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,
2024 Acura TLX Type S
A Grown-Up Sport Sedan Looking To Do Boy Racer Things
While the recent and highly successful relaunch of the Acura Integra has been hogging most of the brand’s headlines, the Integra is not the only sporty car that Acura builds. In fact, it’s the all-wheel-drive TLX Type S that remains Acura’s quickest and best handling sport sedan. Add in numerous updates for 2024 and it clearly demands our attention once again.
We are indeed looking closer at this updated 2024 Acura TLX Type S sport sedan and noticing quite a few changes. For starters, it’s one very aggressive looking four-door. Most of that due to the Type S upgrades which include a front splitter, rear spoiler and diffuser, big quad exhaust tips, Brembo brakes, and 20-inch wheels, though all TLXs get updated front fascias and grillwork for ’24.
Inside the tech-heavy interior, things look and feel great with upscale materials and fine stitching. A new 12-inch Precision Cockpit Digital Instrument cluster, ELS Premium Audio, wireless phone charging, and ambient lighting are now standard on all TLXs.
The upgraded infotainment screen grows from 10- to 12-inches and features faster processing, though after spending a year with an Integra and its touchscreen, having to use the touchpad interface here in the TLX is a clear step back in terms of functionality. Updates specific to the Type S include a surround view camera and a 10.5-inch Head Up Display. And there’s no taking a back seat to luxury in the back seat of the TLX; plenty of comfort and space for adults, plus some new charging ports.
A 272-horsepower 2.0-liter I4 turbo comes in the standard TLX, but thankfully the Type S’s fire-breathing 3.0-liter turbo V6 is still under the hood here, putting out 355 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque. No changes for either engine, but we’ll take that as a great thing these days. And there may not be any additional power, but there is sharper throttle response in Sport+ mode than before, so it will give you the impression that you’re working with a little more. Transmission remains a 10-speed automatic with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive is standard with the Type S and A-Spec, only the base TLX remains front-wheel-drive only.
Spring maintenance was still in progress at our test track and things weren’t quite fully prepped for the season just yet, so the Type S’s all-wheel-drive traction was much appreciated; as it allowed us to pounce off the line and rip to 60 in just 5.0 seconds flat, a tenth quicker than the last Type S we tested in ’21. It ripped through first and second gears quickly, before settling down a bit as it worked its way to the end of the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds at 104 mph.
And there may not be any additional power, but there is sharper throttle response in Sport+ mode than before, so it will give you the impression that you’re working with a little more.
While far from a noisy car, Acura has installed some thicker carpet to quell what little road noise was apparently seeping in. Thankfully, they didn’t do anything to dampen engine or exhaust noises, as they sound fantastic.
This TLX scooted through our cone course quite efficiently, behaving as if on the proverbial set of rails. Type S tuning includes additional bracing for the chassis, plus firmer settings for the adaptive dampers that are part of the double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension.
Acura’s SH-AWD has been torque-vectoring power between all four wheels since long before that was commonplace; and its technical heavy-handedness is evident, as while it was slicing through the exercise with precision, it wasn’t always obvious how it was all happening. The Brembo brakes felt great, and were fade-free, but at 125 feet from 60 mph, stops were closer to family sedan territory than the typical sport sedan.
But there’s no skimping on active safety here, with full Acura Watch features including Lane Keeping Assist, Collision Mitigation Braking, Road Departure Mitigation, and Advanced Pedestrian Detection standard on all TLXs.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 19-City, 25-Highway, and 21-Combined; we averaged a good 23.6 mpg of Premium. That’s a slightly below average Energy Impact Score; using 14.2-barrels of oil yearly, while emitting 6.9-tons of CO2.
A simplified pricing structure now leaves you with three TLX choices, Technology, A-Spec, and Type S; things start at $46,195; this Type S will set you back $58,195.
Is it worth it? Well, it all depends on what your priorities are. If you’re looking for a super comfy luxury commuter, then probably not. But, if you’re looking for a superior driver’s car, with the most performance you can get in an Acura sedan, and plan on putting it to good use, then the 2024 Acura TLX Type S is absolutely worth it.
Specifications
- Engine: 3.0-liter turbo V6
- Horsepower: 355
- 0-60 mph: 5.0 seconds
- 60-0 Braking: 125 feet (avg)
- MW Fuel Economy: 23.6 mpg (Premium)
- Transmission: 10-speed automatic
- Torque: 354 lb-ft.
- 1/4 Mile: 13.5 seconds at 104 mph
- EPA: 19 City | 25 Highway | 21 Combined