Used 2018 Honda Clarity Consumer Reviews
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The Breakthrough Car - A PHEV with No Compromise
RVDuluth, 02/23/2018
updated 03/06/2023
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
91 of 91 people found this review helpful
I have resisted buying a battery electric vehicle because of the widespread range anxiety. Despite the fact that most of my driving is the short 4-mile trip to and from work, the idea of going through the inconvenience of renting a car for longer trips and the potential of getting stranded after an unpredictable busy day of driving (especially in my cold Minnesota climes where the battery can drain rapidly in sub-zero temps), has prevented me from seriously considering an electric vehicle. I looked briefly at the pricey Chevy Volt but was not willing to step down from the midsize sedan convenience I had become accustomed to. The standard model hybrid versions such as the Accord, Sonata, and Camry all have reduced federal tax credit incentive. I found out about the Clarity by accident. It must be one of the poorest marketed new models in history. Everything I read about it met my requirements and I finally purchased one soon after I could get my hands on it. The experience has been fantastic. It is an Accord-sized sedan with a massive interior and comfortable seating for 5, has an extraordinarily quiet and luxurious interior, has most of the safety features I was looking for (except for the mysteriously missing blind spot detection), and qualified for the full $7,500 tax credit that brought the price down to the range of any mid-size sedan, hybrid or not. The 47-mile range allows for almost all driving to be done in EV mode (I have managed a range over 30 miles in the Northern Minnesota winter, but can see the range increasing as the weather warms). I averaged about 42 mpg on a 300+ mile roundtrip up north (yes - right to the Canadian border), and have only nitpicky complaints so far as I come up on my first 1000 miles in the vehicle. This car is a home run in every way and if it were not for the exceptionally lousy marketing, would be one of the top selling new sedans in America. Get it now before others discover it. UPDATE: I have owned the car for over two years now and still love it. It is by far the best car I have owned. The car is quiet and trouble-free. It still meets all the needs I specified in my original review. I get a range of 50 miles in the summer/fall and about 30 in the winter. Highway hybrid mileage in the winter is about 40. Small issues include the poor wipers and inconvenient Infotainment system. 2.5-YEAR-UPDATE: I have had the car for over two and a half years now and I seem to grow in my appreciation for this car. It is by far the best car I have owned. I still enjoy driving it and marvel at its quiet, smooth ride. Summers consistently give me close to 50 miles in EV range and the hybrid range is usually about 40-42 (hard to track on pure hybrid as I usually leave fully charged and charge at my destination. When my fiance needed surgery last week, we needed a large back set for her to lie down as I brought her back home from the surgery center. Surprisingly, she found more room and comfort in the Clarity back seat than in her Kia Sorrento SUV. So, the Clarity is what we took. Still amazing and a hopelessly under-marketed car. 3-YEAR UPDATE: Over 35,000 miles and still great. Just paid off the car and it still runs as smooth and quiet as butter. If Honda was making significant upgrades to the Clarity to get rid of the minor annoyances (poor wipers, awful sound system controls, inability to default to sport mode), I would consider upgrading. But it still is the favorite car I have ever owned and I plan to keep it for the long term until there is another leap in the value offered by PHEVs. Amazing vehicle, horribly marketed. 5-YEAR UPDATE: I have had this car for 5 years now and it is still the best car I have ever owned. The battery range seems to have dropped (manage only in the low 40s in the summer and high 20s in MN winters). Absolutely trouble free and reliable. Still deathly quiet inside when cruising. I can't believe they discontinued this model. If they make a 4WD version of this vehicle. I would stand in line to buy it. Fantastic car that sold for $32K BEFORE the $7500 tax credit in 2018.
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A hidden gem that gives efficiency and solid drive
Gu M., 03/16/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
57 of 57 people found this review helpful
Before buying the Clarity (Touring) in December 2017, I've been researching on EVs and PHEVs for some time, including Tesla Model S, BMW 330e, 530e, Audi A3 e-Tron, etc. What I care most include a decent interior size, an EV-only mileage that could fit into my daily commuting of 47 miles (round-trip), advanced safety assistance features, and good reliability. I test drove Tesla Model S and the experience was good. However, my colleagues driving Teslas complained that the reliability is not good and they had to go to service several times in a month. That's not acceptable to me, so although the local Tesla dealer offered a good price, I decided to move on. For BMW, the 330e is smaller than I expected, while the 530e seems to be overpriced - they both do not have the EV-only mileage I am hoping to get. For Audi A3 e-Tron, the dealer said I have to make a non-refundable deposit before he can get the car from another dealer >200 miles away, so this car is out. Eventually, I saw the Honda Clarity PHEV and watched many videos that people introduced this car, which hit dealership on December 1. I am very glad to see that almost all safety assistant features are available (compared to my 2016 Honda Pilot Touring), and the car has a 47 EV-only mileage that perfectly fit my daily trip. What's more, the size of the car is perfect - it's just as big as a Honda Accord 2018, and the interior style is also Acura-like. I eventually pulled the trigger before the year-end, so that I can get the $7500 federal tax credit in 2018 (we got the full credit this year during tax return). Now, within less than 3 months, I've driven more than 3000 miles, and achieved an average MPG of 105 mpg: I usually charge at work (with reduced cost than charging at home) while during weekends, I charge at home. So far I've been to the gas station for 5 times with a total of 27 gallons (fuel cost ~$60) - in terms of fuel efficiency, you see that the cost of driving 3000 miles is around $60 (gas)+$20 (electricity) = $80. Assuming 12,000 miles per year, that means the yearly total fuel/electricity is only $320! The fuel efficiency does not compromise the drivability of this great car - I used normal mode for driving, but if you need any additional horsepower, turn to the "red" sports mode and you'll ride in a quite different world (like from a turbo-charged engine). I highly recommend this car to anyone who is considering to purchase an EV or a PHEV for daily use. It's a hidden gem among mid-size sedans in the US!
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2018 Honda Clarity for sale near you
Showing 3 of 19 listings
- Plug-In Hybrid SedanMSRP: $18,98129 mi away
- Touring Plug-In Hybrid SedanMSRP: $18,998In-stock online
- Touring Plug-In Hybrid SedanMSRP: $19,998In-stock online
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Very comfortable, sporty, fun to plug in
Connie, 03/28/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
35 of 35 people found this review helpful
It changes your driving habits because you see the effects of acceleration and braking on energy consumption. I find the lane deviation and braking signals just tell you what you already know. The stereo sounds wonderful. The car is quieter and the ride smoother than my Prius. It is a heavy, low to the ground car, so very stable driving, but breaks a little slower than a lighter car. The power steering is great, the headlights nice and bright. I wanted navigation, hands free calling, which work very well. The Bluetooth connects with my iPad well, but sometimes won’t connect to other things. I also tried inserting a usb drive, which plays apple mp4 as well as mp3. It works wonderfully. It takes 10 hours to charge with 110, but is easy to plug in. And it is great to plug in your car. The mileage is very good. There are three driving settings: economy, normal and sporty. I use normal, which uses a tiny amount of gas to accelerate, but does get you 45 miles on a charge. It’s really a step up from the typical midsize sedan. My husband wants my car. Mpg is difficult to interpret because it is based only on gasoline used.
