The Toyota MR2 Once Got A Sequential Manual Transmission That Made It Slower

The third-generation Toyota MR2, which launched in 1999, had all the ingredients to be called a baby Ferrari: a mid-engine layout, rear-wheel drive, and a sporty exterior. Another aspect that added to that comparison is the sequential manual gearbox (also called the SMT) that was offered on the MR2 — something previously seen in cars like the Ferrari 360. But, unlike the Ferrari, this wasn't a fast-shifting transmission. In fact, it was slower than the regular manual gearbox. Road tests from that period show that the non-sequential offering completed the 0–60 mph sprint in 7 seconds. The sequential took an additional 1.7 seconds to reach the same speed, while the quarter-mile was 1.2 seconds slower.

Toyota seemingly kept durability and reliability in mind when developing the transmission. Launches and shifts are slow, particularly upshifts, but downshifts are smooth and seamless. Shifts could be made either using the buttons behind the steering wheel — unlike the commonly-used paddles — or via the floor-mounted gear lever. The transmission did away with a clutch pedal, instead relying on a hydraulic actuator and sensors to determine when the driver wanted to change gears and to engage or disengage the clutch, similar to how AMTs function. 

The SMT on the MR2 has been criticized by some Toyota master technicians as unnecessarily complicated and not very reliable. It was initially launched with a five-speed SMT gearbox, while a six-speed variant was introduced later — which some claim was slightly more reliable than the five-speed unit. 

The Toyota SMT drew its inspiration from racing and rallying.  There, sequential gearboxes are more common and enable quick shifts. However, it didn't quite work in the MR2, as shift speeds fell short of expectations. Many owners also complained about reliability issues with the gearbox. Common problems include the transmission not going into gear, faulty pressure sensors, and — as a $4,500 2002 Toyota MR2 listing shared — a poor hydraulic pump. And since Toyota used the SMT only in the MR2 — which was not much of a big seller compared to the Camry or Corolla — there are very few technicians experienced in working with the gearbox. 

But even if the SMT fails or the shifts aren't satisfactory, MR2 owners always have the option of a manual swap. A few companies offer manual transmission conversion kits that include some OEM Toyota parts, providing the peace of mind associated with Toyota reliability. The SMT was a novel attempt by Toyota to bring racing-bred technology to the masses, but slow shifts and reliability issues ultimately led to its demise.