Honda Clarity

The Clarity FCV delivers a driving experience that's very similar to an electric vehicle's--instantaneous power, a mostly quiet cabin, and driver sensitivity to how much energy is being consumed and how much is left.

The Clarity rides comfortably, absorbing bumps and swells without complaint. Handling is sound and responsive enough, but it’s certainly not sports-sedan agile.

Road, tire, and wind noise are evident simply because, unlike a conventional car, the FCV doesn’t generate any discernable sound from the powertrain that would mask the exterior din. So at urban/around-town speeds, the car is very quiet. It’s only on the highway where those other noises become noticeable.

The Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety systems is standard and includes forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking. Unfortunately, the FCX uses Honda’s Lane Watch, which shows a video feed on the center display every time the right directional signal is activated. LaneWatch is no substitute for an actual blind-spot monitoring system that covers both sides, which Consumer Reports prefers.

Customers who leased the first-generation FCX Clarity told Honda they weren’t happy that it was a relatively expensive sedan with just four seats, as well as having a limited number of features and creature comforts. Honda addressed the cabin space issue by shrinking the motor, fuel-cell stack, and associated parts, and then repositioning them under the hood. By relocating the battery from under the rear seats to beneath the front seat, and using two smaller tanks for hydrogen rather than one large one, Honda was able to expand seating capacity to five adults and increase cargo room. Despite the changes, the trunk is still small because of the space the larger hydrogen tank occupies.

Drivers will settle into a firm power seat that provides good support. There's no lumbar support adjustment, which might bother some drivers.

The FCX Clarity certainly was futuristic looking both inside and out, but the interior was rather austere. The new Clarity line features an interior that's at least on par with a top-trim Accord sedan. In fact, the cabin wouldn’t be out of place in an Acura, Honda’s luxury line. Materials were chosen with an eye toward environmental responsibility, with recycled Ultrasuede and Ultrasmooth--a leatherlike material derived from plants--used throughout the cabin. The matte wood is attractive.

The large, clear color display that faces the driver includes data on fuel-level and battery-charge status, and, as in hybrid cars and EVs, indicates whether the car is using power from the battery or is actively recharging it. As with other alternative-fuel vehicles, the 2017 Honda Clarity FCV has a “gamified” display to show how much energy is being generated. A blue, ball-like icon sits prominently in the center of the gauges, growing larger as electric power is tapped and shrinking as you ease off the throttle.

An 8-inch touch screen similar to the frustrating interface found in other Honda models is featured prominently in the center stack, and it controls all audio, navigation, communication, and smartphone interactions.

Honda also chose to include the same unintuitive push-button shifter found in other Honda and Acura models, which increases the chance of either selecting the wrong gear or not selecting Park when needed.

You can remotely monitor and maintain the FCV’s cabin temperature via the HondaLink smartphone app, which also includes information on local hydrogen stations, remaining range, and the current level of hydrogen in the two tanks.