What Engine Powered The Toyota SW20 MR2, And How Much Do The Cars Go For Today?

The Toyota SW20 MR2 (also known as the MKII MR2) is regarded today as a '90s Japanese classic, and you could say it has rightfully earned its status. It is the second generation of the Toyota MR2 made between 1984 and 2007 and was available from 1989 to 1999 – although U.S. consumers only had access to the 1991-95 MR2 model years. The SW20 Toyota MR2 carried forward the fun-to-drive ethos of the brand's lightweight sports cars due in part to a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive architecture that provides excellent weight balance for terrific handling. The sports car is also praised for its practicality, great build quality, and a healthy dose of exotic looks that will remind you of the Ferrari 348. 

Despite all of these positive attributes, the Toyota SW20 MR2's engine is a major reason why it tends to hog the spotlight. Turbo SW20 MR2s were powered by a turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-liter 3S-GTE inline-four engine shared with the rare and collectible ST185 Toyota Celica GT-Four that won three consecutive drivers' titles between the 1992 and 1994 seasons. U.S. models got a Gen 2 3S-GTE inline-four good for 200 hp and an equal amount of torque, which was decent for its day and enough to prod them to 60 mph in a respectable 5.8 seconds, according to MotorTrend. 

Standard Toyota SW20 MR2s, however, had to make do with a 130-hp, naturally aspirated 2.2-liter 5S-FE inline-four engine lifted from the Toyota Camry (European and Japanese market got a 2.0-liter, 3S-GE straight-four that made up to 197 hp). So equipped, the sprint from zero to 60 mph takes the American-spec model around 8.0 seconds, according to the very same MotorTrend post cited earlier. MR2 Turbo models were equipped exclusively with a five-speed manual transmission, while base versions with the naturally aspirated engine could be had with either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual.

According to Classic.com, the Toyota SW20 MR2 costs between $12,000 and $29,900 for unmodified examples in very good condition and with relatively low mileage. These prices are mostly for the US market Toyota SW20 MR2 sports cars from 1991 to 1995. Modified import versions of the second-generation MR2 tend to cost slightly more. For example, Classic.com has a 79k-mile 1996 Toyota MR2 listed for $29,500, while for those desirous of lower mileage and more oomph, there's a 46k-mile 1996 Toyota MR2 GT-S Turbo that's available for $35,999. 

For context, a 1991 Toyota SW20 MR2 can cost $15,148 (MSRP) new for the naturally aspirated coupe and $16,398 for T-top models, per CarGurus. The 1991 Turbo MR2, meanwhile, had a starting MSRP of $18,778 for the coupe and $19,678 for the T-top models. Seeing as a base NA 1991 Toyota MR2 now costs at least $12,000 (just to clarify, this price is from 2022, so it could cost way more in the current market), you could say the 1991 Toyota SW20 MR2 showed an average value loss of 20.8% over the past 33 years, suggesting the MR2 is one of the slowest-depreciating Toyota cars out there. That's even before you consider that they can also fetch good values, especially in turbo guise. A case in point is this T-top 1991 Turbo MR2, which costs as high as $27,900 – some $8,222 above the original MSRP.

[Featured image by GreenGhost74 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]