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We are able to run our car for free with solar
J Erwin, 05/18/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
45 of 46 people found this review helpful
This is not the kind of car a person who does not like the most advanced smart phone would like. The instrumentation and entertainment/communication options are very advanced. The electric/battery storage and options for running the vehicle are well presented and with a little study - easy to use. The Clarity hybrid will go 47 miles on battery. Less, if the heater is on. For us with 27 PV solar panels and a utility company that allows us to store kilowatt hour credits for energy we produce and do not use. We will be able to use the 47 mile electric range to do about 90-95 percent of our driving. The solar system was paid for years ago and produces up to 60 KWH's of power per day - it only takes maybe 15-20 KWHs to fully charge the car. So if our daily driving is 47 miles or less, we drive for free - no gas needed. We got the Clarity yesterday. We had to drive about 135 miles to get to a dealer (Mike Maroone Honda in Colorado Springs) who was willing to substantially discount the suggested retail price. And, after going to Carmax to get an trade in sale estimate, Maroone came within $250 of the Carmax and by trading in our Prius Hybrid, we saved on sales tax on the new Clarity - the trade in comes off the purchase price in Colorado before the state and county tax is computed. The Clarity is very comfortable inside - the controls are easy to reach and see. The cruise control with anti collision works wonderfully and given that our drive home was in rush hour traffic, it got used several times. The car brakes easily and comfortably when the anti collision kicks in. The cruise control was easy to use and set and turn off. The lane assist is very quick when lines are visible and you begin to drift out of your lane. It quickly brings you back and vibrates the steering wheel to let you know it is active. We still need to learn how to link phones, use the "seat memory" feature and program our garage door openers to the opener buttons in the car. The Clarity is easy to charge with the included cable that plugs into a standard outlet. You do need to put a hook on the wall near the outlet to support the weight of the charging device. On 120V, it charges overnight to full 47 mile range. We have a lot to learn about the Clarity, how it drives in winter and on snow (we live in the CO mountains - aka - snow country) . But for now, we are very pleased we picked the Clarity Touring Sedan as our newest vehicle.
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This car is cool
Deirdre Kamber Todd, 12/17/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
17 of 17 people found this review helpful
I wanted a plug-in hybrid, and I loved the look. I's a total pleasure to be getting 70 mpg. PROS and CONS of the car: pros are (1) the gas mileage is fantastic if you become an aware and educated driver; (2) the touchscreen is big , bright and handy; (3) my Bluetooth connects immediately (and I have a Windows phone); (4) no charging problems; (5) it holds beautifully on windy roads and in the rain; (6) the backup camera options are great; and (7) the electric really does take you 30+ miles a day if you plug in at night. Cons: (1) driver's seat is not comfortable; (2) you have to learn how to drive the car effectively - it has too many options if you just "drive" it; (3) it has poor automated pick-up and speed-up in cruise control; (4) it doesn't come with a spare tire; and (5) when you do car-following (as part of the autosynchronous cruise control), you often must brake or manually slow-up, so you can't get too comfortable -- the tech just isn't quite there yet. Couple of things to know ahead of time if you're considering this car: (1) if you buy the car, be aware you MUST ORDER the book from Honda (and the book is huge) -- it doesn't come in the car and it has all the how-to's (YouTube isn't great on it, whatever the sales team tells you); (2) download Plugshare and HondaLink right away - you'll need them ASAP.
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Clarity is perfect for EV living in the country
Zbartrout, 01/04/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
96 of 104 people found this review helpful
As enthusiastic owners of an original and a 2005 Prius, we were excited about the prospect of buying a plug-in hybrid to drive back and forth to work each day without having to use gas. We live out in the country in upstate NY, so a Tesla (while attractive) was impractical when it came to going on longer trips and not worrying about finding charging stations. We were initially enthused by the prospects of the Volt, but after driving a 2018 we felt it was a downgrade from our 2005 Prius when it came to noise and comfort, particularly for adult passengers in the rear seat. My wife said the Volt felt like a cheap rental car and the back seat felt like the back of a Volkswagen bug. Next-up was the Prius Prime, which had a lot of the features we loved in our current Prius, but we both could not handle the Little Mermaid fish-faced design. While the Clarity is about as boring looking as an Impreza, it's not ugly. Then, December 8th, there it was - the first Clarity on the Honda lot. It was 15 degrees and snowing when we took it out for a test drive and after a few short minutes on the highway my wife and I looked at each other and said "we love this car." We bought it immediately and talk about how much we love it daily, with no regrets. This is an "adult" car. It's big, it's roomy, and it's super comfortable in every one of the 5 seats. It is so quiet and the sound system is so good, that we are enjoying our music (via CarPlay) at a whole new level. From a driving perspective, it does not feel like a hybrid. It is big, it feels heavy and is a lot more responsive than either of our Prius's. The car is very smart, maybe too smart is some cases (road departure, etc), and gets almost as good mileage when driving naturally as it does when driving in a light touch energy efficient mode. My wife loves the natural feel of the brakes, vs. the aggressive feel of most other regenerative braking systems. We just hit the 1000 mile odometer mark today and we are averaging 86mpg in very low winter temps (-5 to 25), even while running the heat (electric) and seat heaters. Living where and how we live the Clarity seems to be the perfect vehicle for us. I consider us to be picky, technology literate, early adopters and so far the Clarity, while albeit a bit boring looking, makes up for this and more with how it in the driving and riding experience.
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best plug in avail
kittkatt23, 03/24/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
traded my 2013 Prius v for this car in Feb 2018. did my research and this car had all the items i was looking for. great get up and go (unlike my Prius) good 8" screen with android auto/car play. seats 5 (can seat 3 kids in back) leather interior, heated seats, large trunk, and the best range in all the plug ins! After driving it for over a month, i filled up once after i drove 1280 miles on 1 tank!! it cost me $1/day to charge and $16 to fill the tank. that equals for $.04 per mile of driving. not bad. i like the pick up and go of this car. no issues getting on the ramp and up to traffic speed, unlike my V. it has 212 hp engine with 331 ft of torque. my hubby loves driving this car, plenty of room for him (6'2"). the front seats are good, but no lumber support option. the honda link up is nice. i can see who long till i'm fully charged. i got me a 16a, (225$ vs 500$)not 32 or 40A level 2 charged for house and i can charge in about 4hr, better then 12h on 110 plug. but there is a bug in system. after the 1st tank, the HV (egnine) range showing 880 miles instead 300. Honda hasn't fixed it, its slow progress with them.
