2021 Honda Clarity
Plug-in hybrid Hydrogen fuel cell Midsize car
The 2021 Honda Clarity is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell midsize car with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Clarity FCV, is EPA-rated at 68 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 4 complaints, most often about forward collision avoidance.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Range | kWh/100mi | Charge (240V) | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarity Plug-in Hybrid | Plug-in hybrid | FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl + 135kW AC PMSM | 44 | 40 | 42 (76 MPGe blended) | 48 mi electric | 31 | 2.2 h | $1,500 |
| Clarity FCV | Hydrogen fuel cell | FWD | 130 kW AC PMSM | 68 | 67 | 68 | — | — | — | — |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2021 Honda Clarity is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (0)
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2021 Honda Clarity. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.
NHTSA investigations
Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds (closed)
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005
Owner complaints
4 complaints filed
1 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2020: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 1
Most-cited components
- Forward Collision Avoidance — 3
- Engine — 1
- Power Train — 1
- Electrical System — 1
- Steering — 1
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.
Other Clarity model years
2020 Clarity
0 recalls · 10 complaints
B2019 Clarity
2 recalls · 45 complaints
C2018 Clarity
3 recalls · 160 complaints
B2017 Clarity
3 recalls · 5 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 42983, 47539). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.