HONDA CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID CLEARS WAY FOR ELECTRICS
Being first to innovate the market does not mean best. Honda launched the first hybrid in the U.S. in 1999 with the twoseat, three-door, odd-pod Insight. Toyota followed with the more practical Prius. The Insight was discontinued in 2016, and the Prius is the best-selling hybrid in the world.
Honda is now the first automaker to offer a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, or FCV, with a 366-mile range, a full electric vehicle, or BEV, with an 89-mile range and a plug-in hybrid vehicle, or PHEV, all under the banner of one electrified model, the
Clarity.
Hyundai has done something similar with the Ioniq, though with a traditional hybrid instead of FCV. Honda’s rival Toyota has separated its FCV, the Mirai, from the Prius hybrid and Prius Prime plug-in hybrid.
Honda expects the Clarity PHEV to be the volume seller of a targeted 75,000 Clarities in the first four model years. It has to be, because an electric vehicle with only an 89-mile range is at the meager end of the range spectrum, and the FCV is still the long-term play completely dependent on infrastructure.
Visually, it doesn’t stand out from the sedan class as obviously as the Civic or Accord, but it also isn’t as eco-dorky as the Insight was, with the exception of a modest partial rear wheel cover over the 18-inch wheels. Also unlike the Insight, the aerodynamic elements are discrete, with front and rear air curtains through the wheels and a full cover under the body, directing wind unbroken to the rear.
Behind the wheel, the Clarity PHEV is punchy like any electric, with 232 poundfeet of torque giving it a jolt from a stop
and providing plenty of pep while passing. There is a seamless transition of power from when the motor, which propels the car at low speeds and light loads, gets supplemented by the gas engine under heavier feet and at highway speed, when the four-cylinder Atkinson engine is at its most efficient. In our 200 or so miles with the car over a 24-hour period, we had to check the power display in the instrument cluster to determine if we were in EV mode or standard operation. It becomes nominally noticeable with the windows up and radio off. We beat the estimated 42-mile range thanks to regenerative braking, which takes the kinetic energy from coasting wheels to replenish the battery.
It operates like a normal gas car with continuously variable transmission, but it can be charged from home overnight, or a Level 2 charger will juice it up in about 3 hours.
Despite normal operation, there are some oddities to the Clarity. There is a narrow window between the two rear headrests to look out over the trunk, not unlike the top half of the split Prius window. Like in the Prius, I spent too much time looking at the window in my rear view instead of the cars behind me. It provides more rear visibility, at the least. 60/40 split rear seats offer greater storage access to the trunk.
Overall the cabin optimizes space in a luxury-leaning trim. The center console has a clever storage cavity below for handbag, phones and other accoutrements of the modern road warrior. The top is covered with what felt like beautiful wood trim extending up to dash and doors. The center is a gear selector panel consisting of five rectangular buttons. This isn’t an eco-oddity but part of the trend of electric gear shifters replacing the traditional pull shifter. Meh.
Toggling through the info button, touch screen, and four-way arrow buttons on the steering wheel control takes getting used to. Hit the info button for the row of icons for nav, audio or trip meter, then use the arrows to dig deeper into those functions. The steering wheel controls are cluttered and counterintuitive but it could be mastered in more than a day. But no volume knob. The instrument display is bright and easy to read.
The Clarity PHEV is a nice addition to a burgeoning segment. Honda wasn’t first to a PHEV compact, but the 3-in-1 strategy should provide the flexibility it needs to deal with whatever the market demands in the imminent future. 2018 Honda Clarity PHEV at a glance Vehicle type: plug-in hybrid compact sedan
Estimated price: $35,000
Honda estimated MPG: 105 MPGe
Electric range: 42 miles
Total range: 330 miles Powertrain: 1.5-liter four-cylinder with 17 kWh battery
Parting shot: The plug-in lets Honda compete as it builds out its electrification program. ABOUT THE WRITER
Robert Duffer is the editor of the Chicago’s Tribune’s auto section. Readers may contact him at Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Fourth Floor, Chicago IL 60611 or rduffer@chicagotribune.com