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Great car overall, schizophrenic digital controls
Dan, 10/23/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
I love plugging in over night. I love not buying gas. I love the ride, the handling, the great acceleration, the comfort, the sound system. The whole display, the UI, the menu system, the audio sources, climate control, NOT easy to use at all. But I would definitely buy the car again.
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Smooth & quite Plugin Hybrid with enough EV range
DK, 05/28/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
EV range (battery only, per charge): 60-70 miles local commutes (60-80F), 54 miles (one sample HWY, 50 F), HV (Hybrid mode): 50+ MPG (only one sample, 50F), Really quite and smooth ride compared with my 2015 Honda Accord. It smooths out uneven road surface not like my 2015 accord. I had to move around uneven surface to be comfortable with my accord, but with this car, I did not know that i was driving on the same uneven road surface that I drive over daily. Really quite and great sound. The interior gives me luxury feeling (far better than 2015 accord).
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Always Prepared
Jeff, 06/30/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
I have driven a 1000 miles without using any gas. My commute is under 40 miles per day so the EV range range of the Clarity works well. However, I don’t feel limited in my driving knowing that the gas hybrid engine is there if needed. The car drives and handles very well in EV mode. Switching to Sport mode is like a luxury car - faster, responsive but very quiet as well. (I have only used Sport Mode to show off to my friends.) I installed a pseudo Level-2 charger in garage using electrical from my clothes dryer circuit from Amazon for $160. It charges at 16Amps so it takes about 4.5 hours for a full recharge rather than the 2 hours with a full Level-2 charger. Most clothes dryer circuits are 30Amp so the 16Amp charger is well within the safety limits. I program the Clarity to charge every night after midnight when the electrical rates are the cheapest and I ready for work in the morning. I didn’t have to pay for an electrician to install a 50amp circuit for a true Level-2 charger that draws 30Amps. There are a lot of charging options available on Amazon with various plugs. Study up on your NEMA outlets and then choose one that will work for your home.
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Perfect car if it meets your driving profile
Mark Pope, 06/05/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Electric 4dr Sedan (electric DD)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
I finally had it with my BMW(Break My Wallet) and went shopping for a Honda Ridgeline back in December 2017. Honda dropped the least and drive off fee at that time. I've had 5 Accords and a Pilot and think very highly of the brand. I live in Sacramento. I reviewed my driving patterns on Google and found that I drove to North Dakota once, Chico and San Francisco several times. All other driving in the last five years was local and under 70 miles a day. I called all the dealerships in the area to test drive one and found several in Lodi(60 miles away). I was sold after the test drive because of my trust in Honda, familiarity with Accords, and the torque from 0mph or at 80mph. I had to wait for two hours after completing the lease agreement for the Clarity to charge on a 110V line at the dealership! I had range anxiety all the way home, esp. as traffic slowed in Sacramento. CA gave me a check for $2500, my utility company gave me a $700 L2 charger and a discount rate of .07 kw/h if I charge between midnight and 6am. Because I am a moderate driver and don't use the electric heat warmers, a full charge shows 110 mile range. I can drive to the gym, work, lunch, home to pick up my wife, and go downtown for dinner and still not use 70 miles of range. It's difficult in Sac to go 100 miles. When we need to go to SF/Chico/Humboldt/Tahoe we take my wife's Lexus. My kw/h usage is $0.85 for the first hour after midnight. Considering how much I am saving not buying gas or paying repair shop bills this car will reduce the cost of that future Ridgeline. My decision to lease this car and postpone a purchase has nothing to do with the environmentally friendly green movement. I was indifferent to the electric drive train but after two months of driving I will have a difficult time returning to combustion engine. If the battery tech improves and Honda swaps out the battery at the end of the lease I will seriously consider keeping it. But I would really like a small truck that is electric. So our kids are gone, my wife has a long range vehicle, and I cannot exceed 89 miles in daily driving. This compliance car is perfect for me, not my neighbors or co-workers.
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Very Happy with this Car
RickSE, 09/19/2018
updated 09/27/2021
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
Just went to test drive it and didn’t intend to trade in my ‘16 Accord Touring. Got 4.5k off msrp, $7.5k tax credit and $2.5k in state rebates - and 0.9% financing. Battery gets me round trip on my commute without gas, and getting 45 mpg with gas only. Very comfortable car. Handles great with plenty of room for kids. Honda has had two service bulletins fixing a few things people complained about. It’s new technology and some blips are to be expected. This car is very inexpensive for what Honda delivers. I don’t regret this decision in the slightest. Test drive one and you will see. This is a great car with no compromising. Update after one year of ownership: I like this car more now then when I wrote the original review. I’ve put over 12k miles on the car, almost entirely in EV. The only gas I have used is 60 gallons over the past year to go on five road trips. Using gas I am getting between 45 and 50 mpg s. This on a car that seats 5 and has plenty of room for luggage. I charge at work for free and my commute- even in the winter - is shorter then the cars battery range. I’ve probably saved $900 on gas alone this year. The car handles great, even in snow. It is very heavy due to the battery and the weight is low to the ground so it is very stable. Very smooth ride. Good (not great) acceleration. Plenty of power for around town and highway commuting. I don’t understand why this car isn’t flying off dealer lots. The deals are amazing with $8k off sticker in Massachusetts plus a $7500 tax credit. Plus not needing to buy gas. Whatever, I have a great car with an 8 year warranty that I bought and an 8 year battery warranty from Honda. I’d buy it again in a heartbeat. 3 Year update: Still really happy with the car. Can’t find anything on the market I’d trade it for. Honda doesn’t make it any more, but if you find one used you won’t be disappointed.
