Which edition of Toyota’s iconic sports car is best for you?
The classic Toyota Supra nameplate is back as the GR Supra, reclaiming the model’s image as a sultry sports car that can be a handful at times. The turbo 3.0-litre I-6 engine in the GR Supra will be available in 2021, as well as the model’s first turbocharged four-cylinder engine, get a significant power boost. How does the GR Supra compare to other RWD coupe rivals in its different trim levels? Let’s take a look at our options at JDM Sports Classics.
Pros and Cons of the Toyota GR Supra 2.0 in 2021
The GR Supra 2.0 defies convention by introducing the model’s first-ever four-cylinder engine as an alternative to the traditional straight-six. The Supra 2.0’s thinner size turbocharged 2.0-litre engine sheds over 200 pounds and offers marginally better fuel economy than the 3.0-litre turbo six-cylinder—25/32 mpg city/highway versus 22/30 mpg for the six-cylinder. The new 2.0-liter Supra, however, is still more powerful than other sports cars with comparable powerplants, such as Porsche’s base four-cylinder 718 Cayman coupe, as we’ve discovered.
The GR Supra 2.0 also comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, and an undertray for increased downforce and aerodynamic performance (which also helps with fuel economy), as well as LED taillights and auto-levelling LED headlights. Black Alcantara and leather-trimmed sport seats are also standard, as are an 8.8-inch LCD gauge cluster display panel, an 8.8-inch LCD infotainment screen, and automatic rain-sensing windshield wipers. All trims come standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, as well as a lane departure alert system and automatic high beams.
Although the base-model 2021 Toyota Supra has the least capacity, it is also the least expensive way to enter the line, costing about $44,000. The 255 horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the GR Supra 2.0 outperforms similar turbo engines in the BMW 230i and Lexus RC300 coupes.
If you’re thinking of getting a GR Supra 2.0, bear in mind that recurring ride problems with the rear on less-than-ideal road surfaces have yet to be resolved, and enthusiasts may be disappointed by the platform’s lack of a manual transmission in all its forms. If you can live with the disadvantages and don’t mind the Supra purists’ heritage hang-ups, the four-cylinder GR Supra 2.0 is the easiest way to get into a Supra when you want more than the thinner 86 sports car can offer.
Pros and Cons of the Toyota GR Supra 3.0 in 2021
The 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine in the GR Supra 3.0 produces 382 horsepower, up 47 horsepower from the previous model year’s turbo straight-six engine. The extra power is felt at higher speeds rather than right off the line. It competes with the 400-horsepower turbo 3.0-liter V-6 in the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 coupe and the 394-horsepower 4.0-liter flat-six in the Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 coupe in the RWD luxury sport coupe category. Including its relatively high horsepower rating, the GR Supra 3.0’s six-cylinder engine has better fuel economy than the engines in the Q60 Red Sport 400 and 718 Cayman GTS 4.0, with 22/30 mpg versus 20/27 mpg for the Infiniti and 17-19/24 mpg for the Porsche.
The Supra 3.0 comes standard with adjustable variable suspension, and engine bay frame braces, as well as Brembo improvements for the front brakes, which include four-piston callipers to swap the Supra 2.0’s single-piston units and greater-diameter 13.7-inch rotors to larger-diameter 13.7-inch rotors to Supra 3.0 also gets wider 19-inch alloy wheels and brushed stainless steel exhaust tips instead of chrome, and the cabin gets six more speakers, up from four to ten, and 14-way power-adjustable front seats instead of manually adjustable ones.
The GR Supra 3.0 has a sticker price of about $52,000, which is more than an eight-cylinder Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, or Dodge Challenger. While those pony cars are less costly, GR Supra 3.0 performance improvements such as adjustable damping and larger Brembo brakes are usually an additional expense on those other sporty two-doors and are only standard on the most expensive trims.
Pros and Cons of the Toyota GR Supra 3.0 Premium in 2021
The GR Supra 3.0 comes standard with a colour head-up display and heated black leather front seats in Premium trim, which replace the leather and Alcantara seats found in lower trims. The Premium trim comes standard with a 12-speaker JBL sound system, wireless charging for connected apps, sports triggers, and an 8.8-inch infotainment touchscreen.
This trim also adds wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity to the infotainment device (which was previously only available on the higher trims). In addition to the six exterior colours available for the GR Supra, the GR Supra 3.0 Premium has a single exterior colour option: Phantom.
This trim also includes Apple CarPlay wireless networking for the infotainment system (which was previously only available on the higher trims). The GR Supra 3.0 Premium has a single exterior colour option: Phantom, in addition to the six exterior colours available for the GR Supra.
Pros and Cons of the 2021 Toyota GR Supra A91 Edition
The 2021 Supra didn’t just add more power to the I-6 engine; Toyota also launched the 1,000-unit limited-run GR Supra A91 Edition. The A91 Edition is physically similar to the 3.0 Premium, except for the lack of a head-up display.
Instead of the matte black side mirrors, it gets a black satin finish rear carbon spoiler and carbon-fibre auto-folding heated outside reflected. The A91’s Refraction blue exterior and Nocturnal black graphics, as well as black and blue Alcantara and leather sport seats with blue stitching, stand out even more against the black and blue Alcantara and leather interior.
The GR Supra A91 Edition does not include any performance upgrades, but if you consider yourself a trim collector, the extra $305 may be worth it.
Which Toyota GR Supra in 2021 is the best?
The new GR Supra is as much an oriented driver’s car as it is a revival of an enthusiast classic, and the 3.0 engine could be the better choice of the two available engines for 2021. For less capital, there are RWD coupes that are equally or more capable, but they lack the same range of detail in their most simple trims. We’d stick with the 3.0 model and add the Safety & Technology package if it were our money. We’d lose the Premium’s head-up display and the A91’s flash, but we’d keep pretty much everything else that could make the GR Supra more than just a resurrected symbol, but also a regular driver.
