Three year Honda Clarity review - 2018 Honda Clarity Touring ownership review after three years
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- Опубликовано: 23 апр 2021
- Hi folks! Here it is; my three-year, 72 000 km ownership review. Complete with walkaround, interior review, and (most importantly) a full cost breakdown of what you can expect if you were to buy one today. Thank you for watching!
2018 Honda Clarity PHEV review
Long-term Honda PHEV review
Ownership review 
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P.S. as far as the Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist, that is one of the things i value most about this car. As I commented on your 2 year video, I'll repost that comment here:
I JUST HAVE TO TELL EVERYONE.... I have owned a 2021 Clarity for just over 4 months. For the first time since owning it, I had to take it on a long 350 mile trip to visit family, and -- once I reached my destination -- I wouldn't be able to charge it for 2 weeks during the visit. I was apprehensive about what this would mean....
Well, all I can say is I am absolutely *astounded* by this car's performance.
I got 45 mpg on the highway in HV mode. with a car full of luggage and THE CAR VIRTUALLY DROVE ME THERE ALL BY ITSELF.........
In the total of 6 hour driving time, I only had to touch the gas and brake pedals about 5 times. *The rest of the trip the Adaptive Cruise Control and the Lane Keep Assist completely took over and drove for me, while I felt like a passenger.*
I just kept an eye on the road and other cars in case something unexpected happened. I arrived at my destination after 6 hours in the car feeling as "fresh as a daisy"...
Only needed 7.8 gallons of gas for the entire 350 mile trip....! Even with A/C running...!
And once I was at my destination without the ability to plug in and charge the EV battery, I easily kept the EV battery at 60% charge by using HV Charge mode when it got low, and drove virtually everywhere in HV mode. The car performed exceptionally well in HV mode for both local and highway driving over the course of 2 weeks.
This car is phenomenal, and I don't know why hundreds of thousands of people aren't aware of it and buying it. Why doesn't Honda promote it more....?
I feel like I now own the best car on the market. Even Teslas bump up against range limitations, but that never happens with a PHEV Hybrid like the Clarity. Just stop to fuel up and you're on your way in less than 5 minutes. No need to map out charge locations and build charge time into the trip.
Plus, the huge trunk made it easy to pack 2-weeks worth of luggage and household items for more than 1 person...
Superb car......!
I couldn't agree more with your statement
The Honda Clarity looks like a terrific car. I’ll buy it one day :)
Thanks for the 3 year update! I’ve enjoyed watching the periodic updates and definitely relied on some of these insights when I made my decision to trade my BEV Clarity for a PHEV version last year. My 2018 is identical to yours, now with 38,000 miles, and it’s unquestionably my favorite car - and I’ve owned quite a few cars over the years! My Clarity (both actually) has been exceptionally reliable, and it still looks and feels like a new car inside and out. Almost all of my driving has been EV, so maybe burned 20 gallons of gas this year? The highway mileage in HV mode has far exceeded the EPA estimates...generally 50+ mpg on road trips. Glad to see yours is still motoring on! Cheers Brad.
Thanks Brian! I appreciate that you've gotten something out of my videos! And yes such a great car. It almost feels like cheating getting such great mileage on trips, and then practically zero cost on EV! May yours continue to treat you well! Stay safe and thanks again! -Brad
Congrats Brad on the 3 years. I have a white 2020 Clarity Touring in Edmonton and convinced a friend to get one, he just picked one up from Victoria and drove it home. He's loving it so far, they are like unicorns here in AB. FYI the base model does have all the advanced driving features as well. I got the Tuxmats which have great coverage and with those I expect the (black) interior will stay looking brand new for a very long time.
Hey Blubbs! Awesome name btw :P Absolutely they are unicorns! I laugh; I saw the exact same car as mine here in Calgary. I waved excitedly and the people didn't even look my way! No one to share my enthusiasm with... And thank you for the clarification! May yours treat you well! And be safe! -Brad
Thanks so much for this video! Excited to get mine!
Brad, I want to thank you for the trick about putting magnets on the center console to hold you phone. I couldn't figure out where to put my phone so I could see it when I needed to, and also have it connected to Android Car Play. I copied your trick with some modification and it's PERFECT. Phone stays rock solid on the middle console and I never have any issues any longer. Thanks for the idea!
