MT GARAGE
Arrival: 2020 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 Premium
EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ
24/31/26 mpg
“Controversy behind, let’s see what it’s really like for the year ahead.”
Chris Walton
Base Price $54,945 As Tested $56,565
I t’s been two decades since the Toyota Supra was center stage at American dealerships. With the arrival of the all-new A90 generation, believe me when I say we’ve read every one of the “It’s not a real Supra; it’s a BMW with a Toyota badge” comments.
It’s not, and I wrote a thorough backgrounder on this topic in the March 2019 issue. And would you as an automotive enthusiast prefer both the BMW Z4 M40i and Toyota Supra 3.0, sharing mechanicals as they do, or neither be available right now? Also, the 2020 Toyota GR Supra advanced to the finalist round of our annual Car of the Year contest, and the Z4 did not. We’ve done a comparison test between the two—which the Supra won—if you’re still a doubting Thomas. The 2020 Toyota Supra is legit.
I’VE REALLY ENJOYED COMMUTING IN THE TOYOTA SUPRA.
Supra Premium Equipment
We chose a 2020 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 Premium painted in stunning Nitro Yellow ($450) and added one option: the driver assist package ($1,195), which includes radar cruise control (with full stop-and-go capability), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors with emergency braking function. Essentially, the Premium grade mirrors the loaded Launch Edition, minus the red leather and red mirror caps.
Standard equipment is generous. Highlights include 19-inch forged aluminum wheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, LED exterior lighting, keyless entry/ignition, black leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, shift paddles, heated 14-way power adjustable seats, a color head-up display, an 8.8-inch touchscreen, a 12-speaker 500-watt JBL audio system with AM/FM/satellite radio, wireless Apple CarPlay, navigation, connected telematics, and a wireless charging pad.
Standard safety features include a reverse camera, eight airbags, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with (a forceful) steering assist, and automatic high-beams.
Supra GRipes
As generous as all that is for an as-tested total of $56,565, I do have a few real-life nits to pick already. Both displays are too dim even on the brightest setting. This is made worse with direct sunlight. The wireless charging pad has a low-rise cover, and negotiating the shifter and cover makes placing or removing a phone a threading-the-needle exercise. There’s no exterior button or kick-activated hatch release. When I park the car in my garage and shut it off, it remains in accessory mode for a period, stereo playing while I go inside. It goes off eventually, and locking the car truly shuts it down, but why lock it when it’s safely in my own locked garage?
Supra GRins
I’ve really enjoyed commuting in this sports car. There’s something you won’t hear every day. In normal driving mode (as opposed to Sport), the ride is composed and cushy. Shifts are gentle and prudent. The driver’s seat is supportive and comfortable. And now that the break-in period is complete and I’m delving into Sport mode, I like that the car remembers the last drive mode on startup. And like with the BMW M2 long-termer I had a while back, I’ve programmed several memory hard buttons with things like my favorite news channel, current tire pressure, and audio system tone settings. This saves having to delve into iDrive (oops!) to find them on the fly.
Supra So Far
Collectively, we’ve driven the Supra just over 1,500 miles and averaged a respectable 27 mpg. Associate road test editor Erick Ayapana deserves recognition for his contribution with a 33-mpg tankful on a trip to San Diego. Because break-in is complete, we can now surpass the temporary 4,500-rpm rev limit and exceed 100 mph. Huzzah! Much more to come.
