2020 Toyota GR Supra Review

Toyota made a prudent business decision in partnering with BMW to engineer the new Supra. Unlike its long-ago '90s predecessor, the new Supra devours curves as hungrily as it eats up a wide open road. The Supra's value proposition is what typical car fanatics want, offering Porsche Cayman performance at a considerably lower price. And some of us think it looks pretty sharp, too. The rest of us just happen to disagree.

Naturally, we couldn't wait to take the 2020 Toyota Supra to the Edmunds test track to put it through its paces. Read on to see all of the numbers and information from our proprietary testing process, plus exclusive driving impressions from the best testing crew in the business.

2020 Toyota Supra Performance Testing Results

Price as tested: $57,375
Date of test: 8/19/2019
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Odometer: 5,823
Powertrain: 3.0L Turbo Inline 6 | 8-Speed Automatic | RWD
Horsepower: 335 hp @ 5,000 rpm
Torque: 365 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm

2020 Supra Acceleration

"The key-up run felt about what I expected the quick run to feel like. There's a tiny bit of hesitation out of the hole, but the boost surges in and hazes the tires until the shift to second. The engine goes really close to redline and standard shifts are pretty quick, but not lighting-fast like a 718 Whatever with a PDK. There's serious midrange, and it only tapers off a little over 6k. It sounds pretty good all the way — not comically over-tuned and honky like the M4 engine. Launch control is available in Sport mode: One hit of the ESC button with the transmission in Drive, hold the brake, power it up until the BMW-esque checkered flag shows up on the IP, and let it fly. It's a hard launch from a RWD car and the TRAC light flashes away, but the wheels still spin through first and part of second. They're not leaving stripes on the ground, but you're aware that errant steering input would get this thing instantly sideways. Good for Cars and Coffee, then. Shifts are much firmer and a little overacted, but the Supra's fast enough to pull it off. Damn quick."

2020 Supra Braking

"I expected it to stop a bit shorter, to be honest. Compared to the 86 which we tested on the same day, the Supra's pedal felt softer with considerably more travel. There was still good confidence in the brakes, but the difference was bigger than I'd expect. Once into the ABS, you need to work a bit to keep it down there, but the pedal tells you everything you need to know. I didn't get a sense of any fade, but by the end of the day (with ride-a-longs and whatnot)*, a longer pedal and lack of faith in the brakes was noted by another tester. I'd still call these solid brakes, but there's room for improvement if you're looking to track this car."

*Some VIPs came out to our test track to experience the Supra from the passenger seat.

2020 Supra Handling

"Frustratingly not as good going right as it is going left. I expected the numbers to be closer together. Credit to the Supra, because you can get right to the limit — the front end goes right where you want it and the Michelin Super Sport is a friendly tire. The bulging hood kind of gets in the way and made me feel a little farther away from the front end. ESC is pretty well sorted and you can keep a tidy line with or without it engaged. Interesting that I felt the inside rear brake activating as the ESC intervened. Whatever, it never overreacted during steady state cornering. Steering feel could be a bit better — it's accurate enough — but I found myself feeling the front end start to wash through the seat instead of the wheel. ESC off just lets you push the front a bit harder, and on hot asphalt the front tires can overheat just enough in a couple of laps. Decent lift-off oversteer on the skidpad. The chassis definitely knows what's up."

2020 Toyota Supra Vehicle Details

Drivetrain
Drive Type: Rear-Wheel Drive
Engine Type: Conventional Gasoline                                                                 
Engine Configuration: Inline 6                                                                 
Engine Displacement (liters): 3.0                                                             
Engine Induction Type: Turbocharged                                                               
Indicated Redline: 7,000                                                               
Actual Redline (rev limit): 7,000                                                               
Fuel Type: 91 octane                                                                    
Transmission Type: Automatic                                                                
Transmission Speeds: 8
Paddle Shifters: Yes, wheel mounted                                                      
Downshift Rev Match/Throttle Blip: Yes                   
Holds Gears at Rev Limiter: Yes (only in higher gears, auto-upshifts in 1-2)         

