Did you consider the Honda Clarity before your Prius Prime??

That's good news, and see there are some 2021's near me. The 2020 was only being supplied to California, and special order elsewhere. Reports were because of high demand in Ca, or low demand outside. Though, Honda could have had a supply issue.
Low demand drives Honda Clarity PHEV out of Northeast region - Roadshow

Why are those stupid J hinges still being used for sedan trunks?

 

Are you talking about the hinge? Yeah, it reduces space and prevents some larger items to fit under the lid. I test drove the 2019 model Clarity and really liked it, but just could not live with the trunk anymore. Ever since I switched from HCH which was a sedan smaller than Clarity to Gen3 Prius, the liftback hatch is the must-have for my daily drive. The Clarity offered only in the sedan was a deal-breaker for me. If Honda ever comes up with a Civic Hatch PHEV, I would switch in a heartbeat.

 

Yes, I was disappointed to see Toyota still using them on our 2016 Camry. Volvo and Ford had moved to using the same basic design as on liftgates for hatches; gas struts outside of the weather seal. I think it opens wider than the old hinges, and even more than a hatch; not that a hatch needs to open wider.

The Clarity is a sedan because of the FCEV. A hydrogen tank sits behind the rear seat. This takes up trunks space, makes a pass through impossible. No way of disguising that in a hatchback, and the point of a FCEV, BEV, and FCEV in one model was cost reduction.

 

I've done enough circles around the sun to finally have learned the answer to questions about man such as this is: money (a distant second is power but the two often go hand in hand.)

I'd also suspect a possible weight savings over other designs as R&D looks at everything nowadays.

 

What EV range were you getting, and mpg in gasoline mode?

 

The steel for those J's likely weight more than the small gas struts needed for a sheet metal trunk lid.

Money is the likely answer, though its possible Volvo/Ford still have the patent locked up. Just a shame because the strut design is inherently better for the job.

Edit: there is hope, the new Mirai trunk.

 

In all seriousness, the old design of a recessed hinge has proven itself as quite reliable over the last 100 years or so. The torsion spring design almost never breaks. Unlike a gas spring, there's no parts that need periodic replacement.

I suspect that a strap hinge (as is used on house doors) may be more persnickety about the alignment.

Dan

 

There's reliable, and there is breaking something because you forgot to check if everything in the trunk would clear the J hinge.

 

We purchased a 2018 Clarity and did not even visit a Toyota dealer:

I would not even try to put a bicycle in the trunk. You might have a chance with a BMX but larger I don't think so. The trunk is roomy but in a quirky kind of way. The pass through is small, there is a glass panel above I assume for visibility, the framing around the pass through makes it small.

We got an extended warranty with it, I believe 7 yrs/80k miles. I based the extended warranty terms on how much we used her prior C-MAX Energi. I know fotomoto from the now defunct C-MAX Energi forums, where he was a moderator.

We have been mostly driving around in hybrid mode this year. I've been conserving electricity because my parents now both retired get the electric bill. Last time I charged up at the resort we were staying at just prior to Thanksgiving Day. Seems to have dropped from close to 50 miles EV to the low 40s. I plan on waiting until the end of the extended warranty to try to see if they'll replace the battery. I'm afraid I don't pay attention to the hybrid MPGs, my apologies. The connectivity that you can achieve with HondaLink is poorer than even the older '13 C-MAX Energi's My Ford Mobile.

Our wheels have a lot of curb rash on the lip. There is no spare so I hope to get runflats if my wife keeps her. We traded in the C-MAX for the Clarity just a little before I'd need to replace the tires on it. I am not sure she will keep her if the tires wear out...

It has a very luxurious interior. We get free map updates for 5 years, (as we have the Touring model). I updated it almost immediately upon taking it home, well, maybe within the first month, and then towards the end of every year. The 1.5L engine has a modest 103 hp (per Car and Driver) gas motor, which at times when out of battery can roar (work hard) to move the car, but you don't really feel it working hard most of the time, even on the rare instance it is roaring, you hear it but don't feel vibration/harshness.

 

Yes, as

Yes, as with most compact cars. But the point is there is seating for 5, not 4 as stated in the original post.

 

I made a decision to get either a Clarity or a Prime and headed out to the dealers - ready to buy and pay cash. I favored and went to Honda first and was surprised that they were uninterested in even helping me find one. I had owned many Hondas but never a Toyota - so it was a mistake to turn me toward Toyota.
Next, I went to Toyota and they didn’t have a Prime to test but they told me wheee there was one - about 30 minutes away. When I drove that one I liked it so much that I ordered one on the spot and decided not to bother trying to find a Clarity.