2022 Toyota Mirai

When the Toyota Mirai first appeared, it suffered from the designers being told it had to look different and futuristic because it was powered by hydrogen. In 2021, Toyota saw sense and clearly asked Lexus designers to have a crack at simply making a decent-looking car. Before you get excited about a svelte-looking mid-size sedan that drives like a regular car while only emitting water, bear in mind that, for now at least, it's only available in California, and hydrogen fuel stations are only available near the coast for now. However, if you do live in California and have access to at least one hydrogen fuel station, then you'll want to pay attention. The new Mirai is rear-wheel drive, produces 182 horsepower, comes packed with technology, rides like a Lexus, and has a 402-mile range. At the time of writing, the Toyota Mirai also comes with a card that will get you complimentary fuel for six years or $15,000, whichever comes first. We were impressed on our first drive on the Mirai, but now we know how it stands up to a week of use while piling on the miles. Priced just below $50,000, the Mirai also undercuts its predecessor, and its main rival, the Hyundai Nexo, since the fuel cell version of the Honda Clarity has been put out to pasture.

The previous Mirai was different just for the sake of being different. From the front, it looked fine, but everything from the B-pillar to the rear was a mess. Toyota's latest fuel cell offering is a significant departure but in a good way. It has a sharp, angular front end, a coupe-like side profile, and a sporty rear end with a subtle spoiler and beautifully integrated taillights. Both models have standard LED exterior lights, including daytime running lights and a satin black front grille. The base XLE has 19-inch alloys, while the top-spec Limited adds 20-inch alloy wheels and a dual fixed panoramic view moonroof.

The second-gen Mirai has grown significantly in dimensions and is now roughly the size of an executive sedan like the BMW 5 Series. It's 195.8 inches long, 74.2 inches wide, and is 57.9 inches in height. The wheelbase is a full 114.9 inches, which is good for interior space. To make the most of the new RWD platform, Toyota also increased the front and rear track to 63.3 and 63.1 inches, respectively. A long wheelbase with a wide track is already a step in the right direction.

On the downside, new Mirai models are a little portlier at 4,255 and 3,335 pounds, respectively.

The Mirai will be built in minimal quantities, so it should be no surprise that Toyota doesn't offer an extensive color palette; it would simply add more complexity to the building process, which is already tough. The only no-cost option for the Toyota Mirai is the basic non-metallic black. For $425, you can add Supersonic Red, Oxygen White, and Heavy Metal. Limited trims can also be ordered in the model-specific Hydro Blue for $425.

More than anything, it's the Mirai's powertrain that makes it unique. It's an EV, but the electric motor is powered by a fuel cell instead of batteries. The power is sent to the rear wheels to make the Mirai feel more engaging to drive. Driving it, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference. The Mirai isn't a performance car, but being RWD gives Toyota a unique selling point for those that enjoy driving. It's something salespeople can use as ammunition against the Honda Clarity and Hyundai Nexo, both of which are available in FWD only.

In this application, electricity doesn't mean fast in a straight line. The electric motor produces 182 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. That figure is on the low side given the curb weight, so Toyota also includes an additional 1.24 kWh battery to fill in the power gaps. It's most noticeable from a standing start. Still, it's not fast or even brisk. Toyota claims a 0 to 60 mph time of 9.2 seconds, but we're convinced it's nearer seven seconds than ten. Toyota does not provide top speed or towing capacity figures, but we can tell you it'll cruise well over the legal limit on the freeway.

The gearbox is a primary one-speed direct drive to the rear wheels. The engine is more complex, as it's basically a mini hydrogen laboratory. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the world, and it's pumped into the Mirai's fuel tank in liquid form. The fuel cell splits the electrons from the hydrogen atoms, and the former is used to power the electric motor. The latter is combined with oxygen and creates water. It's not just the cleanest means of propulsion but also the most energy-efficient.

The average ICE car has an efficiency rating of around 20%, while this system is roughly 60% efficient. This means an ICE car uses only 20% of the energy available in the fuel, with the rest being lost in the internal combustion process. While this is all very interesting, the important thing is how the Mirai drives and how far it will go on a tank. The good news is that it's as smooth as any other electric car we've driven and a tank of hydrogen will generally go as far or further than your average four-cylinder engined car.

If you took any automotive road tester worth their salt, blindfolded them, then took them for a drive around the block in a Mirai, they would believe they were in a Lexus. That's because the ride quality is pure Lexus. The suspension pulls off a blend of being heavily damped but compliant over rough roads at the same time. Through bends and corners, there's an absence of body roll that passengers won't realize they are appreciating. There's also little road noise from the insulated cabin, but enough not to make it feel weird.