Curb Weight and Weight Distribution
Curb weight as tested (lbs): 3,371                                                            
Weight L/F (lbs): 849                                                
Weight L/R (lbs): 822                                                          
Weight R/F (lbs): 884                                                          
Weight R/R (lbs): 816                                                         
Weight distribution, front (%): 51.4                                                          

Brakes
ABS Type: Full ABS                                                           
Brake Rotor Type - Front: 1-Piece Disc                   
Brake Rotor (other) - Front: Vented                                                                   
Brake Caliper Type - Front: Sliding                                                                    
Brake Pistons - Front: 4                                                                
Brake Rotor Type - Rear: 1-Piece Disc                                                              
Brake Rotor (other) - Rear: Vented                                                                    
Brake Caliper Type - Rear: Sliding                               
Brake Pistons - Rear: 1                                                                 
Parking Brake: Button                           

Tires
Tire pressure spec - Front: 38                                                                 
Tire pressure spec - Rear: 38                                                                  
Tire Make: Michelin                                                            
Tire Model: Pilot Super Sport                                                                  
Tire Tread: Asymmetrical                                                              
Tire Type: Regular                                                              
Tire Season: Summer                                                                   
Tire Size (sidewall) - Front: 255/35 ZR19 92Y   
Tire Size (sidewall) - Rear: 275/35 ZR19 96Y              
Spare Tire Type: Sealant plus Inflator                                                                
Tire Treadwear Rating: 300                                                                    
Tire Temperature Rating: A                                                                     
Tire Traction Rating: AA    

About the Driver
Kurt is involved with performance testing, vehicle evaluation and writing reviews. Fourteen-year-old Kurt would be pretty stoked — current Kurt is pretty stoked, too.

It's difficult to say what's felt longer: The absence of the Toyota Supra from the United States or the anticipation of the new one's arrival. Regardless, both clocks stop today as we arrive at Summit Point Motorsports Park in West Virginia to drive the 2020 Toyota GR Supra.

The GR stands for Gazoo Racing, a motorsports-influenced signature for specialty vehicles that Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda has had personal involvement in developing. Its addition to the Supra moniker means this car is important not just to fans, but to the company as well.

We've outlined the hardware — including its BMW roots — and we've debated the styling in previous articles and videos. Now it's time to hop into this two-seat, front-engine, rear-drive coupe and find out how the return of this icon feels from behind the wheel.

What's It Like Inside?

The experience of climbing inside is unlike any modern Toyota. The roof is low, low enough that, if you're wearing a race car helmet, you'll probably bonk your head off of it trying to get in the first couple of times. (Speaking from personal experience here, of course.) The doorsills are wide, too. Entering or exiting gracefully can be a challenge, depending on attire. The Supra's chief engineer explains the inconvenience is worth the gain in performance.

How's that? The design team prioritized a rigid body with a low center of gravity over all else, and building the chassis this way meant compromising some interior comfort. Nevertheless, head- and legroom measurements remain similar to those of similarly priced sports cars.

The view from the driver's seat serves as a reminder that the Supra shares the majority of its underpinnings with the BMW Z4 convertible. The parts and layout aren't identical, but you'll recognize the shifter, climate controls, infotainment screen and ignition chime. The Supra's interior even smells like a new BMW. The only obvious Toyota bits include the digital gauge cluster and the large badge on the steering wheel. It's strange at first, but we won't complain about a BMW-quality interior in our sports car.

Thumb the start button and the 3.0-liter turbo six-cylinder announces itself with a howl and a pop. The gauge cluster lights up, highlighting a large and centrally located tachometer. Tap the Sport button to engage appropriate settings for the gas pedal, steering wheel and adaptive dampers. Flip the shifter over to manual control — an eight-speed automatic is the only transmission available — and head out to the track.

What's It Like to Drive?

It takes a few slow laps to acclimate to the Supra. Its tall dash, bulging hood and low roof encroach on its forward view. The steering wheel is large in diameter, which is apparently a consequence of airbag requirements. These attributes make the car feel big at first, but then you start going faster. And then you forget everything else.

The Supra is a riot to drive. On an open track, it is deftly balanced, easily controllable and hilarious fun. It has a friendly and forgiving demeanor that welcomes various driving styles and skills. We love it.

You can drive within the safety net of the stability control's intermediary "Traction" setting. It permits enough rotation to change the Supra's attitude midcorner but will also reel you in should you get in over your head. So willing is the Supra that we deactivated the stability control after one lapping session. Halfway through the day, we're confident enough to maintain oversteer in third gear repeatedly through one of the track's wider sweeping turns.

With everything off, the Supra generates and revels in oversteer like a stunt driver in a car chase. And this neutrality becomes another option during cornering. Wrong line into the turn? Lift off the gas and let the Supra rotate more. The steering is light and accurate, and it offers excellent feedback from the limits of the tires as you power out of corners.

There's plenty of traction from the Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, which are a staggered fitment on the 19-inch forged aluminum wheels. The front wheels are 9 inches wide, and the rears gain an inch. The tires haul the car down quickly when tasked by the brakes. Toyota fits four-piston calipers and 13.7-inch rotors up front and single-piston calipers with 13- or 13.6-inch rotors on the back, depending on trim level. The tires break away smoothly when you prod the gas pedal a bit too much on corner exit.

How Quick Is It?

On paper, the Supra's 335 horsepower seems low when compared against the likes of a V8-powered Chevrolet Camaro (455 hp) or Ford Mustang (460 hp). Yet the Supra appears to be just as quick thanks to its lower 3,400-pound weight. Toyota says utilizing launch control enables a 0-60 mph sprint of 4.1 seconds. We look forward to verifying that number at the Edmunds test track.

We also consider the Porsche 718 Cayman S a potential rival. Not only is the Cayman roughly the same size as the Supra, but Toyota also says it actually bought a new Cayman every year the Supra was in development for benchmarking.

A future comparison will determine whether Toyota hit its target, but we can say with certainty that the 3.0-liter inline-six has the advantage compared to the Cayman's turbocharged four-cylinder. Its 365 lb-ft of torque arrives at 1,600 rpm, and the horsepower lasts until the 6,500 rpm redline. This breadth of power lets you stay in higher gears through corners and exit with satisfactory acceleration.

The engine also matches well to the eight-speed automatic, which shifts quickly when you're using the steering column-mounted paddles. Though we've complained about the absence of an optional manual transmission, that thought didn't arise on the track. The automatic gets the job done.

The Supra also sounds worlds better than the Porsche Cayman. Its exhaust plays that six-cylinder sound proudly when you're on the gas, and it pops and cracks when you lift. U.S.-spec Supras have a louder exhaust than the rest of the world, where the car faces stricter noise requirements. Here's one case where we get the good stuff.

Should I Buy One?

The base Supra starts at $50,920 (destination included), although the first available 1,500 units are fully loaded Launch Edition variants that ask $56,180 and offer design details such as black wheels and red painted side mirror caps. All Supras come with a one-year membership to the National Auto Sport Association to encourage owners to hit the track.

There are some excellent rear-wheel-drive performance cars surrounding this price. Highly optioned variants of the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang cost a bit less, while the BMW M2 Competition and Porsche 718 Cayman S ask more (significantly so).

That puts the Supra in a sweet spot. Sure, you can get more power for less money, but you'd be hard-pressed to match the handling balance, compliance and overall fun. The Supra is a very appealing and far less expensive alternative to traditional German sports cars. Also consider that its starting price is less than the 1993 Supra Turbo's, which stickered at more than $70,000 in today's dollars.

You can debate whether the new Supra is a BMW or a Toyota all day long. We say that time is better spent behind the wheel, giggling at all the tire smoke you're making.

Twenty-one years after the last Supra vacated American dealerships, Toyota has unveiled an all-new model. The 2020 Toyota GR Supra is a two-seater sports car designed to take on such luminaries as the Audi TT and Porsche Cayman, and it's engineered with more than a little help from BMW. Peel away the bespoke bodywork, and you'll discover the guts of the new 2019 BMW Z4, including the engine and gearbox. The new Supra is thus a curious mix of German and Japanese parentage, but Toyota is adamant that it will have its own distinct character.

Japanese Styling ...

The styling takes inspiration from both the iconic Toyota 2000GT of 1967 and the fourth-generation Supra introduced in 1993. It's not what you'd call elegant, but it is distinctive and, to our eyes at least, unmistakably Japanese — even if it was actually designed at Toyota's studio in California. In keeping with its sporting pretensions, there are some extroverted color choices, although we're particularly fond of the matte gray, officially named Phantom Matte Gray.

Inside, the two-seater cockpit focuses on the driver. There's the now inevitable central infotainment screen for most of the functionality — measuring 6.5 or 8.8 inches depending on your choice of trim — but the view forward is refreshingly simple. The switchgear in the center of the car is mainly BMW, though the instrument panel is bespoke. Attention focuses, Porsche-style, on a central rev counter with a gearshift indicator. The trunk is accessed via the rear hatch and promises enough luggage space for a weekend away.

... Meets German Engineering

The oily bits come from BMW, which is surely no bad thing. The 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine — an inline-six, in keeping with the heritage of both BMW and the Supra — produces 335 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. It's mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox with sequential, flappy-paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel. This combination, a staple of BMW's gargantuan model range, should offer an appealing mix of smooth operation and strong performance. It won't be slow — Toyota is predicting 0-60 mph in just 4.1 seconds when using the launch control function, with the top speed limited to 155 mph.

Two other BMW traditions are also present and correct — rear-wheel drive and a 50-50 weight distribution. Both should serve to enhance the Supra's sporting appeal. We've already driven the Z4 and found it a captivating companion on both road and track. The BMW is a roadster, though, while the Supra is only available as a coupe, and Toyota's engineers have developed their own tune for the suspension, stability control and active differential.

The Supra's adaptive suspension can be changed on the fly by selecting between driving modes — Normal and Sport. The latter enhances the throttle response, adds weight to the steering, quickens the gear changes, adjusts the suspension damping, and tweaks the stability control system to give you more scope to play. Toyota expects at least some Supra customers to take to the track.

Sports Car Meets Grand Tourer

Toyota is keen to emphasize that the Supra is a usable everyday car. As you'd expect at this $50K price point, such features as dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and power-folding mirrors are standard, with a comprehensive lineup of passive and active safety equipment, including automatic emergency braking and a lane departure warning with steering assist.

Those seeking more luxury can upgrade to the Premium model for an additional $4,000, which features a larger (8.8-inch) touchscreen display with improved telematics including Apple CarPlay, a 12-speaker JBL audio system, wireless phone charging and a head-up display system. Premium buyers will also get to park their derrieres on heated, leather-wrapped chairs, replacing the faux suede used in the standard car.

The first 1,500 cars off the boat, though, will be so-called "Launch Edition" models, priced at $55,250 and available in white, red or black. They'll be distinguished by matte-black wheels and red wing mirror caps. The black and white cars will further be identified by a red leather interior, which, as they say, may not be to all tastes. You even get to show off to your friends with a uniquely numbered plaque bearing a print of the Toyota president's signature.

It's Supra, Man

There's no denying that the new Supra arrives with a weight of expectation. Toyota has been teasing its arrival for years, and the nameplate attracts a loyal following across the world. Some might question the number of BMW parts, but a partnership with Subaru failed to dampen our enthusiasm for the cheaper 86. There's also no denying that the Supra is far better differentiated from the Z4 than the 86 is from the BRZ.

Pricing and Release Date

The Supra reaches showrooms this summer, priced from $49,990, and will face some impressive competition, not least from the Audi TT and Porsche Cayman. But, on paper, it would look to be a fair fight. We'll find out for sure when we drive the 2020 Toyota Supra in the near future.