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My favorite car ever- like a new toy
Big Nose Frank, 07/30/2018
updated 02/09/2022
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
16 of 17 people found this review helpful
I wanted to wait 3-4 weeks of owning this car before casting a review on it. First of all I had no intention of replacing my old car yet (a VW) but reliability issues forced me to re-examine my strategy of hanging onto a German car that was about to go off warranty and was requiring a lot of expensive trips for service. I knew my next car would be hybrid and/or electric but thought it would be 2-3 years down the road. As of two months ago I never heard of a heard of a Honda Clarity. I liked the looks of all the new Hondas and thought before trying out a Hybrid Accord I would try out the Clarity just to 'eliminate' it from my candidate list. Instantly I liked the quietness and the feel of it and the ultra modern interior. The accord was of course nice and I felt the salesman was pushing me towards the accord, and they had tons of Accords on the lot and only two Clarities. I stepped away from shopping for a bit to resolve VW engine issues and when i returned to it went straight for the Clarity, and have not regretted it once. So like other reviewers I have now had it for almost a month, and have driven it 360 mi and still have 3/4 tank of my original gas! I have run out of charge a few times and the last time I was really trying to observe what happens when you do? And I could not tell. I did go into HYBRID mode automatically but nothing other than a dashboard message would lead me to know that. Several times I have tried out SPORT mode and punch the accelerator and am quite pleased at the power it has. But typically i do not even use it around town. I a more interested in squeezing out as much of the battery charge as possible. The regenerative braking paddle shifters are very cool (had to watch a Youtube video to see what they were about). Now when i come into corners i try to use those rather that braking to regain a little juice back into the battery pack. If you have driven motorcycles or standard shift cars its very much like downshifting into corners which is more fun than braking like an old lady. With respect to the radio- I love it. It has excellent sound and CarPlay is perfect for both iPhone use and Android- which we have both of. i owned a VW 5 years and never once could get my smart phone to 'pair' and with this I synched it up at the dealer and drove home with the Smart phone maps. I play Spotify and that works well, the transition between main menu and smart phone usage is a little clunky - for example smart phone maps AND SIRIUS works but I tend to fumble around with it. In all I love the the infotainment system some complained (alot) about no volume knob- I guess I would like one but the steering wheel controls work easily. All in all I like the car a lot and am very happy I got it. I have owned many cars over 40 years and have never enjoyed one this much. I still use the 120 V charger but my garage has a 220V outlet so I just need to buy the charger but they are a bit pricey and the one (that comes with the car) has worked fine. Interior space is excellent but coming from a compact SUV that was just plain small (and stupid). I did not opt for the leather as the cloth seemed nice on the test drive and it was >$3k for the leather plus nav and few other things I did not care for- at that price. all the interior surfaces and finishes are of a nice quality, nothing downscale about any of it. They do not offer a sunroof in any models - thats a bit of a bummer but not a showstopper and my other car is a 2 seater convertible so no biggie (but it uses GAS...) So I have no idea why there are not more on the road it almost seems like Honda wants to keep it under wraps? ITs a great product- I hope its reliable, it's s my first Honda auto but have had 4 Honda motorcycles and all were excellent. The info screens/radio is so cool i hope I don't get killed playing with it instead of watching the road closer. I wish Honda had more options for cars like this- i.e. an SUV or large hatchback, though this is almost hatchback like. With the tax rebate its an amazing bargain. Couple that with a reduction in gas bills its really a no brainer. I am retired so do not commute. If you commute less that 25 miles each way this car makes perfect sense unless you hate comfort, value, and efficiency. ***update- still love the car... One and only ding I can give it is the ability to hold battery charge in frigid weather. Instead of the 50 or so miles on a charge, for example, this number dropped to under 30 over thanksgiving in upstate NY as it was -1 degrees And the car was parked outside. I don’ love it in gas engine mode but for long trips its sort of necessary. And this is relative to electric mode which is amazing - smooth quiet and powerful. I live in NC and its always garaged, and we don’t go out in nasty weather. out. Two year update...now at 28k and two.years of ownership. I have had 0 problems with the car, without question the best car I have ever owned.. *****Four year update... To date ZERO problems , still love the car!!
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Best plug-in hybrid (I'm not biased!)
Bryan B, 05/06/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
15 of 16 people found this review helpful
We looked at several plug-in hybrids before buying the Clarity. A plug-in made sense for us at this time: we do most of our driving within a few miles of home, so the electric covers us for over 90 percent of the time, but we take regular trips a few hundred miles from home, so the gas backup is a reasonable alternative for those times. My wife liked the size of the Clarity, which is about the size of the Accord or our old Altima hybrid (I would have been happy with something smaller). Trunk size was important as we needed to fit in my mother-in-law's wheelchair; the Clarity has a relatively huge trunk for a hybrid. The Touring model has all the bells & whistles you'd expect, except maybe for a sunroof, which wasn't important for us. The car is extremely comfortable and fun to drive. The only negatives I have are relative nitpicks: mostly that the dash relies too much on the electronic LCD panel. I really miss having a physical knob to control the audio volume--the digital buttons are too hard to hit, especially when driving. The console has no indicator for whether the A/C is on (you have to hit the "Climate" button, and even then neither the On/Off A/C digital buttons is illuminated to show whether it's on or off). It really should have a button to turn it on (there's wasted space with a large button to turn the fan on/off, for instance). One other oddity is the wide shift-controller arm that extends from dash to the center console. It covers a storage area underneath that's a bit hidden because the shift arm has these side 'wings' that seem to serve no purpose--you can't really set anything on them, so it would have been better to make that whole arm narrower, I think.
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honda clarity plug-in hybrid, great car
kenL, 08/04/2018
updated 11/27/2023
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
The clarity plug in hybrid is basically an electric when driving around Tucson. We have gotten over 55 mile range on a charge, and never use gas except for longer road trips. The car has good power, stable handling, comfortable seating, and is fun to drive. It is quiet, has a good sound system, and some great safety features. When switching lanes on the highway, you don't have to crank your head around to move right. When you signal a right turn you get a complete picture on your monitor of everything on the right. Charging at home is simple. I plug in to a regular outlet at night when electricity is cheaper. I haven't had any problems in 3 years and and 35,000 plus miles, and the quality seems very high. After over 4 yers it’s still great. Best car I ever drove especially on cross country trips.
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Best car I have ever owned (72 years olld)
stacey burke, 03/04/2019
updated 03/05/2020
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
I have owned this car for 12 Months. It has exceeded all my expectations. It is extremely low cost on maintenance and gas. I have 8,000 miles on the car and have only filled up 2 times in 9 Months and that is with a 7.5 Gallon tank. The only negative is the time it takes to charge. I have had a Level 1 (comes with the car) and if I need to make a number of trips from home I don't have time to charge. It takes 10+ hours to charge using Level 1. I just purchased a level 2 cord and it takes about 3.5 hours to fully recharge from 0. Of course you don't have to worry about running out of charge because it does then go to HV (gas) mode automatically. In the summer I got 70 miles on a charge but during the winter I got as low as 33 miles on a charge. The cold weather cuts down on the battery output plus running the heater also cuts mileage. You do not have to fool around with the different drive modes if you don't want to, the car chooses a mode for you. But I drive in Sport mode most of the time because it is much more responsive. Also, I thought I would mention I live in Colorado and go over the passes a few times a year. If you are doing a road trip or will be driving in mountains then choose the HV mode as soon as you start the car. It saves on the EV miles and when you hit the mountains the car used both the gas and EV to give you plenty of power for the steepest grades. IF you don't and run out of EV the small engine will have a hard time (and become very noisy and some people find that (me too) a bad experience. Just remember to drive in HV on road trips. Again, I have owned a lot of cars in my 50 years of driving and this is the best car I have owned...
