Toyota Mirai Grade Guide: G vs Z vs Z "Advanced Drive" — All Differences Explained

The world's first mass-production hydrogen fuel cell sedan, decoded grade by grade. One powertrain, one drivetrain layout, and three grades that differ almost entirely on luxury equipment and driver-assist technology — here's exactly what your money buys, and what to know before buying or importing one.

📅 Current Model: Second-generation Mirai (since December 2020, GA-L platform) 🚗 Grades: G · Z · Z "Advanced Drive" 🇯🇵 Japan Domestic Market — Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) 💧 Zero Tailpipe Emissions — Only Water Vapor

What Is the Toyota Mirai?

The Mirai is Toyota's hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) — a car that generates its own electricity onboard by combining hydrogen from a pressurized tank with oxygen from the air, using that electricity to power a motor, and emitting nothing but water vapor. The first generation launched in December 2014 as a distinctively styled, front-wheel-drive sedan based loosely on Prius underpinnings, limited to four seats because of the space needed for its hydrogen tanks.

The current second generation arrived in December 2020 as a complete rethink: a rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan on Toyota's GA-L platform, the same architecture used by the Lexus LS and the previous-generation Crown, and later adapted for the Crown FCEV as well. This layout allowed Toyota to fit three hydrogen tanks more efficiently, restoring full five-seat capacity while giving the car a noticeably larger, more premium footprint than its predecessor. Toyota positions the Mirai explicitly as a premium car first and an environmental statement second — 500 examples served as official vehicles for the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

Grade Lineup at a Glance

Prices per Toyota's official Japan-market pricing, current as of recent running updates. Hokkaido-region pricing may differ. Fuel economy is expressed in kilometers traveled per kilogram of hydrogen rather than a liters-based figure, reflecting how FCEVs are measured differently from gasoline or hybrid vehicles. All grades share the same fundamental Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS) and rear-wheel-drive layout — the differences here are entirely about luxury equipment and driver-assist technology, not the powertrain itself.

The Powertrain — One Fuel Cell System Across the Range

Every Mirai grade uses the same Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS), which combines a redesigned FC stack with an FC boost converter using SiC semiconductors and a lithium-ion secondary battery, reducing unit losses versus the first generation while improving power-generation efficiency:

• Hydrogen tank capacity: 141 liters, storing approximately 5.6 kg of compressed hydrogen
• Refueling time: approximately 3 minutes — comparable to filling a gasoline tank, and dramatically faster than charging a battery-electric vehicle
• Drive layout: rear-wheel drive (RWD) exclusively, on the GA-L platform
• Weight distribution: close to an ideal 50:50 front-rear split, contributing to the car's driving dynamics
• Fuel economy: 152 km/kg WLTC on G, 146 km/kg WLTC on Z and Z "Advanced Drive" — the slight difference reflects the added weight of Z-grade equipment rather than any mechanical change to the fuel cell system itself

There's no separate powertrain tier to choose between — every Mirai is a fuel cell vehicle with the same fundamental hardware. The grade decision comes down entirely to luxury features and driver-assist capability.

Full Grade Breakdown

G — Entry Grade

From ¥7,414,000

• Standard interior trim and seating (cloth/synthetic material, not genuine leather)
• 8.0-inch TFT color meter display, integrated with the center display in a continuous panel design
• Standard-size head-up display, or none depending on specification — the large-format color head-up display is a Z-series feature
• Full Toyota Safety Sense suite standard
• Toyota Teammate Advanced Park (remote-capable parking assist) available on most grades including G
• Longest reference range per fill of any grade, at approximately 850 km, thanks to slightly lower equipment weight

G is the grade to choose if the fuel cell technology itself — long range, fast refueling, zero tailpipe emissions — is the draw, and you're less concerned with the premium interior trim Z adds.

Z — Upper Grade

¥8,215,900

• Copper-toned metallic interior garnish accents, distinguishing the cabin from G
• Large-format color head-up display, approximately 560mm wide and 130mm tall — large enough to display FC system output and regeneration status, information unique to a fuel cell vehicle
• Genuine leather seating available as a manufacturer-installed package option (must be selected at time of order; not available on G)
• Toyota Teammate Advanced Park (remote-capable parking assist)
• Slightly reduced reference range versus G (approximately 750–760 km) due to the added equipment

Z is where the Mirai's "premium car first" positioning becomes most apparent — the copper interior accents and optional genuine leather push the cabin toward true luxury-sedan territory.

Z "Advanced Drive" — Top Grade

¥8,610,800

• All Z-grade equipment (copper interior accents, large color head-up display, optional genuine leather)
• Toyota Teammate Advanced Drive: hands-off highway driving support under defined traffic-jam conditions, using radar cruise control combined with Lane Trace Assist and driver-attention monitoring
• Toyota Teammate Advanced Park with remote functionality
• The most complete safety and driver-assistance package Toyota offers on the Mirai

Z "Advanced Drive" is aimed at buyers who want Toyota's most advanced current driver-assistance technology in addition to the Z grade's interior treatment — the roughly ¥400,000 premium over standard Z buys almost entirely the Advanced Drive hands-off highway capability.

Full Feature Comparison Table

✓ = Standard/Available | ✗ = Not offered. Features sourced from Toyota's official grade pages and dealer grade-comparison content (toyota.jp/mirai).

