Base or Touring

[mcdull]

Bought the base, didn't even considering Touring much after knowing the differences which to me not worth the additional 2.5-3K. If Touring had a sunroof, I would certainly go for it.
I'd rather spend the difference on some accessories like I'm now thinking to get the Tuxmat.

Have leather seat on 2 other cars before and now, the only reasons were one is convertible so it's better to get easy cleaning seats in case something dropped from above and the other was the only car in stock among all dealers that had every options I wanted.
During summer, I have to put seat pads on the seat or it's burning my bottom.

The Clarity base's cloth seat are really nice "cloth" seats which has mostly synthetic leather/vinyl around but only center is cloth for air flow (especially compared to the cloth seats which were so 90s in my similar priced 2012 Wrangler).
I didn't see a real good reason to go for leather seats and I'm fine with manual seat adjustment, none of my previous and current cars have power adjustment anyway.

Also don't need the navigation. By using cell phones I have my choice of map app to use and can also use offline maps.

 

[pinrut]

I am Canadian so I went to the Base with no consideration due to the lack of power/memory seat on Touring model.
I used to use Google map on my phone for Navigation. That is 5 years old phone so the map run very slow and the GPS signal reception very poor. I have to mount my phone on the windshield or else I never get GPS signal . Today I hooked up my phone to the car and run Google Map on Android Auto and so surprise how smooth it is and the GPS signal is very strong , even I put my phone in the middle console . I learned in this forum that the Base model has it own GPS module for tracking the car position when using Hondalink app and then the difference between Base and Touring in Navigation system is just the Garmin software . Now I learned that AA used the Clarity's GPS "hardware" to run Google Map. Can anyone double check?

Does anyone know if Android Auto in the clarity uses a built in GPS in the car?

 

[JJim]

Does anyone know if Android Auto in the clarity uses a built in GPS in the car?

Someone in CivicX forum also had the same observation (see attached screen shot). I am thinking about wrap my phone in the foil paper and put it down under the seat while using Android Auto Map to see if it still get GPS signal or not.

 

[pinrut]

Someone in CivicX forum also had the same observation (see attached screen shot). I am thinking about wrap my phone in the foil paper and put it down under the seat while using Android Auto Map to see if it still get GPS signal or not.

If you try it, let us know, I noticed that my phone doesn't get as hot when I'm using Android auto with GPS, whereas before in my old car I would have my cell phone in a mount with its internal GPS on and it would get quite hot after about 5-10 minutes.

 

[JJim]

If you try it, let us know, I noticed that my phone doesn't get as hot when I'm using Android auto with GPS, whereas before in my old car I would have my cell phone in a mount with its internal GPS on and it would get quite hot after about 5-10 minutes.

I am not at my car for awhile , will report when I done my "test". Your cell phone is not hot when using Google Map on AA (which is the same to me) is a evidence that AA used Clarity's GPS for Google Maps.

 

[Hobbesgsr]

The touring. The leather similated material also wraps the steering wheel and totally covers the front and rear seats.

I was hoping for some confirmation on the material as the brochure says “leather wrapped and trimmed” but there is also material that says it’s eco friendly synthetic ..etc.

BTW, I picked the base because it’s the Canadian version.

 

[neal adkins]

I was hoping for some confirmation on the material as the brochure says “leather wrapped and trimmed” but there is also material that says it’s eco friendly systematic. Ok correction. It is eco friendly leather. I mis understood the verbage. Heres what found on the web: Have you heard about eco friendly leather? What exactly is it and how is it made? Firstly, can leather be eco-friendly? YES! Leather can be eco friendly when the products are tanned naturally without using of any chemicals. The manufacture of leather does have an environmental impact. I looked into the base but my dealer was willing to negociate more on the touring.

BTW, I picked the base because it’s the Canadian version.

 

[KentuckyKen]

Until somebody proves me wrong, I think the only real leather in the Touring is the small perforated area.
Buts that’s OK with me because I wanted the powered seat with memory more than the leather.

 

[pinrut]

I'm fine

Until somebody proves me wrong, I think the only real leather in the Touring is the small perforated area.
Buts that’s OK with me because I wanted the powered seat with memory more than the leather.

