Contemporary new-car review originally published in Road & Track 1995 Buyers Guide
Following is a list of affordable mid-engine sports cars: Toyota MR2.
Yes, that’s it. That’s all of them. And if you want to buy one new, you better buy it now, because it won’t be around forever. Toyota has already announced that when the current generation MR2 expires – soon – there won’t be a successor. Sales are simply too low to justify tooling up for another new model. And this year the turbo won’t be sold in states with California emissions rules.
It’s a darn shame, too, because the MR2 is an excellent sports car. Throw it at a winding ribbon of road and the MR2 will hand you back a bow. It’s fully independent strut-type suspension has been refined to cure any spookiness from the mid-engine layout. It is no exaggeration to call it world-class handling, capable of high lateral g’s with predictability and stability.
Power comes from either a 135-bhp 2.2-liter inline-four or a turbocharged 2.0-liter four the spins out 200 bhp nd 200 lb-ft of torque, good for a 14.3-sec quarter-mile. The non-turbo engine can be mated to either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic (although the latter somewhat defeats the purpose), while the turbo comes only with the manual gearbox. A viscous limited-slip differential is optional, however, with the turbo engine.
Four-wheel vented disc brakes come with either version, though the turbo is fitted with twin-piston calipers at the front. ABS is optional on all models, as is electro-hydraulic power steering – although this is more important for those who use the MR2 as an urban runabout rather than for sporting car purposes. Toyota balances the rearward weight and power bias of the mid-engine design by putting larger tires at the back, 225/50 R-15 versus 195/50 5R-15 at the front. Alloy wheels are standard on all models.
A T-bar roof is available with the naturally aspirated engine with the 5-speed, and is standard on the MR2 Turbo.
Compromises in making the MR2 what it is include seating for two only and a tiny trunk. But if seats and storage are all that important, look elsewhere. The MR2 is a sports car. We’ve seen affordable mid-engine sports cars come and go, but the MR2 is the best one yet.
Addendum: Toyota didn’t tell the truth. The second generation MR2 continued for another four years, sold up through 1999. An third generation appeared for the 2000 model year, homely and with no trunk. It was almost as if Toyota didn’t want it to sell. Sales plummeted after a couple years and the model was discontinued after the 2005 model years.
Original price, 1995 model year: MR-2, 22,538; MR-2 Turbo $27,588
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