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Outstanding value! Perfect for my needs.
dacash, 05/24/2019
updated 06/17/2024
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
I wanted to purchase a plug-in, not to save the earth, but because it costs about a quarter of what it costs per mile to run compared to gasoline. But I also needed room for at least 4 adults to ride comfortably, and so the Prius and Volt were out. If you live in CA, there are lots of options. If you want to spend the cash, Tesla is an option. But if you would rather spend in the high $20K's (after rebate) rather than more than $50K, *this* is your best option. Charging at home using a normal household outlet kept my gasoline use to a minimum, but installing a 220V charger has virtually eliminated my need for Dino-juice in day to day travel. After a year, I've found I generally get more than 1,000 miles out of my 7 gal tank, even with the occasional road trip. Ordinarily I only run the gasoline engine once a week to keep it lubricated. The beauty of being a hybrid means that when I do have to make a several day trip, I still get a range of almost 400 miles. Around town, I get premium parking spaces for EV's and have only had minor issues with charge stations (there was a small learning curve). Having owned and driven many luxury cars (Audi, Mercedes, Acura. etc.) I know the interior could be more plush - it is a Honda, not an Acura - however it is nice and comfortable with plenty of room of 4 adults, 5 for shorter trips. The only time I hear any engine noise is when using the gas motor at surface street speeds. but what really sets this vehicle apart is acceleration. In most hybrids you could finish your coffee waiting to get up to freeway speeds, not in the Clarity (it was by far the quickest 0-60 in all the models in my comparison group). I was a bit worried about the looks when I read about (not like I got to see these on the road before buying), but most folks seem to really like it, I find it unique, which suits me well. Pros: quick, quiet, inexpensive to operate, distinctive styling, prem. parking spots Con: not the best implementation of adaptive cruise control, Android auto requires physical cord (won't operate in BT). Typical first impression from others: "Wow, this is huge inside." and then "Its so quiet" typically followed by "How much did you pay for this?... that little?" One year later: I've put on over 10k miles, only needed the yearly service (where they updated some of the software so that range is now calculated correctly). I've bought maybe 75 gallons of fuel, mostly operate on electrons. People still ask if it is new, it is wearing exceedingly well. Still loving those premium parking spaces! One more year: Still a great car. Battery has not fatigued (I still get into the high 40's and sometimes even over 50 mi per charge). It is wearing exceedingly well (it is garage kept and not very high mileage). On my 2 yr service the tech asked if I really wanted to replace the perfectly white air filter! Still whisper quiet inside. 2023: Mileage on "battery only" has dropped, but it may be the new tires or a combination of the batt age & new tires (the factory tires were not as grippy). Despite only getting about 40 mi per charge, I only buy gas about 4 or 5 times a year. I have yet to have any mechanical or structural problems. I typically replace after 6 years, and they no longer make this model. But nothing on the market (except the Volvo S60/90) are even close so I may hold onto this car a bit longer as it is still comfortable, quick and quiet. 2024: Still thinking about changing but so few PHEV sedan options! I wish Honda still made this car. I'm still getting just over 40mi/charge and still only buying gas every few months (really, around times we have visitors that want to make multiple longer day trips) but day to day I'm all electric. Maintenance costs have still been nominal, and car shows minimal signs of wear.
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My Honda Clarity is such a fantastic vehicle!
Patrick Perona, 03/10/2018
updated 09/13/2019
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
I've had this car only 4 weeks and I still have the full tank of gas that the dealer filled me up with. I only used less than half a gallon of gas and that was because I was learning the Clarity other than that I am using only the battery power source and when I go to the mall in Northridge, CA I always plug it in and top off the battery. This car saves so much in fuel costs.
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Gas prices?-IDK
G K, 03/13/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I’ve owned the car for 3 months, gone about 2000 miles and have yet to fill up the 7 gal. tank. My daily commute is about 15 mi RT and will occasionally go 70-100 mi on the weekend. I generally plug in every night and pg&e bill is maybe $25-40 more/month.
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Amazing Car
Suzanne Gordon, 09/11/2018
updated 09/13/2021
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
What other car offers such a range of electric driving combined with hybrid battery mileage? I know of none so far. I loved my Fusion Energi which was user friendly for this senior citizen, but the range was not enough to drive with plug in only. I live in the country and sell real estate so my driving range can be longer than a normal daily commute. My 2018 Honda Clarity Touring, after driving over 10,000 miles in eight months is averaging 125 miles to the gallon. I usually go three weeks to four weeks before filling up the seven (7) gallon gasoline tank I like being ego friendly and I'm thankful for the technology Honda put into making my 2018 Clarity an outstanding car.. I have had this car for over 3 years and I still give it a 5 Start. It looks good, it drives good and I "Love" the gas mileage.
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Not my gas guzzling suv
Micah Ouellette, 08/11/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
I have driven large suvs for fifteen years. We have four kids. They play sports and attend a school w a 25 min commute. Together my husband and I were spending $500 in gas per month this last school season. Over the summer, We decided to go somewhat electric. I got the clarity and he got model x Tesla. We are impressed with both cars and love not going to the pumps. The clarity car play is a great improvement over my old suv electronics. The biggest win is it can go about 50 miles on electric which is about what I drive a day w kids and errands. Yes it sits lower than a suv but I’m learning to work through. I will say that it does not have the same get up and go as the Tesla (since Tesla is all torque) but I don’t mind. I didn’t buy it to go fast through town. And with as much traffic as we have, I don’t need that function. Plus I have peace of mind to buy gas if need be or if no time for plugging in. The car rides smooth and no noise. And I can park anywhere, unlike my giant suvs where I had to have open space. If my family travels together we drive Tesla since a six seater. But rarely are we all going to same location. I have two teenagers and 8, and 10 year old. They all like the clarity and space it has. Of course they like the tech in the Tesla but that car his three times the cost as the clarity. As far as price, comfort and no pumps the clarity is a winner.
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Still Great After 15,000 miles
Bill Dawson, 10/19/2018
updated 10/22/2020
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
After 4 years of a Nissan Leaf, with worries about the 80 mile limit, my 2018 Clarity is a dream, automatically changing from electric to gas when I have exceeded the 50 mile electric range. Perhaps a bit larger than I wanted, but still a fine car. Probably used 15 gallons of gas in the first 5,000 miles. Sound and dependable. A pleasure to drive.
