Latest News
Buy this Ford vs Ferrari GT40 Movie CarBudget Buy: Honda Clarity vs Toyota Prius Prime
Going electric is painless with these two plug-in hybrids. We sift through the details comparing the Honda Clarity vs Toyota Prius Prime.
The Comfortable Medium
For those looking toward an electric vehicle but worried about limited ranges and high prices, slightly used plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) offer an appealing solution. With a limited electric-only range, PHEVs can cover most of your daily driving without kicking into internal combustion and when you need the greater range, the gas engine is there, offering impressive fuel efficiency too.
For this comparison we sought out two of the better used PHEVs around, the Honda Clarity and the Toyota Primus Prime. Both offer great efficiency, quality interiors, and plenty of modern conveniences. At a price ceiling of $30,000, we compared the 2019 Honda Clarity and the 2018 Toyota Prius Prime. So, which is the better deal? We’ve got the details below.
Honda Clarity vs Toyota Prius Prime Specs
The 2019 Honda Clarity comes with three powertrains: a full EV with a disappointing 89 miles of range, a hydrogen fuel-cell version only available in California, and the plug-in hybrid version we’re covering in this article. This last version runs a 1.5L four-cylinder paired with an electric motor for 212 horsepower. The Clarity PHEV gets a combined 42 mpg when using gas or 110 MPGe (miles per gallon electric equivalent). Electric only range gets you up to 47 miles before kicking on the gas engine. Charging takes a little over two hours on a Level 2 220-240-volt charger or over 12 hours using a standard 110-120-volt outlet.
The 2018 Toyota Prius Prime has just one powertrain set up, its 1.8L four-cylinder combining with two electric motors for 121 horsepower. Fuel economy comes in at 54 mpg combined, 133 MPGe, and offers up to 25 miles of electric-only range. The Prius Prime charges more quickly than the Clarity, with a similar 2-hour span for 240-volt charging but a much shorter 120-volt charge time of a little over 5 hours.
Driving & Performance
Like most hybrids, the Honda Clarity offers impressive electric-powered torque off the line but then struggles to get up to actual cruising speed. Outside the drag strip, the Clarity’s powertrain performs admirably with smooth acceleration and accurate steering. The regenerative braking, so often a complaint with hybrids, is neither spongy nor grabby and is instead linear and easy to modulate. When the Clarity does switch from electric to gas power, it does so smoothly.
The Toyota Prius Prime’s story is much the same. Acceleration is snappy but getting up to highway speed may take a moment. Cornering impresses, thanks to the Prius Prime’s low center of mass and well-tuned suspension, and it pairs will with its light yet sharp steering. Outward visibility is great, despite the racecar-like low seating position. Both the Prius Prime and Clarity excel at being inoffensive, worry-free drivers.
Comfort & Interior
Honda’s been doing stellar interiors in their cars for years now and we count the Clarity among them. The high-end design is rounded out with impressive fit and finish using high-quality materials. The seats in the Clarity are comfortable and there’s plenty of room for up to five passengers. Not saying much with most sedans, but the Prius Prime is limited to four passengers, dispensing with the little-used middle seat. Infotainment is hit and miss with the Clarity. Honda’s software is the most responsive or intuitive, but thankfully Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard and easily cover most desired functions. The Clarity offers up to 15.1 cu ft of trunk space.
The Prius Prime’s interior is a slightly less stylish when compared to the Clarity but no less well executed, simplicity and comfort abounds. The seats are forgiving and positioned low in the car, more like a sports car than your typical hatchback. Speaking of which, the Prius Prime’s hatchback design offers more cargo space than the Clarity, with 19.8 cu ft behind the seats and a total of 36.6 cu ft with the 60/40 split rear seats down. That’s less than a regular Prius, but still head of most PHEV cars. Infotainment in the Prius Prime is housed in large 11.6-inch (excepting the base Prius Plus trim which gets a seven-inch screen). Toyota’s imitation of Telsa’s tablet isn’t perfect however as it splits a big and less-than-stellar navigation display above most of the other controls. HVAC and stereo controls are capacitive touch, which lacks any haptic feedback and be distracting as a result. The base model gets the “luxury” of real buttons.
Trims & Features
The Honda Clarity comes in just two trims: the base trim and the Touring. As a result of that shallow bench, the base model come well equipped, starting with an eight-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats, LED head and taillights, and dual-zone climate control. The Touring trim adds navigation, Ultrasuede interior trim, leather-trimmed seats, and power front seats. Standard safety features include land keep assist, blind spot monitoring, automatic high beams, a rearview camera, adaptive cruise control, and forward collision warning.
The Toyota Prius Prime has three trim levels: the Prius Plus, Prius Premium, and Prius Advanced. The base Prius Plus comes equipped with a seven-inch touchscreen, navigation, Bluetooth, one USB port, fog lights, and push-button start. The Prius Premium gets the larger 11.6-inch touchscreen, Softex faux-leather upholstery, and eight-way adjustable driver’s seat. The top Prius Advanced trim accesses a JBL premium stereo, blind spot monitoring with cross-traffic alerts, a heads-up display, and a heated steering wheel.
Additional Considerations & Conclusions
The Honda Clarity and Toyota Prius Prime are evenly matched, but there are a few key differences that sway our recommendation. First, while the Clarity has the edge on electric-only range 47 miles to the Prius Prime’s 25 miles, the Prius Prime offers better fuel economy and a much shorter charging time from a standard 120-volt outlet, just over 5 hours versus the Clarity’s 12 hours.
Next, is reliability ratings. The Prius Prime has a stellar reliability reputation, high above average. The same cannot be said of the Honda Clarity, which has received middling reliability scores (which counts as disappointing given the overall reputation of Honda).
Buying a plug-in hybrid means valuing practicality and efficiency over driving excitement or luxury; it’s the ultimate substance over style play. Both the Clarity and Prius Prime offer comfortable interiors, good driving dynamics, and great fuel economy. But if you’re putting $30,000 into a used plug-in hybrid, we’d recommend the Toyota Prius Prime.
Most Popular
