Episode 106 - 2020 Honda Clarity PHEV Review!

[@EVRevolution]

UPDATE/CORRECTION: For the Regeneration, Sport Mode remembers the Regen mode. To have it constantly stay on a Regen level, use SPORT mode. For the car forgetting the Regen mode, that is because it is trying to emulate a regular car downshifting. *Thanks for many viewers for pointing this out! :)

[@EVRevolution]

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[@ScottThomasPhoto]

I am two years into a three year lease on a Honda Clarity PHEV. Back in 2018, my idea was to lease an affordable PHEV with lots of range (48 EPA but varies. Summer I consistently get between 52 to 55. Winter it can go as low as 18 in sub-zero temps). The car is easy to drive and very comfortable. I use mine primarily as an EV with my daily commute only 24 miles. Any time I use a highway, I switch to Hybrid mode to keep the battery for later commuting. Again, by 2021, I was hoping for a good choice of full EV vehicles. Turns out even though I live in New York, USA. I may only have 2 to 3 models to choose from but only if Ford and VW come through. My local Hyundai/Kia dealers are not EV certified and do not intend to be so in the near future. Sigh...I am determined but it is frustrating.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks Scott for sharing your experience and for getting on the EV bandwagon a couple of years ago. Agreed that full EV is the way to go eventually, but when it works for you.

[@BradOnCars]

I live in Canada and yes it drops low in the cold, cold weather. LOVE how quickly the interior warms up however. Oddly enough I have noticed my maximum range in the warm months actually >improve< slightly. In (two) previous summers I would get about 70-75km as a max. Last summer I hit 80-85+ several times for the first time. And I'm at 64 000 km. Honestly I love this car.

[@johndonaldson5126]

I don't know what happened to the comment I posted. I'll try again... My Touring Clarity is also Crimson color so looks exactly like this one you reviewed. Here are a couple of comments I hope will be helpful. 1) If you drive in Sport mode it will retain the regen level you set. 2) Go to the audio display (radio) and hit Menu on the left side of the screen. There are further audio controls there. 3) I believe in the Canadian Clarity there is a switch to shut off the low speed pedestrian warning. 4) The Canada version does not get driver's seat memory but does get a battery heater. 5) On the left side of the screen there is a Volume +/-. This is the "volume slider" mentioned. You can tap the + and - and you may be able to slide your finger up and down on it. Of course there is a volume control on the steering wheel which is a better choice. Most of us wish for a volume knob. Our Clarity PHEV is perfect for us. We drive for several weeks without leaving town so stay in EV mode 100% of that time. Our daily drives are between 50 and 70 miles with charging at home usually twice per day (by the way we charge from our solar house roof system). For out of town trips, which are day trips, or long vacations we can use HV mode and it behaves like a standard hybrid. I figure we take one short out of town trip about every 6 weeks, then a 1,100 mile round trip vacation once a year. So we drive about 13 days per year using gas, and 352 days in electric mode. Having a PHEV has one downside and many upsides. The one downside is we still have to do engine service about once per year (oil, filters, etc.). The upside is the engine only runs a tiny fraction of the year. We didn't have to pay for a large traction battery (Clarity's battery is 17KW) and we don't have the extra weight of the larger traction battery.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching and subscribing John! Great feedback on your experience and you are a great use case for a competent PHEV. I was told by another viewer on the sport mode/regen. I did not see a switch to shut off the pedestrian sound and I would think you could not, as it is law here now.

[@avecrux333]

I have this car and I think it's phenomenal. I am so happy with it. Best car I've ever owned. In summer I am getting close to 60 miles on a single battery charge. Only use gas once or twice a week.

[@dennisvarney2665]

Having owned this vehicle for just over two years, I am thoroughly happy with it. My EV range is between 22 miles (winter) and 60 miles (summer) averaging about 47. Unless I am traveling out of town for any distance, I have no use for gas. If you’re shy about going all electric, this car is the next best thing and will convince you that your next vehicle will be electric.

[@EVRevolution]

Great Dennis, thanks for sharing!

[@dennisvarney2665]

While the regen settings are canceled in HV and ECO modes when the brakes are used, they are maintained in sport mode. In that mode it’s only when cruise control is enabled the regen mode is canceled.

[@EVRevolution]

Ok, well then thanks for letting me know! I did not try driving in any other mode but Eco.

[@drusera]

I just got a new 2020 Clarity. I used to speed around loud in my Civic Si, now I go quiet with the clarity. I love the crazy styling which has people checking my badges to see what this is

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience. As someone who has a passion for cars as well, and a background in american muscle and import tuning, I get it and understand where you came from. I too totally agree with the BEV lifestyle and would not go back for anything.

