Test drive Toyota Mirai: A giant leap

When Toyota launched the Mirai, the first mass-produced passenger car with a fuel cell, on the market in 2014, it wasn't just the technology but also the appearance that caused a stir. Together with its high price, this combination relegated the car to a niche from the very start. Given that in Asia, people tend to think in seven-year intervals, it was time for a successor after seven years, especially since much has changed in the meantime: The network of hydrogen refueling stations has become much denser, although still not genuinely "dense" in the absolute sense. With the Hyundai Nexo (and in the interim the Mercedes-Benz GLC Fuel Cell) and the Renault fuel cell vans, the Mirai has received competitors, and the technology has massively evolved.

The fuel cell stack has become more compact and powerful

Meaning: From a smaller fuel cell stack, Toyota now extracts more power, and the second generation now appears in an elegant coupe design on the GA-L rear-wheel-drive platform, positioning itself right among the German premium business sedans like the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, and Daimler's E-Class. This also holds true for the pricing structure, which starts at 53,700 euros net (63,900 euros gross) and ranges up to 62,100 euros net (73,900 euros gross). Lease rates start at 429 euros net, including maintenance and wear, and go up to about 490 euros for the top version. The only option for all models: Metallic paint for 832 euros net (990 euros gross).

In the more compact fuel cell, 330 cells now convert hydrogen into electricity and water, compared to 370 in the predecessor. Despite this, power increased from 154 to 182 PS. With now three tanks offering 20 percent more total volume and increased efficiency in the drive system, range has increased by 30 percent according to Toyota, allowing them to confidently state a range of up to 650 kilometers on a single tank.

The driving experience: Authoritative and appropriate for the upper mid-range

But let’s finally start and rejoice: The new Mirai drives very authoritatively. Only during strong acceleration does a soft hissing and whirring penetrate the finely insulated interior— particularly when the compressor is pushing a lot of air through the fuel cell. At a constant speed, the Mirai sounds more like an electric car, with a very subtle hum. This sound is much less noticeable than in the predecessor because the fuel cell stack no longer crouches under the front seats but has moved under the long hood. Although torque has slightly decreased to 300 Nm, it now spans between zero and 3,267 RPMs, providing solid thrust, even at 130 km/h on the highway. While the Mirai keeps a discreet distance from the powerful top combustion engines of the competition, it always offers enough power for confident driving. In tight corners, it can also be moved more enjoyably thanks to rear-wheel drive compared to the predecessor—abrupt throttle applications or letting off the throttle briefly results in a slight swinging or turning of the rear, always kept in check by the ESP leash.

And so, one soon finds oneself driving rather briskly, naturally staying well above the reported consumption of 0.79 to 0.89 kg of hydrogen per 100 kilometers. On our admittedly spirited drive around Cologne—with a high proportion of highway—we achieved 1.49 kg/100 km, which would yield a range of 375 kilometers. Fast highway sections cost roughly 1.7 kg/100 km, resulting in a 330-kilometer range, but if you can restrain your right foot, you can achieve 1.2 kg/100 km, extending the range to 466 kilometers without refueling. We will have to find out more detailed information in testing.

Pleasant suspension and optimal weight distribution

The chassis benefits from the very balanced weight distribution of 50:50 between the front and rear axles and absorbs almost all road imperfections confidently. The steering provides precise feedback without reaching the sharpness of some sportier competitors, and the suspension and damping achieve a very balanced synthesis between comfort and firmness. In terms of design with a long hood, Toyota has taken a lot of inspiration from European ideas of a premium business sedan and delivers as well. This also applies to the comfortable front seats with decent lumbar support and simple operation.

Thankfully, the controls are still very much button-based, so one can find one's way around immediately. The voice control is limited to navigation and infotainment and is not one of the Mirai's absolute strengths. Interior design and feel have also taken another leap forward, pleasing with cleanly processed materials, though Japan still tends to install some standard rectangular buttons here and there without making the seats visually interesting in terms of stitching. Nonetheless, the Mirai delivers the expected pleasant atmosphere of the upper mid-range here as well.

The smartphone can be properly connected and the fortunately not too bass-heavy JBL system delivers decent sound even at higher volumes—although it doesn't quite provide the "surround feel" of some competitors.

The panoramic roof costs a lot of headroom in the back

The limited space in the back can be less appealing for a nearly five-meter-long coupé sedan: For passengers who are 1.9 meters tall, it becomes very cramped in the legroom if equally tall drivers are sitting in front, and the head needs to be "threaded" into the recess behind the fixed panoramic glass roof for the top version "Advanced." According to Toyota insiders, this was already a reason for some customers to "settle" for the 7,000-euro cheaper "Executive," which lacks this and some other features. Unfortunately, it also lacks a head-up display and seats made of leather imitation, which might cater more to the trend towards vegetarianism and veganism.

The trunk remains unfortunately a (too) small loading hatch

We like even less the small loading hatch in the rear, which is unlikely to offer much more volume than its predecessor, which, with 361 liters, was no trunk king either. Moreover, you cannot fold down the rear seatbacks, as Toyota has positioned the battery pack and power electronics vertically between the rear seats and the trunk wall, since the hydrogen tanks lie underfloor and in the central tunnel. In this respect, the package remains somewhat suboptimal despite 85 millimeters more exterior length and 40 millimeters more wheelbase – the Hyundai Nexo is clearly more flexible in this regard. But we are sitting in a 1.47-meter flat coupé sedan (which is 65 millimeters flatter than its predecessor) and are thus nicely grounded – and get a show effect at the end. After shutting off, the Mirai releases the accumulated water, either dripping or wildly steaming in winter, from the "exhaust." There is also an optional H₂O button to the left of the steering wheel: then the Mirai "pees" a stream of clear distilled water, which results as the end product from the reaction in the fuel cell. The lines must be kept water-free, especially in winter.

Strong market launch with many "blind purchases" – albeit at a discreet level

The new model seems to be catching on: Even before the sales launch in March 2021, over 100 Mirai were already sold, more than the predecessor in its best year 2019, where 67 Mirai were approved in Germany. In total, the previous model amounted to over 11,000 units sold; the new model can be produced 30,000 times annually, a goal that Toyota could certainly achieve worldwide after ramping up production. We were also surprised at how much the Mirai has evolved from the quirky original version into a rear-wheel-drive business coupé sedan that even boasts a clean CO2 balance with green hydrogen.

What does this mean?

The second-generation Mirai took a giant step towards elegance and driving pleasure and could now certainly be an exotic but fully-fledged and attractive alternative to the premium establishment. Performance, driving feel, and pricing align, making it likely to shed its absolute exotic status somewhat.