The style of a Ferrari, lighter than a Pagani, and the power of a Jaguar flying around the track with the engine roaring. The rhythmic beating of four pistons getting blasted with 2.2 liters of fuel and air. This is the experience that the 1991 Toyota MR2 gives to the owner for 350 times less than the price of some of the previously mentioned vehicles.
The second-generation Toyota MR2 from the ’90s is the only Toyota with a mid-engine layout, meaning that it has the same style as Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Porches, with the engine being more centralized, not in the back or front.
“I really love the body lines, and the fact that it’s mid-engine is really cool,” Madden Batman said.
MR2 stands for Midship Runabout 2 seater and is a staple in the JDM and Import car communities. Many non-car people will not recognize this car as it is becoming increasingly rare, but that is the beauty of this car.
Because the SW20 MR2s are getting rarer they do typically sell at a higher cost. A stock MR2 in good condition can run for about $10,000 to $15,000 but many are not in such amazing condition those can go from $3,000 to $6,000, While the modified ones are somewhat in the middle. They are also not found super locally, many will be in California or Texas.
The MR2 comes with both naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines, the NA is a 2.2 liter shared with the Celicas of the time. The turbocharged option had a 2.0 liter that made about 70 more horsepower.
Because of Toyota name’s reputation, the MR2 is super reliable and the parts are easy to find. Toyota will use many of the same parts in different vehicles, they have put the same oil cap on cars for nearly 40 years.
Although it has an unconventional engine placement it still comes with a trunk and a frunk which just adds to the beauty of this car. On the inside, the MR2 does not have a center console but plenty of space behind the seats and still has a glove box, and even on the NA models it has a hidden storage behind the passenger seat.
The exterior has a beautiful smiling front grill and pop-up headlights creating a face everyone loves. Going down the sides it has some sleek air vents to feed air to the engine that is so beautifully held in a small compartment right behind the driver’s seat. And at the back, it fashions a low profile spoiler to give better aerodynamics and MPG.
“I love the pop-up headlights,” Elijah Millard said.
Even though this car seems perfect on paper, some issues can also become apparent. It is a very small car, anyone above average height will need to make the seats as low as possible. Because of the unusual engine placement, snap oversteer is more prone to happen.
Daily driving is like driving a 120 mph go-kart on the open road, the balance of speed and handling gives the aesthetic of racing on the road. While going 50 it feels like going 70, making turns at 30, and doing it like a turn at 15, The joys of this vehicle go on and on
The MR2 is also the perfect car for a track day, enjoyably or competitively. Having it stock will do just fine for casual races but the modification potential is insane. It is only about 2000 pounds meaning any power will make it go faster than ever expected.
Popular modifications are K-series engine swaps and 3.5L V6 engine swaps. Both these modifications can increase the HP by hundreds, as well with some carbon fiber panel swaps it will make it fast enough to get in trouble and get out of trouble.
The MR2 is perfect for anyone who wants an obscure JDM car, it sticks out from all the Miatas, Supras, and GTRs. It does all that any other car will, it has the style, it has the rarity, and it has the eye-catching features.