What Toyota Teammate Advanced Drive Actually Does

Advanced Drive, exclusive to the top Z "Advanced Drive" grade, is Toyota's hands-off highway driving support system, built around the company's "Mobility Teammate Concept" — the idea that the car and driver work together as partners rather than the car simply automating the driver away. Under defined conditions on applicable expressways during traffic-jam-level congestion, the system can manage lane-keeping, following distance, lane changes, and overtaking with reduced driver input, while requiring the driver to remain attentive and ready to resume control. It's paired with Advanced Park, a remote-capable parking assist system that manages steering, accelerator, brake, and shift operation during parking maneuvers — Advanced Park itself is available on more than just the top grade, but Advanced Drive is Z "Advanced Drive" exclusive.

Which Grade Should You Buy?

💴 Best for Lowest Cost and Best Range

Choose the G grade. It's both the cheapest Mirai and the one with the longest reference range per fill (~850 km), making it the practical choice if fuel cell efficiency and running cost matter more than interior trim.

⭐ Best Value for a Premium Interior

Choose the Z grade. Copper-toned interior accents, the large color head-up display, and the option of genuine leather seating meaningfully lift the cabin experience over G, without paying for Advanced Drive if you don't need it.

🏆 Best Overall Specification

Choose the Z "Advanced Drive" grade. It combines every piece of Z's premium interior treatment with Toyota's most capable current driver-assistance package, at a price premium of roughly ¥400,000 over standard Z — reasonable if hands-off highway driving support is a priority.

Owning a Mirai: What Import Buyers Should Know

The Mirai is a genuinely unusual ownership proposition compared to any other car in this guide, and it's worth understanding before considering one for import or resale:

• Hydrogen refueling infrastructure is limited and geographically uneven, even within Japan, and essentially nonexistent in most countries outside Japan, the US (California), and a handful of other markets. A Mirai is only practical to run in an area with active hydrogen stations nearby.
• The hydrogen tank has a finite certified service life (commonly cited around 15 years from manufacture), with periodic tank inspections required on a defined schedule — separate from, but coordinated with, normal vehicle inspection (shaken) in Japan. Owners have reported real-world friction around aligning tank-inspection paperwork with shaken renewal, so confirming a specific vehicle's tank inspection history and documentation format is worth doing before purchase.
• Fuel cost is a genuine ongoing consideration. Hydrogen pricing in Japan has fluctuated meaningfully in recent years, and owners commonly cite it as a bigger factor in total cost of ownership than the vehicle price itself.
• Tax incentives apply but are time-limited. As an FCEV, the Mirai qualifies for eco-car tax reductions on weight tax, a green taxation special reduction on the following year's vehicle tax, and CEV subsidies at time of purchase — but the vehicle tax reduction applies only to the year immediately following purchase before reverting to standard rates.

Importing a Toyota Mirai

For buyers sourcing a Mirai from Japanese auction, a few identification points matter:

• Copper-toned interior trim and a large-format color head-up display confirm Z or Z "Advanced Drive" — G lacks both.
• Genuine leather seating is a manufacturer-installed option only available on Z-grade cars, so its presence rules out G entirely, though its absence doesn't rule out Z (it was optional, not standard).
• The only way to confirm Advanced Drive is checking the equipment sheet directly — there's no obvious major exterior cue separating Z from Z "Advanced Drive," since the hardware difference is primarily in driver-assistance software and sensor configuration rather than visible trim.
• First-generation (2014–2020) and second-generation (2020–present) Mirai are mechanically unrelated — different platform, different drive layout (FF versus RWD), different seating capacity (4 versus 5) — so confirm generation before comparing specs against this guide.
• Given the hydrogen tank's finite service life, confirm remaining tank certification and manufacture date carefully on any used Mirai before importing, since this affects both usability and the cost of any required re-certification.

Always confirm the exact grade, drivetrain, tank inspection status, and accident history against the chassis number before bidding, since equipment details are easy to misread from auction photos alone, and FCEV-specific documentation (tank certification format, in particular) has caused real confusion even for domestic Japanese owners. If you're bidding from overseas, running the chassis number through a Japanese auction sheet and history check before you commit is the safest way to confirm the car in front of you actually matches the grade it's listed under — that's exactly the kind of check we built JPChecker to make simple.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Toyota Mirai G and Z grades? Z adds copper-toned interior garnish accents, a large-format color head-up display, and the option of genuine leather seating (a manufacturer-installed option) — none of which are available on G. Both share the same fuel cell powertrain and rear-wheel-drive layout.

What does "Advanced Drive" mean on a Mirai? Z "Advanced Drive" adds Toyota Teammate Advanced Drive, a hands-off highway driving support system for defined traffic-jam conditions on applicable expressways, on top of all standard Z-grade equipment. It's the only Mirai grade with this feature.

How far can a Toyota Mirai travel on a full tank of hydrogen? Toyota's reference figures are approximately 850 km for the G grade and 750–810 km for Z and Z "Advanced Drive" grades, depending on source and measurement conditions — FCEV range depends heavily on driving style and conditions, similar to any vehicle's fuel economy rating.

What is the cheapest Toyota Mirai grade? The G grade is the entry point, starting from ¥7,414,000 (tax included) as of recent Japan-market pricing.

Is the Toyota Mirai front-wheel or rear-wheel drive? The current second-generation Mirai (since December 2020) is rear-wheel drive, built on the GA-L platform shared with the Lexus LS. The discontinued first generation (2014–2020) was front-wheel drive.

Are there hydrogen refueling stations everywhere? No. Hydrogen stations are limited in number and concentrated in specific regions, primarily within Japan and a small number of other markets such as California in the US. Practical Mirai ownership depends heavily on living near an active hydrogen station.

How long does a Mirai's hydrogen tank last? Hydrogen tanks carry a finite certified service life, commonly cited around 15 years from manufacture, with periodic inspections required on a defined schedule. Confirming a specific vehicle's tank certification history is important before purchase, particularly for older or imported examples.