Ha! That makes me happy! I was looking for the right solution that didn't have the charge cord hanging all over the dash either! Thanks for letting me know Ave! All the best! -Brad
Spot on Brad, I agree with everything you said about owning this car, it is undoubtedly the best and cheapest to operate car we have ever owned. I’m glad you mentioned the fact that there has been no degradation in the battery over time, I’ve wondered about that. My best friend is shopping for a new car right now and I offered to let him take mine for a week to see and feel what a great car it is but his wife won’t let him. I think she’s afraid it would steer him away from what she wants.
Thank you my friend! Honestly it is such a great car. No doubt he wouldn't want to give it back! I cannot think of any other car near its price range that would be as compelling when you consider the economy of it. Best of luck to him! And to you! Thank you again for watching and commenting! -Brad
I've had my car for 2 years with around 26K miles. I didn't notice huge degradation loss until I parked the car for a month with a 60% charge in a hot environment above 90F on many days. I lost around 10miles of range on average. So learn from my mistake and discharge your car before parking it too long.
Hey Brad, good to see you again. My Clarity is the best car i've ever owned. Almost like you, 70-75 % of my driving is on EV. Now that i'm used to EV driving, whenever the ICE comes on, i hate it. For sure my next car will be electric. I am also considering a Tesla model 3 but they have paint and quality issues. Now some competition is coming for them so i hope that it will make them tighten a few screws here and there and make them better. Happy spring time!
Hey Jean! Thanks great to hear from you too! Ha. I get frustrated when the ICE comes on also! I even shut the car off at lights for a second to force it off (if I've accidentally pushed the throttle too hard or something). My kids are just used to me doing that now.
And yes 100% agree on the quality issues. I've been checking periodically at the Tesla dealer in town and they are getting better. Also I want to be sure they are at least as quiet as the Clarity! One of these days though...
All the best my friend! Be safe and enjoy spring yourself! -Brad
The Ioniq 5 is super tempting
@@RenderMeThis I agree, if they can only put better looking wheels. You also might want to check its upcoming brother, the Kia EV6.
Great review. Thanks.
Thank you Brad, your videos are always SO helpful!
What would you recommend to replace the original Michelin Energy Saver A/S - 235/45R18 94V tires with? Main priority is mileage and quietness. No snow where I live (North Carolina), but I drive 25-30K a year. Originals were good and quiet, but expensive. Any alternatives you would recommend? Thanks
Hey Anton! Sorry for the late reply. Summer has been busy.
I went with the Michelin Primacy Touring tires for the same reason. They are epically quiet; on a smooth road you hear practically nothing. And any change in efficiency is unnoticeable frankly. If they are cheap enough in North Carolina I strongly recommend them! Good luck! Let me know what you end up with! -Brad
Hi Brad, thanks for the update. I own a 2019 Clarity plugin hybrid touring with 30,000 miles. I am having my first issue, the car would not go into reverse this morning. The message on the dash says the car has a transmission issue and to apply the parking break before pulling the reverse lever. Have you had this issue or know anything about this? I agree wth your over all assessment of the Clarity. Here in the states the value of used cars has sky rocketed. I could sell this vehicle for 90% of my net purchase price (include $7,500 tax credit).
The rattling noise I mentioned a long time ago was because the center console is a bit low, fixed by removing the a pillar plastic cover and tape the lower part with foam strip. the paint on my ‘D’ shifter button chipped a bit too.
Mine 10 days from 3 year! Just 17000mile, only issue is paint, and some interior noise. Batteries still strong
This is the video that pushes me from Prius Prime to Clarity
I'd like to add more to my comments below regarding the Clarity's Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Keep Assist (LKA). What was so incredible about how this virtually drove me home over a 350-mile, 6-hour trip is how it left me completely free except for "watching" the road. I was able to stretch out my legs, move them around for comfort, drop my arms for some moments to loosen up my shoulders and so forth. It really felt like I was a passenger.
The ACC and LKA would adjust speed perfectly to surrounding cars and easily keep in lane before I even needed to respond.