[@rockymntdan1]

For those still researching this car. The paddles are great. Use them for a "down shift" affect, (minus key), and you'll hardly need to use the brakes. You can coast and time it sometimes to down shift, then up shift and possibly not hit the brakes at all. Saves on brakes big time and you regen the battery quicker.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching and for this additional info!

[@2tailedfox711]

I have a 2018 which as far as I know is exactly the same. I'm in the usa. I love it. Srsly buy this car!

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching and appreciate your feedback on the vehicle!

[@PamenterDoug]

My 2021 Niro PHEV is awesome! Truly the best of both worlds. No it is not a race car but the dual clutch transmission with sport mode is efficient and fun to drive. It has driver’s seat memory is power adjustable. Plus the front seats are heated and ventilated and full leather seats all around. The car is easy to get in and out of both front and rear seats, and easy to park and drive around the city, very solid on the highway, with lots of space in the back, plus roof racks and cross bars. I like the regular sunroof (not pano), and the understated styling helps this very cool car blend in. I added on a block heater for winter and rain guards for summer. The regular tinted windows are perfect. The sixteen inch wheels give a better ride and fuel economy than the larger wheels. The intelligent cruise control is my favourite feature. The dual zone AC is great and I like having buttons to push. The dual digital instrument panels give a ton of programmable information and again… blend in. Not like other cars that have an iPad stuck on the dash… I could go on, but you get the picture.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching! Excellent and thanks for the info on your Niro PHEV!

[@jdonalds2001]

That's my car! If you use Sport mode it will keep the regen level you chose. When displaying the audio screen tap the menu button for audio controls. I believe the Canadian version has a button to turn off the low speed pedestrian sound. The volume slider is shown on the left of the display. Also a volume control on the steering wheel.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching and subscribing! Yes I was just told about the sport mode/regen. Thanks for the sound info as well. I don't have the car anymore, only get these review vehicles for a few days.

[@bellshooter]

Thanks for a really honest review, the Clarity was originally a flagship Hydrogen car a few years ago, it has not evolved with the rest of the EV world and seems uncomfortable as a mediocre PHEV ... much better options out there. Shame for Honda...

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks Dave, like I said it is not bad for those wanting a PHEV but yes, mediocre is a better way to describe it.

[@TheCommonSenseProfessor]

I have had my Clarity for over 2 years and we absolutely love this car! I cannot think of anything to complain about concerning this car (well besides the radio volume knob).

[@EVRevolution]

Hello and thanks for watching! Appreciate your feedback on the Clarity and it's too bad they are discontinuing them here.

[@BradOnCars]

Great to see a review! And in Canada too! :) I've had my 2018 since April of that year. 65 000 km now and with a Level 2 in my garage I've run 80% on pure EV! Keeps the cost so low it's almost silly. Best of luck with the channel! -Brad(onCars) ;)

[@EVRevolution]

That is awesome! Much thanks for watching and for sharing your experiences so far. Glad to hear they are positive and that you can drive mostly on electrons! Thanks and hope you subscribe!

[@BradOnCars]

@@EVRevolution Of course! I always support those who make content! All the best!

[@johndonaldson5126]

I really like your channel. It is among my favorite electric car channels.

[@EVRevolution]

Much thanks John for watching, subscribing and you feedback! Makes me feel good about what I am doing!

[@LiquidTurbo]

For the Regen, Sport Mode remembers the Regen mode, so it want it to constantly stay in a Regen level, use SPORT mode. For the car forgetting the Regen mode, that is because it is trying to emulate a regular car downshifting.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks Brian for watching and for the info. Yes another viewer made a similar comment yesterday so good to know. Think I'll pin a comment to say that. Thanks again!

[@LiquidTurbo]

EV Revolution Show great review!

[@MarkLLawrence]

Honda just needs to go that one step further and offer a BEV version of the Clarity.

[@nevco8774]

Used to be offered one BEV only in California just for a while but having a very short range did not sell well and got discontinued.

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

nevoi comerciale the range was 80 miles. I get 30 on my 2012 leaf so 80 would be a lot. But with all the 200 plus mile evs it would be behind. They also had a honda fit ev that they leased in california. I saw some in ohio since we have a honda plant near me.

[@nc3826]

Clarity BEV had a 89 mile range not a 80 mile range which was not bad for larger BEV back when it came out... shame they made it so so butt ugly...

[@EVRevolution]

Correct, has a BEV and discontinued for 2020.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks!

[@sergest-pierre6160]

Accurate review, a bit late as I own one for more then two years. This is an old design by now. The first one were hydrogen model which were on the market late 2016. That explains the poor infotainment and lane watch. 2021 is probably the last year of production. Price when up by $5000 since I bought mine and it is the same car. Now it is the same price as some long range EV. The Clarity is low production, large scale experiments for Honda and It is about to end. I hope they put the large battery in the CRV hybrid. That would sale.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks Serge for watching and for subscribing. Also for sharing your experience. Yes I am a bit late with this but only became an AJAC member late last year which gives me access to test cars from the OEMs, so I am trying to catch up a bit. I've not heard officially for the last year of production but they did can the all-electric.

