Brilliant handling. Controllable when it lets go of the tarmac. Great supercar-looks. Good accelleration (7,2 sec to 60Mph).

The T-top is really useless It's noisy and pointless. I would prefer the more rigid roof-version, but they are not available in 2.0 GTi.

I bought this car in November 2000. Have had some trouble with high oil consumption, but there is no smoke, and no external leaking. Handles great with communicative steering.

I don't agree with everyone's opinion on the winter handling, I think it's great. You can really control your slides with this car, and with the engine in the back, it will go almost wherever a front wheel car goes. I have driven it five months in snowy conditions and two months on tarmac.

There are three versions of the MR2:
-The Turbo with 204Hp 3S-GTE engine.
-The European and Japanese NA (normally aspirated) with 156Hp 3S-GE engine.
-The US NA with 137Hp 3S-FE engine.

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1986 Fiat Ritmo 130TC Abarth - Hot hatch, front wheel drive italian car with 2.0L 130Hp twincam carburator engine. The MR2 has a higher top speed and better handling on tarmac. But I love the minimalistic build of the Abarth. Two very different cars really.

Comfy, smooth. if properly maintained, looks fantastic at virtually any age - always turns heads. T-bar good fun in summer and not too windy.
For me, the fastest car I've ever had and handles really well - v. similar to an elise

5th Gear a little short for the motorway, ummm.........

Definitely reccomend it. if serviced regularly, will go forever - really well engineered and reliable too!

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Driven an elise - v.similar but feels more solid

It's very fun to drive. It beats the hell out of cars that cost a lot more. The near perfect front rear weight allows sporty handling. Reliable...it takes one helluva beating. Quick

Gets me into trouble because I have a need for speed in it. It's quick but not fast. Could use more power. Because of its age there is not too much out there for it.

I woould only recommend this car if you think you've got the balls to drive it the way it should be driven.

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Subaru Legacy station wagon

The ultimate thing about the MR2 is the amount of performance for such a small price. In terms of performance it would be the handling that would stand out the most, people who have been for rides have been shocked at the speed I enter corners at with no hassel. Standard acceleration is good with the 3s-gte, seems similiar to a Subaru WRX to 60mph. The 3s-ge is not too bad being the 3s-gte without the turbo.
The cockpit is awesome, makes you feel like the car is wrapped around you and ready to take on anything!
Definately the looks, that lower front makes the MR2 one of the sexiest cars on the road!

The 1990 is getting a bit old, although it has still done less than 100000k. Rear tyres go down way too quick!.

If these cars were still been imported into NZ, ( they are but NZ dollar is to weak to compete ) I would recommend it highly. It is very hard to find a good condition MR2 here now. If the oportunity comes I'll get a 1993 turbo, or otherwise a Mazda RX7 Batmobile!

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1990 3s-gte - subaru wrx, 1999 nissan silvia 200sx,
1900 3s-ge - 1990 subaru RS legacy,1989 galant vr4, 1999 toyota Celica

These are, by a large margin, the most underacknowledged exotic machines of the automotive world. The phenomenal handling, fierce acceleration, remarkable comfort, beautiful engine noises, perfect cockpit, absolute knockout styling, impeccable reliability, everything about the '95 MR2 Turbo is so damn dead-on perfect, it's sick. Imagine if Sony built cars: total high-tech perfection throughout. Not to mention, with only <70 of the '95 turbos in America, there's a cool little bit of added exclusivity. Don't buy one of these cause you can't afford a Ferrari or NSX. Buy one because you can't get a unique automotive experience such as this in any other car. Period.

1.) Forget about driving it in winter.
2.) Mid-engine configuration means it eats rear tires.
3.) Due to the rarity of these models, sometimes even Toyota mechanics have a hard time working on them. (Don't worry, nothing ever breaks!)
4.) Sometimes it draws a bit TOO MUCH attention (scary to park and leave.)