From a standing start, there's no evident transition from the 1.24 kWh battery to fuel cell power, and we believe it's quicker to 60 mph than Toyota estimates. However, go heavy on the right pedal, and you can start kissing the 400-ish miles of range goodbye at a noticeable rate. If you do decide to push the Mirai around corners, it is reasonably adept and agile to the point of being fun. The grip is decent despite the low rolling resistant tires, and the steering is direct and to the point with enough feel to let you know roughly what's going on under those tires.

Driving the Mirai hard misses the point, though. The car wants to swish you around town or down the freeway in style and with no harmful tailpipe emissions. By that definition, the Mirai design team has ticked all the boxes and earned themselves a fancy dinner and a bottle of Champaign.

There's a lot to unpack in this segment, starting with the basic gas mileage figures. Toyota claims 76/71/74 MPGe city/highway/combined for the XLE and 67/64/65 MPGe for the Limited trim. That's better than the most frugal Hyundai Nexo (65/58/61 MPGe) and the Honda Clarity (68/67/68 MPGe), as far as entry-level trim is concerned.

As standard, the Mirai has a 31.3-gallon tank, which Toyota says is suitable for a range of 402 miles in XLE trim and 357 miles in Limited trim. In reality, that will fluctuate with hot and cold weather and the type of roads traveled. We averaged around 350 miles per tank across two fill-ups.

Unlike other electric vehicles that need to be charged, which need at least 20 minutes to fill enough of the battery to drive, the Mirai's tank is filled the old-school way in just five minutes - once you've figured out how it works, anyway. It's not that it's difficult, but you have to make sure the plug fits snugly when starting and be prepared to give it a sharp tug to release afterward, otherwise you start looking a bit silly as more Mirais pull up behind and wait to use the pump.

It's not a difficult process, but there is a big downside. The hydrogen fueling network in California is poor. It looks mighty impressive on a map, with locations scattered all around the big cities. But once you remove the locations that are empty, under construction, or awaiting approval, the tally drops dramatically. Talking to actual owners at the pumps in Orange County, we learned it's not uncommon for pumps to run out of hydrogen to sell or simply not be working. This is the single biggest chink in the Mirai's armor, but Toyota makes ownership easier with the new model.

Toyota's first thing to make ownership more alluring is a $15,000 fuel credit. For some, that's worth driving a few miles out of your way to brim the tank. And if you want to leave the state, Toyota provides 21 days of complimentary vehicle rental.

The Mirai has a stylish interior, along with the new driver-focused drivetrain layout. The main touchscreen, shifter, and drive mode selector are angled toward the driver. Quality is what you'd expect from a car in the $50k to $60k price bracket, and the sporty touches like the dual-tone steering wheel on the Limited model are welcome.

The Mirai branding and H2O button to the left of the digital instrument cluster feels slightly unnecessary, but it does add a certain feel-good factor. Being an environmentally friendly car at heart, Toyota took the animal-friendly route with the interior. No cows were harmed in the making of the Mirai, which is something the average customer will appreciate. There's also special insulating material used to minimize the need for air conditioning or heating, something we noticed when temperatures were hitting a hundred degrees outside.

When Toyota introduced the hybrid Prius, it arrived as an economy car. That meant it had an economy-sized car interior, albeit with heavy styling, so people felt they were inside something different. That's not the case with Toyota's hydrogen car. Like the outside, the inside of the Mirai is contemporary, stylish, and has a premium finish to it. It'll seat five adults, but only four with genuine comfort. There's plenty of rear headroom for taller passengers, as well as 33.1 inches of legroom. Up at the front, there's a truly spacious 42.2 inches of legroom to stretch out in, and the seats are Lexus comfortable and adjustable. It's easy to find the ideal driving position, and despite the Mirai's curves, visibility all around is excellent.

As mentioned earlier, Toyota didn't harm a single cow to upholster the interior of the Mirai. Instead, you get SofTex, which is Toyota marketing speak for leatherette. It looks good and feels just like the real deal.

The XLE is only available with Black SofTex with silver interior trim. The Limited is available with Black perforated SofTex trim with silver or copper trim. You can also go with white perforated SofTex with silver or copper interior trim. We loved the black upholstery when paired with the copper trim - it gives the interior an upper-class feel that works really well.

