2020 Honda Clarity: the rare pearl

Among plug-in hybrid vehicles, the Honda Clarity remains little known. It is nonetheless distinguished by an important electric autonomy and, sadly, by a very limited distribution.

Over the years, as new niches in the automotive market develop, some vehicles become flagship models. This was the case with the Chevrolet Volt, which popularized plug-in hybrid powertrains. Its unexpected withdrawal from the market in 2019, however, did not cause interest in this type of vehicle to drop since several competing models had appeared. We think here especially of the Toyota Prius Prime, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the Honda Clarity, a rare pearl.

This Honda looks like a pearl, indeed, because of its electric range which is among the most important in its class. But this pearl remains rare since its manufacturer sells little. Very little.

In 2019, Honda delivered just 912 Clarity to Canada. During the same period, Toyota and Mitsubishi respectively sold 6,658 Prius Prime and 4,341 Outlander PHEV. When it comes to mid-size cars, Honda is more focused on the Accord, a model of comparable dimensions, which sold 11,381 units last year.

It must be recognized that plug-in hybrid vehicles are not yet popular with consumers. Many of them don’t understand what makes them different from regular hybrids – the ones you can’t charge yourself. In addition, they are relatively expensive.

However, in terms of transport electrification, the plug-in hybrid currently offers some motorists the best of two worlds: an electric range adapted to the needs of city dwellers and the presence of a gasoline engine which, by The increased autonomy it provides eliminates the fear of a dead battery!

Attractive autonomy

The ratings of the Clarity in terms of autonomy are also promising. Honda ensures that it can travel up to 76 km in electric mode. That’s more than a Prius Prime (40 km) or an Outlander PHEV (35 km). However, if we rely on Statistics Canada which stated in 2016 that 89% of Canadians make a daily return trip of less than 60 km to get to work, this sedan could be suitable for all these beautiful people.

In addition, in hybrid mode, its autonomy reaches 547 km. Thus, to go from Montreal to Percé, we will occasionally stop at gas stations to fill up the small 26.5 L gas tank, then the Honda will be able to resume the road, even if its battery has not been recharged. In the evening, 2.5 hours will suffice to recharge it with a 240 V terminal, otherwise it takes a dozen hours from a 120 V wall outlet … time to sleep. In short, to take advantage of electrification today, it is the anti-stress formula par excellence!

There is still a crucial question to be resolved: which electrified Honda model should we choose between the Clarity or the Accord Hybrid? Here we have two tri-volume sedans of comparable size that are both equally powerful and frugal. With a net power of 212 hp, both allow their driver to go from 0 to 100 km / h in about 8 seconds, an acceleration honorable for a sedan with a family vocation. As for their fuel consumption ratings, they are very close, at least when used in hybrid mode, so on long journeys. The slightly lower ratings of the Accord Hybrid even give it a little extra: the EnerGuide site gives it an average consumption of 5.0 L / 100 km, while the Clarity would make 5.6 L; a difference undoubtedly justified by the additional 300 kg which tarnishes it.

To achieve such results, Honda uses two different mixed powertrains. The Clarity has a 103 hp, 1.5L 4-cylinder, a naturally aspirated variant of the supercharged engine used in entry-level Accord. Like the Volt, this Honda is a “production” hybrid. Its gasoline engine is therefore generally used as a generator and produces the electricity necessary for the electric motor when the battery charge of 17 kWh is at its minimum. The starting of this engine can seem sudden and generates intense increases in revs which are reminiscent of … small Honda generators that we use at home or at the cottage!

For its part, the Accord Hybrid is a “parallel” hybrid that operates like a Toyota Prius. Its 2.0L, 143 hp naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine is mated to an electric motor powered by a “small” 1.3 kWh battery and it is their combined or separate action that drives the car. These two cars use the same 181 hp (136 kW) electric motor and a continuously variable automatic transmission that transmits power to the front wheels.

A matter of calculation

As of this writing, Honda is offering the 2020 Accord Hybrid starting at $ 34,705 and the 2021 Clarity for $ 44,505 ($ 48,505 for the more opulent Touring version). In addition, unlike the Hybrid Accord, the Clarity was eligible for incentives offered by both levels of government. Totaling $ 13,000 for a purchase ($ 8,000 from Quebec and $ 5,000 from Canada), they make the Clarity less expensive than an entry-level Hybrid Accord!

With a price in the low thirty and an electric range corresponding to the needs of many city dwellers, the Clarity may seem desirable despite its unusual appearance. A detail that seems secondary when we see that it has a cabin as spacious as that of an Accord and a trunk providing a comparable useful volume (439 L against 473).

But in addition to these two models, there is the Ordinary Accord, which displays very attractive prices and financing rates. For some buyers, an entry-level LX version with automatic transmission starting at $ 28,705 (7.2 L / 100 km) will be fine. Because buying a car is first and foremost a matter of calculation.

And then, the Clarity are rare. The dealers are getting them in a trickle, which puts people off. It is also difficult to understand this considerable price increase for the 2021 models. Compared to the 2020 models, their prices have jumped by around $ 4,000. However, by examining the technical sheet of these “new products”, we see that nothing has changed, except for a detail. A color that has disappeared from the color chart of the Clarity Touring: pearly green called Moonlight Forest …

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