Thursday 20th May 2021

Toyota MR2 (Mk3) | Spotted

Toyota is back on a roll - so what better time to revisit a past highlight?

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You may have noticed that Toyota has returned to making cool cars again - the Supra is back, and the Yaris GR is better even than we could have hoped. That's in addition to another '86 coupe on the way (which we thought might not happen) alongside a GR Super Sport hypercar (which didn't need to happen). After so long in the doldrums and off the radar for enthusiasts, it's a joy to welcome Toyota back into the fold.

Because, lest we forget, it made some great driver's car before deciding to make a four-wheel drive Yaris or before a Supra was in Fast & Furious. In fact, at just about that time, there was all sorts of interesting stuff being made by Toyota, up to and including the very odd (yet strangely appealing) Corolla T Sport Compressor.

But the MR2 seems to be at best half-forgotten, despite it being well received at the turn of the millennium. Why? The MX-5, of course. The Mazda was similar money and just as fast, but far more practical owing to its front-engined layout. When selling new as an everyday sports car, that makes a difference - there really was very little space to put anything in a Mk3 MR2.

More than 20 years after they went on sale, however, and 15 years since production ended, the last MR2 looks an intriguing secondhand purchase. Because where else are you going to get mid-engined, rear-drive thrills for so little money? With a sub-tonne kerbweight, too. If you can live with the practical impositions of its layout - and they're far easier to excuse in a cheap, secondhand weekend plaything - then there's an awful lot to recommend the MR2.

Early cars and imports have hung around near Shed money for a while. The best MR2s are the facelifted ones, launched in late 2002, which introduced a six-speed manual in place of the five, tweaked the suspension and increased the wheel size. Facelifted examples are also those less prone to the pre-cat disintegration that blighted early cars.

This one is an updated MR2, a 2005 model that's had just two owners and recorded a little under 100,000 miles. For three quarters of that distance it's said to have been serviced at a main dealer, and with a new battery at the end of last year and a recent MOT it's good to go for the summer. For just £3,499, too.

Obviously, it's not perfect at that money, and the very best examples will cost you twice as much. But a comparable MX-5 isn't going to be perfect either - and nor is anything for sale at the price of a week in a Cornwall Airbnb this August. But it's certainly a cheap way to have an awful lot of fun. It's the cost of a Circuit Pack on Yaris GR, to it in context.

Moreover there are a decent amount of Mk3s still around for anyone intrigued by the prospect. And if you consider it a cut-price Elise - mid-engined, rear-drive, lightweight and Toyota powered - then the lack of luggage space becomes is even less worrying. Even now an MX-5 will suit more people more of the time, but if you aren't one of those people then an MR2 looks a few thousand pounds very well spent.

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SPECIFICATION | TOYOTA MR2

Engine: 1,798cc, four-cyl
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 140@6,400rpm
Torque (lb ft): 127@4,200rpm
MPG: 38
CO2: 178g/km
Year registered: 2005
Recorded mileage: 92,000
Price new: £17,995 (2001)
Yours for: £3,499

See the original advert here

[Mysstree]

I like these, like all three models.
MK1’s are getting to be silly money now as are some of the MK2”s.
Why anyone would buy a fake Ferrari MR2 or even make one .... just No.

[McRors]

I would love to try one of these. You wouldn’t lose much money over a year or two I guess and they look fun. I remember reading a review Roman Atkinson wrote and he seemed to like it. He did comment on the irony (if that’s the right word) that the glove box was aptly named as it was so small that it would in actuality only fit a pair of gloves.

Edited by McRors on Thursday 20th May 07:40

[Stoned]

Is this the same engine as the Celica? Does the 180bhp variant swap in?

[MR2-No Pace-No Space]

i'm on my second, they are fun little cars, its all about the bends, and the fact you can absolutely max it out through the gears and still only be doing about 45MPH. If you are after something fun, with low running costs and dont need a boot then they are a good buy. Funny comment about the glove box, its bigger/ more useful than the one in our 7 seater 5008, now that is useless.

[MR2-No Pace-No Space]

Stoned said:

Is this the same engine as the Celica? Does the 180bhp variant swap in?

Yes, popular swap, Toyota should have supplied it with this engine, there are a few options

2ZZ VVLTi (189bhp Celica engine) + a few superchargers ones out there as well
Toyota V6
Honda K series

[200Plus Club]

Way overpriced.
You can pick cars like that up for a grand less usually.

Superb fun cars, everyone should try one if you want a lightweight mini Elise without spending big money.
Shed material and great for thrashing round a track day. A few cheap mods to set up the alignment and decent tyres etc. Keep an eye on oil consumption and remember they are impractical for big road trips unless you can just take a carrier bag full of clothes due to lack of proper storage space.
Spares are readily available 2nd hand due to the amount of oil burner early cars being broken.
Mine cost 1700 quid or so with 100k miles, had it 18 months and got back £1600 :-)

[richinlondon]

had one for a while - was great fun and a lovely raspy sound, always felt like it could have done with a tad more power. In terms of luggage ... you've got the triangular shaped storage behind the seats and some in the front - we found partially filled rucksacks squished in to the spaces nicely and maximised the space. Definitely go for updated version - some nicer styling tweaks, 6 speed and importantly a LSD.

[Craikeybaby]

MR2 Bealach na Ba by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Mine is the best car I have ever owned (including mk1 and mk3.5 MX-5s). It was my daily for a few years, but now it is my fun car. It isn't the fastest on track, but comes alive on a good B road, often surprising drivers of "faster" cars too. When I first had it I was doing some development work on a 500bhp car up in North Wales and couldn't help thinking that I would much rather have been in my little MR2. To me it has the right blend of technology to keep it running reliably (and manufacturing knowhow to stop it rusting) without being overburdened to the point that it dulls the driving experience.