Toyota sacrificed practicality in favor of attractive design, which is evident when looking at the old gen model in comparison to the latest iteration. The 9.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity is way below par, either way. The trunk is shallow, most likely because of the drivetrain components beneath it. A weekend away for four people is not an option in this car, so you'll have to use one of your 21 rental car days. Doing the weekly grocery run should be possible, but only if you're a skilled packer. However, it's worth remembering that the rear seats don't fold and split.

The Mirai also has the essential interior storage spaces you'd expect, including door pockets, four cupholders, and a storage compartment underneath the center armrest.

Toyota is selling the Mirai as an alternative in the executive car segment. This means a prospective owner is asked to sacrifice a lot of power and prestige in favor of the environmentally friendly option. It's a bitter pill, but one that's easier to swallow once you look at the standard features list. From the base model, you get keyless entry, wireless charging, four USB ports, an eight-inch digital instrument cluster, heated and power-adjustable front seats. While the base XLE gets dual-zone climate control, the Limited ups this to three zones, and throws in a rear touchscreen control panel, manual rear-seat sunshades, ambient lighting, a digital rearview mirror, and heated and ventilated front and rear seats.

As standard, both models come with Toyota's Safety Sense 2.5+ driver assistance safety suite. It consists of pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, auto high beams, full-speed range active cruise control, and road sign assist. In addition, both models also have blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The Limited trim adds front and rear parking assistance with automatic braking, a color head-up display, and a surround-view camera.

Adding to the already long feature list, the Mirai also comes with a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen that boasts Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, satellite radio, onboard navigation, and Wi-Fi. To top the system off, it's all hooked up to a 14-speaker JBL sound system. While there are better sound systems available in other premium vehicles, the JBL system in the Mirai is still a clear, full-sounding experience that has no glaring faults.

The Mirai is a remarkably trouble-free car considering the amount of technology that goes into it. It hasn't been recalled once in the US since it was first introduced in 2016. Since then, only six complaints have been lodged against it. There is no reliability rating from J.D. Power for the Mirai, but that's not surprising given the limited availability.

It's only natural to doubt new technology, but Toyota provides an ironclad warranty for all the major components. The basic warranty is valid for three years or 36,000 miles. In addition to that, the powertrain is covered for five years and 60,000 miles. The fuel cell and hybrid systems are covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty, while the hybrid battery is covered for a full ten years or 150,000 miles.

There is no official safety review of the Toyota Mirai. Neither authority has conducted safety reviews on the fuel-cell vehicle, and the same is true of the Honda Clarity. The Hyundai Nexo received a Top Safety Pick + from the IIHS in 2021, however.

While we understand that cars above a certain price point don't get smashed, certain exceptions should be made for hydrogen fuel cell cars, since the hydrogen is stored under immense pressure. We'd love to see safety ratings in this regard. On the upside, the Mirai was built to showcase hydrogen technology. We're 100% convinced Toyota spent thousands of hours running simulations and doing real-life tests to ensure the tank isn't compromised in a crash.

Both Mirai models come standard with eight airbags - including knee airbags for the front occupants - a rearview camera, tire pressure monitoring, hill start assist, traction and stability control, and ABS. Blind-spot assist and rear cross-traffic assist are also standard.

Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 + is standard fitment and includes pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, auto high beams, full-speed range active cruise control, and road sign assist.

The Limited model also gains front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, a color head-up display, surround-view camera system, and advanced park.

If the future is hydrogen, and we have a long, long way to go before we can say that with any certainty, then the Mirai shows us what that future can look like. The Mirai has its faults when compared to the Lexus LS it's based on, but these are mostly to do with cargo space and adaptability that the drivetrain has encroached on - for now. As a car to drive and move passengers around with, it's the best experience you'll have in a hydrogen car right now. Moreover, because of the quiet drivetrain with absolute minimal vibration, some might prefer it over a gas-powered LS.

As a car right now, it's an excellent choice for a specific driver - someone that lives in one of the main coastal California cities, doesn't have to drive more than 150 miles in a day, and has at least two hydrogen stations reasonably close to their dwelling. If that's you and it's a premium sedan you want, then you won't find better. We were fortunate enough to run into several Mirai owners, both first and second generation, and their only complaint was that the stations weren't one hundred percent reliable. However, there were big smiles on their faces that they also had six years of free fuel and felt they couldn't complain too much. They also pointed out that they've seen more and more hydrogen stations opening, and one regularly drove from Orange County to LA with little to no fear of being caught out.

The entry-level XLE has an MSRP of $49,500, while the top-spec retails for $66,000. These prices exclude the destination charge of $1,025.

