2023 Toyota Mirai displayed in Supersonic Red before MY2024 stocks arrive

The Mirai made its debut back in 2014, featuring the Toyota Fuel Cell System or TFCS. Now in its second generation, the hydrogen-fueled sedan has clearly come a long way from its initial days. The 2023 Toyota Mirai is the third model year for the more stylish, efficient, and luxurious second-gen vehicle.

At the Silicon Valley Auto Show 2024, the car was displayed in the Supersonic Red body color, where I had the chance to see it in person. Toyota announced the 2024 Mirai on January 25, 2024, featuring a few changes, and the MY2023, shown in this article is phasing out. Here’s everything you need to know about the outgoing hydrogen-powered Toyota:

Design

There aren’t any design changes in the MY2023 vehicle. The angular yet chiseled front fascia of the 2023 Toyota Mirai is striking, and the sleek main lights pairing with another set of LED lights in the bumper. The blue-hued Toyota emblem sits right at the tip of the nose, underscored by a massive air dam that’s partially covered for lower aero drag. The latter is adorned with a wide chrome ‘wing’ for that luxury appeal. The hood looks and feels smooth, devoid of any unnecessary creases or bulges, to improve the car’s aerodynamics, which in turn helps the range of the vehicle.

The side profile of the Mirai looks elegant and sporty – courtesy of the smooth lines, a coupe-esque roof, and the squatted stance. A thin strip of chrome runs between the A- and C-pillar, while the front fenders have been flared outwards, and the rear portion features a pronounced curvature as well. If optioned with the chrome-finished 20-inch wheels, I felt that ignoring a passing Mirai would be difficult.

The steeply-raked rear windscreen leads to a ducktail spoiler at the back, which certainly adds to the sportiness of the design. There’s the blue-hued Toyota logo here as well, flanked by full-LED taillights that feature distinctive 3D elements inside. The ‘upside-down’ design element from older Mirais can be seen here as well, though it isn’t as jarring anymore.

Interior & Features

The interior of the 2023 Toyota Mirai is a uniquely-styled yet comfortable place to be in. The most pronounced aspects of design inside the Mirai come from the peculiar manner in which certain parts of the dashboard and center console have been styled. Toyota has also integrated ‘Mirai’ above the driver’s-side air vent while making plentiful use of copper-colored & gloss black trim in the key areas.

The texture and feel of materials differ from one location to the next, while the cool ambient lighting accentuates the interior’s overall feeling of calm and comfort. The perforated leatherette seats look great while also being supportive and comfortable. While the operation of the gear selector might feel finicky to some, I felt that the orientation of the center screen is certainly apt for those in the driver’s seat. Tall occupants may complain about the headroom being a bit tight, but the windows are big enough and the seats have ample padding as well. The rear of the Mirai is only suited for two adults.

Those wanting an extensive list of features won’t be disappointed with the 2023 Mirai. It can be had with heated & power-folding ORVMs with integrated puddle lights, rain-sensing wipers, a panoramic sunroof, tri-zone automatic climate control, power-operated steering wheel with memory, 8-color LED ambient lighting, Active Sound Control, climate-controlled seats, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, plus a wireless charger. Rear passengers of the 2023 Mirai also get a touchscreen control unit, allowing them to control the HVAC system, rear sunshade, seat heating & ventilation, and audio controls.

Finally, buyers have access to Toyota’s Advanced Drive System Services with a 10-year trial subscription. Connected Services brings separate entities such as Drive Connect, Remote Connect, and Safety Connect. Depending on the services, customers can avail of features like cloud-based navigation with Google Points of Interest (POI) data & Intelligent Assistant, remote vehicle-status tracking via a smartwatch, or devices with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, and Stolen Vehicle Locator plus Emergency Roadside Assistance.

New for MY2023

The 2023 Mirai comes fitted with the new Toyota Audio Multimedia system, comprising a 12.3-inch touchscreen head unit that supports wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, along with SiriusXM radio and Amazon Music. There’s also a 14-speaker premium audio system by JBL, plus an AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot.

Specifications

As mentioned earlier, the Mirai uses the Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS). It consists of 3 hydrogen tanks with a combined capacity of 5.6 kg (12.3 lbs.), a 1.24 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and a fuel cell stack consisting of 330 cells. The fuel cell stack mixes the hydrogen from the tank with oxygen from the air, and a chemical reaction produces electricity.

The second-gen Mirai’s fuel cell stack is about 20% smaller and 50% lighter than the first-gen model’s unit, so it fits easily under the hood. The smaller footprint of the stack allowed Toyota to give the car RWD drivetrain layout instead of FWD like the first-gen model, in which the fuel cell stack was located under a raised section of the passenger compartment floor.

A rear-mounted AC synchronous motor then powers the rear wheels with 182 hp and 300 lb.-ft. of torque, enabling the Mirai to hit 60 mph in 9.2 seconds. Any excess electricity goes into the small battery pack for later use. Toyota claims the hydrogen tank can be refueled in 5 minutes, while the EPA-estimated maximum range is between 357 and 402 miles.

Price & Release Date

The 2023 Toyota Mirai costs USD 49,500 and USD 66,000 in the XLE and Limited trims, respectively. Do note that this doesn’t take into account the delivery, processing, and handling (DPH) fee of USD 1,095. What is interesting to note here is Toyota didn’t increase the prices of the 2023 Mirai, despite almost every other model in its line-up having had their MSRPs hiked due to various reasons.

Availability of the Mirai is restricted to California. Apparently, the main reason behind this is reportedly the lack of sufficient hydrogen fuel stations across the rest of the United States.

TopElectricSUV says

The Mirai goes to show Toyota’s prowess in all forms of powertrain and fuel systems. Being as tricky as it is, hydrogen-fueled cars are few and far in between. While you could get yourself its S.Korean alternative, the Mirai is the only one right now that’s available in a sedan form factor.

2023 Toyota Mirai FAQs

An automobile engineer by training, I’ve analyzed the global car market since 2005, with a keen focus on EVs since 2008. My journey in online automotive publishing spans 16 years, during which I have reviewed cutting-edge automotive technologies and interviewed leading CEOs and vehicle developers from around the world.