If someone merged in front of me, the car easily slowed down to let them in; even though I was always alert for safety. If I needed to pass a slow car, I simply turned out of the lane, and the ACC would speed up to pass at the cruise set speed, and then resume in lane ahead of the slow car.
If I wanted to accelerate beyond the ACC Cruise speed setting to pass someone at a faster speed than it was set for, the ACC doesn't turn off cruise control forcing you to reset everything again after you accelerated, as it does with less sophisticated cruise control functions. Instead, it just settles back into the lower set speed when you are done passing. So, you speed to pass, take your foot off the accelerator and the car settles back into cruising at the lower speed.
Essentially, all the constant strain that comes from maintaining speed, or setting and resetting the cruise speed simply does not exist -- Nor does the constant need to keep the car from drifting out of the lane, since the LKA takes care of that.
So all the driver needs to do is to gently keep touch on the wheel and let the radar control everything. Even in the short space of stop and go traffic I experienced, the car was able to manage by itself, although I remained alert for safety reasons.
The rest of the trip, the radar kept it completely at the best speed based on surrounding traffic, and kept the car in lane.
IT WAS LIKE HAVING SOMEONE DRIVE ME 350 MILES AS I LOOKED ON. REACHED MY DESTINATION VERY REFRESHED....
Be sure to use SPORT mode during HV long highway trips, it's much more responsive when matching speeds using ACC.
@@LiquidTurbo Thanks for the info! Does that use more gas? We were getting 45 mpg, even though Honda specs say 40 mpg on the highway...although I guess the overall cost wouldn't have been much more at 40 mpg; maybe just one more gallon of gas for the entire trip.
I got a screen protector for the infotainment screen on Amazon to protect the car's installed screen from wear and tear. P.S. I did wonder where you were as you haven't been answering questions in your videos!
Hi Ave! Thank you for your comments! Yes other aspects of life have been taking my time also. I have two "projects" I'm also working on beyond the usual work and kids! One is the pink VW which still makes me laugh every time I see it!
I will pay more attention in the coming weeks and I really want to get back to videos! Thank you again for your support and your insights! I always appreciate your comments and viewership! Best of luck and you will hear from me soon! -Brad
Thanks for making these Clarity videos! Besides exterior color, are there any major differences between each year that I should be aware of? Thanks again!
no difference
Hey Rafael! Sorry for the late reply; I am unaware of any difference like Ant G says below. Thanks for watching and commenting! I have had a busy summer but I need to get back to making videos! Hope all is well! -Brad
My trunk lid collects water, which pours out into the truck. Wondered if you had heard of this. Flows out of each side around the covered lid posts/arms. I can only think of replacing the rubber seal.
Sounds like a great car! I should get one ;)
Brad, what specific tire size did you select for your new Michelin Primacy Tour All-Season A/S tires? In looking at the Michelin sizes available for that tire model I couldn’t find one listed with the original replacement size of exactly 235/45R18 94V.
look here
www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?message=singleSize&tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Primacy+Tour+A%2FS&autoMake=Honda&autoYear=2018&autoModel=Clarity+Plug-In+Hybrid&autoModClar=Touring&minLoadRating=S&minSpeedRating=V&width=235%2F&ratio=45&diameter=18&cameFrom=selectOE
Great video, shared of course :) sound is great, you mentionned a change in tires, New Michelin's can you give me the model so I can check for my next tire change?
By the way Touring only gives leather and navigation (easily handled by Apple Car Play and Android Auto), lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control, all the rest is standard.
Thank you my friend! They are Michelin "Primacy" Tour A/Ss. They are exceptionally quiet. And so far zero drawbacks. I wouldn't want them in the snow but otherwise in the rain and dry they are great. Be well! -Brad
Sorry, but Touring also gives power seats to driver which I consider the most important particularly for long drives
@@larryfeig2441 I'm Canadian; we didn't get power seats in lieu of a battery warmer!
thank you for your valuable review Brad
have you measured the battery capacity after those 72k km ?
thank you
Hello Hazem! No I have not measured the battery capacity, but if I knew of a way to do so I would for sure! Once I find out I'll make a video on that also. Thank you for watching and commenting! Be safe! -Brad
@@BradOnCars
We found many ways using obd scanners
Mine at 35k km reads a capacity of 54.2 (55 is the maximum)
You can check that on insideevsforum.com just to get a valuable measure and to determine the actual state of the battery with the use
I have been record mine, for total of around 17000 miles, ev miles around 14-15000 , dropped about 2-4 percent.
