The Mirai stands for ‘Future’ in Japanese and is true to its name for automobile industry since it uses a hydrogen fuel cell powered engine rather than a conventional gasoline unit. It was revealed officially at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show and Toyota planned to sell around 700 vehicles by 2015. Near the great Mount Fuji in Japan, the Fuji speedway is located where I got a chance to drive the 2016 Toyota Mirai, and below are my findings.
Walk Around
Before getting inside, I took a walk around the Mirai to inspect its exterior and undoubtedly I was highly impressed. Not many critics would agree with me, but the ‘droplet’ persona employed on the exterior is extremely distinct and emphasizes the fact that the vehicle runs solely on hydrogen.
The front fascia incorporates an aggressive bumper with huge side grills through that the oxygen enters and cools the FC system. Just like the front, the rear is also pretty expressive with huge inverted triangle shaped tail lights and a wide rear bumper.
Cockpit
The interior is very much similar to the Toyota Prius; nevertheless the Mirai is much more sophisticated. The front dash boasts a combination of black and white color along with chrome trim on the door handles. The instrument display is located in the centre giving a better road visibility, while the infotainment display is placed right in the middle of the centre console.
The front seats are 8 way powered with lumbar support and are incredibly comfy. The heated steering wheel and front seats with temperature control are perfect for UAE’s weather. Overall, the cabin is spacious and well equipped.
Engine Specifications of 2016 Toyota Mirai
As I stated earlier, the 2016 Toyota Mirai is not your regular gasoline powered car, in fact it is the most environment friendly car I have driven. It is equipped with an AC synchronous electric generator that churns out 151 horsepower 247 lb-ft of torque.
Mated to the electric generator is the nickel-metal-hydride battery that is linked to the fuel-cell stack situated below the front seat. These fuel cells were developed by Toyota itself and are automatically humified through the internal water circulation.
The high pressure tanks are located under the rear seats and can hold up to 5 KG of compressed hydrogen. The best part is that the 2016 Toyota Mirai has a 300 miles range, which is absolutely startling.
Driving Dynamics
The first thing I noticed after driving a few miles was that the Mirai is a heavy car. It weighs approximately 4,078 pounds, but surprisingly that did not compromise the aerodynamics and the performance was exceptionally smooth.
Similar to most of the electric vehicles, the Mirai 2016 is incredibly silent; I couldn’t hear a single noise inside as the cabin is well sound proof. I started driving constantly at 25 km/h and then moved up to even 130 km/h, and didn’t hear any engine or wind noise. Since the centre of gravity is low, the handling is quick and nimble, especially around the corners. I was able to go from 0 to 60 mph in about 9 seconds, with a top speed of 110 mph.
Technological Overview
The 2016 Toyota Mirai is fully loaded with the latest technological equipment including a 4.2-inch TFT LCD display, an infotainment system with a premium audio system with navigation along with intelligent touch buttons to configure audio system and climate control. The multi-function steering wheel features mounted controls to control the infotainment system.
Dislike
The only drawback for me is the slow acceleration at high speeds, but that can be ignored as it is meant to be an economical family sedan rather than a sports car.
Verdict
The Toyota Mirai was up for display at the Dubai International Motor Show last year, however the automaker did not announce when it will hit the dealerships. Whenever it will, I personally believe it will turn out to be a huge success among the Emiratis due to its impressive mileage and a remarkable exterior and interior design.