and bought mine used with 1500 miles on it a year ago. Main reason i bought used was because my tax bill wasn’t big enough to get the credit. No regrets whatsoever. We buy gas every two months or so except when traveling. Very quiet and comfortable. Have only seen 5 on the road in Orlando.
My tax bill wasn't big enough either. Buying gas so little of the time is so awesome. I used to need gas every 4 days. Now, unless I'm traveling I never need it. WOW!!!! Can't really appreciate it till you have the best of both in one package and because it's a Honda secret and not popular it is a great value used.
I looked at a Clarity when I replaced my car last year, but it would've been $48000CDN before rebates, so I paid around $20000 for a low mileage 2014 Volt. I'm not a GM fan, but it's been good, similar range to the Clarity, but smaller interior (4 seats in my model, 4 1/2 seats in the current one and poor rear headroom). Shame the Clarity doesn't get more coverage, but that's a problem with a lot of the new electric offerings. Thanks for the overview.
You're welcome. I wanted a 2018 Volt but the price was $41,000 USD new. I bought my Clarity Touring 2018 used with 8 ,900 miles for $28,000. Was so happy to find a nice used one. I really feel Honda wants to keep it unknown and just sell a few for compliance vehicle purposes.
Thank you for going over the buttons and features. I test drove one and knew about the drive modes but not what most of the buttons were for. I am hoping to buy one very soon. Looks like a huge upgrade over my 03 civic. My salesman drives a 2018 clarity
You are welcome. I am confident you will enjoy having one. Take care and thank you for watching and commenting.
Dude. That was pretty good. I’m not made of money but I’ve been looking at hybrids for a while and you’re right, I was looking at that Ford as well. Before that it was the volt. But neither of them had the room. The clarity, aside from some questionable luxe, seems to fit the bill for most things. I just hope I can find one at a decent price used
Check carmax
Carmax has four. Facebook users group had someone a few weeks back looking to sell one, also Coconutpoint Honda had a new 2018 but they are hard to deal with. I sent two people interested in the Clarity and they wouldn't budge. Good hunting. Try cargruru also. 👍Thanks for watching.
I was in the same boat as you. I wanted a Model 3, but in the end, the car would end up draining my bank. Honda offered .9% financing and they took $8k off the MSRP. Since my savings had a higher yield than the loan, I took the Honda deal.
0 Regrets; excellent car!
PS: The car appeals to several age groups (I have friends in their 20's that like the car). Not an old man car by any means!
Yes, you said it well. I'm traveling today and the car puts a smile on my face every mile..👍👍👍
I like the looks from yours to 2020 models
Thank you and thanks for watching.
Nice job enjoy the video considering getting one thank you👍🏻👍🏻
You are welcome. We have had our Clarity for about seven months now and it's been great not going to the gas station all the time. Thank you for watching and commenting. Hope you enjoy your Clarity. The car no one has heard of, lol.
Just bought a 2021 Clarity, its really nice. Way nicer than the prius prime or volt.
Congratulations 👏. Great choice. Enjoy 😉.
I agree completely, way better then Prius Prime or Volt and for what you get for the price it is a deal, the best plugin hybrid in 2021.
I agree...beauty is on the eye of the beholder....I don't see too much issue with exterior styling...It could be better but it's not bad either. It's a nice PHEV overall.
Exactly. I have adjusted and admire the unique look. I really enjoy the driving experience ☺.
I have one in Orlando for about 2 yrs. Ours have 26k+ miles and we fill up the tank every 1500 miles avg. Gas tank is like 6 gallons so fill ups are like 18 bucks ;-)
Cool 😎. Ours just turned over to 30,000 and have enjoyed every mile we put on it. Thanks for watching and commenting 🙂. I know you are enjoying your Clarity.
Not a fan of the styling (rear fender), but the range on the battery is ideal. I have a 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid and I enjoy it immensely. I typically get 600+ miles to the tank (14.8 gallons) and my fuel economy varies between 42-46 mpg. It's rated at 48 combined. My battery is only 1.3 kWh and I can get maybe 1 to 2 miles in EV under ideal conditions before the gas engine kicks back on. If this thing had a larger battery with a PHEV option, it'd kick ass. I'd like to see it where PHEV could have around a 20 kWh battery and 12+ gallon tank of gas. Does the Clarity have paddles for regen like the 2018-20 Accord Hybrid? The 2017 has a B mode for max regen but have to switch back and forth to D to optimize regen (for instance, D mode going down a long hill).
