After a five-year hiatus, Toyota resurrected the MR2 sports car last year, which along with the new Celica were designed to spice up what had been, overall, a rather stodgy product line. This does provide real competition for what had been the only other affordable roadster on the market—the Mazda Miata—but as time behind the wheel of a 2001 model recently proved, the cars have essentially different characters.
What’s most apparent about the MR2 is that having only a 138-hp, 1.8-liter, DOHC four to provide the push is anything but a performance liability, particularly in a car weighing only 2,195 lbs. This best-in-class weight number translates into superb handling, whether one is squeaking the Yokohamas off the line, enjoying the right-NOW responsiveness of the electrically assisted hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering system, or displacing one’s eyeballs under braking.
The underpinnings responsible for the fun includes struts and discs all around, with an anti-lock brake system standard. The MR2 is unflappable in the twisties and has great traction, and you can hang the tail out, thanks to a front/rear weight distribution ratio of 44/56. The steering, while quick, is somewhat lacking in feedback. Yet compared to the Miata, the overall experience is more precise, which is what you’d expect from a mid-engined car.
Cruising around country roads revealed a smooth ride, thanks to a relatively long, 96.5-inch wheelbase. Rough surfaces and speed bumps produced a bit of cowl shake, somewhat surprising given that this is Toyota’s only car built exclusively as a convertible.
The styling is a little strange. Small roadsters lend themselves to swoopy shapes, but a desire to retain Edge themes found in the new Celica created a designed-by-committee unruliness in the MR2. The front grille is narrow, the headlamps are large, glass-covered delta shapes, and the engine air vents, just behind the doors, seem a little high. Although the MR2 is a small car, its 96.5-inch wheelbase and extremely short overhangs produce a convincing illusion of length. The rear is squared off and features large, square taillights.
The interior, however, is way minimalist cool. Three round, silver gauges sit directly ahead of the driver, the tach properly placed in the middle. Knobs for stereo and ventilation are situated at chest level, which combined with the high sill line makes passengers feel as though their butts are scraping the ground. The seats and door inserts look very modern, there’s a rubber surface on top of the instrument panel, and the parking brake, door grabs and steering wheel are covered with perforated leather. Creature comforts include electric window and mirrors, a/c, and a CD/cassette/radio, all standard.
A huge oversight in the car’s design is the complete lack of luggage space, save for lockable compartments behind the seats, where you might throw a camera, lunch and a change of underwear. The top, tight as a drum, erects and folds with ease, with the center section serving as a very tidy tonneau cover.
The five-speed manual shifter (a five-speed “sequential manual” is an option this year) is so precise and notchy you want to run it through the gate while sitting still. The car’s 125 lb-ft of torque peak at 4,400 rpm, with plenty of oomph starting at around 2,500 rpm, so there’s plenty of impetus for shifting as much as you’d like, yet the powerband is so flexible you can relax and leave it in third should laziness get the best of you. Peak horsepower is reached at 6,400 rpm.
Compared to the Miata, the third-generation MR2 is a more modern design. It could be argued that the Miata has a bit more soul, with its hairier dynamics and communicative essence. The Miata is certainly more practical, too, with a real trunk and an optional hardtop. But in its own special way, the MR2 offers a driving experience that delights, the way impractical things do.