I'm not keen on the no volume knob head unit and am hoping it is replaced in the 2019 model. That being said, I'd like the tax break for 2018. Local dealer says as of today they still can't order a 2019 Clarity which usually means it's at least 45 days away from any cars arriving. Any bets on 2019 cars being available before 1/1/2019?...
I wouldn't count on Honda doing any changes to the 2019 model. I'd put that likelihood at less than 5%.
I'll be interested to see whether Honda even comes up with a "refresh" model in three or four years or if they just call it quits or roll the PHEV into some other lineup. The other two (BEV and FCV) in the current Clarity line-up aren't ever going to get close to being mass-produced vehicles - at least while they're only available in one or two states. The availability of hydrogen fuel is not going to increase radically in the next few years. The BEV will need considerably greater range for anyone to pay attention to it. And the PHEV, while growing in sales and interest, still feels like a novelty.
I agree it would be better with one, but I always use the very handy volume gauge on the steering wheel which is much safer anyhow.
I find the steering wheel volume control on the steering wheel better than either the Lemmon my 2012 Prius Plugin or a knob. Both of those required me to take my eyes off the road, the Clarity's has a little raised line on either end of the steering wheel control so that you easily feel what you're doing as you adjust the vol. No eyeballs necessary.
I think it's worth remembering the Clarity didn't come out in 2018. The fuel-cell version was a 2017 model, released December 2016. So, it wouldn't be Honda refreshing a one year old car (that's never happened, AFAIK, except the disastrous 2012 Civic), it'd be them refreshing a two year old car. But, that's still not very common. The refreshes usually come after 3+ years. Also, they usually launch the refreshes in September, while unchanged models don't switch model year until the end of the year. E.g. there are almost three thousand 2019 Civics on lots across the country right now, but zero 2019 Accords, because the Civic is a refresh next year while the Accord is unchanged. I think the only hope of a 2019 Clarity refresh is if Honda doesn't follow their typical m.o. with them due to them being low-volume and such.
Yep I don't use the on screen volume at all, except for the "mute" (power on/off). Sure a nob would be nice, but only a passenger as I like the one on the wheel as well. Only updates I'd like to see would be rear / front sensors for parking since there don't appear to be any and update cameras with higher quality. Also a driver side blind spot monitoring would be good.
