2021 Toyota GR Supra Review

After more than two decades off the market, Toyota finally released the newest version of its preeminent sports car — now dubbed the GR Supra — for the 2020 model year. After taking the GR Supra to our track and subjecting it to instrument testing, we praised its rapid acceleration, quick steering and sublime handling.

Now Toyota is widening the Supra's appeal. For 2021, Toyota is adding an entry-level trim level — the Supra 2.0 — that comes with a 255-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine to join the existing turbocharged inline-six. Buyers set on the six-cylinder Supra 3.0 will be rewarded with an increase of nearly 50 hp. It now thumps out 382 hp and further gains revised suspension tuning to help it be more buttoned-down and confident both on and off the track. There's also a new limited-edition A91 appearance package with racy carbon-fiber bits, special graphics and a unique paint color.

Toyota's goal for the Supra 2.0 is to make it more affordable without sacrificing too much of the sports car spirit. After a full day's driving, we came away impressed with the engine's ample midrange power and smooth power delivery. While it's in no way as quick as its 3.0-liter counterpart, the 255-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine doesn't lack for speed. It should have no problem keeping up with the four-cylinder powered Mustangs and Camaros in a straight line.

But compared to the 2.0-liter, this year's upgraded 3.0-liter engine feels like an absolute powerhouse. There's grunt throughout the rev range, and the smoothness of the engine makes it seem like the Supra isn't really trying and we found it all too easy to brush against the car's rev limiter during spirited driving — it's just that smooth. Any doubts that a turbocharged six-cylinder engine can go toe to toe with American V8s should be banished.

We only wish these engines sounded a little more soulful. The Supra's exhaust note — for both engines — simply sounds synthetic and lacks the spine-tingling sound of high-performance four-cylinder and inline-six engines from the past. The piped-in engine noises don't do it any favors either. If there's one powertrain-related area we'd like to see improve with the Supra, this would be it.

Once the road starts to bend, both Supras show a level of adeptness that's getting harder to find, no matter the price point. Toyota says the four-cylinder car is about 200 pounds lighter than the six-cylinder version. And along a curvy road you can feel a difference in the way the lighter Supra more eagerly dives into corners. It's nimble and lively but at the same time full of confidence and grip. The Supra 2.0's tires, incidentally, are the same width and model as the ones used on the Supra 3.0, albeit mounted on 18-inch wheels instead of the six-cylinder car's 19-inch wheels.

The Supra 3.0 feels altogether more serious, and not just because it packs nearly 130 hp more. The more powerful Supra gets a unique set of adaptive dampers, as well as an active differential. We're deeply impressed with the upgrades these parts received for 2021. Over bumpy roads, the 2021 Supra 3.0 feels more planted than the 2020 Supra. It has better body control and does a better job of keeping its tires in contact with the road. It's also easier to put the power down exiting turns because of the Supra's reprogrammed active rear differential and stability and traction control systems. This is a very well-executed sports car.

The seats offer good adjustability, as does the steering wheel, so most sized drivers will be able to lock in a good driving position quickly. But where the Supra 2.0 offers only manually adjustable seats (still with eight-way adjustability), the Supra 3.0 gets 14-way power-adjustable seats. The seats are grippy and supportive, but neither model offers ventilation, and the seats don't breathe particularly well. You might feel some perspiration (or, less politely, "swamp butt") after an invigorating drive.

The ride in both Supras is respectably firm yet offers good compliance in soaking up bigger bumps. The 2.0-liter car lacks the more sophisticated adaptive dampers in the 3.0-liter version and can bounce the driver around on roads with sudden bumps and undulations. It's far from unpleasant, but jumping from one car to another, the 3.0-liter car feels more tied down and better sorted.

Cabin noise is also acceptable for a sports car, with relatively low levels of wind and tire noise. That said, if you like to drive with the windows open, the Supra might make you change your ways. There is severe buffeting at speeds over 25 miles an hour, so much so that as weird as the complaint may be, it bears mentioning.

The tech, for the better, is essentially a BMW iDrive system. This has been a sore spot for some Supra purists who would like to see much less of the German automaker's influence in this car. But the system, from its layout to the graphics to its functionality, is much better than anything on offer from Toyota. And even though the screen looks to be a bit of a last-minute add-on, it all but disappears from your view once you're focused on driving.

New for 2021 is the standardization of the 8.8-inch infotainment screen. The smaller 6.5-inch screen is no longer offered. In the 2.0-liter Supra, the standard screen is not touch-sensitive, but with the addition of the Safety and Technology package it becomes a touchscreen. That package also adds wireless Apple CarPlay smartphone integration compatibility but doesn't add wireless charging for your devices — that's reserved for the 3.0 Premium and the A91 Edition. That's important to mention since the 2.0-liter car is curiously equipped with a 1.5-amp USB port, while the 3.0-liter Premium and the A91 Edition receive a quicker-charging 2.1-amp port.

The Supra provides 10.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity. That's less room than you'd get in, say, a Mustang (which offers 13.5 cubic feet), but the Supra is easier to load and unload thanks to its large hatchback. There's a tight-fitting cargo cover to keep your items hidden, but we'd suggest investing in a cargo net or some other cargo management system since the large, flat floor of the trunk doesn't have any nooks or crannies to wedge smaller items into.

Inside, it's best to declutter before driving the Supra. While there are places to put a phone or sunglasses and drinks, most don't allow both driver and passenger to do so at once. You can put items behind the front seats directly into the cargo area since it's open to the passenger compartment.