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The Good and the Bad
Donald Rapp, 05/16/2020
updated 05/22/2023
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
Good Points: 1. The seats are very comfortable and roomy 2. The back leg room is very good 3. The steering and driving is smooth and reliable. 4. The charge was good for first two years. But became a problem after that. See bad points. 5. The recharging paddles allow me to gain several tenths of a mile of charge at red lights. 6. The acceleration for ordinary driving is adequate ( but not a hot rod). 7. I don’t get tired from driving it. The seats give very good support (with extra lumbar pillow) 8. Storage in trunk and back seat is voluminous. 9. For local driving, I go almost 100% electric. 10. The safety features are great. Bad Points: 1. The little gas engine labors badly in the mountains at 7000 ft elevation going uphill. 2. The gas engine makes a little noise in some driving situations but I don’t find it a problem. 3. The cruise control stinks. It is slow to react to change, and it doesn’t hold steady. It is really bad. 4. The volume control on audio is impossible to use. But the control on the steering wheel is easy to use. 5. The windshield washer is not very good. It is uneven and inefficient. This got fixed. 6. There is no lumbar support but I put a small hard pillow at the bottom of the seat. 7. Biggest problem of all: There are two read-outs on battery: a digital miles electric, and a bar chart of electric without a scale. After two years, the digital display dropped from normal 47 miles to 35 miles, but the bar chart indicated higher mileage. I inadvertently drove with digital at zero miles but went several miles beyond on electric. Honda dealers don't have a clue. Degradation of battery seems much less than digital display but the whole thing is a mystery.
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Smooth, quiet ride with phenomenal range
Mike C, 07/01/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I replaced a 10 year old Acura with the Honda Clarity Plugin about 6 weeks ago. The ride is quiet and smooth. Tech is about what I expected. The car “sings” upon parking in the garage which I find amusing but the wife thinks it’s annoying. The main reason for purchasing this vehicle is I like the idea of running off of electric but having the freedom of going gas with longer range. It has definitely performed. I currently put on about 1300 miles and just went below half a tank of the dealership’s gas from when I purchased the car. I can get 50 miles of electric before I use a drop of gas although it does take more than 12 hours to fully charge off a standard 110v outlet from empty to full. I think car seats were a design afterthought. Additionally, 2 car seats do fit but adding a booster seat is near impossible to the car seats.
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Best new car secret nobody knows about
Claire Greene, 10/25/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
The perfect car for most people. What is there not to like? It is roomy, torquey, handles well, includes a lot of safety nannies to save your ass from your mistakes. Affordable once the federal credit is factored in. Plus it's a Honda. 47 miles of cost free driving every day as long as you plug in overnight. And when you run out of battery power no worries with the standby gas engine to erase range anxiety and get you to your destination. If you can find another 5 passenger plug in hybrid that has 47 miles of pure electric range then buy it!!
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33 days in Shop > 3 m/o car > 3 miles in title
Anne C, 08/28/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
23 of 27 people found this review helpful
3 instances > 23 days total in Keyes Honda for: Engine system, adaptive cruise control & RDM problem. 1 instance > 10 days total in Sam Linder Honda / Body shop for a broken radiator. My 2018 Honda Clarity has 3 miles noted in the title, brought brand new...it's been just a few months old - this is my real life experience.
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Why aren't there more Clarifies on the road
Crater Eddie, 11/26/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I was going to purchase a new 2018 Volt permier. Has the deal set and financing approved. Was trading in my 2013 Volt to get a better battery range and some additional safety features (e.g. Adaptive Cruise, backup camera). Stopped by the Honda Dealer to pick up a cabin air filter for the Wife's CRV. Walked thru the showroom to leave and spotted my Clarity. First thought was,out of my price range because of the size and features. Was surprised that the sticker was 4k less than the deal on the Volt. Honda Dealer was DarCars in n Bowie, MD. Very low key sales approach. I found my salesman (Milton Stiff). Asked and got the True Car price without any hassle. Also got 0.9% for 60 months and grand more for the Volt. I have a 13 mile commute, a home 240 v charger and chargers at work. I lived in southern MD. Taken the car on multiple 100 mile trips and one long trip to Lynchburg Va. Averaging 199.9 combined mpg. Car is very comfortable in long trip. Love using Android Auto and Wazes. Love the additional room in the Clarity. Wife loves the room compared to the Volt. Total cost with Federal and state tax breaks is about 20k including trade in.
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Clearly a winner
Sherman, 04/05/2018
updated 04/05/2021
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Surprisingly large and comfortable for the efficiencies provided.
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Edmunds really under-rates this car
Larry F, 02/09/2019
updated 02/12/2020
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I now own this car for 2 years with over 25000 moles on it. It is still the best car I have ever owned by far which includes a 2002 Acura which actually cost more at that time! Zero problems with this car . I never use gas unless I go on a long trip as I get 40-50 EV miles depending on the season here in Boston. On the highway it is remarkably comfortable and it gets 40 mpg even though it is 4000 lbs. I loved my two Priuses before this car but there is no comparison in the ride and size.
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Glad we discovered the Clarity
Monica, 12/26/2018
updated 06/29/2020
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Just out of curiosity, we decided to check out the Clarity though we were ready to purchase the Volt. ...so glad we did. Price was close but space and comfort was much better in the Clarity. We've been very happy with our choice after a year of driving it.
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Warning: Clarity Doesn't Charge Correctly
Josh, 06/15/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
28 of 34 people found this review helpful
So...I leased a Clarity 3 weeks ago, and was loving it; charged it at home, great. HOWEVER, when I went to charge it at work, at a ChargePoint charging station, the car stopped charging after only an hour; it hadn't charged and gave me an error message. I went to another ChargePoint station at my workplace, same thing. I looked online and it appears many others are having this problem; there is something in the Clarity that doesn't allow the vehicle to charge properly at certain ChargePoint stations. So if you are going to need to charge your car at a ChargePoint station (as I am, as it is my only option at work), stay away from the Clarity until they fix this bug. If you are skeptical do a search for " Honda Clarity Hybrid Charging Issues", you will see others are having this problem as well. Before I had this issue I loved the car; but it's clearly not ready for prime time. And the folks at Honda somehow seem clueless about it so far, incredibly frustrating.
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Saving $ with a PEV
msb123maryland, 01/16/2019
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
I bought the Honda Clarity primarily to save money on fuel and to cut down on my carbon footprint... I drive over 30,000 miles a year. It appears that I will achieve those goals. My fuel bill has been cut in half if not more, I am averaging 72 mpg. However, the comfort of the front seats is disappointing. I expected more comfort and I got less... The engine is also very loud, even at highway speeds.
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Clarity PHEV Plug in Charging System Problems !!!!
