Gas prices are going up higher and higher. We have recently been pondering what we’ll do if we either change vehicles or were to get a second vehicle. The cost of gas is something that really impacts this and we’ve started to research hybrid and electric vehicles. Thanks to Honda, we got to drive the 2018 Honda Clarity for a week and find out just how much we could potentially save on fuel. Read on for our thoughts on it.
THE BEST OF BOTH TYPES OF VEHICLE
Now, the Honda Clarity is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle which means it has a combination of electric drive motors and a gasoline engine. It’s almost like a combination of the best of both worlds, giving you the backup of a gasoline engine that can help charge the engine or be used entirely if needed.
What we really loved about the Clarity is that to charge it, we were able to plug it into a typical wall outlet. No need for any fancy modifications to outlets, just plug in and charge! For us, this is a huge selling feature with living in a townhouse complex and knowing the frustration that can come if any modifications are needed to the home. We were able to plug the car in right by the garage.
A FAMILY-FRIENDLY VEHICLE
Having driven other, more recent small vehicles from Honda, like the 2017 Honda Civic. I had some concerns about whether or not this would be a family-friendly vehicle for us to drive. My concerns went out the window when we were able to easily install both car seats in the back and we still had plenty of legroom for the driver and front passenger. I was baffled and thankful that it was spacious still.
Besides being able to fit the car seats in without a problem, there was also plenty of room in the boot to fit a stroller and everything else that families need to lug around. We had no issues when it came to space both for storing things and leg room. There were also lots of cupholders and space to put things in the front of the vehicle. Especially under the center console where there is a great space to put your cell phone and even a small purse.
The girls did miss having a sun or moon roof and being able to see out the top of the car, but they did really enjoy being in this car too. We all noticed the sound the vehicle makes when you are driving under a certain speed so that pedestrians can hear you. It was very musical in a way.
The Clarity had all the features of Honda vehicles we have come to really enjoy. The touchscreen infotainment system is easy to use, plus there were plenty of controls on the steering wheel. We do still prefer the navigation apps we have on our phones versus what is offered in the Honda. Due to the design of the vents, we were unable to use the phone holder we have in the vehicle.
Honda, please reach out to Google and find a way to get Waze as the navigation system in your vehicles, please!
Honda says this car can go about 76 km on a full charge with the all-electric range, and we found this to be pretty true. We were able to drive into Vancouver and almost get all the way home before the Clarity had to switch to using the gasoline engine. For longer trips, the Clarity can utilize the 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine to generate electricity and, under certain conditions, to act as a direct power source, resulting in an overall driving range rating of approximately 547km. Using ECON mode to maximize this range! At the end of the week of using the vehicle, it cost us all of $20. Yes,$20.
But what about the electricity costs? That is something we wanted to take into consideration too for when we had the vehicle and charging it overnight each day. This brought an additional $1 – $2 per day to our electricity bill. Bringing the vehicle usage cost to around $34 for the week if we went with it being an additional $2 per day. Considering our own vehicle costs around $70 to fill up, this was a significant savings for us!
BUT WHY…
We are always left wondering why hybrid vehicles are styled the way they are. Is there some unwritten rule that the back wheel well has to be partially covered? Do hybrid vehicles have to be made to look so different from other vehicles? In all honesty, if Honda could make the clarity with a typic wheel well, we would be so happy.
We were also left wondering about how large the dash was and the length of the hood. We found it to be very large and almost intrusive. If Honda could make this smaller, it would give even more leg room for the driver and passenger in the vehicle. For the hood, we found it also to be very long and just suddenly disappear which made parking pulling directly in front of our garage… interesting. To be honest, we ended up putting a pylon in front of the garage to prevent hitting it.
STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Driving the Honda Clarity has made us realize that looking into hybrid vehicles, especially a plug-in like this, is a step in the right direction for us as a family. We’re not ready to take the jump for a second vehicle just yet, but this vehicle is definitely one that will be considered when we do.
Dear Honda, if you made your Accord a plug-in Hybrid like this Clarity, we’d be sold pretty much instantly!
LIke that you wrote an honest review. Not sure if I would consider one yet because of where we live.
i think we will consider to buy this kind of car