Compare the2022 Toyota MiraiVS 2021 BMW i3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Environmental Friendliness
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Mirai have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW i3 doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Mirai are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW i3 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Toyota Mirai has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The i3 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Mirai has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats (WIL), which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WIL system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The i3 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Mirai has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The i3 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Mirai offers optional Automated Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The i3 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Mirai’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The i3 doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The Mirai offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The i3 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Mirai’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The i3 doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Mirai’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The i3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Mirai and the i3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The Toyota Mirai weighs 946 to 1363 pounds more than the BMW i3. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Mirai 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the i3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the i3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Mirai’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 13th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 20th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 10th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. BMW is ranked 12th.

Engine

The Mirai’s electric motor produces 14 more horsepower (182 vs. 168) and 116 lbs.-ft. more torque (300 vs. 184) than the i3 REx’s standard 0.6 2-cylinder hybrid. The Mirai’s electric motor produces 1 more horsepower (182 vs. 181) and 101 lbs.-ft. more torque (300 vs. 199) than the i3s’ standard electric motor.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Mirai higher (10 out of 10) than the BMW i3 (7 to 10). This means the Mirai produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the i3 every 15,000 miles.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Mirai has larger standard tires than the i3 (235/55R19 vs. 155/70R19). The Mirai Limited’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the i3 (245/45R20 vs. 175/55R20).

The Mirai’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the i3’s standard 70 series front and 60 series rear tires. The Mirai Limited’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the i3s’ 55 series front and 50 series rear tires.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mirai’s wheelbase is 13.7 inches longer than on the i3 (114.9 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

The Mirai XLE handles at .84 G’s, while the i3 pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Chassis

The design of the Toyota Mirai amounts to more than styling. The Mirai has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is lower than the i3 (.29 to .33) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Mirai get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The Mirai has standard seating for 5 passengers; the i3 can only carry 4.

The Mirai has 1.7 inches more front legroom, 4.8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear legroom and 5.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the i3.

Cargo Capacity

With its sedan body style, valet key and remote trunk release lockout, the Mirai offers cargo security. The i3’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Mirai. The i3 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Ergonomics

The Mirai Limited’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The i3 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Mirai’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. BMW does not offer a locking feature on the i3’s standard power windows.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Mirai detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The i3 doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Mirai has standard extendable sun visors. The i3 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are standard in the Mirai Limited to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The i3 doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

Both the Mirai and the i3 have standard heated front seats. The Mirai Limited also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the i3.

Standard air conditioned seats in front and rear seats keep the Mirai Limited’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The i3 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Mirai has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The i3 doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Mirai’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The i3 doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Mirai has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The i3 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Mirai Limited’s Intelligent Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The i3’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Recommendations

The Toyota Mirai outsold the BMW i3 by 27% during the 2021 model year.