Toyota Mirai keeps its stunning looks in production form
Seriously, this is a fantastic-looking car.
Toyota gave us a surprise in the second-generation Toyota Mirai, previewed in October before the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show in concept form. Well, if you were a fan of that design, there's good news because the production car looks pretty much identical.
Toyota Europe revealed images of the production car on Tuesday, though the finer details surrounding power and range are still unknown. The automaker simply said the new Mirai should boast a range 30% greater than the car it replaces. That pegs a zero-emissions range of around 405 miles on a tank of hydrogen, thanks to three onboard fuel tanks. Toyota said the Mirai has a long tank and two short ones now.
It's mighty difficult to spot any major differences between the concept and the production car. It still sits on the latest modular rear-wheel drive architecture and sports a wonderfully long hood with swept-back headlights. The massive grille also remains, which is perhaps the most controversial part of the car. The only major change I see is at the rear. The lower portion ditches two reflective pieces for a single red piece in the center. It could be a Europe-specific change, however.
The interior looks identical, too -- a good thing because it also looked mighty handsome in concept form. There's still a big screen ahead of the driver and a second 12.3-inch tablet-style screen to the driver's right. The center stack's lines flow upward into the dashboard and do a lovely job of making the cockpit look nice and wide. It also gives the driver a sense of separation, like a hydrogen-fueled cocoon.
The first Mirai was a bit of a science experiment with strange looks, but the second generation is perhaps something buyers may even aspire to own. That was a goal at Toyota this time around. We'll see the Mirai launch in late 2020 in Japan, North America and Europe.
