A PHEV far superior to the Clarity is coming next summer

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PHEV Newbie

Well-Known Member
The Toyota RAV4 Prime:

AWD, over 300 hp, 39 mile all electric range, 0-60 in 5.8 seconds, and a spare tire!



I'm trading in my Clarity for sure! I've had issues with my Honda dealer and American Honda so I'm leaving Honda forever. Honda cars are well engineered but American Honda is terrible and is probably why Hondas don't sell as well as they should.
 
I know it is just a catchy title, but "Far Superior" ??? I don't think so...
Yes, it is an SUV / Crossover which maybe a majority would prefer. AWD and greater performance is a plus. Less range is not.

There has been no mention of pricing, and I would bet it will be substantially higher than the Clarity is (was).

I won't be trading in my Clarity anytime soon !
 
Regarding EV range, it's all about compromise. The battery is the same capacity as that for a Gen 1 Volt and thus qualifies for the full $7500 federal tax credit.
 
SThomas219 said:
You'd think a vehicle of this size could have more EV range. Other than that, it's a looker and will be popular.
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The Clarity went all out on aerodynamics and range so you give up on looks, power, and some praticality. SUVs are always going to do worse in range with the same size battery. In addition, it's got a lot more HP and it's AWD so I suspect the battery pack is similar to the Clarity's so less range is the tradeoff. On the other hand, there are so many pluses over the Clarity that it should sell like hotcakes unless they price it too high. It should be very reliable to boot.
 
They never said it has liquid cooling, so I'm wondering if it doesn't. The Prius Prime does't. Otherwise it's a good set of features.
 
You had me a spare tire.
Kidding. The range is a little disappointing, though. I also wonder since Toyota has the Prius, how quickly they will run out of their credit allotment. It that by manufacturer or model?
Otherwise, this thing looks awesome!
 
PHEV Newbie said:
The Clarity went all out on aerodynamics and range so you give up on looks, power, and some praticality. SUVs are always going to do worse in range with the same size battery. In addition, it's got a lot more HP and it's AWD so I suspect the battery pack is similar to the Clarity's so less range is the tradeoff. On the other hand, there are so many pluses over the Clarity that it should sell like hotcakes unless they price it too high. It should be very reliable to boot.
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I didn't give up anything on looks! Your Clarity must look different than mine because mine looks fabulous!
 
Actually, I really like my Clarity. I just have issues with my local Honda dealer and American Honda. That's what's pushing me out of the Honda brand.

The Clarity seems experimental in terms of pushing the limits of efficiency in a big, comfortable sedan. It was never meant to sell in large numbers and there's evidence that Honda sells each one at a loss. In the RAV4 Prime, it seems that Toyota actually wants to sell a PHEV and make a profit by design. SUVs sell like mad in the US, sedans don't. People want AWD (even though winter tires on a FWD vehicle will kick the butt of AWD with all seasons on ice and snow). People want ample power. Although I don't really mind, people seem to hate the rear "spats" on the Clarity. And for me, a spare tire for peace of mind on road trips. Toyota seems to have taken care of all of those important selling factors where the Clarity is lacking. I agree with the tax credit issue. If you don't buy in the first few months, the tax credit will be gone for Toyota.
 
It certainly has some advantages, but it's only interesting to those with ANY love for an SUV.

Having owned a Toyota Prime, and knowing what "25" mile plug in range really means, this one would need to be at least 50 for me to trust it be even close to the Clarity's range. Rated at 39, that would likely translate to MAYBE 25 miles in the cold months.
 
Two completely different vehicles makes it difficult to compare the superiority of one over the other.

I’ll take the 47 mile range, which has actually provided 50-60 miles on a regular basis, and 48 mpg in HV mode along with seats that are actually comfortable for humans, over a quicker 0-60 time.

SUV’s sell because marketing has convinced Americans that they need one. They are profitable, hence the heavy sales pitch.
 
I'm siding with the folks who question the "far superior" claim. It's different and likely will meet different needs. The Clarity's range works for us. A little more would be cool. Less would not work. As far as Honda goes, the only time we've had to go back to the dealer was for that oil change / tire balance service (and it was free). Now if the 2020 Clarity was a hatchback with longer range at a lower price, I'd call that "far superior."
 
I'm not gonna lie.
This is a vehicle that has the same battery size as my Volt had, roughly the same range on a charge and probably similar mpg on gasoline.
Assuming they deign to sell it with proper dealer support in my home state it might be difficult to stick with my plans for a Clarity.
Honda is not acting like a car company that wants my business.
Our older car is a 2011 Prius (our only Toyota to date) and I've never had as trouble-free a car in my life.
 
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5 passenger FWD sedan vs CSUV with 4 wheel drive. Probably some cross-shopping for those looking only at PHEV's, but the majority attracted to the RAV4 Prime will not be too interested in the Clarity PHEV (and vice versa). Since the Clarity will effectively be CA only, it's not really even an option for most people.
 
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Hopefully they won't put a 6 gallon gas tank like Honda did with the Clarity. I wonder what the MSRP is going to be? $37,950 would be my guess.
 
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