1985 Toyota MR2

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1985 Toyota MR2 on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the car due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all of the more than 145 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, and a link to the MR2's accident-and-damage-free Carfax history report, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

“We at C/ar and Driver unanimously voted the MR2 onto our first-available 'Ten Best Cars'" – Car and Driver, June 1986

Car and Driver writer, Arthur St. Antoine, noted the MR2's immediate appeal: “The showers of kudos for Toyota's mid-engined two-seater began as soon as it burst from its wrapping paper, back in February 1985. The MR2 earned rave reviews from the press for its finely balanced handling, its superb five-speed gearbox, and its jewel-like twin-cam, sixteen-valve, four-cylinder engine.”

Concluding their 30,000-mile long-term test, the magazine summarized their experience with the Toyota this way: “The MR2 gave us a year of pure driving enjoyment. It unraveled countless twisty roads, embarked on dozens of long treks, ran hundreds of errands, and never gave us one moment of difficulty. The sad ending to this success story is that 'Mister Two' will spend the next 30,000 miles of its life in someone else's hands.”

The full Car and Driver long-term test report can be found online here: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15141643/toyota-mr2-archived-long-term-test-wrap-up-review/

Offered here in red over black-and-red is a 1985 Toyota MR2. Showing 170,627 miles on its odometer, the two-seater has traveled fewer than 5,000 miles per-year on average since new. This is a well-maintained example of the highly regarded mid-Eighties sports car from Toyota.

The car's exterior paint has been partially refreshed and retains good, but not perfect gloss overall. Some fading is noted particularly on upward-facing panels. An unbroken black-and-silver tape accent stripe runs the length of the body. The red rear-deck spoiler is in excellent condition, and there are no dings, dents, or other damage on any sheet metal. (To best assess the quality of the paint and trim finishes, be sure to view the close-up photographs of the car in the accompanying gallery.) Black trim on the car's bumpers, window surrounds, door handles, body-side accent, lower-body cladding, mirror caps, and front chin spoiler is generally well-kept and free of damage or significant deterioration. Cabin glass and lighting lenses (including on the pop-up headlights) are generally clear. Factory badging is limited to a period Toyota-logo emblem on the hood. Bronze-finish15-inch. 8-spoke wheels are mounted with Hankook® Ventus V2 Concept2 205/50 performance tires. Slotted brake rotors are visible through the wheels.

Inside, the well-bolstered bucket seats wear combination gray corduroy fabric upholstery with orange center inserts. The fabric shows some wear but no rips, tears, or major imperfections. Black carpets—with protective black MR2-branded carpet mats—covers the cabin floors. A Toyota-embossed, 2-spoke steering wheel (with black leather rim showing wear from use) frames an analog instrument cluster featuring a 7,300-rpm redline tachometer and 150-mph speedometer with four smaller engine-monitoring gauges. The black dashboard and console are composed of angular panels with a very Eighties-design feel. The shift lever for the 5-speed manual transmission is located on the console; HVAC controls are on the center-dash.

The highly regarded Toyota 1.6-liter inline 4-cylinder is transversely mounted amidships and accessed through a rear-deck panel. The engine bay is orderly and tidy but not overly detailed. Viewed from below, the car's chassis is straight, complete, and undamaged. Open views of the lower-engine surfaces, independent suspension, and the transmission are obvious focal points. Very light surface rust is present on some untreated metal.

The MR2's factory build and identification tags remain mounted.

While the more than 145 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this '85 Toyota MR2 in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

The decade of the Eighties saw more than its share of automotive leap-forward developments. High on that list was the MR2 for its balance of responsive power, period styling, outstanding handling, and balance in a true 2-seat sports car. But can you ever go back to the Eighties? Of course, you can