[@sillygoose4176]

When u push the brake pedal, regen starts so I don't need to stress on regen. But if u must control regen, u can put it in sport mode and you can set it to however strong u want the regen and it keeps that level. But only in sport mode.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching and for the info!

[@mikedasilva4158]

Regarding regen ignore the paddles , look at the regen charge scale as you depress the brake pedal. The harder you press the higher the regen, problem resolved.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching! Yes indeed.

[@johnnykemenes6992]

Great show number 106 Ken and I like the car 🚗 👌 👍

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks Johnny!

[@robjk]

I leased a Clarity FCV and it does have a setting to adjust the balance of the audio. I can't remember the exact sequence; but its there. But the control of volume is terrible with the touch sensitive sliders. That's the main reason a didn't get another Clarity. It really needs Honda's newest system with a physical volume knob.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks Rob for watching and subscribing. Yes I read about the sliding volume but this vehicle did not have that either. Trust me when I say I went thru every menu option to find audio controls/settings and there are none for fader/balance/sound - bass, treb, etc. Nada. I looked and looked so either they took it out or the software version on this brand new vehicle was not up to snuff.

[@annamariebohus4817]

Thanks for another excellent, very interesting and informative show!

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching!

[@Cloxxki]

With such electric range, a few tanks should see 80-90% of drivers through the year. Proving they have charging at either/or home and work. A bit like a Volt/Ampera-e or 1st gen Leaf with generator backup on board.

[@nc3826]

or 1st gen i3 REx

[@EVRevolution]

Correct!

[@EVRevolution]

Yes. You can see by my very low gas usage that something like this would work for me as a normal daily commuter, with my ability to charge at home every night!

[@jamespaul2587]

Great to see another review/impressions video, Ken. I've seen a few Claritys at charging stations, I thought they were larger than the Accord actually, perhaps the styling is deceiving, not the most streamlined vehicle on the road. The price seems high and not far from a full EV, however it's a good option for those that are more comfortable with traditional styling and the longer potential range of a PHEV, and for those who prefer sedans as non Tesla EV sedans are rare. The battery size and electric range of this car is quite impressive also.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks JP!

[@MinhNguyen-vi2ie]

The horn sounds not loud at all like a small moped!!!??? That is the only negative I found after buying my 2018 Clarity new :(

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for the feedback and sharing your experience!

[@tysonb1486]

Great review! This is the size of sedan gm should of made electric either as the volt platform or fully electric. Either one the Malibu or impala would of been very successful I think. The Lane keep assist held the road nice. Keep up the great work!

[@EVRevolution]

Totally agree, those are great platforms for a larger battery PHEV or all-electric. Who knows now with the Ultium package what will happen after they do their SUV/Pickup truck things.

[@ChefBendOregon]

I just signed a trade-in and I am not sure if I got a deal. Due to negative equity, I put $1500 and I had to give away owing my Nissan Rogue $17 k and my Dodge Durango $32k and I got this Clarity 2020. I wonder if I did the right thing, I am going to save on gas, oil change since I got a lifetime oil change and extended warranty, plus gap all included. I just don't like not having two cars anymore in case of an emergency.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching. Glad you made the step into the "EV Revolution" and I think you will be very happy with that decision. Since you got a PHEV, you still have the "security" of petrol fuel for when your all-electric range is depleted and you can't charge. The Dodge is not the best for gas mileage and maintenance costs. The Nissan is better but would have cost you more in Total Ownership than the Clarity will. The biggest difference you need to be ok with is space. A sedan versus SUVs. Best of luck and congrats again!

[@lejy555]

I saw your video and there is a way to adjust the audio setting on my 2019 Clarity unless the Honda took it out.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching!

[@thdjjfsfh]

I wish Honda sold more of these, I wanted to buy a used one, but can't find any.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching. Me too!

[@ronbotex]

Nice car but nearly impossible to get. Not a new one within 50 miles of DFW Texas area( a huge market ). I have an Insight which is great.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching and sharing! Yes seems here too they are going the way of the dodo and anything avail is scarce. Well, with Honda's recent news of stepping it up into full electrification, they are finally making a run at it!

[@costakis7895]

Great Video Ken but not so great looks for the car!

[@EVRevolution]

Fair enough!

[@courtneyvegan9448]

Not a fan of the back wheel arches.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching. For reduced aero drag. Functional.

[@courtneyvegan9448]

@@EVRevolution Yes, but I find it weird.