Thanks for your video Brad I've watched and enjoyed them all. Bought a 2020 Touring in October last year and just crossed 2k km. so this is going to be a lightly used used car for someone someday.
My only negative comment from your video is related to the 17 kw/hr battery. I believe we only ever gat to use 13 kw/hrs of it as numerous other review videos have said it never fully charges or discharges in order help with longevity of the main battery. Using 13 should make your running costs much better than your numbers using 17 kw/hrs per charge.
Keep up the good work and look forward to your next video. Any idea how much longer you plan on keeping it? Thoughts on what might be next for you?
Thank you Marcel! Congratulations on your car!
And yes for sure. I should really buy something to measure actual draw each night when I charge. No doubt it would make my numbers look even better! Thank you for pointing that out! BTW I am also investigating solar for my house, so I would like to be very precise on what my car uses as part of that math also.
As for keeping it, there is such value and longevity in the car it would be foolish of me to get rid of it. But... :) The draw of a Tesla Model 3 Performance is there. I would only go full EV after the Clarity, and if/when I do I want the one I really want because I plan on keeping that car for over 10 years. If only as a case study for how low-maintenance they are! Oh and the hilariously fast acceleration. I'm still a car guy after all ;).
But I would only get rid of the Clarity if it stayed in my family so they could benefit from the life it has left in it. Would be a shame otherwise. It is honestly such a great car...
Thanks for watching and commenting as always! Best of luck to you Marcel! -Brad
Will you do a video on changing the automatic transmission fluid for the hybrid system?
Hi Kowasumono! Sure I can!
@@BradOnCars I thought this car does not have a transmission?
@@RK-db4oq Not in the traditional sense, but the transfer mechanism (as I call it) is bathed in transmission fluid. It's the portion between the motor and the axles. I'll dig up a picture. It is also where the "direct drive" mechanism is as I recall i.e. what joins the motor to the wheels in rare circumstances.
@@BradOnCars If you could post a picture of the drain plug and the fill port, that would be great. I've had lots of Hondas over the years and for me the only weakness was the automatic transmission, until I learned that if you are a fanatic about changing the fluid they will last forever too, like the rest of the car (at least 2x as often as recommended in the manual, 3x is better). I've got a 16 year old Odyssey and 267,000 miles, all original except for the power steering pump and one motor mount. I do a drain and the fill on the AT every 10K miles and it shifts great--it's easier than an oil change.
@@RK-db4oq Sure! I'll get under it tonight or tomorrow and let you know! Also get a looooong narrow funnel for filling it. I'll show you what I used also.
Do you use snow tires ?
What tires did you change to? The trunk lockout was likely when you had your key inside the trunk.
Michelin Primacy Touring they are called. Super quiet!
@@BradOnCars Thanks!!
Thanks for the update! Love mine except for one thing...Does anyone else have issues with the 12v battery? Mine goes dead regularly :(. Have you found a solution? Love mine, COVID has kept it in my driveway!
Hey Philip! Thanks for watching and commenting! I have not had that challenge actually. I'm lucky I guess. I do still drive a fair amount (just to get out of the house half the time it seems) so it never sits for too long. And I"m still on the original one! If I hear of any solution I'll let you know! All the best! -Brad
I belong to a Clarity car owners forum, www.clarityforum.com. The subject of dead 12 volt batteries is a common subject on the forum. Two of the most common causes for this phenomenon are often discussed. The first is derived from owners who don’t regularly charge their vehicles since charging the lithium-ion battery secondarily performs a trickle charge function in keeping the 12 volt battery topped up. This is important in a vehicle where the ICE is sometimes not often called for by the owner. The second reason, although much less frequent, occurs when a driver mistakenly engages the “accessory” mode by pressing the energize button rather than first pressing the brake and then pressing the button. The difference of course is if you press the energize button, as if to start the Clarity, without simultaneously pressing the brake pedal, that will only draw from the 12 volt battery, not the 17KW lithium-ion drive battery. Either of these circumstances can result in a dead battery. Since jumping the dead battery of a Clarity from another vehicle can be a problematic exercise, a lot of Clarity owners have chosen to carry in their on board emergency repair kits the new lithium-ion jump start batteries that are small, portable and inexpensive. These jump start batteries can be a real convenience whether one is traveling hundreds of miles from home or find themselves just across town with a backseat full of freshly purchased groceries on a hot day.
