3 weeks of Clarity ownership. Love the car so far but have a few questions hope you folks don't mind answering in a day or two. Glad to be aboard. PS(sorry if this show up twice i might have put in the wrong area the first time)
First answer: No, there is no way to lock the Clarity PHEV into EV drive mode. ECON Mode and a light foot will keep the car in EV drive mode under most driving circumstances.
Ha, ha ! I agree. I think it is time for a "Clarity - 101" sticky thread with some of the often asked questions and tips/tricks in addition to the new owners thread we already have. Domenick - Is it possible to create one that allows forum members to edit the first/only post (like a wiki) rather than adding posts to it ?
I believe that's the idea for the one, top sticky thread, FAQ >>>>>If you're a new owner, read this first!
Thanks for the sentiments...I have actually owned several hybrids (Toyota) and drove a Volt for about 8 months. My questions are more Honda related. Hopefully they won't be a bother to folks. Have a great evening!
Volt owners are the first to complain the Clarity PHEV doesn't have an EV-only mode button. However, the Clarity PHEV was designed to maximize safety and efficiency, not continuous EV travel. For example, if you need instant acceleration to get out of a dangerous situation, the Clarity PHEV enables you to combine the power from both the battery and engine by simply flooring the accelerator. On the highway, the Clarity can switch between multiple propulsion modes (and power regeneration) to maximize efficiency.
I don't recall complaining about anything. Instead of a arrogant lecture, perhaps you should consider allowing folks to ask questions. I obviously chose the Clarity over the Volt. A more suitable opening might have been...so why did you choose the Clarity over the Volt. There always seems to be one or two on every board.
Hmm... I don't think Insightman was rude or being arrogant. In fact I think his/her post was quite informative and helpful. You might owe them an apology in my opinion. If you want to ask questions, just ask them already. There are lots of super friendly and knowledgeable folks on here!
I was looking at the Volt for quite some time and there was a couple at my local Chevy dealer when the Clarity came out. I have two adult size teenagers so there was no way the back seat of the Volt could accommodate them. The Clarity is huge by comparison, more like a full sized car. Surprisingly, to equip the Volt like the Clarity Touring, the price was much higher (about $41,000) and the dealer was not discounting it much. I got a good discount on my Clarity and it was the first one that showed up at my Honda dealership last Dec. My final reason will surprise EVERYONE. I chose the Clarity over the Volt for the styling. I thought the Volt looked just like the Chevy Cruze, a cheap car often purchased for high school students. I thought the Clarity looked super futuristic with all of the styling functional for aerodynamics. I appreciate authenticity. Most cars today have fake vents, scoops, and spoilers pretending to show performance. Everything on the Clarity is the real thing.
My write-up would be very much like yours. More of a "full size sedan" feel. Having driven the Volt for an extended period, it too is a really nice car with slightly different set of features and mechanics than the Clarity but for all intents and purposes...they both serve the same audience and functionality as society transitions slowly from petrol engines. Hatchback versus sedan...at least folks have affordable choices now for PHEV with 50 mile EV range. Heck some folks preferred the "Thing" in avocado green back in the day so to each their own...lol No disrespect to The Thing...I love that car...I still see one occasionally running around and apparently has cult following much like the Studebakers. Appreciate the comments.
Welcome Clarity_Newbie. This is normally a very informative board with lots of helpful folks. Like any other board...it has its moments. The vast majority of us are informed consumers but not experts in the world of EV's and we are here to educate ourselves. So no worries, ask questions and hopefully you will get answers. Some of the issues discussed with some frequency on this board include: Honda maintenance minder (MM) which is supposed to advise Clarity owners when to perform maintenance like oil changes etc. Squeaks and rattles and trim issues with fixes for said squeaks and rattles and trim issues The inevitable software update/patches to fix perceived bugs and quirks And of course the "how long will my battery last" which I assume you are very familiar with if you frequented any EV board in the past. Good luck!
Thanks. I have been reading this board for about four months and subject matter seems very similar to any other EV forum...just with the Honda slant which is why I am here. Always something different and everyone can always learn something regardless of the manufacture. I am new to the Honda line of vehicles and fully expect a good experience since Toyota and Honda seem to take turns every couple of years being rated number 1 on a poll somewhere. I've stayed abreast of the MM issue and will wait to see when mine expects service then take it from there. Definitely hard to fathom Honda expects oil to be changed with so little mileage on the petrol engine assuming one drives majority on battery. Time will tell. I already popped off the A pillars and fixed the speaker rattle. Easy fix really but I do say thanks to the folks on this board for the heads up...those rattles can be hard to locate. Info like that really helps Honda newbies like me. Gracias!
No problem. I'm new to Honda as well. Glad to see you were able to fix the speaker rattle so quickly. I finally took the time to see how to take off the A pillars and fine tune the rattles...my dealership "fix" only lasted about a week. Now its good to go...I hope. Good Luck.
