Compare the2022 BMW 530eVS 2021 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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The 530e’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The BMW 530e has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The 530e has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The 530e offers optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The 530e offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the 530e helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a night vision system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 530e’s standard cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The 530e’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the 530e and the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the 530e its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 103 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

The 530e comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The 530e’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 530e for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Honda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW 18th in initial quality. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 19th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW 10th in reliability, above the industry average. With 37 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 27th.

Engine

The 530e’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 76 more horsepower (288 vs. 212) than the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

The 530e has 5.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid (12.1 vs. 7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The 530e’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the 530e’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid:

	530e	Clarity Plug-In Hybrid
Front Rotors	13.7 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.2 inches

The 530e’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid are solid, not vented.

The 530e stops shorter than the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid:

	530e	Clarity Plug-In Hybrid
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the 530e has larger tires than the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid (245/45R18 vs. 235/45R18).

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the 530e can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The 530e offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The 530e has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 530e’s wheelbase is 8.8 inches longer than on the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid (117.1 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the 530e is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid.

The 530e’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (49.5% to 50.5%) than the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid’s (57% to 43%). This gives the 530e more stable handling and braking.

The 530e handles at .85 G’s, while the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Touring pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The 530e executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Touring (26.6 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the 530e uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The 530e has .4 inches more rear headroom and .3 inches more rear legroom than the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid.

Cargo Capacity

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the 530e’s trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the 530e offers cargo security. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the 530e. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the 530e offers an optional power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a power trunk.

Servicing Ease

The 530e uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the 530e is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Honda. J.D. Power ranks BMW 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 20% lower rating, Honda is ranked 20th.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat in the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Touring, the 530e offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The 530e’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The 530e offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the 530e and the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 530e is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The 530e’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the 530e detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the 530e has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the 530e to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

When the 530e is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The 530e’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the 530e keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the 530e’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The 530e offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid.