HondaClarity2020Overview/honda/clarity/2020/base/

2020 Honda Clarity

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2020 Clarity.

The 2020 Honda Clarity represents Honda’s foray into electrified transportation, blending the brand’s compact‑car platform with a hybrid powertrain that delivers both efficiency and practicality. With only three owner complaints reported for the model year, it stands out for its overall reliability, and notably none of those concerns are tied to manufacturer recalls. The single area where drivers have voiced issues—Forward Collision Avoidance—highlights a specific safety feature rather than a systemic problem, underscoring the vehicle’s strong safety pedigree. In the broader context of the Clarity’s reliability history, this low complaint count signals a mature, dependable platform that has proven its resilience over successive years.

Model year2021202020192017

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 51R · 500 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 51R · 500 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size235/45R18 94VOEM · verified
Wheel / rim8 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length192.9 in
Overall width74.8 in
Overall height58.3 in
Wheelbase108.3 in
Curb weight4063 lb
Track (front / rear)62.2 / 62.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)57/43

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Clarity of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.5–8.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.50 sec — 2018 Touring Plug-In Hybrid Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2019Touring Plug-In Hybrid Sedan 1.5L I-4 + Elec 17.0-kWh7.60 sec16.10 sec212 hpFWD
2018Touring Plug-In Hybrid Sedan 1.5L I-4 + Elec 17.0-kWh7.50 sec15.90 sec212 hpFWD
2018Touring Plug-In Hybrid Sedan 1.5L I-4 + Elec 17.0-kWh7.70 sec16.20 sec212 hpFWD
2017Fuel Cell Sedan Electric 103-kW 1.7-kWh7.80 sec16.20 sec174 hpFWD
2017Fuel Cell Sedan Electric 103-kW 1.7-kWh8.10 sec16.40 sec174 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs.

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts55.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs108 inch lbs. ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts80 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity0.87-0.98 lbs
Oil GroupPOE
Oil TypeSE-A2 POE Oil or equivalent.
Oil Capacity4.23-5.24 oz
Standard BCI Group Number51R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance500 cca

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
184.0 inch lbs., Step 2: 90°84 in
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2120°.
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Journal Bolts 1, 2, 4 & 5: 22°, Step 3: Journal Bolt 3: 32°22 ft. lbs

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2020 Honda Clarity dominate in one area — the forward collision avoidance, 1 of 3 reports (33%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the forward collision avoidance pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
3
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
3
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Forward Collision Avoidance1
Unknown Or Other1
Vehicle Speed Control1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
A21100B2022-01-29Air BagsServiceNews Article - There are several possible causes for the SRS DTC U3000-49…
A21100B2022-01-04Air BagsServiceNews Article - There are several possible causes for the SRS DTC U3000-49…
A21100B2021-10-22Air BagsServiceNews Article - There are several possible causes for the SRS DTC U3000-49…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Clarity. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2020 Clarity have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.