2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder review from North America
"The most fun you can have on 4 wheels"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The car is a convertible, and I do realize that there are inherent costs with owning a convertible. The top was a nightmare because it constantly wore holes in it for no reason. After a long feud with Toyota, they finally replaced the entire roof and everything works fine now.
The customer service of the dealerships that I have dealt with has been bad. Frequently, when routine warranty-covered repairs would be performed, the technicians would try to get me to pay for it. This was if they even knew what was wrong with the car.
There is hardly any room for any cargo. Small locking compartments are behind the seat, but they are just big enough to fit a few six-packs. Don't buy this to go to the grocery store.
General comments?
Don't let my bad marks about the car fool you. This is an amazing vehicle. Someone stole my emblems, so many people assume it is a Porsche. Not bad for a Toyota that is actually quite affordable for what it is.
The fuel economy is amazing. I regularly get 30-35 mpg, and on road trips it can get as high as 40.
The car is not extremely powerful, but it does very well. Because it is so light and the engine is in the back, it feels a lot more powerful than it actually is. If you are good at driving twisty road courses, you can win almost any race with this car.
I once saw an advertisement that is a good description of this car: "The more children you have, the more practical it becomes."
Recommended reviews
| Fun, quick, but the engine issues killed it for me |
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| To sum it up, the MR2 can't be beat for the value, performance and overall Toyota quality. |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2001 |
| Year of manufacture | 2000 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6L I-4 Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 4 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 70000 miles |
| Previous car | Acura Integra |
| Date of Entry | 18th April, 2005 |