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Honda Clarity proves hydrogen future always costs $500/month

How do you price the only car in its class? The closest thing to a Honda Clarity is the Toyota Mirai. They're both hydrogen-powered sedans, but one seats five and the other only four (the Mirai loses out, there). The only other hydrogen-powered vehicle available in the US, the Hyundai Tucson CUV, is, well, a CUV. So, really, there's no direct competitor to the Clarity. But you wouldn't know that from the price tag. Speaking this morning at the Washington Auto Show, Honda executive vice president John Mendel announced that the Clarity will have an MSRP of around $60,000 and will lease for "under $500" a month. As with other Honda vehicles, the exact numbers won't be made public until closer to the vehicle's launch date, but we assume things won't change too much. For those keeping track, those Clarity numbers are pretty much exactly what the Mirai costs. That car costs $57,500 and leases for $499/month. The Tucson can only be leased, but it, too, costs $499 a month. The Mirai and Tucson also come with free hydrogen. Honda didn't say today if the Clarity will include that bonus, but since not all hydrogen stations in California - the only place where the Clarity will be available for now – work like standard pumps, there's a good chance new hydrogen Honda owners will be able to fuel for free, too. We'll know more when the Clarity actually goes on sale – and it will be for sale and lease – later this year. Related Video: Honda Shares Clarity Fuel Cell U.S. Pricing and Sales Plans Jan 21, 2016 - WASHINGTON, D.C. Five-passenger Clarity Fuel Cell sedan slated to launch in California before the end of 2016 Expected price around $60,000 with a targeted monthly lease under $500 Next-generation Honda FCV provides significant gains in packaging, interior space and real-world performance, including an anticipated driving range in excess of 300 miles Additionally, the platform underpinning the Clarity Fuel Cell will serve as the base for a next-generation Honda plug-in hybrid to launch in the U.S. by 2018 Honda today announced the company's plans for U.S. sales of its new 5-passenger, hydrogen-powered Clarity Fuel Cell sedan at the 2016 Washington, D.C. Auto Show. Slated to begin retail leasing to customers in select California markets before the end of 2016, the Clarity Fuel Cell is expected to be priced around $60,000 with a targeted monthly lease under $500. Honda expects limited volumes in the early stages of production.

Does the 2017 Honda Ridgeline have street cred?

From a sales standpoint, the gen-one Ridgeline was an utter failure. It had a very narrow appeal, that being the suburban Harry Homeowner crowd. Traditional truckers hated it; no, make that HATED it! They hated it as much for what it was as for what it represented. It was assumed to be soft, a mommy truck; and to their eyes, it was ugly as sin. "Real" truckers would not accept the independent rear suspension, yet seemed ignorant about the fact that our military has been using IRS on severe-duty trucks for years. If IRS is good enough for the combat conditions, using it on a light-duty civilian pickup truck should be a piece of cake, no? I think there's also another issue at play here: classism. I suspect that many truckers didn't like those who were buying these trucks. Ridgeline buyers tend to be college-educated, suburban, and earn enough to have a decent if not better-than-average lifestyle. Many were schoolteachers, accountants, doctors, and lawyers – professionals. In short they weren't blue-collar, hard working, struggling-to-make-a-living truck guys. That didn't sit well with many. It was like their "space" was being invaded, maybe even their lifestyle was being threatened. I can't tell you how many derogatory comments I've read from traditional truckers over the last decade directed against Ridgeline owners. Many centered around a lack of masculinity of Ridgeline owners, or that that they were bought by people who didn't "need" a truck, that a minivan would have been a better choice. Many were owners of big diesel pickups who felt compelled to compare their heavy-duty trucks to this smaller mid-size truck. You get the picture. So here we are with the gen-two Ridgeline. Has Honda rectified its image as a truck maker? Yes and no. Yes in that the truck has shed its polarizing looks. In fact I think it's quite handsome, and will have a vastly broader appeal as such. Yes in the fact that it's been brought up to date mechanically, and the technology is vastly superior to the old model. Yes in fact that it should prove to be more economical than the old truck. Yes in the fact that it's more powerful, and that the AWD is vastly superior to what was offered before. Yes in the fact that it should function better, both as a truck and as a family vehicle. No in the fact that it will still be viewed as a "girlie truck" by many. No in the fact that there is no "macho" trim level available.

Honda trademarks 'CDX' nameplate

Less than two weeks ago, we discussed the possibility of an Acura-badged version of the sure-to-be popular Honda HR-V. Now, Acura has gone ahead and registered a new trademark that fits in perfectly with its two other crossovers, the RDX and MDX. Our friends at Auto Guide report the company has reserved the name "CDX" with the US Patent and Trademark Office, with the trademark covering "automobiles and their structural parts." While it's true that these kinds of trademarks are filed regularly, the timing in this case is indicative of something more than simply covering bases. After all, it seems very, very unlikely that we'd have comments from Acura on a premium version of the HR-V on February 5 and a trademark filing for a name that fits the brand's CUV nomenclature less than two weeks later, only for it to not go ahead and build an actual vehicle. Adding to that logic is the simple fact that the compact CUV market, both on the premium and mainstream level, is arguably the hottest in the auto industry right now, and it seems like a virtual guarantee that we'll see an HR-V wearing the Acura CDX name in the not-so-distant future. Should that come to pass, look for the CDX to challenge the near-premium Buick Encore, as well as a potential compact CUV from Infiniti. Featured Gallery 2016 Honda HR-V View 25 Photos News Source: Auto GuideImage Credit: Honda Government/Legal Acura Honda Crossover Economy Cars Luxury trademark honda hr-v