Skip advert
Advertisement

Toyota Mirai saloon - Reliability & safety (2015-2020)

The Toyota Mirai should be as dependable as any of the brand’s cars and comes with all the latest safety technology

Carbuyer Rating

3.4 out of 5

Owners Rating
Be the first to review
Reliability & safety Rating

4.0 out of 5

Some buyers may be worried about ‘taking the plunge’ with brand-new technology like a hydrogen fuel cell, but the reality is car manufacturers have been working on this behind closed doors for many years. Any teething problems should have been ironed out by now and it’s unlikely Toyota would put the tech on sale before it felt it was ready.

Advertisement - Article continues below

There’s also no reason to worry about the safety of hydrogen as a fuel source: the Mirai incorporates numerous measures desgined to prevent leaks or damage to the fuel tank and to avoid the possibility of mishaps during refuelling.

Toyota Mirai reliability

Toyota has been developing hydrogen fuel-cell technology since as far back as 1992, so the systems powering the Mirai have been thoroghly tested and should be no less reliable than a conventional petrol or diesel engine. Toyota backs this up by covering the Mirai with the same five-year or 100,000-mile warranty it offers on all its other brand-new cars.

Safety

This area has been a top priority for Toyota with the Mirai – especially as some potential buyers might be nervous of using hydrogen as a fuel. Strong construction and numerous fail-safes take car of the latter, while the car also boasts plenty of crash-avoiding technology. For example, a pre-collision system uses a camera and radar to monitor the road ahead and warn you of an impending impact so you can take evasive action. If you don’t the car will apply the brakes itself.

Also fitted are blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control (to mantain a safe difference from cars in front), hill-start assistance and a rear-view camera. Should you manage to crash the car despite all these aids, you and your passengers will be protected by a full complement of airbags, while there are ISOFIX child-seat mounting points in the back.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Richard is a former editor of Carbuyer, as well as sister site DrivingElectric.com, and he's now Deputy Editor at Auto Express. Having spent a decade working in the automotive industry, he understands exactly what makes new car buyers tick.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Jaguar Type 00 concept revealed: a bold electric future for the British brand
Jaguar Type 00
News
3 Dec 2024

Jaguar Type 00 concept revealed: a bold electric future for the British brand

Skoda Elroq review – a great-value compact electric SUV
Skoda Elroq
In-depth reviews
9 Dec 2024

Skoda Elroq review – a great-value compact electric SUV

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
6 Dec 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
21 Oct 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps
Charging station
Tips and advice
23 Jul 2024

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
Best electric cars
Best cars
16 May 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024