Yeah I'm fine with it being fake leather as well, it sure feels nice and plush

 

[JJim]

If you try it, let us know, I noticed that my phone doesn't get as hot when I'm using Android auto with GPS, whereas before in my old car I would have my cell phone in a mount with its internal GPS on and it would get quite hot after about 5-10 minutes.

Today I tried to made a "Faraday shield" for my phone by wrapping it in 3 layers of foil. I used a long cable to connect my phone to the car and put it under the drive seat. I downloaded offline maps in to my phone and was using Google Maps offline. I am not sure if the GPS signal was completely blocked from the phone with this method but the result is the Google Maps still works well during the test.

 

[Lepori]

Base. The only minor annoyance to me is the cheap feeling fabric on the back of the seats. Everything else is so nice it seems out of place. We have to adjust the seats but that’s definitely not worth 2-3k for me. I was glad car play came with it - I was considering the accord hybrid and would have wanted car play but no sun roof which didn’t exist.

 

[Atkinson]

Today I tried to made a "Faraday shield" for my phone by wrapping it in 3 layers of foil. I used a long cable to connect my phone to the car and put it under the drive seat. I downloaded offline maps in to my phone and was using Google Maps offline. I am not sure if the GPS signal was completely blocked from the phone with this method but the result is the Google Maps still works well during the test.

You need to connect the foil to ground for an effective RF drain.
What you have might work on it's own, but if it doesn't, that's why.

 

[Johnhaydev]

I wanted the touring for the ability to tilt the seat cushion, takes pressure off my back. the other things that came with the touring were a plus. Base model is not really a stripper model so I do understand those that pick that instead.

 

[JJim]

You need to connect the foil to ground for an effective RF drain.
What you have might work on it's own, but if it doesn't, that's why.

I followed this instruction, it doesn't require to ground the foil:
The simplest and cheapest way to build your own Faraday container is to use heavy duty aluminum foil. By completely wrapping an item in several layers of foil, you can protect that item from damaging effects of EMP. Keep in mind that every side of the item needs to have a minimum of three layers, so by the time you’re done wrapping it in the foil, some sides may have more than three layers. This is fine, so long as you have no less than three layers of HD aluminum foil between any part of the item and the open air.
https://thesurvivalmom.com/skill-of-the-month-make-a-faraday-cage/

 

[Atkinson]

The Faraday shield will protect your device from an EMF pulse, but you might find you need a drain to sink all the rf energy from outside the shield with some kind of ground.
It's been a long time since I worked with electronics, but rf shields always needed a fairly large braided connection to ground to be effective.
It's possible that there's not enough rf energy under the seat to get past 3 layers of foil anyway.

 

[DaHo]

Go big or go home...Touring

 

[mcdull]

You need to connect the foil to ground for an effective RF drain.
What you have might work on it's own, but if it doesn't, that's why.

Not needed to ground, at least for cell phone signal, GPS signal seems to be even weaker.
I've been doing mobile development for over 15 years, we made our own Hoffman box using metal cookie tins and stuff foil inside. It works well for blocking cell signal. I also use signal jammer if I need to be sure.

 

[Texas22Step]

My wife is 4'11", I'm 5'9". Seat memory was a must. Touring

Amen!

 

[Texas22Step]

Does anyone know if Android Auto in the clarity uses a built in GPS in the car?

Not 100% sure about the Clarity, but I do know that my 2016 Accord uses the car's external GPS antenna when the phone's own GPS antenna yields a weak GPS signal and my phone is plugged in to the USB so I can see Android Auto / Google Maps on the Honda display in the car. The car doesn't substitute its "own" GPS, but does use a much better antenna mounted on the roof of the car to give the phone a stronger GPS connection.

 

[JJim]

Not 100% sure about the Clarity, but I do know that my 2016 Accord uses the car's external GPS antenna when the phone's own GPS antenna yields a weak GPS signal and my phone is plugged in to the USB so I can see Android Auto / Google Maps on the Honda display in the car. The car doesn't substitute its "own" GPS, but does use a much better antenna mounted on the roof of the car to give the phone a stronger GPS connection.

I believe that the Android Auto on Clarity used it own GPS to run Google Maps. My phone is not too hot when watching movie, surfing web... but it is very hot when using Google Maps or Here map which GPS is enabled but when connect to the Android Auto and use Google Maps it isn't hot anymore.