The Mazda Miata has pretty much enjoyed a competitor-free life for the last 10 years. After all, the original 1.9-liter BMW Z3 was too expensive (and too slow) to be …
The Good
We would have to say that the best part about the new MR2 Spyder is merely the fact that the car exists. As we said earlier, there hasn't been much of a selection in this market segment for the last 10 years. ln no way are we saying that the Miata is a bad car, but it's nice to have a choice in this price and performance range.
Speaking of price, the Spyder's $23,098 tag seems reasonable. It fits squarely in the middle of the Miata's price range, but unlike the Mazda, the Toyota comes only one way. (Sorry, this isn't Burger King.) There are no factory options available for the 2000 MR2 Spyder, meaning that the $23,098 price isn't for any budget, stripped-down version.
All Spyders come with niceties like an AM/FM/CD audio system, air-conditioning, tilt steering wheel, leather-wrapped steering wheel, rear glass window and .some snappy-lookjng five-spoke wheels. (One wonders when the wheels will begin showing up on Civics, since the bolt circle appears to be correct.)
Aside from the standard equipment, we quickly fell in love with the MR2 Spyder's driving position. We would have to rate the relationship between the driver's seat, pedals, steering wheel and shifter as nearly excellent.
We also liked the soft top mechanism. The latches are very similar 10 the ones used on the Miata, but the Toyota's top folds in such a way that it forms its own tonneau cover.
Another plus goes to the car's light weight. In a world where a 3000-pound BMW M roadster doesn't seem like a big deal, we like the fact that the MR2 Spyder checks in at only 2195 pounds, even lighter than the beloved Miata. (The newest Miata weighs about 2300 pounds.)
The Bad
While there is much to like about the new MR2 Spyder, we did find a few sore spots. These items don't ruin the car, but they may be a major issue for some potential buyers.
For one, the automobile has practically no carrying room. Even though they were two-seaters, both previous generations of the MR2 had enough cargo capacity. The fact that there is none in the new car kind of shocks us, especially since Toyota is usually one of the more innovative companies out there.
There is a minuscule storage spot in the MR2 Spyder's front trunk, and Toyota also put another small compartment behind the seats. The EPA measures only 1.9 cubic feet of carrying space, which isn't much larger than the average backpack. You can get a week's worth of groceries into the trnnk of an early Miata, while the MR2 would only carry home your groceries if your die1 consisls of mns and berries.
...And the Ugly
Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder, but we didn't find the MR2 Spyder to be the most attractive car ever produced. From the front. it looks a linle like those Nick Park cartoon cars that are featured in the Chevron commercials. while its flanks give a new definition to the term "slab-sided." Taken as a whole, it looks a little too much like a kit car for our taste, although Toyota's stylists did do a good job on the tail. (Too bad you don't drive down the road backward–at least not legally.)
Fortunately, once you slide behind the wheel, all other viewpoints are inconsequential. From that perspective, with your hands on the wheel and your feet on the pedals, the MR2 Spyder is beautiful.
Is the MR2 for You?
The answer to that question depends on what you're looking for and who you are. The MR2 Spyder makes a great weekend toy and could be the newest, best thing for SCCA B Stock autocrossing.
On the other hand, this new Toyota probably isn't the hottest ticket for a one-car family, even if that family is just one person.
All told, if you are only carrying yourself and one other person (or yourself and a box of tissues), then go for it. If not, you may try looking elsewhere. Besides, its cartoonish front means you may have trouble looking super-suave while driving it.
Counterpoint:
The MR2 Spyder is a frustrating car, as it could have been so much better. In stock form, the handling is good, but it lacks the ability to easily carry speed in a sweeper like a Miata or even the Celica on which it is based. This could be due to its weird transitioning from understeer to oversteer and back again, something that could be solved with better shocks, although stiffening things up might exacerbate the already noticeable amounts of cowl shake.
The styling is reminiscent of a Porsche, including the view from the driver's seat, but it lacks the classic beauty of a 911 or even that of a second-generation MR2. While not groteqsue, the effect is more FUBU than Versace. The fact that the top goes down increases its appeal, but here, again, another car can do it better–a Miata in this case.
For around $23k, the R2 Spyder represents an inexpensive entry into the roadster niche, but it is going up against tough competition like a new Miata, a good used MR2, or even a Porsche that it is trying to emulate. And don't even get me started on the "trunk."
–Per Schroeder, GRM Special Projects Manager and 1992 MR2 owner
Compared to the Honda S2000, the BMW M roadster or the Porsche Boxster, the new MR2 Spyder is a crude little car. Then again, it is roughly half the price of these other roadsters. Yes, there is some scuttle shake and no room for any luggage, but the MR2 is the most fun car I have driven since my Porsche 914.
Speaking of the 914, the Toyota MR2 Spyder truly is the spiritual successor to that overlooked little Porsche. Dimensionally they are very close, and viscerally they have an uncanny similarity. Unfortunately, if you look at the actual design of the two cars, the Porsche 914 looks like the more modern automobile with its well-designed targa top and large trunk space.
Perhaps the Spyder is an incredibly good deal at $23,000 when compared to the Boxster, but what about a well-restored 914? A nicely-restored Porsche 914 would cost less than half the money of the new MR2. New-car buyers generally never look at old cars, but maybe a few more should. After all, the MR2 is more toy than practical automobile. Does it really matter if the toy is new or old?
–Tim Suddard, GRM Publisher and 1973 Porsche 914 owner
Driving the MR2 Spyder reminded me a great deal of my old first-generation MR2. It felt light, had gobs of living space in the interior, had excellent outward vision and the handling was good, if not quite great.
The biggest problem with this little cutie is that it's just not a real car. There's absolutely zero storage space, and at speeds above 60 mph the car feels darty and nervous. Now, there's a fine line between responsive and nervous, and this one is obviously on the wrong side of that line.
Not that I didn't like it, mind you. Despite my whining, the MR2 is loads of fun to drive, and really rather rewarding when you toss it around a bit.
If you really want a motorcycle, but just have to have a CD player and a/c, the MR2 Spyder is a natural choice.
–J.G. Pasterjak, GRM Production Manager/Art Director and former owner of a 1985 MR2