I owned a Steel Mist Grey '93 MR2 Turbo for 3+ years and loved it to death. I bought the '95 Turbo (Dark Emerald Pearl) 2 months ago. It definitely says something when you buy the same car twice in a row. I will NEVER tire of these remarkable machines

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'89 944 Turbo S (Don from Chicago who just posted a review of this is my bro): MR2 has less turbo lag, tighter handling, MUCH more reliable. However, once the Porsche spools up, he's gone.
Corrado SLC: MR2, once again, has better acceleration, handling, and reliability.

too many to list, here are some main ones:
- very light yet strong (2800 pound car w/ 200 hp & 200 ft-lb torque = lots of smiles and grins)
- near 50/50 weight distribution, actual 48/52, meaning...
- awesome handling, (this is due to the mid-engine design).
- looks great (nsx'ish front, ferrari'ish rear), hey people still mistake it for new!
- great support from imoc (mr2.com)
- toyota reliability, the mr2 is no exception!
- tends to be a little underutilized meaning it's very modifiable. not uncommon to see 300+ hp out of the engine
- great gas mileage for the strong 2.0L 3s-gte engine (20 highway, 27 city)
- not as expensive as you'd imagine with all this, hence...
- definately best bang for your buck you can get!

a few and minor.. usually outweighted by the strengths:
- can eat rear tires more than usual but that all depends on how you drive
- older models with solid colors tend to fade and get spotty (esp. red) due to no clear coat.
- due to the 'sportiness' of the car, this isn't the best car for beginngers to learn to drive on.
- shifting into reverse is notchy

The strengths almost say it all..

Firstly I love my mr2. It's also my first car. While my mr2 is red, red wasn't my first choice, but I realize that this car really looks good in red and red is probably the best color for this car (most popular color too).

I woudlnt recommend the mr2 to a begining driver. I believe you can't drive a mid-engine rwd car like you'd drive your moms front-engine fwd car (i learned myself prety quickly and adapted, and the better a driver I am now because of it). If you autocross you'll understand more, which really teaches you to drive and control your car well.

I've learned to use and appreciate standard transmission (stickshift) on it but I previously learned to drive on my mother's (auto) pontiac grand am. While the grand am was a far cry from my mr2, I can't even begin to compare the two. The mr2 is simply vastly superior to her car and many
other cars on the road in many many ways.

It's simply a joy to drive, you can't understand that until you try it yourself. i've had mine half a year now and it still makes me want to drive everywhere, with the exception through traffic, not because it's stick (like most people ignorantly believe) but since i dont want to put my mr2 through that, so i still take the subways sometimes for that very reason. Parking isn't always easy to find in the city (the big apple). The car is rather small but you can't just park anywhere :) If it wasn't for those two reasons i dont see why i woudlnt drive it everywhere..

The mr2 with the Toyota name is very reliable. The turbo-model engine, the 3S-GTE, has been used in race-bred and tuned cars that produce over two to three times the stock mr2's hp. That same engine has been made street legal producing a mere 200 hp and 200 ft-lbs torque so you know that it is very reliable. Because it's been 'de-tuned' down to be street-legal, you can imagine that it's a little under-utilized. This makes this car very modifiable but without compromising reliability. 300+ hp is not uncommon to see with among the mr2 crowd.

But remember, even in stock form, it's a blast and there's power to spare with the reilability toyota is world-famous for. And although turbocharged engines are usually higher-maintenance, my mr2 w/ the stock turbo at 94k miles still runs very strong. I am looking into having it rebuilt and upgraded soon though as that is recommended by toyota. My friend has over 170k miles on his turbo. The non-turbo (NA) mr2's are known to exceed 200k miles even.

As for the reverse gear being notchy, the reason is that the reverse gear doesn't have a syncro (syncronizer) on it so it won't be as smooth as all the forward gears that do. Many cars have this design flaw but in the eyes of the car manufacterers, the amount of usage of the reverse gear didn't justify the addition (and design?) of a syncro for the reverse gear. It's not that big a deal, just a minor annoyance.

there are some things that aren't clearly a strength or weakness, they can be either so I tried not to list them above:

the 2 seater situation:
+ if you want a car for YOURSELF, one you'll ENJOY and CHERISH, then this car is for you, makes a great daily driver where you'll enjoy going to work/school (but it can't make you enjoy work/school itself more, only leaving it to drive your mr2 again :).. personally i hate it when friends want me to drive them places.. i just point to my two seats say bye bye and i'm gone :) afterall who likes being a chauffer all the time?
however...
- if you need a car with a lot of room i.e. more than two people and/or you have a family and need to take everyone then this car probably wont be for you.. i've actually managed to fit up to 3 people in it but i woudlnt recommend doing this rarely for more than a few blocks as it's not exactly most importantly very safe, smart, or legal (in most areas).

