I'm glad I purchased a Clarity versus...

[MPower]

The "island" control could have been better placed, honestly. Even with the center console at the bottom of it, it's still a bad use of space IMO. Not to mention the wings, while nice looking, are a total waste of space - the button controls all seat in that 2-inch strip in the middle.

The island doesn't really bother me because I haven't found the "wings" in the way. I wondered if there is some "stuff" inside that required more space. Has anyone investigated the contents?

Being a short person, what I ABSOLUTELY HATE, is that when I put the seat as high as it will go and close enough to push the peddles, and lower the steering wheel so the airbags don't kill me, I can't see the speedometer and most of the other stuff on the instument panel. I was used to the much maligned Prius panel centered on the top of the dashboard, but it worked for us short people. Now I have to duck down and look under the top of the steering wheel. This is no safer than flicking my eyes slightly toward the center.

I don't even know what to use the (also existing) BlueTooth for, since I can't do CarPlay without the phone being plugged in.

I use the bluetooth for when I don't need maps and am just tootling around locally and I just want to list to Podcasts or other audio on my phone. I got used to that on my old Prius Plugin which did not have Android Auto and did have a OEM GPS. At the time I though this arrangement was the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[insightman]

I also considered the Model 3, but didn't like the interior when I sat in it at the dealership. Also didn't like the looks of the front (no bumper makes it look like a face with no mouth).

There are aftermarket options to fix the front end of the Tesla Model 3. You want a mouth?

No aftermarket options for a quickly refueled engine, however.

 

[jdonalds]

The console wings bother me because I really like to use the ACC even around the city. I take my foot off the accelerator and pull it back. Then when I relax my right leg it leans up against the console wing which has a hard edge that bothers my knee.

I use Bluetooth whenever I'm in the car. Using only the Bluetooth the car can access the phone book, music, messages, and make and receive calls. If I want to use Google Maps I just watch it on the phone. I find it pretty functional.

Honestly I don't know what all the fuss is about wanting Android Auto. I tried it months ago and again today. It has very limited features but perhaps I just haven't run across how to do some things. When I select music it wants to connect me to some on-line music services. All I want is to use the music on my phone or on the USB stick I have plugged into the car. Can someone help me out here to understand what the benefits are to using Android Auto please?

 

[petteyg359]

The console wings bother me because I really like to use the ACC even around the city. I take my foot off the accelerator and pull it back. Then when I relax my right leg it leans up against the console wing which has a hard edge that bothers my knee.

I use Bluetooth whenever I'm in the car. Using only the Bluetooth the car can access the phone book, music, messages, and make and receive calls. If I want to use Google Maps I just watch it on the phone. I find it pretty functional.

Honestly I don't know what all the fuss is about wanting Android Auto. I tried it months ago and again today. It has very limited features but perhaps I just haven't run across how to do some things. When I select music it wants to connect me to some on-line music services. All I want is to use the music on my phone or on the USB stick I have plugged into the car. Can someone help me out here to understand what the benefits are to using Android Auto please?

You have to "add" media apps to Android Auto. If you want on-phone music, see if VLC will work with Auto. If you don't mind Amazon, Amazon Music also supports a local library, and I know it works in Auto.

The benefit is that Google Maps is leagues ahead of the Garmin navigation, and having it on the larger screen is nice. It does turns on the dash behind the wheel just like the Touring navigation, too. It also (I think) switches the car's voice button on the steering wheel to go to Google Assistant, which can be extremely useful when you have nobody else in the car to look something up while you're driving.

 

[dnb]

The benefit is that Google Maps is leagues ahead of the Garmin navigation, and having it on the larger screen is nice. It does turns on the dash behind the wheel just like the Touring navigation, too. It also (I think) switches the car's voice button on the steering wheel to go to Google Assistant, which can be extremely useful when you have nobody else in the car to look something up while you're driving.

Also you can use the auto nav on the wheel dash area to show navigation next to the speedometer as well.

 

[jdonalds]

You have to "add" media apps to Android Auto. If you want on-phone music, see if VLC will work with Auto. If you don't mind Amazon, Amazon Music also supports a local library, and I know it works in Auto.

The benefit is that Google Maps is leagues ahead of the Garmin navigation, and having it on the larger screen is nice. It does turns on the dash behind the wheel just like the Touring navigation, too. It also (I think) switches the car's voice button on the steering wheel to go to Google Assistant, which can be extremely useful when you have nobody else in the car to look something up while you're driving.

I'll try Amazon Music. I hope I can turn off all references to streaming music in which I have no interest.

 

[RogerB]

Being 6'3", the wing is in an awkward position for me. I can't quite get my leg under it without putting my foot in a weird position on the gas pedal and in my normal foot position, it has a sharp edge that rubs into my knee. Jeans and dress slacks help, but I can really see it being an issue when it warms up enough for shorts. I am thinking about putting some sort of padding there to soften it a little.

 

[RogerB]

Also, although limited, I really like Android Auto. Granted, I'm coming for a 13-year old Acura with no tech whatsoever, so even the basic features are like magic to me. I like having Waze on the screen and sending texts without touching a single button.

 

[LAF]

The "island" control could have been better placed, honestly. Even with the center console at the bottom of it, it's still a bad use of space IMO. Not to mention the wings, while nice looking, are a total waste of space - the button controls all seat in that 2-inch strip in the middle.

