Why You Should Consider Buying This Used Underrated Honda PHEV

While hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have been a

Honda thing since 1999 with the Insight
, did you know that the Japanese automaker also has a long history of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)? The first mass-market PHEV that Honda brought to market was the Accord PHEV back in 2013, around a year after Toyota’s first PHEV, the Prius PHEV, was released.

Since the Accord PHEV’s debut in 2013, there have been numerous Honda PHEVs that have hit the market worldwide. The current CR-V is available in PHEV guise in Europe and also in China, while the Accord PHEV only lasted until the 2014 model year. This is because Honda determined that it was able to meet its fleet-wide fuel efficiency goals at the time without the need for a PHEV. In 2017, however, Honda once again brought to market a new midsize PHEV sedan, filling the void that the Accord PHEV left. Unfortunately, it was discontinued in 2021 due to sales eventually tapering off, and today, in 2025, we now think it’s a midsize PHEV that’s worth considering in the used car market.

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Honda Provides Some ‘Clarity’

The midsize sedan that Honda released in 2017 to showcase its efforts in various electrification technologies beyond hybrids came in the form of the Clarity. As a successor to the highly experimental FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), the Clarity came in three versions: Clarity Fuel Cell, Clarity Electric, and Clarity Plug-in Hybrid. It was the PHEV variant that ended up the most popular and the most compelling, for the following reasons.

It Has A Well-Designed PHEV System

Revealed in 2017 for the 2018 model year, the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid combined a 1.5-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder engine with a powerful electric motor that drives the front wheels. Together, the entire system pumps out a strong 212 horsepower, and its 17 kWh lithium-ion battery was good for a maximum EPA-rated EV driving range of 47 miles. Because its fuel tank isn’t as big, especially for a midsize sedan, its seven-gallon tank enables a total driving range of 340 miles–something that even a lot of pure electric vehicles (EVs) can easily achieve in 2025.

But the reason why it’s well-designed is because of its usability and efficiency. PHEVs usually aren’t as good as their simpler hybrid counterparts when it comes to their fuel consumption when the battery is at a low state of charge. However, the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid has a combined EPA fuel economy of 42 MPG–barely any different from

the Accord Hybrid
. Furthermore, from a usability perspective, its 17 kWh battery can be charged at up to 6.6 kW in AC, which was a commendable charge rate at the time and is also the average charge rate of today’s PHEVs.

Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid Specs

And It’s Well-Priced As A Used Car, Too

But what makes the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid attractive is its good resale value. According to iSeeCars, a three-year-old Clarity Plug-in Hybrid has an average used price of $28,106, which is slightly higher than a three-year-old Accord Hybrid at $26,768. However, five-year-old models of both the Accord Hybrid and Clarity Plug-in Hybrid nearly even out, with the former having an average used price of $22,973, while the latter is valued on average at $22,074.

From a reliability standpoint, both the Accord Hybrid and Clarity Plug-in Hybrid should perform relatively similarly, since the hybrid systems of the two midsize sedans have a lot of parts in common. However, due to the rarity of the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, parts that are unique to this car will probably be harder to find than in the Accord Hybrid. This is why the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid takes a slight resale value hit versus the Accord Hybrid when taking into account the older model years of both midsize hybrid sedans. Finally, there’s also the market recall of the Clarity lineup. In fact, I’d already forgotten that the Clarity lineup existed in the late 2010s until I decided to write an article about it.

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Novelty In Rarity

The 2018-2021 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid has early success, but its sales quickly tapered off in the middle of its lifecycle. Sales declined enough by 2021 for Honda to eventually stop producing this midsize plug-in hybrid sedan for North America. As a result, while some may not recall the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, its rarity versus an Accord is probably enough novelty for used car shoppers to consider this midsize PHEV sedan.

