A single fatal flaw prevents this car from getting my recommendation.
While I agree with all the other reviews of this car on this site
(style/handling excellent; space limited), I think that all other
reviewers, as well as Toyota, overlooked the single most annoying
thing about this car, which will ultimately nag at every sports car
enthusiast who owns it. The car is purportedly made for people who
love to drive. Yet gear ratios have been artificially skewed to give
the impression of more "pep". This is a trick manufactures can play
when providing an underpowered engine.

The ratios have been geared up for quicker acceleration, but you hit
5th gear at 45mph. After that, there is no where to go. At highway
speed (65-75) the engine is whining at 4.5K - 5K rpm, and you're
looking for another gear to bring the tension down. But there is no
other gear. Just tension. Try driving that way for more than 10
minutes -- aaaargh!

Toyota chose to ignore three better alternatives: (1) larger engine --
probably no room in this MR2 frame; (2) turbo -- the best and most
obvious choice; (3) a sixth gear -- 2nd best choice, and Celica has
one; why not MR2?!

Any driver who owns another manual transmission car along with this
MR2 will get annoyed every time s/he drives this car, due to the
non-standard gearing. As a result, the only people who will find the
gearing on this car acceptable are those who generally only drive
automatics (this is their first or only manual transmission car). For
the rest of us who love to drive sports cars, and were looking
forward to the style, thrill and grace of the 2000 Toyota MR2,
scream loud at Toyota, and pass on this one. You'll save yourself a
lot of heartache and regret. And just maybe Toyota will get it right
in 2001, by adding turbo or a sixth gear.

Although I found everything else on this car exceptional (styling and
handling) or acceptable (no cargo space, but that's ok, given the
obvious intent of the car), and would have given the car 5 stars,
since it otherwise hits its mark; I am forced to reduce the rating to
2 stars. Its major flaw is so annoying that I had to cancel my deposit
and pass on an otherwise dream automobile.