July’s Spotlight: 2022 Toyota GR Supra

We have made it to another spotlight feature, and this one is sure to excite all gear heads – guaranteed. This month’s spotlight feature is a very well known, very expensive, sports car. That’s right! It’s the 2022 Toyota GR Supra! Everything from an overall review, to a comparison to the previous versions, to even some surprising twists, we have it all. This is definitely the buyer’s guide that you have been wishing for. 

Overview

Although the Supra has seen facelifts over the years since it first came out in 1978 in Japan, the GR edition is actually quite new (being released in 2019). Thanks in part to BMW, many of you may be shocked to know that the Supra actually contains the same powertrain as the BMW Z4. Starting from a base price of $68,460 (CDN), this will definitely be a vehicle worth exploring. 

What’s New For 2022?

The 3.0 models come standard with heated seats, full-screen Apple CarPlay for cars with premium audio, and a new red interior option available for 3.0 Premium cars. They also added a new cylinder head with a fully separate exhaust manifold, revised pistons to reduce the compression ratio from 11.0:1 to 10.2:1. They also increased the boost by using a larger turbocharger. But this wasn’t enough for Toyota, they also did some chassis and damper tuning, tweaked the electric power steering, the adaptive variable suspension, electronic stability control, and active differential programming. 

For the exterior, Toyota added new front and rear bumper stops and aluminum braces in an attempt to increase the lateral rigidity and reach the goal of increasing roll resistance and improving cornering stability. 

Also for 2022, Toyota decided to release a Supra A91-CF Edition (available only across North America) and only 600 units, so make sure to get yours fast. This model offers a wide selection of features that are sure to excite even people who have little knowledge on sports cars. It offers the following: 

• Carbon fiber body kit and duckbill rear spoiler that compliments the Supra’s curves 
• Special edition forged 19” matte black wheels, paired with red calipers sporting the Toyota Supra logo 
• Distinctive black and red Alcantara/leather interior with unique stitching details 
• Complimentary one-year membership to the National Auto Sport Association, featuring a High-Performance Driving Event with expert instruction

Engine, Transmission, and Performance 

One thing to keep in mind with Supra’s is that all models come with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. When put to the test, the performance results are not surprising at all for those who know a thing or two about Supra’s. For others, well it’s once again time to learn something. Within 3.8 seconds the 2022 Supra goes from 0-60, which is quite impressive for a rear-wheel drive car. 

The 2022 Toyota Supra 3.0 produces 382 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque. Even though this vehicle does not come with the manual transmission option, hope isn’t completely wavered. Rumour has it that the Supra will come equipped with a stick later on it’s production run. 

The Supra is a race built car (if that wasn’t obvious from the interior build), but it’s suspension is forgiving enough to drive daily. It’s steering is accurate, weighted nicely and direct – which creates an overall fun and joyous driving experience. The four-cylinder version (which is lower in price) held a performance that was actually pretty close to the six cylinder version, making the 0-60 run in 4.7 seconds. Interestingly enough, it is quicker than it’s German cousin, the BMW Z4, which clocked in at 5.0 seconds flat for the same test.  

Fuel Economy and Real World MPG 

The 2022 Toyota Supra (equipped with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine) earns EPA ratings of 25 mpg city and 32 highway. The more powerful of the Supra’s 3.0’s ratings are still pretty good, with 22 mpg city and 30 highway. This is more efficient than the Camero, the Cayman GTS, and the M2. 

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The whole concept of this car is to replicate the feel for a race car, and with the tight space in the cockpit, it sure has done a good job. The double-bubble roof does give a little more room, but a tall driver will definitely feel crunched in the space. Cargo space is pretty much the same, but the cargo area is actually surprisingly roomy. It can fit a couple of carry-on suitcases, or to put it into more of a retrospect, a week’s worth of groceries for two. See..roomy right? In testing, four carry-on suitcases were able to fit behind the rear seats, but the last thing you would want is to force it and then break something, but let me tell you, the fix is not going to be cheap. Much of Toyota’s interior is shared with the Z4 so those who are familiar with BMW switchgear and infotainment controls will feel right at home. 

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Toyota offers a wide range of safety features and this extends to even the the sportiest of cars. Driver assistance features come standard across the Supra lineup which include automated emergency braking. Additional features such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind-spot Monitoring can be added through the Drivers’s Assistance package. Crash test results can be found at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Key safety features include: 

• Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Standard lane-depature warning 
• Standard automatic high-beams

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage 

Despite sharing a lot of similarities with the Z4, the Supra offers slightly longer powertrain coverage. However, it hangs back in the race with BMW when it comes to the warranty and complimentary scheduled maintenance plan. It offers: 

• Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles 
• Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles 
• Complimentary scheduled maintenance is covered for two years or 25,000 miles

Since you made it this far, why not go back to the basics and read one of our earlier posts. Show the Nissan GTR review the same love!