2018 head-to-head · Midsize Car

2018 Honda Clarity vs Nissan Maxima

MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.

Swap sides
✓ Cheaper to run
$7,941/ year to fuel
68 MPGe

FWD · Electric motor (130 kW) · Single-speed · 68 MPGe

✓ Cheaper to run
$2,370/ year to fuel
25 MPG

FWD · 3.5L 6-cyl · CVT · 25 MPG

The 2018 Nissan Maxima is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $36.00/kg hydrogen and $3.95/gal premium gas, it costs about $2,370 a year to fuel (25 MPG), versus $7,941 for the 2018 Honda Clarity (68 MPGe). That's roughly $5,571 a year, or about $27,856 over five years.

Your numbers

Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.

Fuel cost over 10 years

  • Honda Clarity
  • Nissan Maxima

Side by side

Honda ClarityNissan Maxima
$7,941 Your annual fuel cost $2,370
68 MPGe Combined efficiency 25 MPG
69 MPGe City 21 MPG
67 MPGe Highway 30 MPG
366 mi Driving range —
102 cu ft Passenger volume 98 cu ft
16 cu ft Cargo volume 14 cu ft
0 g/mi Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) 364 g/mi
10/10 EPA fuel economy score 5/10
10/10 EPA greenhouse gas score 5/10
Fuel cell Powertrain Gas
Hydrogen Fuel Premium gasoline
Electric motor (130 kW) Engine / motor 3.5L 6-cyl
Single-speed Transmission CVT
FWD Drivetrain FWD

✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.

Honda Clarity vs Nissan Maxima across model years

  • Honda Clarity
  • Nissan Maxima

Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.

How they differ

Per EPA interior volume figures, the Honda Clarity has more passenger space (102 vs. 98 cu ft); the Honda Clarity has more cargo space (16 vs. 14 cu ft).

Among 74 2018 midsize cars, the Honda Clarity ranks 74th and the Nissan Maxima 57th for lowest fuel cost.

The powertrains differ: the Honda Clarity is a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, while the Nissan Maxima is a conventional gas model.

Frequently asked questions

Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2018 Honda Clarity or the 2018 Nissan Maxima?

Measured by cost to drive, the Nissan Maxima. The Honda Clarity is rated 68 MPGe combined and the Nissan Maxima 25 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).

How much does it cost to fuel the 2018 Honda Clarity vs. the Nissan Maxima per year?

At 15,000 miles a year with $36.00/kg hydrogen and $3.95/gal premium gas, about $7,941 for the Honda Clarity and $2,370 for the Nissan Maxima.

Which has more cargo space?

The Honda Clarity, with 16 cu ft of luggage volume versus 14 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).

Honda Clarity vs Nissan Maxima in other years

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