[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/honda-clarity\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/honda-clarity\/","headline":"Honda Clarity – what the critics think","name":"Honda Clarity – what the critics think","description":"Electric cars have rapidly evolved from kooky novelty to a commonly spotted fixture on UK roads. For better or worse, it\u2019s no longer an event to witness a Nissan Leaf or a Tesla Model S quietly taking off from the lights. In light of limited oil resources, many consider electric vehicles (EVs) to be the future of motoring but others believe the future lies with hydrogen. However, while the number of battery-powered vehicles continues to grow every year, the general […]","datePublished":"2017-05-16","dateModified":"2017-05-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Honda-Clarity-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Honda-Clarity-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/honda-clarity\/","about":["LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":686,"keywords":["electric vehicles","emission free cars","Honda","Honda Clarity","Hydrogen","hydrogen fuel cell"],"articleBody":"Electric cars have rapidly evolved from kooky novelty to a commonly spotted fixture on UK roads. For better or worse, it\u2019s no longer an event to witness a Nissan Leaf or a Tesla Model S quietly taking off from the lights.In light of limited oil resources, many consider electric vehicles (EVs) to be the future of motoring but others believe the future lies with hydrogen.However, while the number of battery-powered vehicles continues to grow every year, the general public essentially remains locked out of the hydrogen market.So that\u2019s where the Honda Clarity comes in. It is one of few hydrogen fuel cell vehicles available, leading the way along with the Toyota Mirai.The first thing you need to know about the Honda Clarity – a saloon-shaped hatchback – is that you can\u2019t have it.The car is on sale in the US and Japan, albeit in small numbers and priced at the equivalent of \u00a340,000. But in the UK and Europe, the Clarity won\u2019t be available until the next generation model arrives around 2022.That five-year delay may be enough to make you want to stop reading right now, but wait, it\u2019s worth knowing how the technology currently weighs up and what the critics make of it.Smooth and easyAutocar awarded the Clarity four stars in its very complimentary review.It was described as \u2018easy to drive, civilised, comfortable\u2019 with an emphasis on \u2018smoothness and quietness\u2019. So for those reasons, it\u2019s easy to recognise why the car would have plenty of appeal to anyone with a fondness for electronically driven cars.Inside, the \u2018plush and quite spacious\u2019 interior was praised and although Honda claims the Clarity is the first five-seater fuel cell car, Autocar felt there was only enough room in the back for two, with the middle passenger being forced to \u2018sit astride a large tunnel\u2019.The car\u2019s powertrain interferes with boot space too, with a barrel-like hydrogen tank resulting in an oddly-shaped front wall.\u2018Tough to judge\u2019Auto Express also gave the Clarity four stars despite admitting the car was \u2018tough to judge\u2019 due to being developed with little consideration for price or profit.However, they added that it feels \u2018every bit as ready for public consumption as any of the pure-electric cars currently on sale\u2019, more so in some cases.One major advantage of hydrogen vehicles over EVs is their range. Recent tests in the US found that the Clarity could drive for 365 miles before refuelling, while Honda\u2019s own tests exceeded 400 miles. Either figure is greater than any other zero-emission vehicle in production. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of Hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK right now, a major obstacle facing the Clarity.Auto Express commented on how massive the car is, stretching for almost five metres with a 1.8-metre width and tipping the scales at 1.8 tonnes.Performance is fairly low down on the priority list, but the powertrain can produce the equivalent of 174bhp and up to 300Nm of torque, meaning it can get up to 62mph in 9.2 seconds with a top speed of 103mph. That\u2019s far from stunning, but certainly not sluggish either for such a sizable car.As a car, the Honda Clarity feels \u2018more than ready\u2019, writes Car Magazine, praising it as \u2018supremely relaxing to drive\u2019 and complementing its \u2018top notch quality\u2019.\u2018The Clarity suggests we can look forward to a future that continues to be full of accomplished, inventively engineered cars\u2019, they added.VerdictThe Clarity is in an awkward position. As a product, faults are few. It\u2019s great to drive, lovely inside and the styling isn\u2019t too far removed from the current tenth-gen Civic.Even if you manage to get behind the wheel of one of the three examples in the UK right now, there\u2019s the issue of how you acquire the hydrogen to fuel it.It\u2019s a similar predicament that faced electric cars about ten years ago; great technology, but few refuelling options. Once this chicken and egg situation is solved, there\u2019s little reason why hydrogen cars won\u2019t take off."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Honda Clarity – what the critics think","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/honda-clarity\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]