This car is rather rare too, there were only a few ten-thousands sold in the US in the early 90's but by the end of 95 only approx 200 were sold. The price for the 95's approached 35k new while in 91 was only 20k new. I've heard this was because japan's economy was doing very well in mid-90's so the price was raised in the US to compensate for the exchange rate difference. That and there was soem redesigning of the mr2 from 93 and in 94 (bigger brakes, revised suspension, redesigned rear lights/spoiler, etc).
- The uniqueness/rarity is sort of a weakness because it makes it harder to find someone to trust to service it. If your mechanic goes around to the front of the car to check the oil, you need to find a new mechanic! :)
- Parts can be a little harder to find (e.g..in junk yards).
+ However you know you aren't driving some common honda with fifty million other honda's on the road. When i spot a fellow MR2 we sometimes wave to each other "Hi!", believe it or not, if situation permits.
+ People even mistake your car for Ferrari's and NSX's :) I went to see my friends' friend late at night a few times and a week later he's like 'who was that porsche that keeps coming by?' referring to my car. lol

Fortunately, there is a organization, the International Mr2 Owners Club, whose members are very friendly and helpful. The "membership fee" is just the cost of your car (that you already paid when u bought the car) :)

The mid-engine design:
- tends to be harder to work on (labor costs slightly higher) because things are harder manipulate, etc.
+ On the other hand, the positive side of this design is that it gives the car superior weight distribution (48/52 front/rear) rivaling just about every other car on the market short of the late-model mazda rx7 (which has perfect 50/50 front/back weight distribution) and higher end cars like porsches.
+ what this means that the mr2 handles very well, coupled with the lightness and strength of the car, it's best to describe it as like a powerful go-kart basically, a very good looking go-kart. :)

With the engine behind you instead of in front like other cars, the cockpit isn't as loud as you'd expect seeing as how it's only two feet behind you, but some still complain (most of them aren't passengers of mine anymore though :)

My MR2 has T-Tops (most of the turbos did) and in the summer it's a joy driving with them off, no to mention almost convertible-ish :) looks great feels even better. Some mr2 owners however complain their T-Tops leak but I have not had a problem with mine.

Another rumored problem among the mkII mr2 (90-95) is the hand brake freezing during winter. They will continue to hold even after the hand brake is released because moisture gets in the cable and freezes. I dont believe i've ever experienced this but I dont take any chances because i use an alternative when parking the car overnight using the transmission (leaving the transmission in gear) in my nearly level flat parking lot.

The suspension actually isn't as stiff as I thought it might be seeing as how it's a true sports car. Driving over a lot of bumps and potholes in the city you will end up feeling something. If you're like me you'll get used to it and just end up ignoring it.

The stock wheels (14inch 91/92, 15inch 93-95) are kind of small but at least lightweight. Many people still have opted to replace them with bigger/wider (yet heavier) wheels/tires to improve the handling of the car even more!

To sum up, the car is a joy to drive and a rare beauty to look at. It has so many plus's, you end up getting a great car with everything you wanted (that's my story and i'm sticking with it!)

While I can't say it's not flawless, what car is? It's 98% perfect and it's a shame a bigger market didn't exist for it in the 90's or perhaps it would not have been discontinued in 95 in the US (it continued to be sold until 99 in england, australia and of course japan, while in 2000 the mr2 was redesigned and named the 'mr2 spyder').
I believe in the 90's the baby boomers needed more room than the 2 seater could provide them but the car is makine a come back as more people find out and fall in love with the mr2's. (Could also be mid-life 'crisises' :)

Also did i mention it's a great looking car that definately turns heads wherever i go? if you'd like to see for yourself, (pardon the shameless plug :) http://images.cynikal.net/quadmr2.jpg

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no equals, no comparison

Awesome handling, jet fighter cockpit, comfy functional seats, headroom for me(6'3"), suprising grocery hauling capability, decent but small high revving engine, good gas mileage, small, light, well balanced car, very manouverable, good 4 wheel disc brakes, limited slip diff, and just plain fun to drive. Aftermarket support for suspension upgrades is decent.

Timing belt failure=bent valves. Not very much for options due to space when it comes to custom stereo installation. Rusted out rear fenders, and under front bumper, hope to fix soon. There don't seem to be any jobber rear quarter replacements available, and Toyota's charging way too much. Could be more aftermarket engine power upgrade options. Car goes pretty good, but it is just dying for more power. The stock wheel/tire combo is adequate for nimble handling, but I think I would like to upgrade to something with more ultimate grip capability. The glovebox could be much better designed. No cupholders. Try to open the top rear console compartment while driving. Ok, I'm nit picking.

