Why You Can Trust CNET 2022 Toyota GR Supra 2.0 Review: Proficient if Not Passionate
This entry-level Supra delivers a sports car driving experience, though it never makes the sort of emotional connection it should.
The bright yellow paint really works on the Supra.
The Toyota Supra has an identity crisis. Is it a reborn Japanese classic? Kind of, but in name only. Is it a true sports car? It's certainly dynamic, but it never compels you to go for a drive like a Mazda MX-5 Miata does. Could this two-seater be more of a grand tourer? No: It's not comfortable enough for long drives and is tight on luggage space.
Like
- Dependable dynamics
- Fearless four-cylinder
- Showcar styling
Don't like
- Outdated infotainment tech
- Uncouth transmission
- Grabby brakes
Classifying the Supra can be difficult, so let's focus on some facts. As its name suggests, the GR Supra 2.0 is powered by a 2.0-liter engine. A valiant little unit of Bavarian provenance, this turbocharged dynamo delivers 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. That may not sound like many underhood stallions, but trust me, it's more than enough to move this coupe down the road. Even though its vigor wanes slightly at highway speeds, the Supra hits hard right off the line and can reach 60 mph in less than 5 seconds.
The Supra's fancier six-cylinder models are even more dramatic, but from an acceleration standpoint, they're really not necessary, especially when you consider fuel economy. Four-cylinder Supras sticker at 25 mpg city, 32 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined. In mixed use, I'm averaging 35.5 mpg, which is excellent.
That brisk -- and economical -- performance is aided and abetted by a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic, the only gearbox offered in the Supra 2.0. Swift and responsive, it's hard to argue with this transmission's effectiveness, even if clunkiness detracts from the driving experience. Gear changes aren't always smooth, especially while rolling to a stop. Downshifts cause head toss, something that quickly gets annoying when stuck in traffic. Similarly uncouth is the stop-start system, which saves copious amounts of fuel but also sends shudders through the car every time the engine reignites. Luckily, there's a button on the center console to disable stop-start.
A manual transmission with automatic rev matching is coming to six-cylinder Supras for 2023, a small addition that will make the car about 100 times more interesting. No, a six-speed stick won't fix the Supra's other flaws, but it will work wonders to improve driver engagement. Sadly, four-cylinder models like mine will remain automatic-only.
Toyota's Supra offers plenty of speed, yet it has the finesse to keep everything under control. Providing a solid footing, this car's suspension is one step short of pounding; the ride is stiff enough you feel the surface in high fidelity, yet very little grittiness finds its way into the passenger compartment. The 255/40ZR18 Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires make a lot of noise, though they also provide a commensurate amount of grip.
As for the steering, it's heavy with intimidating density, but the quick ratio and surprising feedback make this car lively and agile. The GR Supra 2.0's brakes, consisting of 13-inch discs front and rear clamped by single-piston calipers, are slightly smaller than what you get on six-cylinder cars... but they still have more bite than a Doberman Pinscher. The pedal is way too sensitive and difficult to modulate which, along with the transmission, makes smooth stopping a challenge.
The Supra's cabin is well built and features decent quality materials. The plastics employed are attractively grained and all the controls, from the wiper and turn signal stalks to the shifter to the radio dials, feel premium. Not surprisingly, the interior is not terribly spacious. Two people fit just fine, but aside from a cubby or two, the glovebox and a 10.2-cubic-foot trunk, there's not much storage space. Pack light.
This coupe's cabin is pretty cramped.
This example's duet of manually adjustable seats is very firm and mounted close to the floor, though these chairs are more comfortable than you might imagine. Getting into and out of this car can be challenging, however. There's ample headroom, even for tall folks, but the door openings are short and the sills super wide, so you have to duck while carefully stepping in or out. Not surprisingly, visibility is a bit of a challenge, too. The A-pillars are chunky and the side windows small, but the sight lines over your shoulders are impossible, courtesy of hulking roof supports. Thank goodness for blind-spot monitoring.
Aside from outward visibility, there are a couple other ergonomic oddities worth mentioning. One, there's no way to automatically sync both temperatures in the dual-zone climate control system, neither a hardware button nor a setting in the infotainment system. And two, the Supra lacks an exterior trunk release, another head-scratching omission. (You open the luggage compartment via a button inside or by using the key fob.)
Given that it's basically a BMW, the Supra features an older version of the German automaker's iDrive infotainment system. This unattractive and not particularly intuitive multimedia array is nevertheless responsive: You can control things using the widescreen 8.8-inch touchscreen or the dial and satellite buttons on the center console. As for smartphone-mirroring systems, wireless Apple CarPlay is available in GR Supra 2.0s as part of the $3,485 Safety and Technology Package, which also includes adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, embedded navigation and a kickin' 12-speaker JBL audio system. Unfortunately, you cannot get Android Auto at any price.
The Supra's styling stands out.
Speaking of money, the 2022 Toyota GR Supra 2.0 starts around $44,000, roughly the same as a Ford Mustang GT Premium fastback or Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack. Entry-level versions of more illustrious rivals like the Audi S5 , Jaguar F-Type and Porsche 718 Cayman all cost thousands more. The screamin' yellow Supra seen in this review checks out for $49,130 including $1,025 in delivery fees. That final figure is padded by the $3,485 Safety and Technology Package, $925 for carbon-fiber mirror caps, $425 for the premium paint job and $80 for a mat in the trunk. The six-cylinder Supra begins at around $55,500, though go heavy on the options and you can push this car into the mid-60s, which is still a reasonable price.
The 2022 Toyota GR Supra 2.0 is quick and efficient, stylish and well made. The car is reasonably priced and just comfortable enough you won't hate daily driving it. But for all its upsides, the Supra is missing something: a spark that makes you want to hit the road for no reason at all. This is one of those cars that's competent on paper, but never truly compelling. Toyota's own GR 86 delivers more driving jollies and emotion for a lot less money.