Why I got another Clarity

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sniwallof

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After driving one of the early 2018 Clarity touring, Dec. 2017, I decided to go all battery with a Bolt EV. I really enjoy driving the Bolt and plan to keep it. However, after several test trips of 300-400 miles, I realized that 45 minute charge times, sometimes four in the depth of winter cold, does not work for me.

So, with Clarity lease possibilities as low as $200/mo. I decided to lease a base model as a second car. This time black/black.

The Bolt works fine on the highway, but does not give the near ACURA class ride of the Clarity, and I drove home about 90 miles with a smile on my face.

I forgive HONDA for the foibles of the Clarity, but I still wish they would get the EV and HV range calculations "right". For example, I would like to be able to add just a gallon or two, and to not have to do a 12V battery reset to get the Clarity to register the added gallon.

However! I am really happy to have another Clarity which now feels very comfortable, and I may even buy it in three years at lease close out (TBD).

Also, I am completely surprised at how little difference there is between the base and touring models. I am totally okay with manual seat adjustments (one driver), and the cloth seats are fine too, but I really miss the leather covered steering wheel (might try one of these:
Any base model owners add your own leather steering wheel wrap?
https://insideevsforum.com/communit...-leather-steering-wheel-wrap.3365/#post-35021 ).

Even as late as 2017, I thought I needed built in navigation. But, trained by the Bolt (nav is not an available option at any trim level), I finally realized that smart phone nav (Apple, Google, Waze) are all fine and just as good for my driving region (good cell coverage here). Fortunately, the current lease deals are base model only, so I was able to avoid the temptation to go touring again this time.
 
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I'm kinda of curious if your two clarities battery performance seems same or different. i.e. With similar driving pattern and temperature is the range typically same?

You have a perhaps unique or less common way to compare directly two Clarity's in the same location etc.
 
ClarityDoc said:
N.B.: it's quite easy to save offline maps (in Google Maps, at least) to handle areas with poor data coverage. You won't get traffic but you'll have the map.
Click to expand...
If you drive in areas with poor cell coverage, this can save your cookies. Yes, it requires pre-planning, but it can be excruciatingly frustrating to be caught with no navigation just when you need it the most. This is the big difference between car navigation - which has the maps downloaded so doesn't need cellular signal - and using apps that depend on real-time access to maps via cellular.

I learned this in a deployment to Puerto Rico where cell coverage is the exception rather than the rule like it tends to be in most places in the US.
 
sniwallof said:
....

The Bolt works fine on the highway, but does not give the near ACURA class ride of the Clarity, and I drove home about 90 miles with a smile on my face.

.....
Click to expand...

This is correct - the Clarity gives the ride of an Acura due to the longer wheelbase.

I love the Clarity - it's intricate design and tech makes this a true engineer's vehicle...
 
Dan Albrich said:
I'm kinda of curious if your two clarities battery performance seems same or different. i.e. With similar driving pattern and temperature is the range typically same?

You have a perhaps unique or less common way to compare directly two Clarity's in the same location etc.
Click to expand...

We have two Claritys and we seem to get the same performance, my wife's commute is 24 mine is 34, we usually end the day with the same corresponding remaining mileage estimates, the wife about ten miles more than mine.
 
Dan Albrich said:
I'm kinda of curious if your two clarities battery performance seems same or different. i.e. With similar driving pattern and temperature is the range typically same?

You have a perhaps unique or less common way to compare directly two Clarity's in the same location etc.
Click to expand...

It is too soon to say anything about EV or HV range. I think the road noise is about the same (very good). Also, handles about the same (wonderful), and no angry bees so far this time (never experienced angry bees first one either).

The new Clarity (base model) audio sounds better. Now I wonder if I just got a bum system first go around (possibly the low end of the bell curve, or maybe they made small improvements by Nov, 18, my new build date). It is still not great, but definitely sounds better. I'd say more like 7 out of 10 now, compared with barely 5 for my first stock radio/audio system. I might leave it alone this time, especially because it's a lease. (by comparison, Volt gen 1 (premium) was iffy, gen 2 (premium) was pretty good, and the premium Bolt audio system is surprisingly good, the best stock system I've ever had by far)
 
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