Compare the2022 Toyota MiraiVS 2021 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell

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 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear 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 Clarity Fuel Cell doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 Clarity Fuel Cell 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 Clarity Fuel Cell 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 Clarity Fuel Cell doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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 Clarity Fuel Cell only offers a rear monitor.

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 Clarity Fuel Cell 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 Clarity Fuel Cell doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Mirai and the Clarity Fuel Cell have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Mirai for 3 years and 35000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Honda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Clarity Fuel Cell.

There are over 16 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Honda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Mirai’s warranty.

The battery on the Mirai is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Mirai’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Clarity Fuel Cell’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

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 Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 13th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 17th, 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 Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 47 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 27th.

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

The Mirai’s electric motor produces 8 more horsepower (182 vs. 174) and 79 lbs.-ft. more torque (300 vs. 221) than the Clarity Fuel Cell’s electric motor.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Mirai is faster than the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell:

The Mirai’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Clarity Fuel Cell are solid, not vented.

The Mirai stops much shorter than the Clarity Fuel Cell:

For better traction, the Mirai Limited’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Clarity Fuel Cell (245/45R20 vs. 235/45R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Mirai has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 18-inch wheels are available on the Clarity Fuel Cell. The Mirai Limited offers optional 20-inch wheels.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mirai’s wheelbase is 6.6 inches longer than on the Clarity Fuel Cell (114.9 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Mirai is 1.1 inches wider in the front and .6 inches wider in the rear than on the Clarity Fuel Cell.

The Mirai’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50% to 50%) than the Clarity Fuel Cell’s (57.3% to 42.7%). This gives the Mirai more stable handling and braking.

The Mirai XLE handles at .84 G’s, while the Clarity Fuel Cell pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Mirai XLE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Clarity Fuel Cell (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Mirai’s trunk lid uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. The Clarity Fuel Cell’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

With its sedan body style, valet key and remote trunk release lockout, the Mirai offers cargo security. The Clarity Fuel Cell’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

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

The Mirai uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Clarity Fuel Cell uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

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 Clarity Fuel Cell doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Mirai and the Clarity Fuel Cell have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Mirai is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Clarity Fuel Cell prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 Clarity Fuel Cell doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

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 Clarity Fuel Cell doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

When the Mirai Limited is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Clarity Fuel Cell’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

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 Clarity Fuel Cell doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Clarity Fuel Cell 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 Clarity Fuel Cell doesn’t offer an automated parking system.