Much is made of the electric car revolution, but the Japanese car maker Toyota has held faith with hydrogen as a future fuel source. Over time, the Toyota Mirai has crept into public consciousness as an alternative source of emission-free travel.
About The Toyota Mirai
Instead of adding hydrogen fuel to an existing car, the company built one from the ground up and it is very striking. It is described as a ‘Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle’ (FCEV) using abundant hydrogen as its source of power generation. The latest model can deliver up to 400 miles on one fill-up and of course the only emission is water. Crucially, it only takes minutes to fill-up and the number of hydrogen stations is slowly growing.
A sleek vehicle, it sits on a low, wide rear-wheel drive platform with larger diameter 19” or 20” tyres for a low centre of gravity. Instead of using the usual added character lines to add interest to the shape, the bodywork itself conveys a sense of design through transitional surfaces. There’s a trapezoidal lower grille featuring the Toyota emblem with front lighting in a two-tier design.
On The Inside
The Mirai’s cabin features a wraparound dashboard. Information sources and controls are brought together centrally in the instrument cluster in an easy-to-use layout. Using a combination of leather, other materials and metal textures the interior is a relaxing and modern environment for driver and passengers. There’s plenty of leg and head room, the latter being only slightly affected by the addition of an optional panoramic roof.
A 12.3” multimedia screen shows the driver’s instrument display. The elements are set adjacent to each other and on the same level, making it easy for the driver to take in information at a glance. Optionally, on new and used models, there’s a colour head-up display as part of the 'Design Premium Pack'. For ease of operation, switches are grouped in different zones according to their function.
The high-definition multi-information screen can be toggled into separate sections for concurrent display of the navigation map and function controls, which is convenient. It can be operated using familiar smartphone-style touch controls, such as flick, swipe and pinch to zoom in or out. On the latest model, the steering wheel is trimmed in black leather and has auxiliary switches clustered in three groups for infotainment, driving assistance and audio/phone.
On The Road
The hydrogen-powered electric motor delivers 178bhp, ample for day-to-day use. An auxiliary battery pack boosts power under strong acceleration, for overtaking, say. Steering is great; light for low-speed manoeuvring adding heft as speed increases for a precision steer and a balanced drive. The ride is perfectly sorted for everyday driving and, in the absence of an engine, all is quiet and serene, although the car does make an audible noise outside to alert pedestrians.
Conclusion
Overall, the Mirai is a talented all-rounder. It’s sleek looks, premium interior, and luxurious driving experience make it feel almost as if it should have a prestige badge. However, hydrogen power is not for everyone and this car remains best suited to urban and suburban driving because, depending upon global regions, fuel stations can be few and far between when long journeys are called for.
Importing a car from Japan means that the cars are right-hand drive and can be purchased through the comprehensive MHH Japanese Cars service. Get in touch to find out more about this interesting vehicle.
