[sid234]

Hi,

I've been looking at new cars, and have been very happy with my 2014 Honda Accord. So I would like to stay with Honda, but would like to get a Hybrid or a PHEV. That narrowed my choices to the Accord, Clarity and the Inisight.

The Insight is a little on the smaller side for me, so I am trying to decide between the two. My daily commute to work is about 20 miles round trip along back roads. Also, my wife is currently living in a town about 180 miles away, and will be there for another two years. So i end up driving there atleast twice a month. The clarity makes great sense for my local commute but i am not a huge fan of the 7gallon gas tank and ~300mile range. While the Accord Hybrid on the otherhand would give me a 600 mile range.

I really want to get the Clarity, so i was hoping anyone would give any suggestions or ideas on what would be your recommendation and also how the Clarity performs for regular road trips?

Thanks

 

[4sallypat]

Welcome aboard!

I can only compare the Accord with the Clarity as I did not look at the new Insight.

First, are you in a ZEV state ? Have you done any research on a Clarity's incentives for your state?
That makes a huge impact on the purchase of a Clarity due the local, state, and Federal incentives not to mention Honda's incentive.
My 2018 Clarity, I received: $7800 Honda incentive + $2500 Dealer discount + $500 Honda State employee + $1500 CA CVRP + $1000 Utility + CA HOV Clean air carpool exemption stickers.

Second, are you a sports driver orientated Honda owner ?
The reason I ask is that the Accord is available with so many trim levels and engine sizes, that you need to ask yourself. I used to be the sports car type (BMW, Land Rover, Merc) but now have gotten older and found I can dump my radar detector and DCT tranny, AWD, sport tuned suspensions... The Clarity is not a sports car orientated car - it's the same size as an Accord, but has the high respect of a primary EV commute car with it's current owners.

Third, did you know the range of the Clarity varies with a fully charged EV battery, how you drive it, use of regen paddles, and climate control use ?
Mine gets a 425 mile total range if I drive the car using regen paddles, no climate controls, low city speeds, lots of braking, and single driver without any gear loading the car.

 

[2002]

Sorry to answer your questions with more questions but it will help people to tailor their answers a little better:

"I've been looking at new cars"

Is five years typically how long you keep a car, even one that you are very happy with?

"have been very happy with my 2014 Honda Accord"

What especially do you like about it?

"would like to get a Hybrid or a PHEV"

Any particular reasons why? (people want hybrids for different reasons)

"my wife is currently living in a town about 180 miles away"

Can you charge where she lives?

"i am not a huge fan of the 7gallon gas tank and ~300mile range. While the Accord Hybrid on the otherhand would give me a 600 mile range"

Other than the 180 mile trip twice a month do you sometimes make even longer trips?

One last question - what state do you live in?

Again sorry if it seems like prying but the answers will help give better advice. Not that anything you have said indicates Clarity would not be a good car for you but still it helps to know what exactly someone is looking for and what things are important.

 

[GJCummings]

I drive 185 miles one way about once a month. With a full charge of about 60 mile range doing 60-65 mph I use 2.7 or 2.8 gallons each way for a combined 70 mpg. I doubt the accord can do that.

 

[GJCummings]

My total range is usually 365-400 miles

 

[GJCummings]

Or more...

 

[Kerbe]

One other thought: The Clarity PHEV is rated at 42 mpg as an ICE vehicle, NOT while running as a hybrid (which it does nearly all the time). So that 300 mile figure would be if one was driving with a totally depleted traction battery.

 

[trengle]

I test drove the Accord Hybrid and the Clarity. In our test drive the Clarity was a different class car as it was heaver, quieter, smoother and more luxurious. We got a silver touring model and absolutely love it. I did 1200 miles the first 6 weeks and did not use gas! We then drove 750 miles (NC to MA) in 13 hours and while we had to make an extra stop for gas we still beat our record for the trip and was not beat up! It is a very technical car and we love it!

 

[AtlantaRene]

Items to consider

I am an owner of a 2017 Accord Hybrid and is the prior body style but the hybrid drivetrain is nearly identical.

The 2019 Accord Hybrid has an 48 overall mpg and 12.8 gallon tank so the EPA estimated range is about 600 miles. “In my experience”, driving on a highway trip at about 70 mph, the mpg will drop to about 42 mpg. So, a real world highway range estimate is more like 500 miles. My overall MPG is between 45 to 46 mpg. Hybrids are impacted by weather, so if you live in a colder climate you may see less efficiency in the winter when running the heater - it’s good that these cars come with heated seats.

The 2019 Accord Hybrid has the battery under the rear seat, you can fold down the rear seat and the pass through to the trunk should be what you would expect in any Honda Accord.

In my opinion, there are no compromises from the Accord to the 2019 Accord Hybrid.