[@mikedasilva4158]

They work in conjunction with the pass thru just ahead of the rear wheels to minimize the air flow resistance that is always there. Well engineered for my needs, same applies for the front air dam allowing the same pass thru for the air. Got mine in 2018, live in Toronto and deal with temperatures between 90 > -25 Celsius. It’s exactly 4 years old as of Aug 8/22. 46000 Kms. Charging the battery yesterday gave me 74 km ( 50miles). A big unknown when we bought it was what would the batt degradation be in 4/5 years. No complaints from where I sit with these numbers. When I changed tires to Michelin Crosstours their Winter and summer rated tire, no need to strap on winter tires any more, I took my ph/cam to the mechanic and asked him if I could. take some photos of my brake pads with 40k on the car. The pads looked almost new, as did the discs. Highly recommended since I expect to get 200k out of them, I will be looking forward as to how I manage the brakes and services surrounded them. M I’ll rotate them every 10k ,and monitoring will continue. BTW, One on the things I really like about the car is how much Aluminum goes into its sheet metal. Have fun if you have one, grab a MODERATE STRENGTH magnet and have some fun as you check out why rust should never be an issue. (too strong a magnet and u might compromise the paint. Look to your fridge for an appropriate one.

[@courtneyvegan9448]

@@mikedasilva4158 Personally I don't care about all that. It's fugly. Thank God not many car companies have brain dead designers.

[@Andi_mit_E]

To me driving a PHEV is like being half-pregnant! :-D It combines the disadvantages of both technologies! ;-) My opinion: Drive electric or leave it... but not a green washed combustion car (=PHEV).

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks but for many, a full EV won't work for them and there are still many areas that have weak charging infrastructures for longer road trips and not everyone can afford long-range BEVs. Good PHEVs are still a solid choice for at least the next few years still.

[@nevco8774]

Nice video. What a pity Honda did not bring this powertrain in a SUV sized comparable to CRV. Now when Honda is cooperating with GM this vehicle might end up like Chevrolet Volt being in the wrong body shape in the wrong time on the market - a sedan. Most people thinking about Honda being ugly should know that Honda is competing in this category with ugliness with Toyota Prius PHEV this being a special category in Japanese automotive manufacturets - who will outdo whom in ugliness. Just joking! Whoever can digest outside look can buy this vehicle since it is very nice looking inside and built quality is good, the powertrain being excellent.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching!

[@MinhNguyen-vi2ie]

All design looks pretty ugly because the main purpose is less drag (fuel efficient)

[@nevco8774]

@@MinhNguyen-vi2ie It is quite difficult to aggree with you knowing that Tesla Model 3&Model S, Porsche Taycan, Polestar 2, Lucid Motors sedan are nice looking cars having even better drag coefficient. And by the way Honda Clarity doesn't have a ugly front end while Toyota Prius is aggressively ugly overall from outside. And these are not my points only but are very commonly and evenly spread perceptions about these 2 cars look. Toyota Prius used to be earlier not so ugly. Chevrolet Bolt is considered ugly too while discontinued Volt was quite attractive especially after facelifting. Honda Accord Crosstour is also considered one of the most ugly cars very closed to ideal of a ugly car ever made in North America - Pontiac Aztek. The most hated car ever made FIAT Multipla first generation in Europe even knowingly ugly by its designers had a commercial in 1998 saying "It does not have to be liked by everybody".

[@MinhNguyen-vi2ie]

@@nevco8774 I am driving 2018 Honda Clarity right now. After test drive the Accord I picked the Clarity because of its comfort and quietness. I like the Clarity both inside and outside. The Clarity short coming is its horn (I barely hear it). It sounds like a small moped :( It was too late for me to return it back to the dealer. I would lost at least $500? Anyway it runs fine on battery and as long you don't to try to race it against other sport sedans

[@nevco8774]

@@MinhNguyen-vi2ie I even noticed in the first comment that powertrain of Honda Clarity and interior are very nice. However for me it will have to be a practical CRV shaped vehicle to allow me to embrace it. That vehicle could beat to its game the new Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV. The ideal for me though would be a station wagon version of Clarity but in North America station wagons are killed for good which is a shame since all SUVs are tall hatchbacks or station wagons. I understand that its outdated infotainment and poor sound insulation are a dealbreaker for most people but not for me. The interior room being better than in Accord is a reality thus proving the vehicle is a nice proposition in plugged world. Enjoy your vehicle since it so far will be a far more reliable and cheap to operate one than any Tesla.

[@normt430]

This old GM Voltec technology.

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks for watching!

[@iamu2247]

Paying a premium for a car that looks like what the 1990's thought what future cars would look like. Pass. Good channel though!

[@EVRevolution]

Thanks, to each their own. I've talked to many Clarity Owners and they love it.

[@sillygoose4176]

We don't buy it for the looks