2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid starts at $34,290 with 47-mile range

The 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid will start at a recommended price of $34,290 including delivery, making it the least expensive plug-in hybrid sedan on the market this year.

Honda says it will go on sale December 1, and it will be offered at all Honda dealers in the U.S.

That means that for the first time, U.S. buyers can choose between two plug-in hybrids with more than 45 miles of range at prices starting under $35,000.

DON'T MISS: Honda Clarity Electric, Plug-In Hybrid: first drives, impressions

The 2018 Clarity Plug-In five-seat mid-size sedan is rated at 47 miles of electric range, and 42 mpg combined when operating as a conventional hybrid after the battery is depleted.

The 2018 Chevrolet Volt compact hatchback is rated at 53 miles of range and 42 mpg combined; it starts this year at $34,095, also including the mandatory delivery fee.

While the Volt has a fifth "seating position" on a padded hump between two rear seats, it's functionally a four-person vehicle.

The Volt and the plug-in Clarity are two of the top three plug-in hybrids when rated on battery range, both following the range-extended electric BMW i3 REx with 97 miles of battery range.

All three vehicles are close in energy efficiency, too: When operating in electric mode, the plug-in Clarity is rated at 110 MPGe, against the Volt's 106 MPGe and the i3 REx at 111 MPGe.

Among plug-in hybrid mid-size sedans, however, the Clarity is the clear leader, surpassing the rated range of plug-in hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, and Kia Optima

READ THIS: Assessing the Honda Clarity range: how electric cars fit in, and why

The 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid is offered in standard and Touring trim levels.

All plug-in Clarity sedans come with keyless entry and start, an 8.0-inch touchscreen and eight-speaker audio system, dual-zone automatic climate control with rear vents, heated front seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, and LED lights front and rear.