Any new body style Accord has a lower roofline above the rear seat and a stiffer ride. You may want to look at this when buying a new Accord.

I am sure that others can compare the Clarity to the Accord better than I can. If you are interested in the Touring Model, there are a few less features than the Accord. The front driver’s seat is not as adjustable and there is no sun roof. The entertainment system was not updated, so WiFi hotspot and other features are not there. Differences in blind spot warning vs. camera. Then there are some unique Clarity items, the trunk has a odd shape, the pass through is smaller than expected, rear visibility is aided by a window.

It also depends on how much you drive. My commute to work is about 20 miles round-trip. With the Clarity, I would be EV nearly about 5 days per week. This is very appealing.

Honda has been willing to make a deal on the 2018 Clarity offering thousands of dollars of discounts making the car really affordable. I paid about $32,000 for my 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring. A 2018 Clarity can be had for about $32,000 and then there is the $7,500 Federal Tax Incentives (federal tax incentives impact people differently depending on your tax situation and you should check with a tax advisor). However, if you can realize the full tax incentive, you could buy a 2018 Clarity Touring for an effective rate of $24,500 (this could be less if your state offers tax incentives) and then buy a level two charger.

I hope this helps.

 

[lzxray]

"AtlantaRene" is spot on in highlighting the differences between the Accord and Clarity. I drive a bit less than 40 miles per day on my commute, and have been on EV mode since buying a new 2018 Touring model in Pearl White last month. I shopped around to see dealers who have left over stocks, and then negotiate. I got mine for $29K OTD in VA. With the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit, it was an easy decision. Love the new wheels!

 

[Klarity]

I recommend the Clarity PHEV

Sid234, I sold my Honda Accord, bought a Clarity PHEV and love it. I too was initially concerned that the 360 mile range might not feel like enough compared to my Accord, but it has been no problem. Because most of my driving is in town, I rarely buy gas and just charge the car at home. My out of town trips typically range from 300-400 miles round trip, which means I fill up twice and still have plenty of gas left in the tank when I return home. I don’t fill up again until my next out of town trip...even if that’s 4 months later. The car is quite comfortable and fun to drive. You can ‘play’ with the various drive modes and paddle regen braking or you can just drive it like a regular Accord and let the car take care of itself. I love the adaptive cruise control on the highway. I’ve estimated the per mile operating cost is about 1/2 that of my conventional Accord, even with low gas prices and using higher summer electric prices in our region.

 

[postcromag]

I went from a 2015 Accord Hybrid to the Clarity last year. I loved both cars, but prefer the Clarity... Mainly because I commute less than 30 miles a day so never need to fill up. On longer trips 500-600 miles I average 80-90 mpg on the computer, switching to HV mode once I hit a highway and back to EV in traffic and cities, without charging other than when home, but driving judiciously you can conserve the EV batteries pretty well. I haven't done any longer trips yet. My Accord Hybrid averaged, overall, about 45 mpg during the four years I drove it, dropped to 42 mpg on the highway, close to 48 mpg around town. Clearly the Clarity uses less gasoline and my electric bills have not seemed to grow appreciably. My Accord did suffer from the smaller trunk, which was annoying, but this is no longer as much of a problem with the new design. My Clarity has a better ride and feels more spacious due to its larger size. It is another huge plus in the Clarity column. The only things I miss from my Accord are the sun roof and a CD player, but I rarely played them, so not a huge miss, especially with a Sirius Subscription. However, the sun roof, fall and spring days and nights... it was nice to have.

 

[4sallypat]

Every time my rare Clarity drives along with Accords that are a dime a dozen, I think - you Accord drivers must like to go to the gas station a lot more than me.

I filled up twice in the past 5 months and that's less than 5 gallons per fill up....

But then the Accord owners who do pay for fuel a lot - pays for the highway taxes and keeps the roads in shape.

I'm a bit guilty over that aspect of owning a Clarity...

 

[2002]

since buying a new 2018 Touring model in Pearl White last month. I shopped around to see dealers who have left over stocks, and then negotiate. I got mine for $29K OTD in VA.

That might be the lowest price I have heard of for a Touring. Do you mind giving us the price details before tax and license:

MSRP
Dealer Price
Documentation Fee
Mfg Date (it's on the driver's door jamb)
Miles

Thanks

 

[Walt10410]

I have a 54 mile drive twice a day to work, mostly highway. I buy gasoline every 3 to 4 weeks and drive the Clarity base. I love the car so far. I also got $2,500 back from Texas and $7,500 back from the IRS making the car very affordable. I am also 184cm tall and needed the space of a bigger car and the 2 to 3 hours a day I spend in the car needs to be comfortable and it is. On personal trips, I get 50mpg with no recharge of the batteries, and on the work commute I get between 150 to 300 mpg depending on side trips. I don't figure mpge but get to charge at work for free. Good luck.