2002 Toyota Spyder

Considering Mazda’s great and long-standing success with the Miata two-seater sports car, I am amazed there haven’t been a slew of copycats from other manufacturers. While there have been a few attempts here and there since the Miata’s ’89 debut, none comes closer to tapping its market than this MR2 Spyder from Toyota. From what it offers to what it costs, the MR2 Spyder lines up closely with the Miata philosophy, specifically sports car fun and style that’s affordable. Judging from my week driving the Spyder, I believe Toyota gives sports car lovers a viable alternative. The Good News
Although the Miata and the Spyder share many common traits – size, two seats, rear-drive sports car handling, manual convertible top, etc. – several details separate the two. Most significantly, the Miata’s engine is mounted in the front and the MR2 is mid-engine. This configuration, plus the fact the MR2 weighs less than the Miata, makes the MR2 a little faster. Variable valve timing also ensures the power remains strong in the midrange. It has plenty of punch.

The MR2 uses the same 1.8-liter twin-cam 16-valve four-cylinder engine as the new Celica GT. It is rated at 138 horses and 125 lb-ft of torque, compared to 142 horses/125 foot pounds of torque for the Miata.

The MR2 also features excellent brakes, tight reflexes (it has done very well in race track tests) and all the attributes sports car enthusiasts embrace. It even gives you slightly more room for bodies inside the cabin than the Miata, and that’s commendable.

Driving becomes something to look forward to, parking is a cinch and interstates can make you feel like an insect. But that’s all part of it.

The Bad News
Most controversial about the MR2 Spyder are its looks. Several people – old, young and in-between – stopped to say how much they liked it. The adjective they used almost universally was “cute.”

Personally, I think it’s ugly. I don’t care for its lopped-off, boxy styling at all, especially compared to the Miata, which gets prettier and more elegant with every update. This car looks like a toy, not as in “big boy toys” but as in “pull toys.”

The MR2 also feels thinner and less well constructed than the Miata. This may be due in part to the MR2’s being lighter in weight, which is an asset for speed. Still, I would give up a few tenths of a second for a more solid thunk to the doors and the feeling this car will hold together in years to come.

Then there’s the issue of cargo space. Although no one buys a sports car expecting to pack the matched luggage set for a week’s vacation, the MR2 scores worse than most. The seats meet the back wall, the engine consumes the rear compartment and the spare tire takes up the space beneath the hood. I had trouble even taking along my purse and a passenger.

Gas mileage
EPA rated at 25 mpg city/30 highway

Price
Manufacturer’s base, $23,375;
Price as tested, $25,037

Is it worth it?
Although the bad news here may appear to outweigh the good, let me clarify that I like this MR2 Spyder. I grew up with sports cars and this one pushes all the right buttons in terms of driving fun.

I am also impressed with the level of equipment for the money: windows and door locks are power-operated, air conditioning, power steering, halogen headlamps, aluminum sports pedals, dual air bags, alloy wheels, leather-wrapped steering. In other words, the concept of the basic sports car today is far more sophisticated and comfortable than I would have ever dreamed. The extra $660 in this particular vehicle added leather trim throughout.

It should also be noted that this year Toyota adds a sequential shifter, which is a clutchless manual. Personally, I think automatics in these cars are abominations, but we all know I’m dreadfully old fashioned.

Yes, I think this MR2 Spyder offers great sports car bang for its buck and I’m delighted the Miata has some competition. That only makes things better for all of us. But would I choose the MR2 Spyder over the Miata? No way. Let’s just say I don’t like being boxed in.

Beth Stein is a life-long car buff and free-lance journalist living in Nashville. She has reviewed new vehicles in print for 12 years as a weekly columnist for Nashville’s daily newspapers and on television for Road Test Magazine and Motor Trend Television. Currently, her reviews appear nationally on Car And Driver Television.