In a Daze about my new Clarity, 09/05/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
15 of 18 people found this review helpful
I just bought my Honda Clarity in July 2018. Now I am getting a Plug in Charging System Problem Range Limited Error Message and my engine light is on.. Apparently Honda has known about this problem since January but had done nothing to fix it. I received this error message from the same 240 volt charger I have always charged my car from at work. The charger is not a Charge Point charger and it has to be a glitch in the car's software because nothing else in my charging habits have changed. Please take note, that your car will not charge properly when you get this error so always make sure you have gas in your tank as a back up, just in case you get stranded some where....
After 15 months of ownership...I still love it!
Paul Nunley, 03/04/2019
updated 03/06/2020
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I Love this car! It is a pleasure to drive. I researched it for 9 months and finally purchased it in mid December 2018. I now have 15000 miles on it and have used less than 1 gallon of gas per month. EPA rated at a 47 mile all electric range. I average closer to a 55-60 mile range per charge . I plug it in every evening (Level 1-120 volt outlet) and it's costing me less than $.70 a day to charge. EPA rated as having a 340 mile range with a full charge and a full (7 gallon) tank of gas. The vehicle routinely shows a 400 mile range. I purchased a 100,000 mile extended warranty and had the local dealer match the on-line dealer extended warranty (same factory warranty) and saved over 40%. i paid $38,000 out the door for the Touring addition with tax, license, etc. This vehicle qualified for the $7,500 federal tax credit so it brought it down to $30,500 (after the tax credit). Honda quality, 2018 Green Car of the Year, 2018 KBB Best Buy, 110 MPGe, 44 MPG hybrid mode, what's not to love!
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No confusion with me regarding my Clarity!
RJS, 08/18/2018
updated 08/29/2019
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
I have only owned my 2018 Honda Clarity for two months as of the date of this review; but it has been a great car that I have no complaints about thus far. I charge it in my garage nightly; and use virtually no gas, as my daily commute is well under the Clarity's quoted 47 mile electric driving range (and I typically get more than 47 miles per charge, as I always drive my Clarity in Econ mode). Electric rates are less than 12 cents pre KWH in the summer and less than 8 cents per KHW the rest of the year in the area I live; so charging my Clarity's 17 KWH battery pack costs me less than one dollar a day, compared to the nearly 6 dollars a day I was spending on gasoline for the 2010 Honda Ridgeline pickup truck I used to drive. And since, as mentioned above, I nearly never use any gas with my Clarity based on my daily commune, it looks like I will only be refilling its 7 gallon gas tank 2 or 3 times a year. With that in mind, I will be saving over $1,800 per year in energy costs in driving my Clarity, relative what it was costing to drive the Ridgeline I traded in when I bought my Clarity.
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Incredible Value Commuters Car
Kartik Kamath, 01/13/2019
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
This car satisfies a longterm need of mine, for getting a comfortable commuter new car without breaking the bank and at the same time being an EV. Well it’s a PHEV but I treat it like an EV, charging it whenever I get a chance. I have an SUV for family duty but don’t like to lug it around for my 40mile commute. The Honda Clarity suffices my morning commute in all EV mode. At work I charge it while it’s parked and on the way back I’m on EV mode again. Apart from the hyper milers who would share incredible mpg figures this is really a comfortable car. If you’re able to get the tax-CREDIT, remember it’s a credit not a rebate then this is really the best bang for buck in terms of price versus features. The so called base trim is actually an EXL trim is you compare other Honda products. I was sold when I realized this 35K+ car can be had for about 21K-22K. A 40% discount on a new car whew!!!
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Best bang for the buck
James Martin, 06/04/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
My previous car was a Fusion Energi. The Clarity gives you the comfort and smooth ride while not sacrificing total electric distance. I'm glad to have a full size trunk for trips again. Getting used to the newer safety features made for an intersting first day drive.... (I wasn't the best at signaling when going on off ramps). All I can say is be sure to use your turn signals correctly. Radio has been just fine and Honda support was great with getting Link to work with my phone. The climate control setup took a little familiarization to get comfortable. With the tax credit I'm paying as much for the clarity as I would for a mid level Accord....pretty much a no Brainer in my opinion.
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Gas up just to keep the gas fresh
BMC, 01/25/2019
updated 02/03/2020
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Good size - big enough in the interior. Still relatively new so how on earth does the resale value rating mean anything. No maintenance costs since it is so new. Range is good - have only owned it in the colder months so expect the range to increase with the temperature. Have not driven many miles on the gas engine - twice. It gets us to the next town and back with just the electric. Headlights are great. The two trips using the gas and electric have given us a mph rating of 69 mpg. Otherwise on local trips of less than 40 miles it registers 199 mpg. Takes some getting use to the new technology with an upgrade of 13 years. Like where the transmission gear buttons are located. Very easy to use. No stretching to the dash or a lever. Rural driving. Any city over 50,000 is an hour and a half away. It is handy to run to the pet store or the library and know that you have not used any gas. The center console is a touch wide and my knee tends to hit it but it is much better than other vehicles with a center console (6' 4"). Comes close to one pedal driving. The lane keeping assist is a bit touchy. If you drive around an inside curve the vehicle sometimes doesn't like the oncoming cars since the brake warning comes on. Great CAR though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Update - July - battery range increased in warmer weather to around or almost 50 mi. It does collect water in the undercarriage with the brake design and dumps it in the garage when you get back from a wet outing. Wish it had a true blind spot monitor. Other than that no problems except for an occasional rattle (vibration) in the A pillar that Honda has not been able to quiet Update Feb 20 - Still great. Rattle-vibration gone from pillars. 7,000 miles and 14 gal of gas. does get dirty but easy to wash. Back to winter charge rates in the upper 30's. We don't go far. 4 cylinder a bit noisy going up some of the hills here.
it's what people who want PHEVs want
Jim, 05/27/2019
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I've had successive leases on two Ford C-Max Energis, and then moved to a lease on a Honda Clarity PHEV this February. We liked the Fords well enough, but the Honda is much, much better for us. The C-Max seats five (in a pinch) and gets about 20 miles per full charge (give or take, depending on how cold it is). The Clarity is quite spacious inside and is much more comfortable than the Ford for that fifth person. Its trunk is huge. We got a good lease deal on a 2018 Touring trim, and the inside feels very swanky compared to the Ford. It's just a higher level of car than a budget model. But the thing we appreciate most is the all-electric range, double that of the Ford (and of the Prius Prime too--which is also comparatively cramped inside, though I've heard they're made space for a fifth person in the new version). Given our driving habits (my 10-mile commute) , this is basically an electric car for us. The tank is still full with the gas the dealer put into it in February, and I'm writing this review in late May. And because it's a PHEV, we always have the option of gassing up and driving to Vermont or New York (we're in Mass.) without worrying about running out of juice. These features are really what most people who want PHEVs care about, at least ones I've talked to. Range, comfort for five, storage room, nice midsize feel, and the option to exceed limitations of all-electric cars. We don't care about the (supposedly weird) looks, or being able to beat somebody in a drag race when the light turns green. (By the way, we've had no trouble with the car switching to the gas engine unexpectedly --that other reviewer must have received a problematic car.) The Clarity weighs a lot and, if you're planning on running it as a pure hybrid, maybe it's not for you. But if most of your day's driving adds up to under 50 miles, you basically have an electric car in the Clarity, with the option to do more any time you need to.