The "lack of storage" is largely a myth too, I have toured the highlands in mine with my wife for 10 days and driven it down to Le Mans with my Dad and all our camping kit. You just need to be sensible with what you pack and use squishy bags.

McRors said:

I would love to try one of these. You wouldn’t lose much money over a year or two I guess and they look fun. I remember reading a review Roman Atkinson wrote and he seemed to like it. He did comment on the irony (if that’s the right word) that the glove box was aptly named as it was so small that it would in actuality only fit a pair of gloves.

Edited by McRors on Thursday 20th May 07:40

Judging by the prices at the moment I haven't lost anything over 8 years...

There are 2 glove boxes, a decent sized one in the usual place, and a much smaller on on top of the dash, that propbably only just fits a pair of gloves.

200Plus Club said:

Way overpriced.
You can pick cars like that up for a grand less usually.

There seems to be 2 schools of thought with these, buy a pre-facelift cheaply and run it for a few years, or buy a good facelift car and keep it. Maybe you get the odd facelift car slipping into shed money, but prices are on the rise now. Even a hardtop on its own is approaching shed money now.

[Dave Hedgehog]

McRors said:

I would love to try one of these. You wouldn’t lose much money over a year or two I guess and they look fun. I remember reading a review Roman Atkinson wrote and he seemed to like it. He did comment on the irony (if that’s the right word) that the glove box was aptly named as it was so small that it would in actuality only fit a pair of gloves.

Edited by McRors on Thursday 20th May 07:40

we put 160k miles on the two we owned, they are fantastic to drive but the stock engine is a bit meh up the top end

its begging for a high screaming vtec type unit

[Bobtherallyfan]

Great little car. Had mine for 17 years now and it’s still my favourite car to take out for a cross country run. Specced mine from new with the TTE exhaust which has a nice throaty rasp and with the fantastic hard top. Storage can be maximised by using made to fit luggage bags. It’s a perfect example of 130bhp and a light weight being the recipe for fun.

[Bobby Lee]

I’ve had mine 5 years now (hard top/facelift). Would recommend. Pre-facelift prices may be tempting but you’ll want the 6 speed as 6th is an overdrive, which has been great for long distance tripping.

With that interest declared, I can say I think they’re the cheapest they’ll ever be. They’re not too slow; I can confirm that as standard it’s marginally faster away from the lights than my mates MX5 MK3 sport

[Rumblestripe]

Love these, I liked the mk1 but never really took to the mk2 in styling terms. I agree that these are on the rise now find a good one and keep it, there will never be anything like this ever again. Nearest might be if someone decides to make a leccy roadster but this is one of those ICE icons that will be worth keeping for as long as there is petrol to be bought.

[200Plus Club]

Craikeybaby said:

There seems to be 2 schools of thought with these, buy a pre-facelift cheaply and run it for a few years, or buy a good facelift car and keep it. Maybe you get the odd facelift car slipping into shed money, but prices are on the rise now. Even a hardtop on its own is approaching shed money now.

Mine was an 02 facelift. Was up for £2k as it had been stood 6 months and the rear subframe wasn't full of rot so I made a cheeky offer :-)
You will get one under £3k on one of the groups all day long. Great vfm

Edited by 200Plus Club on Thursday 20th May 09:12

[200Plus Club]

If anyone fancies making them handle even better then the underchassis braces that sometimes come up for sale are great value plus the whiteline camber correction bolts with a lowering kit make these things really stick. Better vfm if you keep an eye out for a car with the 190bhp engine already fitted as they usually fit the updated suspension/chassis kit too. Seen cars sub £5k all sorted.
One thing i did find is the std Toyota brakes are amazing with decent brake fluid flush. No need to spend money upgrading them for road use.
Think I've talked myself into buying another tbh...

[suffolk009]

My mum bought her MR2 Mk1 in 1989. She asked me what sports car she should buy - I said a Lotus Elan S/E. My brother said an MR2. He's the first born.

Anyway, I always scorned the car, but recently drove it cross country on some well known B roads. I was really surprised by how well it handles. It's underpowered by todays standards, but can hustle along quite nicely. What's really coming into it's own is the styling - I always prefered the Mk1 to the later cars, and they do look like a proper 80's car. Prices have firmed considerably, good one are now low to mid teens, not sure the Mk2 will catch them up.

[re33]

I really like these. A year ago £1000 would buy you a car with an mot, now it's at least £2000. Prices are rising, get one while you can!

[200Plus Club]

They seem to resist rot fairly well other than that rear subframe so it's a potential future classic for sure.

[spreadsheet monkey]

Craikeybaby said:

To me it has the right blend of technology to keep it running reliably (and manufacturing knowhow to stop it rusting) without being overburdened to the point that it dulls the driving experience.

This is an important point. Do these resist rust better than a similar age MX5?

[200Plus Club]

spreadsheet monkey said:

This is an important point. Do these resist rust better than a similar age MX5?

Absolutely. I've had both. There's an issue with the rear subframe rotting and its a pain to swap but the body and panels are light years better than mx5 for rot in my experience

[thewarlock]

spreadsheet monkey said:

Craikeybaby said:

To me it has the right blend of technology to keep it running reliably (and manufacturing knowhow to stop it rusting) without being overburdened to the point that it dulls the driving experience.

This is an important point. Do these resist rust better than a similar age MX5?

Much better.

They handle better IMO as well, but that's down to preferring mid-engined stuff for me.

I sold mine a few years back and replaced it with a 350Z, which is a better daily driver; an actual boot, heated seats (essential in a convertible), and better suited to doing more miles in, but I miss the MR2, and I'd have another, with a 190 engine and I'd bin the power steering.