Honda Clarity-Top rated by Consumer Reports

That makes it even more unfortunate that Honda does not plan to continue its production, at least according to what I am hearing
 
If I remember correctly, I think a big part why it scored low initially was because of two software flaws. 1. The issue where the dash would display all systems failing simultaneously, and 2. The HV range showing 999 miles. Many of us here at the time were upset that they rated the vehicle so badly because of issues that could be (and were) corrected with software. Now that those issues have been long corrected the results show that it’s actually a really good vehicle.

This same thing happened with the Model 3 when it first came out. Only Tesla was able to patch the software with an Over The Air update within a few days of the Consumer Reports news release.
 
Based on the California plugin vehicle rebates, the new requirement for Dec. 3, 2019 will need 35 miles of rated range. Wonder if that will push more to the Clarity than Prius Prime, which may fall off the CA rebate list.
 
I think the problem with Consumer Reports’ reliability determination for new cars is with their predictive algorithm. With the Clarity PHEV, they initially determined, with essentially no data, the car would be average in reliability. That was based on Honda’s previous vehicles and there is an explanation of the process in a past issue of their magazine Then, within just a a few months and with an extremely small sample size, they revised it to being the “worst of the worst” in reliability. Now, with a couple years worth of data, it’s revised again to being exceptionally reliable. Because I no longer trust their predictive algorithm, I no longer trust their reliability determinations and I wrote the head of their auto testing program to that effect (no response).
 
Consumer Reports is fine for rating vacuum cleaners etc., but has always been terrible for car ratings at least since I started reading it in the sixties. They just don't seem to know what they are doing.
 
megreyhair said:
I stop believing Consumer Report. I still remember how badly they crash Clarity when it first came out and now all of a sudden it is a good car even though nothing was changed in the 2 years it came out.
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I’m still a subscriber, but I will never forgive them for when they made the VW Passat their top rated car back in ‘98 or so. I bought one and it was the most unreliable car I ever owned.
 
If I remember correctly, part of CR's initial low score was based on "learning curve" type complaints. They complained about the location of the charging door release button, as an example. They also drove the car like a conventional hybrid rather than fully charging it before every test drive.

The key to driving the Clarity PHEV is to always remember that at its heart, it is an electric car. The engine is only there for those occasions in which one needs to drive more than 50 miles or for more acceleration than the 121 hp equivalent that the battery can provide to the drive motor. I love my Clarity.
 
228ra said:
I’m still a subscriber, but I will never forgive them for when they made the VW Passat their top rated car back in ‘98 or so. I bought one and it was the most unreliable car I ever owned.
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I have done the opposite with great success, most notably a 1987 Peugeot 505 they trashed that I drove for 22 years until I traded it during the government "clunkers" program for $4500 even though it was working fine. I regretted it almost immediately.
 
David Towle said:
Consumer Reports is fine for rating vacuum cleaners etc., but has always been terrible for car ratings at least since I started reading it in the sixties. They just don't seem to know what they are doing.
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:eek: I’ve actually had awful experiences with their vacuum cleaner ratings. The worst one I ever bought was their top rated model. It was as though they tested it only in their lab and never used it it a home. I now use reviews from users posted on retail sites to figure out what appliances work best in the real world. An example is my current vacuum that’s outstanding, but not CR top rated. Their paint tests and ratings are great, however.
 
The application of statistics to predicting outcomes is both an art and a science. Prediction is not a guarantee of outcome.

Clearly, the methodology used to predict the Honda Clarity's reliability produced an erratic result. The same model went from first to last in a year or less. Population size and the nature of early defects may have skewed the results.

Also, a car with high initial quality may be subject to recalls and durability issues that manifest out of warranty- making some issues harder to predict.

I think CR's ratings are generally accurate and that high ratings tend to improve resale values.

Maybe to Honda, the Clarity is a compliance car. But it must be a source of some embarrassment that their compliance and the only PHEV, is also their most reliable model. When I bought the Clarity, I knew it was not going to be a high production car- but I didn't expect they would pull it back just as demand was taking hold at the tail end of 2018. If their rationale was that it is too costly to produce- that's a new one for me- try to guess an automaker's profitability before purchasing so as avoid higher repair costs after the model is discontinued in later years. Caveat Emptor.

Still, the Clarity is the best PHEV in America.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
Sandroad said:
Sadly, me too. Their reliability reports are no longer reliable.
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Me, three. Consumer Reports badly handled their original Clarity review, but for me they also whiffed on the General tires and Epson printer I bought as CR-recommended. After many years as a subscriber I did not renew CR this year.
 
I've come to agree with others over the years that CR's reliability is suspect. That being said, lots of folks read their reviews, and make purchasing decisions based on CR's reviews. I sometimes have friends quote CR as if it's hard data. Anyway, CR's reviews drive sales (or not as it happens).
 
TomL said:
Me, three. Consumer Reports badly handled their original Clarity review, but for me they also whiffed on the General tires and Epson printer I bought as CR-recommended. After many years as a subscriber I did not renew CR this year.
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Tell me about the General tire issues you are having. Is this the Altima’s? I bought a set and they seem fine after a year or so. Very little wear compared to my Continental’s.
 
228ra said:
Tell me about the General tire issues you are having. Is this the Altima’s? I bought a set and they seem fine after a year or so. Very little wear compared to my Continental’s.
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Yes, Altimas for a 2017 Accord Hybrid. Price was great at Farm and Fleet (rebate + buy 3 get 1 free). Wear was good with 50,000 miles on them at trade-in. Handling and road noise was OK in dry weather. Turns out these are not high in rolling resistance so I lost at least 3 mpg. Main reason I bought them was CR's rating for braking on ice was high for all season tires, but that proved untrue. I would rate them as no better than fair for Wisconsin winter use. There were several times I had trouble getting up my short driveway which has a modest incline. Sometimes I had to back up across the street into my neighbor's driveway to get a running start. I have 50 years experience driving in winter so I don't think it was ineptitude on my part. I think CR simply overrated them, but how much can I complain for $65/tire with free rotation?
 
228ra said:
I’m still a subscriber, but I will never forgive them for when they made the VW Passat their top rated car back in ‘98 or so. I bought one and it was the most unreliable car I ever owned.
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I'll do you one better. I had the Passat TDI! What a festering turd of a car.
 
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