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Great car!
DRP, 01/14/2021
updated 01/27/2025
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
This car delivers on just about anything that I would want in a vehicle. After 2 years of ownership, I am impressed by the savings of rarely buying gas. Maintenance has been little. The ride is very smooth. Nothing has changed.in my opinion of the car.
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First time buyer of a PHEV
Mark, 02/21/2019
updated 02/23/2021
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Feb. 2020. I still love my Clarity and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a PHEV. FYI, since this car weighs over 4,000lbs. it goes through tires at 20,000 miles. So replace them with a harder tire than what came from the factory. It was suggested to me to look into a PHEV by my daughter who bought a Prius Prime a couple years ago and loves it. I drove several PHEVs before test driving the Honda Clarity PHEV. I decided to go with the Touring model of the Clarity because the base models that were available were not to my liking as far as interior and exterior colors. I also thought the added creature comfort features in the Touring were well worth the increase in price. I am very impressed with the handling, comfort and outstanding MPG I'm experiencing with my new Clarity. My first 1,040 miles on one tank of gas came out to be 178 mpg on a six gallon fill up for $17.85. My first month electric bill came in $30.00 higher as I plugged in during off peak hours. I submitted for rebates from my electric company ($450) and the state of California ($1,500). Also I am awaiting my 2018 taxes to be completed to see what the $7,500 tax credit with the IRS will do to my tax liability.
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Great Car for Environment and Less Gas
SD, 03/27/2019
updated 03/28/2022
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
The car runs great. It uses the same charging cable for 120V or 240V. 120V takes 12 hrs to a full charge and 240V takes 2.5 hrs for the same. 47 mi on Electric charge is as advertised. It drops to around 35-40 mile in Winters here in CT. Car is super silent on Electric only and has a good acceleration. When on gas, it can be bit noisy but still less noisy than full gasoline engine. Car is loaded with features. Remote Charging, Climate Control, Map of Charging Stations via app. I drove around 1200 miles so far and had to put gas in it only once about 6 gal. My commute is 60 mi round trip. It is a great car for individuals who have 10-20 mile one way commute.May you never have to stop at a gas station. Cons: Car is bigger than a Prius and Civic A bit smaller for 3 adults on the back particularly middle seat or 3 car seats in the back are not possible. 2 car seats work well. You tend to think about charging the car just like you would worry about phone running out of battery. Slightly less headroom, I am 6'. === Update after 3 yrs of driving. Car still drives great. No dip in the performances, same as above. More savings when you continue to drive fully electric when gas prices are at $4+/gal. Nuances: A/C ducts above the screen are awkwardly placed. ===
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Very luxurious plug-in hybrid so far
Tu Tran, 05/19/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
The ride is great. With electric mode, its acceleration is fast. I chose a plug-in because I didn't know whether electric is reliable. Now, I think now driving on electric is a lot of fun and luxurious because it is quiet. Get this car if you only have 1 car so that you can still go on long trip on gas.
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Hard to learn, but a great car
White house on the corner, 07/12/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
This is a great car, tha I enjoy driving. My commute is all electric, longer trips are 50-100 mpg, and the car is comfortable, quiet, and feels luxurious. The dealership didn't know anything about the car - first test drive with no charge, and when they delivered the car to me they basically handed me the keys. Fortunately, the manual on online support helped me understand the three driving modes and other little nice features. There was a glitch when all the warning lights came on at 700 miles, but dealer reset them and said Honda would have an update in a few months.
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Great commuter and family car
RP, 09/04/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Excellent value, makes commute easy and safe. Excellent for family trips with children.
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Honda Clarity
Paul, 01/15/2019
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I love driving this vehicle! I think it’s better than a Mercedes C class.
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More than especially
Quan Le, 12/02/2018
2018 Honda Clarity Electric 4dr Sedan (electric DD)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought a second Honda Clarity glug in, the weather in California is good for the battery. We enjoyed the most when rides someone Home, 2 weeks no gasoline cost
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Best car ever
Pablo K, 09/02/2019
updated 03/23/2020
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
clearly the best car i've ever owned - have around 4000 miles and used about $20 of gas. But the real news is that the ride feels like a bmw- or better and the interior is also very nice and very spacious(although the suede trim parts aren't my favorite) - i've been driving for 50 years - and this is the first car that I've been excited about - honda needs to be doing a better job of advertising - this is a hidden gem that kicks the butt of prius (and yes, i also own a prius) so it should be outselling 9 month update - Still loving the car - and still don't understand why Honda isn't advertising them more. took it in for it's first service call - i don't think we had over a couple of hundred miles on the gas engine - but its probably good to freshen it up every so often
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Family Love Clarity coming from Corolla
ClarityMan, 01/07/2019
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Get a 240 volt charger installed to get a 12 hour at home charge reduced to 2.5 hours. I have owned since July 2018 and have only charged outside maybe 2 times. This has cut our gasoline expense by around 50%. We disagree with most of the reviews as we love it. This is a family man's Tesla and you get Honda's reliability and nationwide support. 4 adults are very comfortable. 3 full sized adults in the back seat are a bit cramped, but not like in a Corolla. As for these seats, I find them more than comfortable. When in the front passenger seat, a $12 seat cushion for extra support for LONG drives and you are set. Do note that the 47 to 51 charge during typical spring/summer/fall driving does drop do around 31 in the winter as the cold does effect the battery charge. Do not listen to the reviews alone if you are interested, but test drive one for yourself. It is also fun seeing people stare at YOUR car when you drive by wondering to themselves what kind of car it is.
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Great Car and Value for Money
KS. Rao (Kandala), 03/10/2019
2018 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I drove 3- series, Tesla model -3 and Audi sedan before finally buying Clarity Touring . The car is very spacious and gives good mileage. I drove 5,000 miles so far during last 5 months. It runs very well on Electric. It is fine on Econ+HV mode on highways but HV mode makes occasional revving noise when you start accelerating after a momentary stop at traffic lights or in traffic - In those cases, I switch to electric mode and couple of secs before switching back to HV+Econ mode. I believe that the occasional noise is more prominent in colder weather- the dealer told me that Honda is sending a patch to correct the anomaly. Overall I am very happy with the car. KS Rao
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