Hello forum members!
When I started to consider a Honda Clarity PHEV, I stumbled upon this forum and was happy to see owners sharing their Clarity PHEV experiences. So, I wanted to share how I became a Clarity PHEV owner.
In June of 2017, I took delivery of a new Tesla Model X. This was a vehicle I planned to keep for many, many years. However, less than 24 hours after delivery, problems started to occur and they never stopped for 6 months. Issues included axle and hub replacement, falcon wing doors breaking at the spine, random metal popping noises and fit/finish items that required 70% of the vehicle to be repainted. It was the repainting that destroyed the value and worked out to my advantage in the end. Anyway, I could go on and on as my list grew to over 50+ items in 6 months, which doesn't include items the Service Center found. I guess if you are a very patient person and enjoy driving a loaner the Tesla Model X is for you
I have friends that own a Model S and have had little to no trouble.
Fast forward to December 2017 (only 6 months of ownership) the Model X had been in and out of the Service Center for more than 100+ days with no end in sight. So, in the middle of another long spell of the Model X being in the shop, Tesla offered to purchase the Model X for the purchase price minus the 6% Florida sales tax and roughly a $6,000 fair use fee. The fair use fee is laughable, because I spent more time driving a loaner than the Model X I purchased. That night I talked with my wife and decided I should take them up on the offer.
Now, I have nothing bad to say about Tesla employees because they were always polite and kind. However, it's no secret the factory workers are overworked and the quality simply suffers and it becomes a domino effect. When the Model X was running properly, it was a lot of fun to drive. Was it worth the 120k price tag? That's hard to say.
After my Model X experience and selling it back to Tesla, I considered a Model S, but I have concerns the company will remain solvent in the next 5 or so years because of major issues with production and quality. Of course, I factored these into my decision the first time around, but living the nightmare made it more real!
So, after reading the short version of my Model X story, I had the good fortune of purchasing a white Honda Clarity Touring PHEV on January 26, 2018. Before purchasing, the dealership allowed me to take it home for a couple of days to test drive pressure free.
After driving almost 1k miles, the Clarity PHEV is so elegant and quiet around town and on the highway. My work commute is 40 miles (20 miles each way) and 16 (8 each way) of these miles are highway. When I return home for the day, I have around 12-15 miles remaining. Compared to my Model X, the Clarity is so much quieter. I know it's hard to believe the Clarity is quieter than the Model X, but I had constant wind noise with the Model X and it would never go away along with random rattles that never got resolved. By no means is the Clarity extreme luxury, but in my mind, neither was the Model X. The transition from electric to engine is seamless, and yes, it can be a little noisy at times, but when making a long distance trip, I rarely notice since the radio is running in the background. Apple Car Play isn't perfect, but it works well enough for maps, music and reading/replying to text messages. The tan leather is very comfortable and the backseat has a lot of room when needed. Lane Keep Assist and Dynamic Cruise works well enough for my needs. Tesla's works better overall, but it's more aggressive and Honda gives the user a little more control and flexibility.
To make use of my existing NEMA 14-50 receptical in the garage, I purchased 40amp Level 2 charger and it replenishes the Clarity in a few hours from empty. While I didn't have to charge the Model X as often, it's not an inconvenience to charge the Clarity each night. When I pull the charger out in the morning, I usually forget to close the lid and the warning on the dashboard comes up and I have to get out and close (minor annoyance). Mind you, the Model X closes automatically, so I am in the process of reprogramming my brain so to speak.
Anyway, I don't have any major gripes other than the lack of parking sensors. I am still shaking my head as to why this was left off of such a nice car. I live in a small city in North Florida, so it's not a major problem, but I do have to be extra cautions when backing up from a parking space. I saw a post where someone provided instructions to add the sensors and figured there is more risk with getting scratches on the bumper along with adding everything back perfectly. Since I am 100% satisfied with my Clarity (no rattles or scratches), I am not going to take the risk (at least not now).
One other thing that has been an adjustment is the regenerative paddles behind the steering wheel. I have trouble trying to set them correctly in traffic, so I revert to "Sport" when driving in the city because it holds the regenerative braking and it's the closest resemblance of driving a Tesla. Sport mode doesn't seem to impact my electric range, so this has been a nice feature to use in the city.
Last, but not least, the rear end of the Clarity doesn't bother me...not anymore. As the weeks progressed, I became more accustomed to the design. If you can live with the styling, it's a great car and the practical side of me says the interior helps you forget about the "junk in the trunk."
The Clarity wasn't my first choice because I would have preferred a SUV - something like a BMW X5e, but with only a range of 12-15 miles, it doesn't seem practical at this point in time. I am "hoping" in the next few years we will see an influx of SUVs that will function like the Clarity, but when/if that time comes, I will enjoy the Clarity because it is simply nice car.
In reference to the price, I paid $35,980 (MSRP was $37,480) as they matched a competitors price a few hours away and it was close to the end of the month. We will make full use of the $7,500 tax credit, so that brings the price down to 29k.
Feel free to ask any questions and I will reply.
