2022 Toyota Supra Review

2022 TOYOTA SUPRA REVIEW

TOYOTA BADGE, GERMAN UNDERPINNING. The world was excited to see the all-new Toyota Supra when it arrived on sale in 2020. While sports cars are part of a shrinking segment, Toyota decided to enter the class with some help from BMW. While some will find a large issue with Toyota using an engine, a chassis, technology, and an interior design from BMW for the Supra, it’s the state of the times.

While the Supra from the ‘90s was a thoroughly in-house effort, the new Supra isn’t. The Supra shares the same engines and powertrains as the BMW Z4 convertible. If you know where to look, there’s a lot of BMW in the Supra. But one very important thing remains Toyota: the Supra’s design.

The Supra is a striking, daring sports car. It looks similar to the FT-1 concept Toyota based the sports car on. With short overhangs, a double-bubble roof, and a bulbous rear end, the Supra looks like a supercar. It draws attention and turns heads everywhere it goes. Hopefully, you like attention, because you’re going to get it when driving the Supra.

SERIOUS PERFORMANCE. Toyota offers the Supra with two powertrains, both of which offer impressive performance. The standard engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 255 horsepower 295 pound-feet of torque. The available twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six engine is rated at 382 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque. Both come with 8-speed automatic transmission.

While the six-cylinder engine sounds like it’s the obvious choice, the four-cylinder engine is a stout performer. It can get the Supra to 60 mph in 5 seconds, which is quick. The six-cylinder engine does the same sprint in 3.9 seconds. While that’s a huge advantage for the six-cylinder engine, the four-cylinder model is $8,000 cheaper. That’s a huge chunk of change for a sports car that’s still really quick.

Around corners, the Supra delights with sharp handling and an agile chassis. The sports car’s steering is well-weighted and direct, while the Supra is quick to change direction. Whether you’re on the track or going for a weekend cruise on a windy road, the Supra impresses in a way that few others in the same price bracket can. If you’re looking for better performance, you’re going to have to move up to a much higher price bracket.



DECENTLY EQUIPPED FOR A SPORTS CAR. Toyota hasn’t announced pricing for the 2022 model, but it’s not nearly as expensive as some of its rivals. Compared to the Z4 that it shares a lot of components with, the Supra is roughly $6,900 cheaper.

For the money, the Supra 2.0 comes with an 8.8-inch display, a suite of advanced safety features, dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, LED headlights, a digital instrument cluster, and keyless entry. For consumers wanting a little more luxury, the Supra 2.0 is available with the Safety and Technology package. It adds more advanced safety features, a touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, and a JBL audio system.

Supra 3.0 models come with more performance parts like 19-inch wheels, Brembo brakes, sport pedals, and an electronic limited-slip differential. Beyond these performance parts, the 3.0 trims don’t add much when it comes to luxury over the 2.0.

New for 2022 is the A91-CF Edition. The “CF” part of the name stands for Carbon Fiber, as the version will come with a carbon-fiber body kit, matte black 19-inch wheels, and a rear spoiler. The cabin will feature red and black upholstery that will either complement the Phantom and Absolute Zero White paint jobs or clash with the Nitro Yellow scheme.

DRIVER-FOCUSED COCKPIT. Unsurprisingly, the sporty Supra has a tight cabin. That’s par for the course with a sports car that looks this good. Unfortunately, that means the Supra’s cabin is tight on space and has very little cargo area with up to 10.2 cubic feet of cargo space. Additionally, the Supra is hard to get into and out of.

The biggest issue with the sports car, though, is the wind buffeting that occurs at speeds above 30 mph. Because of the Supra’s design, wind is channeled into the cabin where it gets trapped and creates a horrific low-pitched noise. The faster you go, the worse the sound gets. The issue is so bad, you can’t really drive the sports car with the windows down.

The other issue is the poor visibility out of the vehicle. The Supra has small exterior mirrors and wide rear haunches that result in poor visibility from the driver's seat. While some enthusiasts may not be fans of advanced safety features, the Supra is one of those vehicles where blindspot monitoring is a must.

FINAL THOUGHTS. The 2022 Toyota GR Supra isn’t for everyone. But consumers that like the design and don’t mind its BMW DNA will find that it’s an exciting sports car. Furthermore, it lets drivers get into something with an exotic design for a relatively affordable price.

The wind buffeting issue is a major drawback. If you’re the kind of driver that enjoys driving with the windows down — why wouldn’t you with a soundtrack that’s as good as the Supra’s? — the Supra simply won’t work. While there are a few aftermarket solutions, Toyota really needs to come up with a fix from the factory. Improved visibility would be helpful, but we don’t really see any way around that issue.

The Supra’s main rivals include the Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche 718 Cayman. The Corvette is an even better value option than the Supra, offering better performance for a slightly higher price tag. It comes with a 6.2-liter V8 engine in the middle of its body. The Corvette can get to 60 mph in 3 seconds and offers even sharper handling than the Supra.

The Porsche 718 Cayman is a pure sports car. It’s far more expensive than the Supra and doesn’t come with the same features, but is available with a manual transmission and a wide range of trims. Power ranges from 300 hp up to 414 hp. For drivers that want an agile partner for sharp turns, few options are as engaging as the Cayman.

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