Honda Clarity — Specs, Trims, Prices & Owner Reviews

2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell

The first model year of Honda's second-generation Clarity, and the only powertrain on sale when the nameplate returned. Deliveries began in Southern California in December 2016, replacing the FCX Clarity that Honda had retired in 2014; the new fuel-cell stack is about 33 percent smaller and roughly the size of a V6, so the entire powertrain fits under the hood and the car seats five instead of four. Published MSRP was $58,490, but it was offered only on a 36-month closed-end lease at $369 per month plus tax, with $2,499 plus the first payment due at signing.

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2017 Honda Clarity Electric

The battery-electric Clarity debuted for 2017, arriving at select California and Oregon dealerships in August 2017. A 25.5 kWh lithium-ion pack feeds a 161-hp coaxial motor for an EPA range of 89 miles — modest even for the period, but Honda pitched the car on interior space and refinement rather than range. Published MSRP was $36,620; the car was lease-only at an introductory $269 per month for 36 months plus tax, with $1,730 down plus the first payment at signing.

2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid

The plug-in hybrid joined the Clarity family for 2018 and was the only version you could actually buy, sold at Honda dealers in all 50 states from December 1, 2017. A 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four acts mostly as a generator for a 181-hp traction motor drawing on a 17 kWh battery, giving 212 hp of combined system output and a class-leading 47 miles of EPA all-electric range. The base car started at $33,400 before the $890 destination charge, and its large battery qualified it for the full $7,500 federal tax credit.

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2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Touring

The Touring is the loaded version of the new-for-2018 plug-in hybrid and shares its 212-hp powertrain, 17 kWh battery and 47-mile electric range exactly. What it adds is leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and built-in satellite-linked navigation, which the base car cannot be optioned with. It listed at $36,600 before the $890 destination charge.

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2018 Honda Clarity Electric

The battery-electric Clarity carried over largely unchanged for 2018 but became markedly cheaper to lease: Honda cut the introductory payment from $269 to $199 a month when the 2018 cars reached California and Oregon dealers on May 10, 2018. The 25.5 kWh pack and 161-hp motor still deliver 89 miles of EPA range, and DC fast charging remained standard, which was unusual at this price. Published MSRP stayed at $36,620, but the car could only be leased.

2018 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell

The hydrogen Clarity was essentially a carryover for 2018, arriving at select California dealers on April 4, 2018 at the same $369-per-month lease as the year before. Its 103 kW fuel-cell stack drives a 174-hp motor and still returns an EPA 366-mile range on a 5.46 kg tank of compressed hydrogen. Published MSRP remained $58,490, and the fuel-cell powertrain was named to Wards 10 Best Engines for 2018.

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2019 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid

A straight carryover of the 2018 car, with the same 212-hp two-motor plug-in hybrid system, 17 kWh battery and 47-mile EPA electric range, and the same $33,400 MSRP. The one significant change came mid-year: in August 2019 Honda pulled dealer stock out of the Northeast, leaving the plug-in Clarity stocked mainly at California dealers though it could still be ordered nationally. MotorTrend measured 7.5 seconds to 60 mph during Car of the Year testing.

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2019 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Touring

The Touring returned unchanged for 2019 at $36,600, still the only Clarity plug-in with leather upholstery, power front seats and factory navigation. Mechanically it is identical to the base plug-in — 1.5-liter Atkinson four, 181-hp traction motor, 212 hp of system output and a 47-mile electric range. Its 4,059-lb curb weight is 7 lb up on the base car.

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2019 Honda Clarity Electric

2019 was the final model year for the battery-electric Clarity; Honda confirmed in March 2020 that the car had been discontinued, and EPA lists no 2020 Clarity EV. Nothing changed mechanically — 25.5 kWh battery, 161-hp motor, 89 miles of EPA range — and the lease stayed at $199 a month with $1,799 due at signing. Published MSRP held at $36,620, though the car remained lease-only in California and Oregon.

2019 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell

The 2019 fuel-cell Clarity reached select California dealers from April 16, 2019, with its EPA driving range revised slightly downward from 366 to 360 miles. The 103 kW stack and 174-hp motor are unchanged, and the lease rose modestly to $379 a month. Published MSRP stayed at $58,490 and the car was still available only on lease.

2020 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid

With the battery-electric model gone, 2020 narrowed the Clarity range to the plug-in hybrid and the fuel cell. The plug-in's 1.5-liter Atkinson four, 181-hp traction motor and 17 kWh battery carry over untouched for 212 hp combined and 47 miles of EPA electric range, and the price stayed at $33,400. The notable addition is an acoustic vehicle alerting system that emits a sound at low speed when the car is running silently on electricity.

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2020 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Touring

The Touring returned for 2020 at an unchanged $36,600 and picked up the same new low-speed sound generator as the base plug-in. Powertrain and range are identical to the base car; the money buys leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, a leather-wrapped wheel and built-in navigation. Its 60/40 split-folding rear seats keep the same 15.5 cubic feet of trunk space.

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2020 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell

The hydrogen Clarity received its most substantive update for 2020 when it began arriving at select California dealerships in December 2019, gaining heated outside mirrors, an improved audible vehicle alert system and a new Crimson Pearl exterior color. The 103 kW fuel-cell stack and 174-hp motor are unchanged, with an EPA range of 360 miles. Published MSRP remained $58,490 and the car was still lease-only.

2021 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid

The last U.S. model year for the Clarity plug-in hybrid, which Honda confirmed in June 2021 would end production that August alongside the fuel cell. The car is a pure carryover — 1.5-liter Atkinson four, 181-hp traction motor, 17 kWh battery, 212 hp combined and 47 miles of EPA electric range — and the base price held at $33,400 for the fourth straight year. Only the destination charge moved, rising to $1,015.

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2021 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Touring

The final Clarity Touring is mechanically identical to the base plug-in and again lists at $36,600, unchanged since the model launched for 2018. Leather upholstery, power front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and factory navigation remain the differentiators. With the $1,015 destination charge the window sticker read $37,615.

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2021 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell

Honda described the 2021 Clarity Fuel Cell as unchanged after the previous year's updates, and it began arriving at California dealerships on October 6, 2020. It was the last hydrogen Clarity: production stopped in August 2021, though existing leases continued into 2022 and Honda later replaced it with the CR-V e:FCEV. The 103 kW stack, 174-hp motor, 360-mile EPA range and $58,490 published MSRP all carried over, still on a lease-only basis.