2021 Toyota Mirai Review

　　

2021 Toyota Mirai Review

byCameron RogersManager, News

　　Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at zzdcar include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).

　　If you believe that there are multiple timelines, and in each there exists an alternative universe to this one, then perhaps in one of those timelines using hydrogen to power an electric motor is as commonplace as gasoline engines are here. For us, the 2021 Toyota Mirai is sci-fi stuff — a car that uses compressed hydrogen gas to create electricity and emit only water as you drive quietly to your destination. It feels like an escapee from one of those alternate universes where hydrogen stations are commonplace and the landscapes are well watered by automotive emissions.

　　While the first-generation Mirai was an interesting — albeit quirky-looking — front-wheel-drive sedan, the redesigned Mirai features rear-wheel-drive underpinnings and a stylish new exterior. The cabin undergoes a thorough rethink as well, with luxurious materials throughout and seating for five.

　　The Mirai may pack a lab's worth of chemistry under its hood, but it doesn't drive like an experiment. Since the wheels are driven by an electric motor, the Mirai feels like any other EV. Hitting the accelerator delivers immediate and adequate forward momentum, but nothing that's going to put a dent in the faux leather headrest. There's also no noticeable transition from when the battery power gives way to fuel-cell cruising. Fully fueled with hydrogen, the Mirai can travel up to an EPA-estimated 402 miles. That easily outclasses most battery electric vehicles on the market. Refueling with hydrogen is much quicker than recharging too.

　　However, it's lonely to be outside your timeline. The Mirai, along with the Honda Clarity and Hyundai Nexo, can only be fueled at hydrogen fueling stations, which are few and far between. (At the time of our review's publication there were just 49 public stations in California and one in Oahu, Hawaii.) Unless these three automakers can lobby operators to increase the number of accessible fueling stations, the Mirai's universe, even with its 400-mile range, is a rather small one.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.2

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the Mirai drive? Hydrogen fuel cell cars are comparatively mild when you measure them against their battery electric vehicle counterparts. The Toyota Mirai leads the fuel cell field in acceleration, needing only 8.1 seconds to reach 60 mph, but that's unremarkable by gasoline-propelled vehicle standards, and laughable by EV standards.

　　While the Mirai's braking performance (120 feet from 60 mph) and steering feedback are also most unremarkable, it displays surprisingly good composure turning a corner thanks to its new rear-wheel-drive layout and near 50:50 weight distribution. We wouldn't call it sporty, but the Mirai moves with a surprising amount of grace for such a heavy vehicle. And because it's an EV, there's no transmission, which means smooth, shiftless acceleration. We do wish it had stronger regenerative braking and that we could permanently select the stronger setting and not have it reset after each stop.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Mirai? The Mirai's best quality, by far, is its ride comfort. Underneath, the Mirai is based on the full-size Lexus LS, and though its proportions have been shortened quite a bit, it rides like a full-size Lexus. Bumps of mostly any size don't seem to faze the Mirai, and we're not quite sure how Toyota pulled that off. Couple this with a quiet cabin, as long as you don't have the synthesized Active Sound Control effects turned on, and the Mirai feels convincingly luxury-esque.

　　The seats, unfortunately, aren't quite as impressive. We like the soft cushioning, but the front seats in particular lack support and enough adjustments and don't seem designed to accommodate taller folks either. Our Limited trim featured heated and ventilated seats, which were relatively weak in both heating and cooling. Thankfully, the climate system is more effective (as long as it isn't in Eco mode) and is easy to use thanks to its redundant touchscreen and physical controls.

　　

Interior

7.5/10

　　How’s the interior? The Mirai's size is deceiving. It's longer and wider than a Lexus midsize sedan but doesn't have as much interior passenger space, especially in the rear. It is an improvement over the previous-generation Mirai but not by huge margins. Despite the smaller-than-expected accommodations the Mirai is pretty easy to get in and out of thanks to generous door clearances. And Toyota really put special effort into making the cabin easy to see out of even if you don't spring for the Limited trim, which comes with a 360-degree bird's-eye view camera system.

　　The layout of all the controls and the menus within the infotainment system require some time to become familiar with. Once you're comfortable, the large configurable screen is pretty good at multitasking.

　　

Technology

7.5/10

　　How’s the tech? There is a lot of "tech" happening behind the scenes and making the Mirai move when you press the accelerator, but that's not what we're talking about here. Powertrain aside, the Mirai shares a lot of its interior tech with the rest of the Toyota line. The native navigation system is easy to use, but it's nothing special. The same can be said of the premium JBL sound system found in the Limited trim.

　　The Mirai comes with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, a total of four USB charge ports (only one of which transmits data) and a wireless charging pad. The Mirai's large 12.3-inch touchscreen is never fully dedicated to smartphone projection, which, in the case of CarPlay, means the standard two rows of four icons.

　　We're fans of the adaptive cruise control and lane centering in the Mirai and found it useful in traffic. Without cruise control on, the lane keeping aid can feel a bit intrusive. The blind-spot monitoring was also a bit too sensitive in its detection of vehicles while you're trying to change lanes.

　　

Storage

5.5/10

　　How’s the storage? If you're someone with a lot of baggage, literally speaking, or appreciate having lots of cabin storage for personal items, the Mirai is going to disappoint. The trunk holds just 9.6 cubic feet of stuff, and the Mirai doesn't have a pass-through or folding rear seatbacks to accommodate longer items. And forget about a front trunk — there's a lot of fuel cell hardware under that hood. The bad news continues into the cabin where storage is scarce and pockets are small. Hydrogen tanks require a lot of space, which means there's less of it for passengers and stuff.

