Toyota GR Supra: flawless power

No one buys a car because of the way it sounds—but the all-new 2020 Toyota GR Supra might be an exception. After a two-decade absence, this legendary compact coupe, based on the BMW Z4 convertible, comes alive in all its snarling glory the moment you step on the gas.

The 335-hp twin-scroll turbocharged inline 6-cylinder pulls strongly in any driving situation, and pressing the console-mounted Sport button adds a burbling-and-popping exhaust note on deceleration that proves downright addictive. Sports car purists might bemoan the lack of a manual gearbox, but they’ll live; the 8-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the rear wheels performs flawlessly.

The fifth-generation Supra’s perfect 50/50 weight distribution and adaptive suspension result in well-balanced handling and steering that feels precise and nicely weighted. Everything sharpens up in Sport mode, and the ride quality is good enough to make the Supra a fine daily driver. A variation on BMW’s unintuitive iDrive system is the only downside.

Toyota has made some upgrades to the 2021 Supra, including a 47-hp bump in the engine’s output and suspension tweaks. Perhaps more significantly, a less-expensive—by about $8,000—Supra with a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine (255 hp) is available.