Discussion
Chap in the office is after a small roadster. He is utterly convinced that the MR2 is the better of the two. I did mentioned the MX5 (as this seems to be the mosy highly praised small roadster on here) but he has read some reviews saying that the MR2 handles better.
Having never driven either, would anyone care to give me some advice about the cars that I can pass on to him? He has four kids, isn't very tall and his other car is a Ford Galaxy.
Thanks all.
Having never driven either, would anyone care to give me some advice about the cars that I can pass on to him? He has four kids, isn't very tall and his other car is a Ford Galaxy.
Thanks all.
Having driven considerable miles in every type of MR2 and an MK1 MX-5 I'd say that the MK1, MK2 Turbo, and MK3 MR2 are better to drive, but the MX-5 is near as damn it.
The MK3 was the best of the lot, if slightly lacking fireworks; the handling is amazing, the ride amazing, the...you get the picture. Shame about the lack of boot space. Not totally useless, but you need to use soft bags rather than cases if you want to go away for the week.
The MK3 was the best of the lot, if slightly lacking fireworks; the handling is amazing, the ride amazing, the...you get the picture. Shame about the lack of boot space. Not totally useless, but you need to use soft bags rather than cases if you want to go away for the week.
I've had a MK3 MR2 and now own a Mk3 MX5.
The MR2 was the more exciting car to drive overall I feel, however the 2.0 MX5 does feel quicker (more low down go than the MR2) and has a better sounding standard exhaust.
The MR2 had a mini vtec type kick around 4k rpm though which was reasonably fun.
Got rid of my MR2 as it was an oil drinker, at the time the toss up was spend 5k putting a 2zz (190bhp VVTLi engine) in the MR2 or spend similar changing to a newer MX5. I went for the MX5 as with the MR2 I would have instantly lost all of that £5k.
I do sometime wish I'd done it though.
The MR2 was the more exciting car to drive overall I feel, however the 2.0 MX5 does feel quicker (more low down go than the MR2) and has a better sounding standard exhaust.
The MR2 had a mini vtec type kick around 4k rpm though which was reasonably fun.
Got rid of my MR2 as it was an oil drinker, at the time the toss up was spend 5k putting a 2zz (190bhp VVTLi engine) in the MR2 or spend similar changing to a newer MX5. I went for the MX5 as with the MR2 I would have instantly lost all of that £5k.
I do sometime wish I'd done it though.
Thanks all.
I think we are talking about the later model cars as he has a budget of around 3 to 4k to spend. It seems like the MR2 is the best handling car, but you lose out on things like holdall space etc. This car will purely be a driving car (as he has the Galaxy for everything else) so the lack of space isn't an issue.
When he goes to buy the vehicle he will have a good day of test driving both models though.
I think we are talking about the later model cars as he has a budget of around 3 to 4k to spend. It seems like the MR2 is the best handling car, but you lose out on things like holdall space etc. This car will purely be a driving car (as he has the Galaxy for everything else) so the lack of space isn't an issue.
When he goes to buy the vehicle he will have a good day of test driving both models though.
funkyrobot said:
It seems like the MR2 is the best handling car
This is the problem with these type of debates. There is no such thing as 'best handling' - simply different handling characteristics. And different characteristics suit different types of driving, different types of drivers and different situations.The MR2 being mid engined will ultimately afford probably higher cornering speeds all other variables being equal. However on the limit of it's handling it will break away quicker than an MX5 and hence - on the limit - be far more difficult to drive and get the most out of.
An MX5 on the other hand is front engined and is much more progressive at the limit - you can play with it more in relative safety as it won't bite you or send you backwards into the scenery as easily as the MR2 will.
For me, the car which is more playful at the limit is more fun to drive - but that's me. I went MX5 > Boxster > MX5 because the Boxster was too good, too grippy, too planted. The MX5 is far more 'fun' to drive for me. Horses for courses.
It's unfair to say that one is better than the other. They are just different and I prefer the MR2. The MR2 has better steering, both in terms of turn-in response and feel, and generally feels more willing to change direction; the inevitable flip-side of the lower polar moment of inertia that allows those things, is that once the back end loses grip, the car will rotate much more quickly than the MX5, making it harder to catch.
Basically one is front engined and one is mid engined and they have the handling characteristics you'd expect of those layouts.
Edited by kambites on Friday 12th August 11:53
It is indeed unfair to say that one is better than the other. They are just different and I prefer the MX5.Well for me, I preferred the precision of the Mr2 mkII, (I've had the NA rev 2, and a Turbo rev 3), to the wishy washy of the MX5, in my opinion. People are right, the MX5 is better if you like tail sliding, and a bit more forgiveness, but for me, I liked the pointedness, and the plantedness the MR2 felt. The turbo power was utterly different as well. I did used to wonder why they never put the 190 engine in the MK3. Those 2 were made for each other, in my opinion.
But as folks have said, it's all down to personal preference. In the scale of things one isn't better than the other, they are just different. Your milage may indeed vary. Drive them, and see what you think, (or at least your mate should).
But as folks have said, it's all down to personal preference. In the scale of things one isn't better than the other, they are just different. Your milage may indeed vary. Drive them, and see what you think, (or at least your mate should).
Depends which MX5 and which MR2 you're talking about. But perhaps more it depends what you're looking for.
The MX5 is certainly more practical than the mk3 MR2 Roadster. Can't remember how big the boot is on the mk2 MR2 - I seem to recall it's bigger, but still not huge. The MX5 isn't exactly capacious either, but at least there's room for more than a tooth brush and a spare pair of pants.
I'd say the MR2 perhaps feel faster than the MX5 (thanks in part to having the engine just behind your head) and the mid-engined thing does give it a bit of a mini-supercar feel. The MR2 is arguably a sharper car to drive in outright terms, but if you're a bit of a hooligan there's nothing like an LSD-equipped MX5 in the wet. They're so proggresive and so biddable you can take liberties you never would with the MR2. I'm not convinced that makes it a better handling car as such, but it does make it more fun if you have the space and the inclination.
The MX5 is certainly more practical than the mk3 MR2 Roadster. Can't remember how big the boot is on the mk2 MR2 - I seem to recall it's bigger, but still not huge. The MX5 isn't exactly capacious either, but at least there's room for more than a tooth brush and a spare pair of pants.
I'd say the MR2 perhaps feel faster than the MX5 (thanks in part to having the engine just behind your head) and the mid-engined thing does give it a bit of a mini-supercar feel. The MR2 is arguably a sharper car to drive in outright terms, but if you're a bit of a hooligan there's nothing like an LSD-equipped MX5 in the wet. They're so proggresive and so biddable you can take liberties you never would with the MR2. I'm not convinced that makes it a better handling car as such, but it does make it more fun if you have the space and the inclination.
I drive a mk3 MR2 and have had a 220bhp Mk3 MR2 turbo (yes a I did say mk3). I've driven MX5s too, mk2 and mk3. I'd agree the MR2 has the better handling but the big point as other have noted is the behaviour when you screw it up. With the MX5 a half decent driver would be able to gather it up. In an MR2 if your not the stig, guess what your going for a hedge trip.
Also a big one to note is the mk3 MX5 has stability control so if its going to be used in the winter thats big plus vs the mk3 MR2.
Personally I still love the MR2 but I can see why the MX5 is the more popular.
Also a big one to note is the mk3 MX5 has stability control so if its going to be used in the winter thats big plus vs the mk3 MR2.
Personally I still love the MR2 but I can see why the MX5 is the more popular.
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