　　Car seats are not impossible to install, but if convenience is a priority, the Mirai likely won't be a good fit. Installing a car seat in the outboard position compromises the comfort of anyone sitting in front, while having it in the middle makes loading and unloading your tiny passengers a strain on your back. Best to test your seat out before signing any paperwork.

　　

Fuel Economy

7.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The Mirai is estimated to return 357 miles in Limited trim (64 miles per kg of hydrogen) and up to 402 miles for the entry XLE trim (72 miles/kg). That's more efficient than the Hyundai Nexo and comparable to the Honda Clarity. But the range figures seem a bit optimistic as we didn't surpass 300 miles for a tank in our regular driving during our time with our Limited test car. Hydrogen is expensive, too, and its price can fluctuate wildly. We paid $17 per kg of hydrogen, with a full tank costing nearly $90 at the time of testing. If we compare the cost of a tank of hydrogen to the current cost of a gallon of premium fuel ($5.85) and assume 300 miles of range for each vehicle, our Mirai returned about 19.5 mpg. While this isn't terrible, especially with the initial hydrogen fuel subsidy, it's definitely not nearly as cost-efficient or convenient as the least efficient battery electric vehicle.

　　

Value

7.5/10

　　Is the Mirai a good value? A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle like the Mirai can be an excellent value for the right person. The Mirai comes with a generous fuel stipend, and the incentives and tax credits can significantly lower the cost of leasing or owning one. Toyota at one point was offering a $20,000 incentive for the Mirai, on top $15,000 worth of hydrogen fuel credit, an $8,000 federal tax credit, and for California residents, an additional $4,500 credit. But the Mirai's limited availability and the even more limited hydrogen fuel infrastructure make for a pretty unrealistic proposition for most.

　　However, if the stars align and a Mirai is something you're considering, things could play out nicely. The Mirai is a bit more expensive than the Hyundai Nexo and Honda Clarity, but it benefits from a more premium-looking interior and feels very well built. Warranty coverage is pretty standard, buy Toyota includes three years/35,000 miles of free maintenance and 21 days of complimentary car rentals over three years in case you need to drive somewhere where hydrogen isn't readily available (which is most places).

　　

Wildcard

7.0/10

　　While we commend the Mirai for its surprising composure on curvy roads, it's not a vehicle we'd drive for the sake of driving. Comfortable? Indeed. Fun to drive? Not really.

　　On the upside, the Mirai's styling is far less polarizing than the previous version. It's not quite attractive but it's interesting. Still, despite its amazing ride quality, we don't think there's enough intrigue here worth the hassle of putting up with a lack of hydrogen infrastructure versus charging your EV in the comfort of your own home.

　　

Which Mirai does zzdcar recommend?

This year sees the addition of the more budget-friendly XLE, which is a great choice for those looking for a more attainable hydrogen vehicle. However, hydrogen itself is pricey, making any Mirai an expensive proposition. With the significant cash outlay in mind, we think it makes sense for buyers to go for the Limited trim. If you have the ability to trade up, its additional safety features — plus unusual items such as ventilated rear seats and a rear control panel — are worth the upgrade.

　　

2021 Toyota Mirai models

The 2021 Toyota Mirai is a rear-wheel-drive midsize sedan sold in two trim levels: XLE and Limited. It is one of the few hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles on the market. Hydrogen is stored in three onboard carbon fiber-reinforced tanks that can hold a combined 5.6 kg of the gas. The hydrogen is then converted to electricity via a fuel cell, stored in a small battery and run through an electric motor making 182 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. With its tanks full, the EPA estimates the XLE can go about 402 miles before you refuel, while the Limited can travel up to 357 miles.

　　XLE

　　Feature highlights include:

　　19-inch alloy wheels LED headlights Heated and power-folding mirrors Keyless entry and start Auto-dimming rearview mirror Leather-wrapped steering wheel Eight-way power driver's seat and four-way power passenger seat Heated front seats Imitation leather upholstery Dual-zone automatic climate control 12.3-inch touchscreen Navigation system 14-speaker JBL audio system Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa connectivity Wi-Fi hotspotEvery Mirai comes with a suite of advanced safety features (Toyota's Safety System 2.5+). These include:

　　Forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Lane departure mitigation (warns you of a lane departure when a turn signal isn't used and can automatically steer to maintain lane position) Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Toyota and the car in front) Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)The optional Advanced Technology package adds:

　　Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible behind or in front of the vehicle when parking) 360-degree camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Mirai and its surroundings for tight parking situations)Limited

　　Builds on top of XLE features with:

　　Advanced Technology package Panoramic glass roof Automatic wipers Power-adjustable steering wheel Three-zone automatic climate control Digital rearview mirror Eight-way power passenger seat Heated and ventilated front and rear seats Rear touchscreen control panel Ambient lighting Rear sunshades Automated parking system (steers into a parking spot with little or no driver intervention)The sole option for the Mirai Limited is a set of 20-inch wheels.

　　zzdcar Latest Toyota Mirai News

　　zzdcar Top Rated 2024: These Cars, Trucks and SUVs Won Our Highest Honor

　　

2021 Mirai Highlights

Trim: XLELimitedXLE

　　

Base MSRP	$49,500
Engine Type	Electric (fuel cell)
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	9.6 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles