What Car Do You Respect More Now Than When It Was New?

As the old adages go, hindsight is 20/20, and we don't realize how good we have it until it's gone. When those sayings are related to the wonderful world of automobiles, it's often in regards to things like the loss of physical buttons or hydraulic steering systems. For today's question, let's apply that 20/20 retroactive vision to cars as a whole — we want to know what car you respect more now than when it was new.

Maybe you've suddenly had a change of heart and fell in love with electric cars after vehemently disliking them in the past, or maybe your pendulum swings in the opposite direction and you've suddenly discovered the allure of driving a lifted 4Runner after talking smack about them for years. There are no wrong answers, so go ahead and be honest in the comments section down below. We won't judge you for having a change of heart.

The Toyota MR2 was a much loved and respected mid-engine sports car when it was first introduced, but over the years and after a redesign, it became a bit bigger and softer, as most of us tend to do. For what turned out to be its final generation, Toyota switched things up and exclusively sold its sports car as a convertible called the Spyder, something that MR2 fans were not pleased about. It also did away with the higher-performance trim levels that really earned the nameplate its keep, but you know what? I don't care anymore.

As I've grown older, I've come to accept more things as they are, and that includes the adorable MR2 Spyder. Sure, it wasn't as performance oriented as its predecessors, and sure its looks took a cuter route rather than a more aggressive one, but I kinda love it for that. There aren't enough cute cars that offer whimsy either in their looks or their driving experience, and the MR2 Spyder offers both of those traits.

It seems like virtually all new cars sold in the U.S. are trying to look as imposing and aggressive as possible, aside from Minis and the Fiat 500e, so the Spyder's cutesy looks endear me to it. Plus, it's light by today's standards; it's still mid-engined, which is cool and rare; and it still put an emphasis on driving enjoyment, which can't be faulted. I respect it a lot more now than I ever did growing up, but what car do you respect more now than when it was new? Let us know in the comments.