Well, when I got the car running, I discovered the struts were toast(original from 86), so I changed all them for Tokicos, and put in some Eibach springs while I was at it. I added a Suspension Tecniques front swaybar and a front strut tower brace from an 88'SC model. Handling is unbelievable, it's like being connected to the road via your nervous system. I disconnected the T-VIS, and took that restrictive plastic intake pipe off the air filter canister, and got some flexible aluminum ducting which I connected instead from the air filter box to the cool air intake fan on the other side. Then I gave the fan constant power. Noticed a nice difference especially in lower rpm power. I'd recommend this car for a single person who likes to drive a fun car, and doesn't care about back seats or hauling a lot of stuff around. It's been reliable since I've been driving it, and gas mileage is good. I look forward to driving it each day.

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1974 Datsun 260Z-Heavily modified L28 inline 6, triple webers, 5 speed, cammed, custom exhaust all the way back, Bilsteins, sway bars, lowered, etc. This car hauled ass, used to eat 5.0 Mustangs for breakfast back in the day. Tons of high revving power, could get a good screech shifting into 3rd, handled quite well, probably not as quite as nimble as the MR2 but higher cornering limits and way more power. It eventually rusted underneath quite extensively, which is too bad, the car was otherwise quite a lot of fun, even more than the MR2. I did get noticed more by the cops in this car though..
1988 Camaro V6-This car felt like driving a barge.. heavy, handled sluggishly, had to really beat the engine to get any power out of it. Not a sports car at all. But I did put a very nice stereo in it to distract me from how boring a car it was to drive.

I bought this car in 1995 because I had just bought my first house and could not keep up with the payments on my 1992 miata. I called it a poor mans miata when I first bought it.

Since that time i have put on just under 60000 km on the car. The only thing that went wrong on it was the headlight switch in the dash. I have done brakes and belts and a clutch..all wear and tear type items.
Toyotas are RELIABLE!

This car handles great. Looks unique .. I could go on and on.

Being in canada ,and not loaded with money I had to drive this car in the winter. The weakness is NOT its handling in the snow... Its the crappy metal that toyota used in the 80's to build cars. These cars rust!

With four snows, this car was great fun and safe in the snow. The only prob was when you were in deep snow, which isnt all the time. Parts can be fairly expensive compared to domestic vehicles, but keep in mind you do not need to buy them often.
Brakes could be better.

If you want a fun , 2 seat car and you are on a budget I say find one of these if you can. I love this car! I just spent 3000 on it this past spring to make the outside look like new.. no more rust and now it's parked for the winter. I am keeping this car!!

It handles like a dream, you feel the road in a very good way.

I have got about 9000 CAN. $$$ into this car total plus gas (what little it uses)from the current 5.5 yrs of ownership.

I bet IF i wanted to sell it... in the summer on a nice day parked on my lawn I'd easily get 5 or 6000 for her, but wouldnt sell it.

I figure this car to be a sure fire classic. Because mine is the first year made I think it should be highly desirable .It also has the nicest clean look of all the MK 1 MR2's. The later models had too much aero body whoop de doo's.

So to sum it up I think I owed this car the 3000 body job. Toyotas have been the most reliable cars i have owned.

Like I said , If I were sell this car next summer I would have been down 3000-4000 dollars from my investment after teh 6 years I would have owned it.

Not many cars could you say that for.
chek out mr2.com It is a great site where I plan to get any parts for this baby from teh many other passionate owners out ther!

If you are planning on buying one. Look for a clean body interior with the lowest miles and modifications available. Body is the most important I know the motors are almost bullet proof even though they rev to 8000 rpm.

Email me if you wanna see her! :)

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I have owned a 85 celica, 88 5.0 mustang, 90 miata, 92 miata among many others ranging from a mini to a jeep to a thunderbird. Total for 30 yrs old I have owned over 15 cars. I have had this car for 5.5 years... you figure that out!

Crisp handling, steering feel, reliability, Fuel economy, general all-round smile factor.

Breaks a bit weak, cabin noise (especially with Janspeed fitted)

If you're after a small sports car that feels great to drive, then look no further. I will have this car until it dies which, knowing Japanese engineering, will not be for some time yet. The closes replacement, according to someone who has owned both cars, would be a lotus elise. According to him, the handling characteristics are similar.

I have taken it around a race track on an open day and found it very difficult to get it out of shape. All you get when pushing it is mild understeer followed by a neutral slide. Cool fun!!

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None

Everything about is a strength. This is a car that everyone should own.
speed
acceleration
brakes.

none

Toyota is one of the best in the busness.
I could write an essay on this car, but I don't have time.
All I can say is "DRIVE IT"!!!!

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300zx. I like this one too. But I love My Mr. 2 a little better.
You should try both of these. Also try the Mitsubishi 3000gt