Toyota MR2 1.8 VVTi SMT

By Chris Thorp

November 2002

Only eagle-eyed readers will spot that both front and rear lights have been restyled. The front bumper has also been revised to look sportier, while the interior gets chrome detailing, but still feels plasticky and lacks storage.

The mechanical changes are equally subtle, and make the Toyota safer and more fun. Bigger tyres and suspension tweaks combine with standard vehicle stability and traction control, as well as Brake Assist, which all helps improve safety. The trade-off is an even firmer ride, which can be irritating on long journeys.

One improvement to cruising is the addition of a sixth gear to the excellent SMT sequential gearbox to reduce revs at speed. The system does slow the Toyota down, but the car feels much quicker than the 9.3 second 0-60mph sprint time suggests. With a manual six-speed box, the MR2 costs ΂£16,995 - ΂£135 cheaper than before - and the SMT version is ΂£18,495. But add the removable hard-top and air-con package and that total rockets to ΂£20,895, pitching the car between Mazda's practical MX-5 and Lotus's focused Elise.

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