Hi, I've been a Volt owner since Dec. 2010, and our family has owned 4 Volts during that time frame. We've clearly been Volt fans, and the cars have all been trouble-free. Nevertheless, I traded in my 2014 Volt this week for a 2018 Clarity Touring. Two factors really helped with the decision: the test drive experience and the info I've gleaned from reading this forum. (So MANY THANKS! to all of you) . The key joy with the Volts was the ability to drive gas-free for expended periods, 5000 miles during one stretch. So in the test drive I was pleased to see that I could easily stay in EV mode (ECON setting) without really sacrificing any performance. I've limited experience with the new Clarity but can briefly state attributes that have favorably caught my attention so far: * longer range . My 2014 Volt was rated for 38 miles, and I could not make the 46 mile daily commute without either burning gas or charging with a level 1 charger at work. On the Clarity's first day, I discovered that the shorter L1 charge cord would not reach the plug, so I ran a couple of errands and drove home all on EV, 52 miles in all with 4 miles estimated range left. I was impressed! The drive was primarily 65 mph through downtown freeway, with one good-sized hill and temperature was in the 80s. For those who may be interested, I swapped L1 chargers with my wife, and the Volt's L1 charger works fine on the Clarity. * bigger interior. The larger back seat was a major factor. The Clarity is very comfortable. * the trunk is quite large, allaying my concerns about going from hatchback to sedan. * smoother ride, and higher off the ground. Nice not to scrape the driveway when backing out each day. * sound system sounds great to me, at least comparable to the premium system in the Volt. So far I've listened to Van Morrison, Beethoven piano trios, and Orff's Carmina Burana and can hear everything clearly. The Clarity seems to have less road noise, which helps too. *regular gas (the new Volts use regular also, but my gen 1 Volts required premium) * lighted charge door. Things that may not compare quite so well: * watching the oil change threads closely. I only had to change the oil every two years in the Volt.(about 90% of my miles were EV-only). * shorter L1 charge cord (which I've worked around, but not everyone will be able to swap with their Volt charger). * (this is probably me being unfamiliar with the search functions) but I found it easier to search through the many folders on my USB thumb drive with the Volts audio system. Probably just need to get used to the new interface. All this to say that I don't miss the Volt and love the Clarity.
I lease a 17 Volt and just bought a Clarity. I love both but the Clarity has better features and a nicer ride for nearly the same EV range
You can stay in EV mode in Sport as well. Just be mindful of the accelerator pedal. This allows you to have full regen on all the time, if you miss L from the Volt