I have had issues with the 12v battery going dead if left plugged in after charge was completed. It was being caused by my EVSE keeping some modules awake after completion of HV charge. Mostly goes un noticed if you drive regularly, you can't tell without a battery monitor. My new EVSE has resolved the issue. Brad, thanks for sharing this video.
I think I found my problem… with COVID I am not traveling much. I added a Bluetooth volt meter and plug in a trickle charger when it gets low. If I lived in a more urban area I might consider using Uber instead of owning a car. End o my 3 year lease is coming up in under 6 months … I hear Honda Is discontinuing the clarity, with my low mileage considering buying it at the end of lease. I do like the convenience of a new car (warranty, reliable etc)
@@philipcecchini5474 Hi, do you think this car is good for Uber because of the fuel consumption?
Hi, I am a former Chevy Volt owner. In fact I had 2 2012s but sold them. I hated the cabin heater, not only did the winter efficiency go down but I never felt warm in sub freezing temperatures. How is the Clarity?
Winter efficiency always goes down with batteries. Sucks on full EVs with like 40% shorter range
Really want one but sadly they discontinued it and there aren’t any in stock anywhere 🙃
I can sell u mine
What is your EV range during the winter vs summer? And does it stay in EV mode at highway speeds?
I have one I get about 30 miles in the winter. It’ll easily go highway speeds in EV mode but the battery depletes quickly above 70mph
I'd like to get one but I'm concerned that parts won't be available since it's being discontinued.
this is what's holding me back
Even if a car goes end-of-sale there is a requirement for parts to be available. If the car was ten years old I'd be more concerned.
Truthfully things like brake pads, rotors, etc., i.e. all the usual wear items I'm sure will be around for a long time. Best of luck to you both though! The money I save every day driving the car helps waylay any fears I may have! -Brad
How is the car in snow, and have you used a different tire for winter? What about using a bigger tire to increase ground clearance?
Hi Cheryl! I actually have a set of studded winter tires for the car. They are epic! If you change the size you mess up your speedo/etc. so I always stay stock diameter.
Honestly with the right tires the car is invincible in the snow! I made some videos of the deep snow I plowed through! Was fun :P. Thanks for watching! Best of luck! -Brad
@@BradOnCars Thanks for the response. I suspect the rolling resistance will be affected, but it makes sense to do snows in Vermont as well as Alverta. Great assessment, and encourages me in my pursuit of a Clarity
@@cherylheater4347 Oh yeah. It will be less efficient for sure. But truthfully the cold weather has a bigger effect on efficiency than the tires in my experience. Good luck!
You provide a bunch of great information, but much of your video is blurry. It’s hard to follow at times.
Thanks Jay! I had bumped the focus on my camera. I think I've fixed it. Thanks for the good feedback! -Brad
Thanks for the great video. I think this is way better than the Tesla, the Tesla won't have the level of fit and finish or reliability of the Clarity. Only 3 more years to Honda's full EV, it may be worth the wait!
Actually, I prefer the Clarity PHEV to full electric. After taking a long trip of 350 miles, it was great not being limited by having to figure out where to charge and then having to build charge time into my two week trip in a place that didn't have at-home charging capability. I just switched to Hybrid mode since I didn't want to go and sit somewhere to charge up my car.
Then, when I'm home I use almost exclusively electric - 52 mile range once Spring comes. Unbelievable....!! I can go 2-3 days on electric at home on only one charge. Switch to hybrid on the highway (45 mpg!)
The Clarity is the best of both worlds in one car!
Thanks for watching and commenting Liam! And I think you're right; the fit and finish on this car is stellar! All the best! -Brad
So sad Honda decide to stop the production
I know hey! I absolutely love this car... Thanks for watching and commenting Yidong! And apologies for the late reply! -Brad
God
I guess I pissed off Brad. My comment is gone.
Oh sorry! I haven't deleted anything! Not sure what happened.