2020 Toyota Supra Review: Hallelujah, It’s Finally Here
Supra on the open road
Torturing tires on the track is a lot of fun (I spent over an hour and a half on track with Supra), but this is a $50,000 road car and that’s where it really needs to impress.
Fortunately, I get the good news or reporting good news: the Supra is a lot of fun on the road. While I wasn’t sold on the 8-speed automatic transmission on track, it acquits itself very well in the real world. Shifts are quick, and sharp, keeping the engine singing its sweet song in “Sport” mode.
In “Normal” mode, however, Supra reminds drivers of it’s grand touring roots. After all, that’s where Supra originally carved out its niche. The transmission is smooth, unobtrusive, the electric power steering allows you to soften your grip at the wheel when maximum agility isn’t required, and the adaptive dampers go from track day hero to comforting and cosseting. The bi-modal exhaust, likewise, softens its aggressive bark, and the engine is happy to scoot your around, just above idle.
Indeed, the B58 engine defines the driving experience on the road. Peak torque (365 lb-ft) is available from just 1,500 RPM, and peak horsepower is maintained from 5,000-6,500 RPM. And, with a 7,000 RPM redline, Supra offers on-tap punch, pretty much all the time. Toyota claims 0-60 in 4.1 seconds, thanks to a sweet launch control system. I would be very curious to see a real world dyno of Supra, because, my guess is that’s making a bit more power than advertised. It’s also fuel efficient, offering 24 MPG city, 31 MPG highway and 26 MPG combined.
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Supra’s interior, like the platform and powertrain, is a departure from previous models. It’s just a two-seater, not a 2+2, so there are no back seats. Instead, Supra features a large trunk area behind the driver’s seats. Despite the aggressive swoopy roofline, the trunk is deep, and square in shape, making it quite practical.
The interior materials feature a blend of alcantara and leather, though, the Toyota stressed that the carbon fiber trim is real carbon, not plastic. It’s a comfortable place to spend time on the road, with seating positions available for anyone under about 6’4″.
The steering wheel and dashboard layout are typical contemporary Toyota, but the center stack, infotainment system and electronics are direct from the BMW parts bin, based on BMW’s iDrive 6 system. Everything falls to hand pretty naturally and it’s easy enough to do things like pair a phone via bluetooth, and set your radio stations up. A nice touch is the integrated wireless charging system, which had no issues charging both Android and Apple-based phones.
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