At the time of writing, the Honda Clarity fuel cell was only available for lease at a monthly rate, while the Hyundai Nexo fuel cell crossover starts at upwards of $9,000 more for the entry-level version.

There are two models in the Mirai range, and there is a $16,500 price difference between them. The base model is obviously meant to be the volume seller, while the Limited goes head-to-head with rivals in the luxury vehicle segment.

Both cars use the same hydrogen fuel cell technology to power an electric motor that produces 182 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. The power is sent to the rear wheels via a single-speed direct drive system. The Mirai's main aim is to be as efficient as possible, which it does really well, especially in the entry-spec trim.

Base XLE configurations come standard with full LED exterior lights, 19-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping, four USB points, an eight-inch digital instrument cluster, power-adjustable heated front seats, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, navigation, and a 14-speaker JBL sound system.

The Limited model costs $16,500 more, so it's reasonable to expect a lot more. It comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, puddle lights, rain-sensing wipers, a dual-pane moonroof, color head-up display, tri-zone climate control, ambient interior lighting, heated and ventilated front and rear seats. This particular model also adds a rear touchscreen panel hidden in the middle seatback. It houses the controls for the climate control, rear-seat ventilation and heating, and a sunshade. The Limited is aimed at environmentally friendly captains of industry who prefer to be driven around instead of driving. Pity about the rear legroom.

The Limited trim also comes with front, and rear parking assist with automatic braking. Both models get the full Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 + consisting of pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, auto high beams, full-speed range active cruise control, and road sign assist.

There aren't many upgrade options available. You can order the Advanced Technology Package for the XLE, which adds a surround-view camera system, front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, and front-seat foot illumination for $1,410.

The only option available for the Limited is a set of 20-inch Super Chrome alloy wheels for $1,120. A host of standalone accessories are available for both models, though, which include rear bumper applique, a cargo tote, carpet mats for the trunk, and a cell phone quick charge cable pack.

If you don't feel the need to go full luxury, the base model makes absolute sense. If the Mirai's drivetrain is for you, $49,500 for a mid-size Lexus sedan with six years or $15,000 worth of free fuel is one hell of a deal. You could look at it as pre-paying the fuel and getting the car for $34,500 as justification. Then, if you think you'll keep the car longer than five years, you're just betting the cost of hydrogen drops by then. Of course, you could also justify paying the extra $16,500 for the Limited model and the $15,000 in fuel offsetting it. However, for the base $49,500 with its already extensive feature list and free fuel, that's one hell of a temptation if lifestyle and location line up perfectly. The Advanced Technology Package would tempt us for the XLE, but 20-inch wheels on the Limited trim don't do ride quality any favors, and we don't believe it improves the look of the Mirai enough to justify the trade-off.

Even though Toyota has gone to great lengths to make the new Mirai more attractive as a driving tool, we think the average prospective fuel cell buyer is not that interested in ride and handling. Yes, it should be comfortable, but that's not the main reason for buying it. Luckily, the Mirai is set up for comfort.

Prospective owners will most likely be looking at fuel consumption and range and perhaps the kind of styling that makes a statement. After all, it is impossible to be hella green without everyone knowing about it. The Mirai beats the Honda in both departments. The Honda's design is a bit frumpy, while the Mirai looks like a sporty coupe. Your neighbors will definitely notice it.

On the practical side, the base XLE Mirai is more efficient and offers a better range. The most frugal Clarity has a 68/67/68 MPGe rating, and Toyota hits back with 76/71/74 MPGe. Honda's Clarity has a 360-mile driving range, while the Toyota can do just over 400 miles. It may seem insignificant, but those final 40 miles may be the difference between getting to the next hydrogen filling station or being stranded at the side of the road. The Clarity is not available for sale currently, so you'll have to lease it if you feel it's the best option.

The Hyundai Nexo is a more formidable competitor. It looks sublime, and it's a crossover which makes it a hundred times more appealing to the average customer. It's also the only fuel cell vehicle with a valid safety rating, and a good one at that, including a Top Safety Pick+ for 2021. The interior quality is superb, and it has 29.6 cubes of trunk space.

Again, the main selling point here is the range and claimed fuel consumption. According to the EPA, the most frugal Nexo is capable of 65/58/61 MPGe. The claimed range is 380 miles, which seems like a reasonable trade-off considering the added trunk space. Still, the Nexo is around $9,000 more than the Mirai in base spec, and it's hard to see why.

The Mirai is a more attractive option, but we understand why someone would buy the Nexo for the additional space.