2021 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Electric

The 2021 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell has no trim structure and comes as a single variant with a multitude of features and assets. The sedan is full of tech complexities and creature comfort. Be it, those Heated Front Bucket Seats or Dual Zone Front Automatic Air Conditioning, one stays content throughout the experience. The Black-accented leather upholstery maintains the premium touch while the 12-speaker Audio system with subwoofers takes care of musical echoing. In addition to them, the Head-Up Display, Multi-Angle Rearview Camera, and an 8-Inch Display Audio with High-Resolution Electrostatic Touch-Screen can also be spotted alongside.

Though the geometry inside and outside the cabin is important, what’s even more obsessive should be the safety alertness that comes inherent with it. It stands out in that arena with add ons like the Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist System, Vehicle Stability Assist, and many more. The overall frame design and associated panels are also impressive in their aerodynamics as the Rear Air Curtain Duct and Lip Spoiler function together to achieve the desired airflow. Therefore, it is not just a better clean mobility alternative rather a complete package.

Which Trim should you buy?

As there is no trim variation to choose from, the question, itself, becomes null and void but the concern of owning the 2021 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell also does not seem to be a promising one as the future production of this hydrogen format is going to be discontinued meaning the overall after-sale support and mechanical maintenance will be a hectic one to manage. In terms of features, there are no negatives but the cost it asks us to pay also appears to be unjustified.

As mentioned earlier, this energy source is in its primitive stage, so expecting too much will be misleading oneself. Yet it represents a chart in front which can be an eye-opener for many as the returns of 68 MPGe in the cities, 67 MPGe on the highways, and 68 MPGe overall by the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell are way ahead of its other engine siblings and counterparts, thereby, claiming it to be not just cleaner but cheaper mobility too. Even the 360 miles of range is also no short of a promising stature. 

The rivals are also at the same barometer as that of the former as they offer almost parallel mileage across all formats with a slight difference in their range practicality. The Honda Clarity Fuel Cell sets the standards for the per-mile efficiency while the Hyundai Nexo represents endurance. The Toyota Mirai, unlike its powertrain prowess, sits in the middle this time. There is literally no clear favorite as such for the time being.

The Perforated Leather-Trimmed Seats along with 8-way power-adjustability for the driver’s end and 4-way power-assist for the rear’s support begin the interior outflow for the 2021 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell. The memory function as extra is also there specifically for the driver’s ease. The love affair of heating-ventilation recirculation has also been engineered with the seats with the help of the Underseat Ducts and Dual Zone Front Automatic Air Conditioning inside the cabin. The Cabin Air Quality Management System and HondaLink are also part of this description note. In the end, the black accent layout all over the space is just artistic in its appeal.

In terms of cabin spaciousness and seating arrangement, the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell offers a subtle and balanced configuration. The legroom in both rows is enough to accommodate 5 passengers which seems to be common across all the rivals. The Hyundai Nexo is also generous in its roominess irrespective of rows while the Toyota Mirai could have been at par if it would not have compromised in its 2nd-row legroom and cargo capacity. Thus, the Honda and Hyundai come in the same index of preference for their practicality. Some of the features are:

• Heated Front Bucket Seats
• Cabin Air Quality Management System
• Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
• HomeLink Remote System
• Automatic-Dimming Rearview Mirror
• Electronic Remote Trunk Release

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The power source might look like a new beginning but the infotainment and entertainment package is surely not, as the 540-Watt Premium Audio System with 12 Speakers, including Subwoofer, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth HandsFreeLink are some of the codings which don’t come under everyday’s business rather build the foundation of much bigger establishment. 

The 2021 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell also gets that 8-Inch Display Audio with High-Resolution Electrostatic Touch-Screen which can be customized as per one’s preference. The Radio Data System, Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System, and Honda HD Digital Traffic are other handful values that are as desirable as the aforementioned. Some of the features are:

• 8-Inch Display Audio with High-Resolution Electrostatic Touch-Screen
• Apple CarPlay
• Bluetooth HandsFreeLink
• Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System
• 540-Watt Premium Audio System with 12 Speakers
• Android Auto
• Honda HD Digital Traffic

If you would hold this sedan accountable for its price tag then it is the technology that gives it such a hike and not the exterior appearance as the outlook is more like a typical sedan with a blend of a few body lines and creases. The sleek LED Headlights with simple trigonometry in its measuring are no good at all for its frontal expression. The 18" Hybrid Aerodynamic Alloy Wheels, though, are nicely carved but do not gel with the curvature. 

Apart from these dark sides, there are some commendable extensions too that include the lip spoiler and air curtain duct, both of which together counter the turbulent air in the rear. The color contrasts like the Crystal Black Pearl, Crimson Pearl, and Platinum White Pearl are also there to pick and enhance its appeal. However, on a bigger picture, it is obvious that it could have been improved.

The lightest and the most compact among all is the Hyundai Nexo but as all of them are heavily packed with so many tech assists that the dimensional figures make no difference. Rather a bigger variant would offer more volume inside the cabin which we see in the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell. The Toyota Mirai has almost the same virtues including anti-roll bars and electronic stability as that of the Honda because of which both are rated on the same platform. Some of the features are:

• LED Headlights
• 18" Hybrid Aerodynamic Alloy Wheels
• Rear air curtain duct
• Lip Spoiler
• Crystal Black Pearl, Crimson Pearl, and Platinum White Pearl accents
• Galvanized Steel/Aluminum Panels
• 235/45R18 94V AS Tires

The safety realm of the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell is certainly a fairy tale as everything ends on a good note. The Advanced Compatibility Engineering Body Structure with Aluminum Subframes is as light as its structural unification. One can hardly cast a doubt on its energy dissipation. The strength further amplifies with other handling metaphors such as Vehicle Stability Assist, Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System, and Electronic Brake Distribution. 

When more than $58,000 is on the line, then mention of the Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Lane Keeping Assist System become more like a generic demand yet an appreciated one. This is, by far, one of the finest by Honda that won’t see the dawn in the upcoming years and might feel robbed on some fronts. Some of the features are:

• Advanced Compatibility straight-line engineering Body Structure
• Collision Mitigation Braking System
• Road Departure Mitigation System
• Electronic Brake Distribution
• Lane Keeping Assist System
• Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System
• Adaptive Cruise Control

2021 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell vs 2021 Toyota Mirai

Fiercely competitive in their respective stances, the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell and Toyota Mirai are the two front runners of what could be the next future. Unfortunately, the former won’t be continuing with its production but history repeats itself, so who knows the Clarity will be reintroduced after some years of stagnation. Both of them are parallel in their handling abilities and mileage economy but it is that power curve and cabin spaciousness where the Honda takes the edge and becomes the first choice between the two.

2021 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell vs 2021 Hyundai Nexo

The Hyundai Nexo is another promising engineering masterpiece that comes neck-to-neck against the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell and manages to outclass the same in its range practicality and high-speed reach but the Honda is also right at its tail with its acceleration prowess and extraordinary safety persona on offer. Therefore, both of them are desirable and can be chosen as per one’s inclination towards looks and if that is taken into consideration then Hyundai Nexo might have a little better opportunity.

Choosing this sedan has multi-fold aspects to keep in mind, as tech-wise it is, without a doubt, fine machinery and the safety assists are just on another level. But the production discontinuity of the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell from the next year marks a big question if the brand is any more concerned with its already sold units. The exterior appeal also dents its overall imagery but the former question is a major one to tinker upon which is why it is not suggested to be owned in the first place.