Quirky Exterior Styling

The 2018-2021 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, along with its derivatives, is built on a dedicated platform that accommodates all three powertrain types. Therefore, the Clarity dons a unique personality that can either be described as quirky or downright awkward. When viewed from the front, things look pretty spiffy, with the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid adopting a near-horizontal chrome bar versus the Electric and Fuel Cell versions’ U-shaped chrome bar. The fastback profile creates a sleek silhouette, helping the Clarity achieve a drag coefficient of just 0.25 Cd.

As you move towards the back, however, things start to get pretty weird. The height at which the fastback profile tapers off is a bit too high, giving it weird proportions that makes its rear end look tall and ungainly. That’s not helped by the rear wheels, which are partially covered by the rear fenders. It’s a design trait that somewhat pays homage to the original Insight, but in our opinion, it contributes to the Clarity’s awkward rear proportions. If you dig it, then we’re not going to contest you, and that’s perhaps enough distinction to get the Clarity over the normality of the Accord.

While The Interior Is A Mixed Bag

Now, as for the interior of the Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, the overall design is interesting, giving it a unique personality. The dash has a horizontal design motif–one that’s broken up by the 8-inch Display Audio infotainment that’s housed in a panel that gives it an illusion of floating on the dash. The material selection is also interesting, thanks to a mixture of soft-touch materials and matte wood-like trim. Topping it all off is a 7-inch digital instrument cluster and premium features such as leather upholstery and power-adjustable front seats on higher trims.

Space is, in typical Honda fashion, very good. Where it falls short is how its technology features are executed. There’s nothing inherently wrong about it, mind you, but because the Clarity isn’t part of the core Honda family, it was somehow left in the sidelines when it comes to updates. For instance, while the new Accord that was released just a couple of years later got a larger infotainment system with Honda’s latest operating system, the Clarity did not get that upgrade–even near the end of its lifecycle. Nevertheless, it may not be a deal breaker for some, considering they’re buying it used anyway, but we’re just letting you know that an Accord of the same era and age has newer and more modern tech features.

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Honda’s Electrification Strategy Today

While the Honda Clarity may cease to exist today, its legacy is undeniably important as it helped the brand learn from its electrification efforts. Today, the Honda hybrid lineup in the United States is growing and award-winning, especially with the Civic Hybrid being crowned as the North American Car of the Year, and there’s more to come as the Prelude sporty hybrid coupe’s world debut in production form draws nearer.

Hybrids Focused On Sportiness

Honda’s hybrid strategy in recent years has focused on more than just delivering fuel efficiency, but also putting driving pleasure at the forefront. You see, with Honda’s hybrids, despite the use of an e-CVT, which, in their case, is more of a clutch pack connecting and disconnecting the engine from the driveshaft, their hybrids have erred on the sportier side whilst providing excellent real-world efficiency. Engineering decisions such as Linear Shift Control in the current hybrid versions of the Civic, CR-V, and Accord have eliminated the rubber-band throttle feel of typical series-parallel hybrid systems, and that’s set to continue with the

next-generation Prelude
.

That’s because Honda is going to lengths to make the Prelude’s hybrid system feel and perform in a way that truly mimics a traditional automatic with multiple gears. They aim to achieve such a level of engagement with the S+ Shift, which builds upon Linear Shift Control by adding actual jolts and shift shocks whenever you go through the paddle shifters, along with the accompanying build-up of revs while you cycle through the gears. Whether such level of engineering actually helps in making the Prelude drive better remains to be seen, but at least we know that in the face of electrification. Honda is still placing great emphasis on sportiness in its vehicles.

Finally, More Compelling EVs

Thankfully, however, Honda is also advancing its EV strategy with its upcoming 0 Series lineup. These EVs are set to arrive with distinct designs both inside and out, as well as coming with cutting-edge tech features. The latter is set to be built on top of the new Asimo OS, a new, software-defined-vehicle (SDV) operating system that encompasses the entirety of the 0 Series EVs, from vehicle telematics to electric drivetrain management and multimedia.

Unfortunately, from the way they look and are positioned, the 0 Series EVs might be positioned in the premium end of the automotive market, though that’s only our hunch. Here’s to hoping that Honda’s EVs are also going to be positioned in the mainstream segment.