Good morning. I wasn't crazy about the rear fender either but the complete package is exactly what I have been looking for since the first hybrids were introduced. If course a bigger battery and bigger gas tank would be nice but everything has trade offs. The car weighs in at 4200 pounds already, and that is with extensive light weight aluminum sub frames, suspension and body panels. The primary difference between Accord and Clarity...Accord is primarily a gas car with electric assist and the Clarity being primarily an electric car with range extender. Both have their special purposes. I regularly get an average 140 mpge combined on my 90 mile Sunday drive. I never have to get gas for my work commute. The silence is golden and power is very torquey from stops. Yes the Clarity has regen paddles, the right one I never use to lower regen. I would like it to be re mapable so I could select sport mode quickly although you can just press harder on the throttle spot mode gives you the electric kick that is so much fun. The Clarity is probably the closest you can get to full EV without investing a lot more money and giving up the freedom to stop anywhere for gas. Fill ups are very fast. Three gallons, 1/2 tank lol. It's been great talking with you. Thanks for the great comments and for watching. 👍
Crazy they killed this car. A refresh and proper marketing would have made the PHEV version THE CAR to have this year.
Absolutely correct. This year would have been the perfect time . It still has the best specs in 2022. It amazes me the manufacturers still don't get it! Thank you for watching and sharing. Have a great week 😀.
Thank you Sir for the video. My wife has a 2019 with the same color except it's a base. Overall it's a great car. I live in California so the this car helps my wallet out a lot when it comes to gas prices. We've had the car for just over 2 months and we've only had to gas 3 times on long road trips, the car is mostly city driven. I really like what you said about not having knobs on the screen, you were right on the money with the comparison to tablets and phones. I don't really care for it either. I notice you didn't have the hooks for the grocery bags in the trunk. I've installed 2 of them and it's been very handy on numerous occasions. Have a great day!
Hello Ken, you have had yours about the same time. Same here , about three fill ups. The trunk hooks seem like a great idea, things do slide around, especially in sport mode, lol. Did you get the official factory hold downs? I have been looking into the matter. Great to hear your Clarity is working out for you. We just went about 275 miles on about 4.7 gallons.......I'm liking it too.😀
Thanks for watching.
@@htnowpro Hold downs? Which ones are those? I only got the cargo hooks, all season mats, trunk tray (like yours), and the center console mat. The next option I'm thinking to get is the back up sensors, but still contemplating. Thank you for the comment.
I called them hold down, I meant cargo hooks. The ones I saw from Honda mount under the back window package tray area. I did get the trunk tray with the car and I purchased the rubber mat for under the console. I also would like the backup bumper sensors but not sure I want to drill holes in the bumper , lol.
hightechNow you should get the cargo hooks. They are really helpful. The reason why I’m still debating about the backup sensors because it is not integrated into the head unit, there are small speakers that mount by the rear glass and make an audible sound when the sensors are picking up something.
it's almost like they don't want to sell them☹️. I'm looking at replacing my Prius with a Clarity. I'd give up some features in the Prius that I like but for nearly 50 miles of EV range and 40mpg after that I'll take it. I've found maybe 3 used ones within 100 miles 👎
Bought mine used from Carmax. I was willing to go to another state but didn't have to. I recently took a trip across Florida and after EV was used up I got 50 mpg. 55 to 60 mph small Highways.
If you drive one you will like it.
Loved the review! I'm searching for a new car and am strongly considering the Clarity. I was wondering 2 things:
1. How was your insurance rate affected by the Clarity. Would you say it's about about average compared to the Accord?
2. Is there a timer/scheduler for the charging so that it only charges during off-peak hours like the Tesla and other EVs do?
Thanks!
My insurance rate went up $100 every six months versus my 2007 mustang (considered a sports car of much less value, lol. #2. Yes you can set a time to start charging in the vehicle or on the app. I haven't tried that, I get the one rate electricity and only have the level one cable so I start charging when I pull into the garage. One new side of the charging/ electric thing I haven't seen being considered " The news has been reporting lots of robberies and the like at gas stations here in Florida along with carjackings. I'm calling having your car charged and ready to go in the safety of your own garage a big bonus. 👍👍👍
Thanks for watching 😀
There is a time of day charging on the car. There is also a time of day charging on a lot of the 'smart' car chargers. I would suggest using the one on the charger rather then on the car, that way your time of day is tied to location rather then the car it self.
Insurance is more expensive then an accord would be. All hybrids suffer a bit from insurance inflation because they are hybrids. The clarity suffers a little bit more because its a lower volume car and that potentially makes repairs more expensive. Insurance quotes in Florida for me have been allover. While i am currently paying $150 a month for insurance, one company came back with 800+ per month.
@@erikhill6037 thanks for sharing, wow $800 a month. You can buy alot of gas for that, ouch.
@@htnowpro I assume the 800 one is a way to turn down coverage without turning down coverage. I pay 150 with Geico right now for the car.
The Clarity is the best car no one has ever heard of.
Absolutely!!!
I'm also in Florida and am debating trading my 2010 Camaro SS in towards one of these (my commute is well above average and I'd like to save some money on fuel/etc.) . Your info is greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much. I'm glad I was able to help. Definitely an unknown vehicle. Thanks for watching and commenting.
terribly underrated car.
