2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell
With battery powered EV’s now well on their way to being mainstream, you might wonder if hydrogen fuel cell powered electrics are still being pursued. Well, yes they are with Toyota, Hyundai, and now Honda fielding new showroom models. In Honda’s case, it’s the 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell sedan, and it’s sure to make our look down the road ahead a lot clearer.
Back in 2008, we drove Honda’s vision for the hydrogen fuel-cell powered automotive future, the FCX Clarity. And, while everyone knew it was still a work in progress, it impressed us with its easy manners and effortless appeal.
The 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell is clearly an evolution of the FCX; with the biggest improvement being the shrinking of the fuel cell stack itself, now small enough to be placed in the engine bay, along with the electric drive motor.
That leaves just two hydrogen tanks to find space for. A small one is located under the rear seats, while a larger one sits just behind them.
Output is 174-horsepower and 221 lb-ft. of torque. But best be frugal with it, as unless you live near one of the few hydrogen refueling stations in California, you don’t want to exhaust the still impressive 366-mile range too quickly. For the record, that’s more range than any battery powered EV you can buy today.
Indeed, Honda claims it’s the longest driving range of any zero-emission vehicle. Plus, fueling doesn’t take hours, but approximately five minutes.
The Clarity comes with Government Fuel Economy MPGe ratings of 69-City, 67-Highway, and 68-Combined.
During our early drive time around Santa Barbara, California; the Clarity Fuel Cell drove mostly like a pure-EV, but with power delivery that feels more linear, more like a traditional combustion powertrain. Likewise, the regen braking is not as aggressive as a battery electric, even when dialed up in sport mode. Yes, there is a sport mode.
And you can definitely detect Clarity’s 4,134–lbs. through corners, but it never feels sloppy. Rather, Honda smooth and mostly quiet, save for a few awkward whirring and air-flow noises you haven’t heard before. Honda claims to have quieted down the drive motor significantly from the FCX Clarity.
The cabin is quite nice looking; not too futuristic or even that much different from say… a Civic. But things do feel a little tighter inside, mostly because of the wide and protruding center console.
Not so in the rear seats where, with no big battery to hide, there’s plenty of both leg and head room and true 3-across seating.
Even with a hydrogen tank eating up some trunk space, there’s still a good 11.8 cubic-ft. of it.
Safety systems are also typical Honda; including Lane Keeping Assist, and Collision Mitigation braking. There’s even a Head-Up Display and Honda’s LaneWatch side view camera.
Also helping the driver keep track is an innovative Digital Graphic meter; while Apple Car Play and Android Auto are a part of the new 8.0-inch HD touchscreen display audio system.
The exterior may not appear as far into the future as it once did, but it’s clearly not your everyday sedan either.
Along with the usual LED headlights and daytime runners, the Clarity has a host of air cheating elements such as rear “air curtains”, keeping wind off the wheels, and the world’s first “air curtain ducts” on the rear doors.
Body panels are mostly aluminum. Wheels are 18-inch alloys, wearing Michelin Energy Saver tires.
As for size, its 108.3-inch wheelbase is exactly 2.0-inches longer than a Civic Sedan.
And just in case you don’t live near a hydrogen pump, Honda has announced that a plug-in hybrid, as well as their first pure-EV will soon join the Clarity lineup.
If you could buy the Clarity Fuel Cell, pricing would be $59,365; but for now, Honda is still going with a leasing only plan at $369 a month. Act now, and Honda will even throw in up to $15,000 of free fuel during your 3-year lease.
We know the current market for the 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell is tiny, and only in California. But in a larger sense, we’re not convinced that this wave of the future will ever crash upon our shores, as we are much further along a pure-EV path. But, Honda is not concerned with such trivialities, they’ve got innovating to do, and if we ever do get that “Hydrogen highway”, Honda, and the Clarity Fuel Cell, will be at the head of the lane.
Specifications
- Horsepower: 174
- Torque: 221 lb-ft.
- EPA: 69 MPGe city / 67 MPGe highway,
2025 Genesis GV80
Genesis Does It Again Only Better
The Genesis GV80 arrived on the scene for 2021 as the brand’s first utility vehicle, and it’s gotten a few subtle updates since, but none as comprehensive as what’s in store for 2025. So, let’s find out if the value proposition remains as high as its indulgence factor.
When Hyundai launched their new luxury sub-brand Genesis, few people questioned that it would be successful, as both Hyundai’s recent track record and their big R&D budget would both be key ingredients to ensuring it had staying power. But many people did question how long they’d be able to offer such a high level of extravagance for such a relatively low price compared to the traditional European luxury brands they were taking aim at, surely that would have to level out at some point.
Well, 2025 is not that time just yet, as this updated Genesis GV80 utility seems to deliver more boujee bang for your boutique bucks than ever. We’ll start by taking the wraps off the GV80’s recent facelift. Up front, the Crest grille gets a new twin-line motif to better match the 2-line headlamps which appear even slimmer looking thanks to the Micro Lens Array technology.
Bigger changes take place inside with a whole new dash design that incorporates the multimedia and driver information into one 27-inch-wide OLED display. Materials throughout the cabin get an upgrade too, and the center console has been revised with the upper control panel gaining volume and tuning knobs for the radio. They’ve even updated their crystal-like gear selector and other controls for more substantial feel and function, while also making the cupholders bigger and wireless phone charging easier to access.
Five-passenger capacity is the standard arrangement in four-cylinder GV80s, with a small two-place third row standard with the V6s, though our top Prestige trim does without the third row. As in most midsize utilities, that space is better used for cargo than passengers anyway; 36.5 cubic-ft. behind the second row, and 71.7 with seatbacks folded.
That base four-cylinder engine is a 300-horsepower 2.5-liter turbo; the upgrade is this 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 which delivers 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. Both have the same output as last year and both come equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive is now standard in all GV80s. Maximum towing capacity remains 6,000-lbs.
At our test track, this twin-turbo was pulling us off the line so smoothly, it was hard to believe we were hitting 60 in just 5.6 seconds. Power poured on steadily throughout the 13.9-second quarter-mile which we finished at 102 mph.
Through the handling course, body roll was very evident, just as we noted in our original GV80 test back in 2021; but even with the very soft suspension, overall balance is quite good, and all-wheel-drive grip is plentiful, as it could be hustled through the cones quite spiritedly without excessive understeer or even stability control intervention. Nothing but smooth in our panic braking test too, as stops averaged a quite short 103-feet from 60 with the expected amount of nosedive and even a decent amount of feel through the brake pedal.
And just to further stake their claim in the modern luxury utility landscape, arriving with this updated ’25 GV80 is a sleek coupe version with sloped-roof style and a unique 3.5-liter turbo engine with an electronically driven supercharger.
A final change of note for ’25 is an expanded trim structure, making for many more available choices, starting with the 2.5T Standard at $59,050; 3.5Ts are available in Advanced and Prestige trim only starting at $75,150.
Just because it costs significantly less than its European luxury brand rivals, don’t think for a minute you’ll be getting anything less with the 2025 Genesis GV80. For when it comes to delivering a lavish driving experience that won’t direct you to the poor house, it looks like Genesis is just getting started.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
- Horsepower: 375
- Torque: 391 lb-ft
- 0-60 mph: 5.6 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 13.9 seconds at 102 mph
- Braking, 60-0 (avg): 103 feet
- EPA: 16 City | 22 Highway | 19 Combined