Parking lot review
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid First Drive | Review | Car and Driver
On the road, the Clarity feels a lot like an overloaded Accord. Honda says the plug-in Clarity has a curb weight that tops 4000 pounds, which makes it between 600 and 900 pounds heavier than the company’s family sedan. While the Clarity has a premium feel to its well-damped ride, the tidy handling of the new Accord is nowhere to be found, compromised by the many extra pounds of batteries under the back seat. Their placement gives the car a low center of gravity, but the Clarity feels as if it reaches the edge of its cornering limits prematurely, despite relatively wide 235/45R-18 tires. Steering effort is low, with plenty of electric assist and some feedback (but not a lot). Isolation from road and engine noise, however, is mostly excellent—at least until you encounter a steep hill with the battery depleted, in which case the little gas engine has to rev to the sky to keep the car moving.
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My brother in law will not consider a pure BEV because of range anxiety. A Detroit brand is a tough sale for him because concerns over reliability.
He has driven Toyotas and Hondas for the last 30 years. The Volt is too small. Prius Prime,Fusion-Optima-Sonata PHEV AER covers about half his daily commute and he doesn't think they are worth the trouble.
He was leaning Toyota Avalon. I seemingly convinced him to get a Buick LaCross mild hybrid for the same cash as a base Avalon in part because Buick is rated in Top Ten in Reliablity by Consumer reports rising as high as 3 a couple of years ago. Then he decided to delay his purchase.
If he finds Clarity styling acceptable this may be just the ticket for him and buyers like him. After Federal,State, and Utility incentives a Clarity Touring is cheaper than a base Avalon or LaCross although these are a bit bigger.
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid First Drive | Review | Car and Driver
On the road, the Clarity feels a lot like an overloaded Accord. Honda says the plug-in Clarity has a curb weight that tops 4000 pounds, which makes it between 600 and 900 pounds heavier than the company’s family sedan. While the Clarity has a premium feel to its well-damped ride, the tidy handling of the new Accord is nowhere to be found, compromised by the many extra pounds of batteries under the back seat. Their placement gives the car a low center of gravity, but the Clarity feels as if it reaches the edge of its cornering limits prematurely, despite relatively wide 235/45R-18 tires. Steering effort is low, with plenty of electric assist and some feedback (but not a lot). Isolation from road and engine noise, however, is mostly excellent—at least until you encounter a steep hill with the battery depleted, in which case the little gas engine has to rev to the sky to keep the car moving.
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My brother in law will not consider a pure BEV because of range anxiety. A Detroit brand is a tough sale for him because concerns over reliability.
He has driven Toyotas and Hondas for the last 30 years. The Volt is too small. Prius Prime,Fusion-Optima-Sonata PHEV AER covers about half his daily commute and he doesn't think they are worth the trouble.
He was leaning Toyota Avalon. I seemingly convinced him to get a Buick LaCross mild hybrid for the same cash as a base Avalon in part because Buick is rated in Top Ten in Reliablity by Consumer reports rising as high as 3 a couple of years ago. Then he decided to delay his purchase.
If he finds Clarity styling acceptable this may be just the ticket for him and buyers like him. After Federal,State, and Utility incentives a Clarity Touring is cheaper than a base Avalon or LaCross although these are a bit bigger.
