Thoughts from the Curb

Dec 19, 2008 - 2009 Honda FCX Clarity: Driving in the Future

It dawned on me yesterday that the most expensive car I've ever driven is now a Honda. Take that Rolls-Royce. With rain falling, Josh Sadlier, Warren Clarke, Paul Seredynski and I took the Honda FCX Clarity for a spin around the block to see what it's like to drive in the future.

I was the first behind the wheel. Since the FCX has such a concept car feel to it, it was actually surprising to find that all the audio and climate functions worked. This was actually a real car. Albeit one powered by hydrogen and styled from the future. As such, I actually didn't think to put the weird stubby gear selector in reverse. For some ungodly reason I just assumed future car would read my mind and start reversing by itself when I lifted my foot off the brake. Sure, I may be stupid, but our long-term FX50 can steer and brake for itself, so is that so difficult to contemplate? No? OK, I'm just stupid.

Like a Prius, the Clarity glides forward silently with only a mild electric motor whine. Unlike the Prius, the gas engine never kicks in because, you know, it doesn't have one. Pulling onto Colorado Boulevard, I decided to mash the gas, er, hydrogen. Acceleration is hardly brisk, but its OK for your typical Prius driver. Plus, when you lay into it, that electric motor whine turns into a high-pitched squeal -- it sounds exactly like a screaming Mini Me ("eeeeeeeeeeee!"). When you do this, the weird little dot in the middle of the huge power monitoring gauge grows in size and turns from blue to green to bright yellow. I'm not sure what that really does, but it freaks me out because it looks like HAL 9000. I half expected it at some point to respond "I'm sorry James, but I can't do that" and then cut power.

One of my driving comrades actually commented that he was surprised such a futuristic car didn't talk to you. Moments later, Sadlier took off his seat belt to switch drivers. "Warning, passenger seatbelt has been disengaged," the friendly female FCX said. Eerie.

The real surprise was that the FCX Clairty has really good communicative steering -- better than the Acura TSX. At our track, its performance on the skidpad and slalom was stunning given what we've come to expect from eco vehicles. I suppose when you're building a $1 million car from the future, you might as well make it handle well.

So that's what it's like to drive in the future. Gears won't be changed with your thoughts and the engine sounds like Mini Me, but at least it's reasonably fun to drive. Oh, and it didn't go all Hindenberg on us. Not blowing up is always nice.

-James Riswick

10:19 am | Categories: car reviews Permalink | Alert Administrator

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