The Toyota Mirai Years To Avoid
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As the trend toward electric vehicles continues, hybrid and EVs are becoming more popular. Many car manufacturers are investing in this trend by creating their own hybrid and electric models. However, there is a lesser-known segment of vehicles called alternative fuel vehicles.
That’s right, there are electric cars that run on hydrogen fuel, and they’re referred to as hydrogen fuel cell cars or FCEVs. Simply put, FCEVs draw their power from electricity generated by hydrogen-powered fuel cells instead of just the battery. However, hydrogen-fueled cars are a niche within a niche segment. Furthermore, FCEVs are only available in California.
Toyota is the company leading the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles with its segment entry, the Toyota Mirai. The Mirai is a four-passenger midsize sedan and has the distinction of being the very first commercial fuel-cell vehicle. The Mirai has been in production since 2016, so used car buyers have plenty of choices.
Is the Toyota Mirai reliable? Today, we will talk about the worst Toyota Mirai years to avoid and their reliability issues.
THE MOST RELIABLE YEAR FOR THE TOYOTA MIRAI
Originally showcased during the Los Angeles auto show in 2014, the Mirai quickly became one of the fastest-selling FCVs in the market, even into 2022. Nowadays, it’s a good idea to know which are the most reliable Toyota Mirai years if you’re in the market for one of these used cars.
Which Toyota Mirai Years to Avoid?
Being a hydrogen fuel cell car, the Toyota Mirai is perhaps one of the greenest vehicles you can buy. The Toyota Mirai has no emissions besides water vapor, and hydrogen is an abundant, renewable resource. However, this futuristic powertrain technology comes at a high cost because the Mirai is more expensive than many luxury vehicles. If you’re interested in buying a used hydrogen-powered car, below are the Toyota Mirai years you should avoid:
- 2016 Toyota Mirai
- 2017 Toyota Mirai
- 2018 Toyota Mirai
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2016 Toyota Mirai
The 2016 Mirai and hydrogen fuel cell cars, in general, boast an impressive powertrain technology. Unlike EVs and PHEVs that require hours of charging to fill up, the Toyota Mirai only takes a few minutes to fill up with 300+ miles of range. However, as mentioned, FCEVs like the Mirai are very niche and not very popular.
The leading trade-off is that the 2016 Mirai is only available in California. In addition, the lack of popularity means the charging infrastructure is very limited. Unless you enjoy making cross-country trips in your car to charge, a 2016 Mirai isn’t very practical. Conversely, if you live near a hydrogen fueling station, the 2016 Mirai is a viable option to drive an emission-free vehicle.
Reliability-wise, CoPilot recommends skipping debut models by virtue of potential reliability issues. One of the main issues of the 2016 Mirai is the abnormal voltage generated by its fuel system. According to MotorandWheels.com, the fuel cell boost technology of the Mirai may generate a higher voltage than the fuel system can handle. If the fuel cell exceeds the maximum allowable voltage output, it can heat the car’s components and may result in a blown-up fuel system.
Thankfully, this is a relatively rare occurrence, but Toyota quickly released a software update to fix the issue. Regardless, this is an issue you should keep an eye on if you’re buying a used 2016 Mirai. Aside from the potential reliability woes, we recommend avoiding the 2016 Mirai because it’s an unrefined model of newer technology.
2017 Toyota Mirai
Like the 2016 version, the 2017 Toyota Mira shines in its refueling functions that take only a few minutes to complete – provided you can find a nearby hydrogen fueling station. A full charge gets you 300+ miles of range, which makes most EVs seem pedestrian. Furthermore, the 2017 Mirai offers a relatively decent interior, but you won’t mistake it for a Lexus interior (despite asking for Lexus levels of money). Buying a used 2017 Mirai is a solid way to get into emission-free driving.
Unfortunately, that’s about the only good thing we can say about the 2017 Mirai. In terms of reliability, we struggle to recommend the 2017 Mirai. CarComplaints.com listed the 2017 Mirai as the worst model year of the hydrogen-powered sedan.
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One of the worst complaints for this model year is the lack of accessibility for installing child seats. As per several reports from owners, the Mirai’s child seat latches are not immediately visible and next to impossible to use. A distraught user wrote:
“The Mirai is nearly impossible to install car seats. The main reason is because they buried behind the seat so you need to use a lot of strength to lift up the seat cushion and jam the latches in there. My wife cannot do it. She tried for 20 minutes one day and got so frustrated she broke out in tears.”
In addition, the Mirai also received a few reports about the premature failure of its climate system. According to one user, the Mirai’s climate system has malfunctioned, and the heater would activate on its own and won’t turn off. The user remarked that this shouldn’t happen in a vehicle that costs around $60,000.
We highly recommend passing on the 2017 Mirai to save yourself from potential headaches.
2018 Toyota Mirai
Like the previous Mirai models, the 2018 model year offers the same benefits as FCEVs but with plenty of drawbacks to go with them. If you live nearby a hydrogen fueling station and want to stop burning fossil fuels for driving but can’t be bothered to charge your car for hours, the 2018 Mirai deserves a slot in your garage.
However, most of the customer pain points were about the access to fueling stations, or lack thereof. Aside from the lack of hydrogen fuel infrastructure, some stations don’t have enough hydrogen to meet demand. Another user reported that the 2018 Mirai is prone to coolant leaks because of how the vehicle was designed. Apparently, the coolant tank is one of the many exposed components that may receive damage from a random pebble. According to the owner, they had to pay $3000-$4000 to repair the issue.
As with many Mirai model years, there are only a few ideal circumstances where we can recommend the 2018 Toyota Mirai. Otherwise, avoid this model at all costs because the technology is not ready for general consumption.
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