Honda did a poor job of marketing this car
I agree completely. It's like they didn't want to sell it. I went searching to find mine. Test drive sold it, easily.
@@htnowpro same i'm so glad i got it, there none where i live except mine... but as the seller told me Honda actually doesn't want to sell a lot of those. Is a wonderful unique car!
@@Jusumoner1 yes, I agree completely.
@@Jusumoner1 I have had mine for almost two months, 1,400 miles and only used about 8 gallons. I'm really impressed. This car is a hidden gemstone of a vehicle.
@@htnowpro got it for almost 5 months 7400km and about 90$ of gaz lol
Can you make an updated video on your impressions?
Sure, I would be glad to. Thanks for watching and commenting. Keep safe and I will be getting one together. In fact I'm taking the Clarity 1400 miles tomorrow.
hightechNow awesome! Thanks!
@@LiquidTurbo just uploaded the trip. I hope it shows what a great vehicle it is for traveling. Thanks for watching and commenting.
hightechNow thanks for making the video. Really helps prospective clarity owners know what it’s like
@@LiquidTurbo you are welcome 😊
So if I don't press HV .the car move electricity?
Yes. The default mode on startup is electric. Thank you for watching and commenting. Have a great week.
How’s things going with your Clarity?
Do you have to pay for the Honda app to work on your phone?
Hello, Clarity is working perfectly. Just finished another 2800 mile trip. Honda app is free. Room for improvement but free is a good thing.
Hi im buying a 2018 touring with 9k miles $28k do you recommend it also anything that I need to know as today when buying the car cause I check the trade in value and is at 19k
at CarMax I’m getting the max care warranty 150k or 60 months a little piece of mind but worry about the value depreciation
I highly recommend it if you did your research and have your expectations set accordingly. I am on many owner groups and what I see mostly is praise for the Clarity from its owners. Recently, they have been posting lower trade in values due to the extreme value of last year. Hope this answers your questions. Join some groups and enjoy 😉 learning about your new Clarity.
My Clarity was purchased from Carmax also. Was a great experience. 👍
How much of the electric range do you lose when you turn on the cabin heater?
I have only used the heater/ defroster for a few minutes. Here in Florida temperatures are just starting to drop. Tje next few months will tell. Every area and users results will be different.
@@htnowpro I ask because With my Ford Focus Electric the range drops by a third when I turn on the heater. I want to make sure my next electric car does not do that.
@@johnlackner1193 Hello John, I came across a Clarity post with just the information you are looking for a few days ago. I will try to find it and post .
@@johnlackner1193 Hello John, I was unable to locate the very detailed post describing how the heater affects EV range. I just came across this video, hope it helps...
th-cam.com/video/xWBcV9DSA6g/w-d-xo.html
How’s your Clarity holding up so far?
The Clarity has bee superb 👌. I have no complaints and nothing but good experiences with it. The fact it does everything a full EV does and also a gas powered vehicle with a reasonable price and doesn't cut out comfort and luxury is all I could ask for.
@@htnowpro awesome!! Good to know this. wish me luck I’m looking to finding one 😬
Ok, stop back and let me know how it goes. Enjoy your new ride. Thank you for sharing.
@@aTodaCreature Carmax is a great place to look. They have a 2021 coming with 4k miles. Not sure how new you want to go, but they have choices.
Honda Insight>Clarity based on value from the cheaper price and overall better mass appeal of the vehicle.
Yes cheaper, and mass appeal but not even close to full electric, ride quality, comfort. Cheaper can be a big thing. Mass appeal doesn't do much to get you from one stop sign to the other. Value for the price, less mass appeal equals better value sometimes, in this case.
hightechNow I can agree with that. Both cars aren’t marketed like they should be, the insight was in my budget and I liked the 52mpg and the look of driving a sedan without the typical “hybrid” look. Thanks for the details in the video.
@@fearthespur89 The 52 mpg looks great. I like the steering wheel buttons on the insite better . For some, the $7500 Federal tax credit makes the Clarity a low budget vehicle. I personally paid top dollar for mine used. They are hard to find and I wanted the top EV range I could afford. The powertrain is very similar. Good choice.
@@fearthespur89 Last November, I picked up a Clarity Touring for $30k. Between the State and Federal incentives, I received an additional $10k back. If you can swing it, the Clarity often ends up being less expensive than the Insight.
I get 54mpg real world(after subtracting battery miles), by the way. The only thing that sucks about this car is the comically small 7gallon tank; overall, amazing vehicle, however.
City Wok, yes the 7 gallon gas tank is pretty funny but I'm happy with more EV range than ICE range. The other manufacturers are more than willing to give out a small Lithium battery and a large fuel tank saving them money and supply headaches. I would like more fuel range but I'm very happy to have both.
This car is often overlooked by many because of its exterior design. It's a major turnoff.