Toyota MR2

I am not the most difficult person to confuse, but correctly identifying the Mazda and Toyota cabriolets completely mixes me up.
If I don’t either embarrass myself by referring to the Mazda MR2, I make a pratt of myself talking about the Toyota MX-5.

Such indecisiveness carries on to my roadtest verdicts for the Mazda MX-5 and Toyota MR2 (they’re correct by the way) as in performance they’re difficult to split.
But whereas the Mazda provides near perfect unbridled soft-top joy, the Toyota I drove was let down badly by the awkward detachable roof. When the hot, sunny spell arrived I couldn’t wait to get the Toyota’s top down.

Having driven many a cabriolet I presumed it would be pressing a button and the roof disappearing or, horror of horrors, folding the roof manually back.
But rather than test-driving the normal, fold back yourself soft-top, I was supplied with an Toyota MR2 with a detachable, colour-coded metal roof.

Not only do you have to lift the roof off and store it in a garage, running the risk of being caught topless in a downpour 20 miles from home, you also have to pay almost pounds 2,500 for the privilege. Fine, the hard top means your cabriolet is less prone to vandal attack, but if you live in a flat without a garage what are you supposed to do?

After standing for a few minutes contemplating what to do with a half-on, half-off roof, I decided to put it back on, safe in the knowledge it wouldn’t be nicked and I wouldn’t get drenched.
Unfortunately, not only is the hard top a completely impractical feature, but it isn’t exactly a doddle to put back on. It took a colleague and myself more than 20 minutes.
So, unfortunately, I can’t tell you about its topless driving qualities. But I can tell you about its otherwise fantastic performance.

The Toyota MR2 feels light but yet is exquisitely balanced. Add this to agile handling and ultra-precise steering and you just can’t resist throwing the car into bends.
If there are no bends you might succumb to pulling the steering wheel hard to the left and right to feel the Toyota MR2’s responsiveness.

The low driving position, while making the car rather difficult to get into, provides a perfect place from where to enjoy the speedy (138bhp fires it from 0-62mph in 8 seconds) sports car thrills and spills.
The Toyota MR2 is a gorgeous machine as well, and not anywhere near as girlie as the MX.
The Toyota is not out of its depth in the battle for the King of the Cabriolets title, but remember – soft is better than hard when it comes to the roof of this Toyota.

Facts and figures

Make: Toyota
Model: MR2 Roadster 1.8
Price: pounds 17,000 (plus pounds 2,400 for detachable hard-top roof and air con)
Mechanical: 138bhp, 1,794cc, 16v 4cyl petrol engine driving rear wheels via 6-spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 131mph
0-62mph: 8 secs
Combined mpg: 38.2
Insurance group: 13
CO2 emissions: 178g/km

BiK rating: 19%

Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 12yrs anti-rust; 3yrs paint