Thanks for reading!
When I started to consider a Honda Clarity PHEV, I stumbled upon this forum and was happy to see owners sharing their Clarity PHEV experiences. So, I wanted to share how I became a Clarity PHEV owner.
In June of 2017, I took delivery of a new Tesla Model X. This was a vehicle I planned to keep for many, many years. However, less than 24 hours after delivery, problems started to occur and they never stopped for 6 months. Issues included axle and hub replacement, falcon wing doors breaking at the spine, random metal popping noises and fit/finish items that required 70% of the vehicle to be repainted. It was the repainting that destroyed the value and worked out to my advantage in the end. Anyway, I could go on and on as my list grew to over 50+ items in 6 months, which doesn't include items the Service Center found. I guess if you are a very patient person and enjoy driving a loaner the Tesla Model X is for you
I have friends that own a Model S and have had little to no trouble.Fast forward to December 2017 (only 6 months of ownership) the Model X had been in and out of the Service Center for more than 100+ days with no end in sight. So, in the middle of another long spell of the Model X being in the shop, Tesla offered to purchase the Model X for the purchase price minus the 6% Florida sales tax and roughly a $6,000 fair use fee. The fair use fee is laughable, because I spent more time driving a loaner than the Model X I purchased. That night I talked with my wife and decided I should take them up on the offer.
Now, I have nothing bad to say about Tesla employees because they were always polite and kind. However, it's no secret the factory workers are overworked and the quality simply suffers and it becomes a domino effect. When the Model X was running properly, it was a lot of fun to drive. Was it worth the 120k price tag? That's hard to say.
After my Model X experience and selling it back to Tesla, I considered a Model S, but I have concerns the company will remain solvent in the next 5 or so years because of major issues with production and quality. Of course, I factored these into my decision the first time around, but living the nightmare made it more real!
So, after reading the short version of my Model X story, I had the good fortune of purchasing a white Honda Clarity Touring PHEV on January 26, 2018. Before purchasing, the dealership allowed me to take it home for a couple of days to test drive pressure free.
After driving almost 1k miles, the Clarity PHEV is so elegant and quiet around town and on the highway. My work commute is 40 miles (20 miles each way) and 16 (8 each way) of these miles are highway. When I return home for the day, I have around 12-15 miles remaining. Compared to my Model X, the Clarity is so much quieter. I know it's hard to believe the Clarity is quieter than the Model X, but I had constant wind noise with the Model X and it would never go away along with random rattles that never got resolved. By no means is the Clarity extreme luxury, but in my mind, neither was the Model X. The transition from electric to engine is seamless, and yes, it can be a little noisy at times, but when making a long distance trip, I rarely notice since the radio is running in the background. Apple Car Play isn't perfect, but it works well enough for maps, music and reading/replying to text messages. The tan leather is very comfortable and the backseat has a lot of room when needed. Lane Keep Assist and Dynamic Cruise works well enough for my needs. Tesla's works better overall, but it's more aggressive and Honda gives the user a little more control and flexibility.
To make use of my existing NEMA 14-50 receptical in the garage, I purchased 40amp Level 2 charger and it replenishes the Clarity in a few hours from empty. While I didn't have to charge the Model X as often, it's not an inconvenience to charge the Clarity each night. When I pull the charger out in the morning, I usually forget to close the lid and the warning on the dashboard comes up and I have to get out and close (minor annoyance). Mind you, the Model X closes automatically, so I am in the process of reprogramming my brain so to speak.
Anyway, I don't have any major gripes other than the lack of parking sensors. I am still shaking my head as to why this was left off of such a nice car. I live in a small city in North Florida, so it's not a major problem, but I do have to be extra cautions when backing up from a parking space. I saw a post where someone provided instructions to add the sensors and figured there is more risk with getting scratches on the bumper along with adding everything back perfectly. Since I am 100% satisfied with my Clarity (no rattles or scratches), I am not going to take the risk (at least not now).
One other thing that has been an adjustment is the regenerative paddles behind the steering wheel. I have trouble trying to set them correctly in traffic, so I revert to "Sport" when driving in the city because it holds the regenerative braking and it's the closest resemblance of driving a Tesla. Sport mode doesn't seem to impact my electric range, so this has been a nice feature to use in the city.
Last, but not least, the rear end of the Clarity doesn't bother me...not anymore. As the weeks progressed, I became more accustomed to the design. If you can live with the styling, it's a great car and the practical side of me says the interior helps you forget about the "junk in the trunk."
The Clarity wasn't my first choice because I would have preferred a SUV - something like a BMW X5e, but with only a range of 12-15 miles, it doesn't seem practical at this point in time. I am "hoping" in the next few years we will see an influx of SUVs that will function like the Clarity, but when/if that time comes, I will enjoy the Clarity because it is simply nice car.
In reference to the price, I paid $35,980 (MSRP was $37,480) as they matched a competitors price a few hours away and it was close to the end of the month. We will make full use of the $7,500 tax credit, so that brings the price down to 29k.
Feel free to ask any questions and I will reply.
Thanks for reading!
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