Toyota Mirari: what the critics are saying

published 18 June 2021

The Daily Telegraph

Toyota is hoping this second-generation Mirai will be the car that persuades us to “make hydrogen a very real part of our automotive future”. It has a range of up to 400 miles, and the “swooping” four-door coupé lines that are favoured in premium saloons. Crucially, it can also compete with battery electric rivals on price. It would be an “instant hit”, if only there were more hydrogen filling sites.

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This version of the Mirai is certainly “sleeker” than its “frumpy” predecessor. The inside has a mix of buttons and digital tech, some of which is not as easy to use as rival setups. A reversing camera comes as standard, and a self-parking system is on offer in top-trim cars. It is spacious in the front, but the three hydrogen tanks raise the floor in the rear, and the boot is a disappointing 325 litres.

This is not a car for those who like a wild ride. On the road, it is “gentle, smooth and comfy like a Sunday afternoon”. The 180bhp motor gets it from 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds, and the steering is “mute but accurate”. So it is not a sports saloon, but it has a supple ride and tackles corners well for such a “big, luxurious” car. There is plenty that is “ordinary” about it – and that is “precisely the point”.