Speaking of technology, why do we need to connect via wire to "talk" to the car? This was something I even brought up with the dealer guy when I test drove it, as I was expecting a wireless connection (maybe expecting too much?) for CarPlay. I don't even know what to use the (also existing) BlueTooth for, since I can't do CarPlay without the phone being plugged in.

no car yet connects to CarPlay by bluetooth. You can use Bluetooth to ask Siri to play any music you want if you have an iPhone. It of course also allows you to make and receive phone calls

 

[petteyg359]

Being 6'3", the wing is in an awkward position for me. I can't quite get my leg under it without putting my foot in a weird position on the gas pedal and in my normal foot position, it has a sharp edge that rubs into my knee. Jeans and dress slacks help, but I can really see it being an issue when it warms up enough for shorts. I am thinking about putting some sort of padding there to soften it a little.

They look like separate parts in diagrams from third party parts sites. Might want to wait five years for your warranty to expire, but I bet you could remove them without damaging anything.

 

[Mayjend]

I was actually shopping for a 3-row SUV originally, and my husband and I just couldn't stomach the mpg figures. We decided to postpone our SUV purchase until 2020 models come out, and just get another sedan instead. I started looking at the Accord Hybrid when I discovered the Clarity. Super happy with this decision so far.

Being a short person, what I ABSOLUTELY HATE, is that when I put the seat as high as it will go and close enough to push the peddles, and lower the steering wheel so the airbags don't kill me, I can't see the speedometer and most of the other stuff on the instument panel.

Going OT a bit, but I was wondering about this. How tall are you? I'm 5'1" and was fiddling with the steering wheel angle yesterday and noticed that I couldn't lower the steering wheel too much due to the blocked speedometer. Does the steering wheel really need to be that low for the airbag to be safe?

 

[RogerB]

They look like separate parts in diagrams from third party parts sites. Might want to wait five years for your warranty to expire, but I bet you could remove them without damaging anything.

That's interesting. I definitely don't see any value in them, but I don't know how that will impact the warranty. 5 years is a long time to wait.

 

[SteveinSD]

I'm 6' 5", so the wing cuts into my right leg as well. I think they could have either made it much narrower (making it easier to reach things below), or hollowed out the top on both sides for additional storage. I put a small "sticky dash pad" to the left of the drive controls so I can put my phone there without it sliding off. I found it difficult to grab when I would throw it underneath, and half the time I would get out of the car without taking it at all.

Back to the original topic though, I only really looked at the Mitsubishi Outlander EV, but the range on that thing is just pathetic. If I had my druthers, I probably would have jumped on the crossover bandwagon if only there were one with anything close to 50 mile EV range, but that animal really doesn't exist yet. My wife drives a Chevy Bolt, and when that lease runs out I'd like to try a Kia Niro EV. While the range is great on the Bolt, it has a cheap looking interior, the front seats are really narrow, and the ride quality is WAY too stiff.

 

[SteveinSD]

That's interesting. I definitely don't see any value in them, but I don't know how that will impact the warranty. 5 years is a long time to wait.

Depending on how tough they are to remove, couldn't you just re-install them anytime you need to go back to the dealer? The big question is how "unfinished" it would look if removed.

 

[jorgie393]

I have the disassembly instructions, but as this thread is getting pretty off topic ....I'm going to start a new thread with the disassembly instructions. Unfortunately it looks like it would be pretty unfinished.

 

[Vezz66]

I tried the Volt 3 times, the Bolt at least 4 times and several others.

Had a deposit on the Bolt ordered early 2017 and also had a deposit on a model 3 from April 2016.

As I was finishing my lease on a CRV I started looking for alternatives with Honda and found the Clarity on their site, never knew it existed. Did tons of research, test drove it once (with 3km EV range remaining) and that was it. Nothing compares.

Interior space, interior luxury feel, cool looks and all the fancy tech. The brake pedal feel is perfect, it is comfy, handles like a charm, and this is the first car my wife has not issued one criticism against.

 

[amy2421]

I was looking at the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima Hybrids to replace my leased Sonata Hybrid. I test-drove and briefly considered a Kia Optima plug-in Hybrid and then looked at the list of cars that qualif(ied) for the rebate, and said "What the heck is a Honda Clarity"??? The Clarity is a much nicer car and was a much better deal with the bigger rebate.

Now that I'm seeing the cold-weather-related range degradation, I'm really glad I didn't get the Optima plug-in. It gets 35-40 km of electric range in ideal conditions, so it is probably down to 20-25 km in winter conditions. Practically useless.

I am loving my Clarity.

 

[MPower]

I'm 5'1" and was fiddling with the steering wheel angle yesterday and noticed that I couldn't lower the steering wheel too much due to the blocked speedometer. Does the steering wheel really need to be that low for the airbag to be safe?

I am about the same size with short legs and have the same problem. It is driving me crazy. I wish I knew the answer to your question, but the advice we short people have always been given is to point the airbags as far away from our faces as possible. The Clarity manual says the steering wheel should be at least 10 inches away from us. I am barely making that distance. Maybe we need blocks on the peddles like we had on our trikes when we were little.

 

[petteyg359]

I am about the same size with short legs and have the same problem. It is driving me crazy. I wish I knew the answer to your question, but the advice we short people have always been given is to point the airbags as far away from our faces as possible. The Clarity manual says the steering wheel should be at least 10 inches away from us. I am barely making that distance. Maybe we need blocks on the peddles like we had on our trikes when we were little.

There are places that sell pedal extenders. Good quality stuff that's actually safe and won't catch or slide and prevent you from braking when you really need to will cost you well over a hundred dollars, though.

 

[MPower]

There are places that sell pedal extenders. Good quality stuff that's actually safe and won't catch or slide and prevent you from braking when you really need to will cost you well over a hundred dollars, though.

Thanks, pettey359. I am going to wait a while and see if I get used to this new instrument placement. If it continues to bother me I will look into your suggestion.