New Toyota MR2: Everything We Know So Far
It seems all but certain that a new Toyota MR2 will be arriving in the coming years. Rumours have been floating around ever since the stealthy reveal of the Sports EV concept back in 2021, followed up by the closer-to-production-looking FT-Se in 2023.
Although weâre yet to get official confirmation from Toyota, the manufacturer has teased us with several signs of the MR2 returning. Hereâs everything we know so far about the comeback of Midship Runabout 2-seater.
Will anyone else help develop the new Toyota MR2? Toyota FT-Se concept – rear
Although Toyota has relied on other manufacturers to help get its recent sports cars across the line â see the Subaru-developed GR86 and BMW Z4-based Supra â it appears it wonât be taking that direction for the new MR2.
Reports have suggested that itâll sit on a platform bespoke to the car and developed wholesale by Toyota. It could well borrow bits from other GR cars though, and our closest official tease yet is the GR Yaris M Concept revealed in January 2025.
Although that car had the body of the Yaris, it housed a new mid-mounted 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine (more on that in a bit), which is something that car very much does not have normally. That prototype is being deployed throughout the year in Japanâs Super Taikyu series to âfurther explore the potential of the GR Yarisâ, though it seems thereâs more to it than that.Â
Toyota GR Yaris M Concept, rear, engine cover open
As reported by CarScoops, during a Toyota press conference at the Tokyo Auto Salon in January, Hiroaki Ishiura, a driver for Toyotaâs Rookie Racing squad, reportedly said of the GR Yaris M: âI think itâs going to be an MR-something.â
That was only fuelled further by chairman Akio Toyoda, who said when asked if the Yaris could morph into a production model: âThatâs our hope and we can all imagine various things at this moment â there is no official announcement yet.â
There have been recent reports in Japan that Mazda and Toyota are working together on a new sports car in Japan, but itâs likely to be a Supra successor rather than the MR2.
Will the new Toyota MR2 be electric, hybrid or pure petrol-powered?We had expected a potential new Toyota MR2 to arrive as an electric car when the FT-Se was revealed, with some press blurb describing the concept as a âHigh-performance sports [battery electric vehicle] model proposed as one of the options for sports cars in the carbon-neutral era.â
However, in the two years since, Toyota has been working away on a brand-new 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine that is set for use in future GR cars. Thatâs the one hiding away in the back of the GR Yaris M.
Itâs been designed to support both mild- and full-hybrid setups, suggesting the MR2 would have some form of electrification when it arrives. Itâs also expected to find its way into the upcoming new Celica, with Japanese publication Best Car reporting it could have up to 400bhp in that car. Something similar for the MR2 may not be out of the question, but we can only speculate for the time being.
Itâs expected that the new MR2 will use a four-wheel drive system with that engine, plus the choice of a six-speed manual or eight-speed torque converter gearbox. Donât be put off by the latter â weâve tried it in the GR Yaris, and itâs very, very good.
When is the new Toyota MR2 coming?Officially, nothing has been confirmed, so we canât say for sure. However, various reports have touted that 2026 could be the year of the new Toyota MR2. Weâll take bets on it arriving before GTA VI.
Hopefully, weâll know for sure later this year. Given that several months have passed since Toyota teased an MR2 revival alongside some other big names in its in-house âGRIPâ anime, it could be sooner than laterâŠ
