 | Positives: Remarkably rewarding to drive, even more exciting than it already was thanks to the power bump, no-nonsense interior, new optional manual transmission if finally here. |
 | Negatives: Terrible rearward visibility, too much BMW inside, fake vents are annoying. |
 | Bottom Line: The Supra gains horsepower, making it positively scintillating to drive because the power now matches the chassis and steering. It's our favorite sports car to drive for the money, like an affordable Ferrari. |
Driving Experience
We never thought the Supra 3.0 needed more power. In fact, in our last review of the car when it had 335 hp, we said it drove like a little Ferrari. With 382, it's a marvel of power, handling, and traceability. This car is an absolute hoot to drive. The only thing that prevents you from driving more aggressively is the side/rear visibility.
Ride Quality: The Supra has a sporty ride, meaning you feel just about everything, but the Adaptive Variable Sports Suspension is excellent and still manages to keep the ride composed and firm at the same time.
Acceleration: The Supra with 382 horses launches to 60 mph in a mere 3.3 seconds. It's shocking how quick this thing is, and everything feels immediate. There's virtually no turbo lag that we can notice. The transmission fires off shifts quickly, and the Supra manages downshifts without delay.
Braking: Brembo brakes are strong, and the pedal is progressive. The four piston front brakes are authoritative when stopping, and they should prove to be great on the track.
Steering: The steering is sharp and effort increases progressively. The whole steering experience is a point-and-shoot experience. Precision and centeredness are present in spades.
Handling: The GR Supra corners very flat, and there's just the right amount of understeer. It feels controlled, balanced, and the chassis feels solid under hard driving conditions.
Technology
Toyota upgraded the Supra's screen from 6.8 inches to 8.8, which is about as big as it should get for a car like this. The look and operation is very BMW, and that's not a bad thing.
Infotainment System: Just like BMW's iDrive system, the Supra's works really well and looks good, too. The 8.8" touchscreen is easy to read even in bright sunlight. The graphics are crisp, and the screen is vivid. Responsiveness to touch inputs is also very good.
Controls: The controls are excellent, ranging from the steering wheel to HVAC and the infotainment control knob between the seats. The presence of physical controls in a sports car is preferable to all touchscreen-based versions, and the Supra does this very well.
Styling
Although we're a few steps away from calling the GR Supra beautiful, it is very cool to look at. The bulges and curves give it so much visual drama, everyone notices it. We love it in the grey paint, as well. It looks like an exotic car from just about every angle. We just really hate the fake vents, which could've easily been made legit had Toyota gone that extra step.
Front: The long hood tapers into a flat and sharp nose punctuated by bold and tapered headlights. The huge air intakes are nicely shaped, and the twin bubble canopy looks great from the front.
Rear: The back end is one of the best in the business with its ducktail-like spoiler, unique taillight signature, racing brakelight, and the twin round pipes.
Profile: The Supra has a notoriously short wheelbase, but Toyota/BMW was able to pull of good proportions. The overhangs are a bit long, but the body sculpting, fastback style, and the bulging roof even things out nicely. The absence of chrome keeps things sporty. We're not huge fans of the wheel style, but they'll do.
Cabin: The cabin is very business-like but still a nice place to be. The coloring is a bit dark, but everything is well-shaped and handsome. Materials quality is also very good. We especially love the real carbon fiber on the center console.
Comfort
Listen, no one is going to look to the Supra for space. It's a racy sports car that's meant to be driven hard, and it only has room for two. But we're over 6' tall, and we had no trouble getting in and out, despite a thick door sill and low roofline.
Front Seats: Supportive and on the firm side, they're still quite comfortable. Good adjustability and enough cushion to be good for commutes. We love the thigh bolster.
Rear Seats: Ha, nope.The Supra is a two-seater only.
NVH (noise/vibration/harshness): The build quality is excellent, and you can properly hear the Active exhaust crackle when opening up the engine. It sounds great. Highway speeds don't create intrusive noise, which is good.
Visibility: The long good drops nicely, so you can see where the front end is. Rear and rear side views are seriously compromised by small glass.
Climate: The climate system works well, and we didn't experience any problem with the AC during our review. Airflow is good, and temperature control doesn't present any problems.
Safety
The Supra has not been tested by either the IIHS or the NHTSA. It does have some good safety features, both standard and optional. It does not come with the typical Toyota Safety Sense package found on most Toyotas as standard equipment.
IIHS Rating: Not tested.
NHTSA Rating: Not tested.
Standard Tech: The Supra 3.0 Premium comes with a Pre-Collision System w/ Pedestrian Detection and Lane Departure Warning w/ Steering Assist along with the standard airbags, traction control, and stability control.
Optional Tech: Our tester came with the Driver Assist Package that includes Adaptive Cruise Control, a Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and Parking Sensors with Emergency Braking.
Storage/Cargo
The Supra isn't big inside, nor should expect to go road tripping in it unless you pack really light.
Storage Space: The cupholders are not so surprisingly your best option for small item storage in the front. There's a small cubby in front of the shifter, and the shallow door pockets are also on the tiny side.
Cargo Room: There's just shy of 10 cubic feet in the back, which is reachable between the seats (helpful). The opening in the hatch is narrower than the actual storage area, making it tough to load wider bags.
Fuel Economy
The numbers have dropped in EPA estimates because of the bump in power. Our numbers missed the EPA ratings because we drove the car pretty aggressively during our review, and it's pretty hard not to. 30 mpg highway is certainly attainable, but we'd be shocked to see anyone hit 22 city because the car begs to be driven hard.
Observed: 16.9 mpg.
Distance Driven: 144 miles.
Audio
The 3.0 Premium comes standard with the excellent 12-speaker JBL system. It sounds great and has good bass, clarity, and fullness. We actually didn't listen to it very much because we'd rather listen to that crackle from the exhaust.
