Photo: Toyota
One week ago, Toyota announced the prices for its all-new fuel cell-powered 2021 Mirai sedan on the Japanese market, and it wasn't exactly good news.
A simple conversion from the Japanese yen to the U.S. dollar revealed a price of just over $68,000 - $68,191, to be more precise. That was $10,000 more than the old model, though you would be forgiven if you were willing to pay double that difference based only on how much better the new Mirai looks.
The design of the Prius Prime and the old Mirai was completely confusing. You could honestly ask yourself if Toyota wanted us to buy its cars or was just happy to keep them all for itself. It was as if a salesperson told you how good the cars were and that you should buy them, but then lowered their voice, saying "seriously, though, don't buy them" while winking at you. You had to pinch yourself to make sure you weren't dreaming.
Luckily, all that is over now, and the new model isn't just better than the old one, but actually a sexy-looking sedan in its own right. It's also better all-round, not to mention more affordable as well. Somehow, the Japanese manufacturer managed to give the 2021 Mirai a starting MSRP of $49,500, which undercuts the old model's price by more than $9,000. It's also close to $20,000 less expensive than the JDM Mirai, though comparing different markets doesn't always make sense.
The secret behind this apparently impossible feat is Toyota's decision to introduce two different trim levels, instead of having a single, top-of-the-line spec like before. The two are called XLE and Limited, and the good news is the base one comes pretty much fully decked-out. You get heated power seats in the front (8-way for the driver, 4-way for the passenger), auto-leveling LED headlamps, remote keyless entry system, Toyota Premium Multimedia system with navigation, and 14 JBL speakers, to mention just a few.
It's not just the looks that have changed for the Mirai, but also the way it drives. Gone is the FWD platform, replaced with the GA-L RWD one also used for the Lexus LS sedan. As a result, the car has also grown in length and width while dropping the height of the roofline at the same time. What you get is sleeker looks, but also much-improved handling and a roomier interior.
Apparently, you also get to travel 30 miles (50 km) further than before. Switching to RWD made more room for storing hydrogen, resulting in an EPA-estimated range of 402 miles (647 km). The new generation offers more power but less torque, clocking in at 182 hp and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) compared to the 151 hp and 247 lb-ft (335 Nm) of the outgoing model.
To make things even more attractive, Toyota is also throwing in up to $15,000 worth of complimentary hydrogen. Put it all together and there has obviously never been a better time to buy - or lease - a Toyota Mirai.
The design of the Prius Prime and the old Mirai was completely confusing. You could honestly ask yourself if Toyota wanted us to buy its cars or was just happy to keep them all for itself. It was as if a salesperson told you how good the cars were and that you should buy them, but then lowered their voice, saying "seriously, though, don't buy them" while winking at you. You had to pinch yourself to make sure you weren't dreaming.
Luckily, all that is over now, and the new model isn't just better than the old one, but actually a sexy-looking sedan in its own right. It's also better all-round, not to mention more affordable as well. Somehow, the Japanese manufacturer managed to give the 2021 Mirai a starting MSRP of $49,500, which undercuts the old model's price by more than $9,000. It's also close to $20,000 less expensive than the JDM Mirai, though comparing different markets doesn't always make sense.
The secret behind this apparently impossible feat is Toyota's decision to introduce two different trim levels, instead of having a single, top-of-the-line spec like before. The two are called XLE and Limited, and the good news is the base one comes pretty much fully decked-out. You get heated power seats in the front (8-way for the driver, 4-way for the passenger), auto-leveling LED headlamps, remote keyless entry system, Toyota Premium Multimedia system with navigation, and 14 JBL speakers, to mention just a few.
It's not just the looks that have changed for the Mirai, but also the way it drives. Gone is the FWD platform, replaced with the GA-L RWD one also used for the Lexus LS sedan. As a result, the car has also grown in length and width while dropping the height of the roofline at the same time. What you get is sleeker looks, but also much-improved handling and a roomier interior.
Apparently, you also get to travel 30 miles (50 km) further than before. Switching to RWD made more room for storing hydrogen, resulting in an EPA-estimated range of 402 miles (647 km). The new generation offers more power but less torque, clocking in at 182 hp and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) compared to the 151 hp and 247 lb-ft (335 Nm) of the outgoing model.
To make things even more attractive, Toyota is also throwing in up to $15,000 worth of complimentary hydrogen. Put it all together and there has obviously never been a better time to buy - or lease - a Toyota Mirai.
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