The 2019 Honda Clarity offers smart interior
packaging but relies on a dated infotainment
setup, which notably lacks a volume knob.2019 Honda Clarity PHEV Touring
BASE PRICE $37,530
PRICE AS TESTED $37,530
VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass,
4-door sedan
ENGINE 1.5L/103-hp/99-lb-ft DOHC
16-valve Atkinson-cycle I-4
plus 181-hp/232-lb-ft AC
permanent-magnet electric
motor; 212 hp comb
TRANSMISSION Cont variable auto
CURB WEIGHT
(F/R DIST)4,036 lb (57/43%)WHEELBASE 108.3 in
LENGTH X WIDTH
X HEIGHT192.7 x 73.9 x 58.2 in0-60 MPH 7.6 sec
QUARTER MILE 16.1 sec @ 86.6 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 121 ft
LATERAL
ACCELERATION0.83 g (avg)MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.5 sec @ 0.63 g (avg)
EPA CITY/HWY/
COMB FUEL ECON44/40/42 mpg (gas), 110
mpg-e (comb, elec)
ENERGY CONS,
CITY/HWY 77/84 kW-hr/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS,
COMB 0.46 lb/mileOn the test track, the Clarity glided
from 0 to 60 in 7.6 seconds, recording
its quickest run in Normal mode. This
respectable time is just a tenth of a
second behind a 2017 Volt we drove.
Honda took care to make the Clarity
feel like a regular sedan. The brakes
clamp down with more confidence than
you’d expect from a hybrid. Still, our test
team noted a little bit of travel before
they really bite. The Clarity took 121
feet to come to a full stop from 60 mph,
and it did so with good body control and
minimal dive. Regenerative braking is
unobtrusive.
Even in Sport mode—which is a
misnomer—steering feels a bit vague.
Testing director and EV whisperer Kim
Reynolds called the Clarity’s handling
“benign” in the figure-eight test. “This
car is about efficiency and comfort, not
performance,” he said. “It behaves itself
well enough, which is the main point.”
Power delivery dropped when the
battery ran out of juice, Reynolds said,
adding, “There’s a terrible amount of
engine noise under acceleration—the
CVT lets the engine boom away at high
and near-constant rpm.”
The Clarity soaks up bumps in the road
before they can disturb those inside the
cabin. But at higher speeds, you’ll notice
some undulations. Honda managed to
keep road noise within reasonable levels,
so you should have no problem holding
a conversation.
With an EV range of 47 miles, the
Clarity blows away the Toyota Prius
Prime’s 25 miles and the plug-in Kia Opti-
ma’s 28 miles. (The battery-only range
was 53 miles in the Volt.) In my driving, I
found the Clarity lives up to its estimated
EV range. In terms of overall driving
range, the Clarity isn’t as impressive
when you factor in its tiny 7-gallon gas
tank. It gets an EPA-estimated 340 miles,
far less than the Prius Prime’s 640, Opti-
ma’s 630, and Volt’s 420 miles. Honda
also offers the Insight hybrid in a similar
package; it costs significantly less and has
a longer range, but it’s not a plug-in (so
much for carpool access).
We’ve long complained about the Volt’s
cramped interior, but Honda is well
known for cleverly packaging people and
their stuff. The Clarity offers plenty of
space for passengers and cargo. For those
up front, a cutout in the center console
makes an excellent storage cubby, and
the cupholders are deep, so go ahead and
order that large drink. The cabin’s high-
quality materials and excellent forward
visibility deserve praise.
Honda confirmed to MT, “The Clarity
Plug-In Hybrid is still available for order
in all 50 states, but our focus is increas-
ingly going to be on our hybrid vehicles as
having the widest appeal in the market.”
Without going into more detail, Honda
confirmed a Clarity for the 2020 model
year. For the sake of those who enjoy the
flexibility offered by a plug-in hybrid with
strong electric range, we hope this one
keeps going strong. Q