This Should Have Been a Bigger Deal

It feels strange to say goodbye to the MkV Toyota Supra already. I spent a week with one—a 2026 model-year Final Edition—and the phrase that kept coming to mind was, “I hardly knew ye.” Part of that is that I’d never driven one before, but the other part is that I hardly ever see them around. I can’t help but wonder why that is.

Supra sales have been tough to come by for Toyota. That much is clear. I blame the narrative that they’re all just reskinned BMWs, which, sure, I guess—a Japanese sports car built in Austria is a bit strange. But on the whole, it’s a potent road warrior that’s made more hardcore and rigid by some features on the farewell model. It’s an engaging car, if nothing else, and all I hear from people these days is that cars are too dull. So what else do you want?

To me, this Supra is everything you’d expect of a two-door sports coupe: Sharper than a Schick Quattro and quick as heck. And yeah, maybe a little twitchy.

The Basics

Despite it still feeling new-ish, the current-gen Supra has been around since 2019. It shares a platform and an engine with the BMW Z4, which is also going out of production (go figure). The Supra has been at the top of Toyota’s sports car lineup for years, but just as it fades away, the GR GT is coming on the scene.

Not much has changed aesthetically for the Supra over the last seven years. If you ask me, that’s OK. It’s one of those cars that looks fast sitting still, with swoops where you want them and angles elsewhere. I’m partial to the rear three-quarter view, which highlights the car’s wide stance and big ol’ trunk spoiler. I even like the motorsport-style third brake light situated between the exhaust pipes.

The interior on my MkV Final Edition was about as nice as they come on the Supra. Black Alcantara and leather cover the seats, which are a bit snug on a big guy like me, but not uncomfortably so. A big pair of subwoofers sits behind you, and the trunk is big enough for a few bags. It took a while to get used to the infotainment, since it’s controlled by both touch and a dial on the center console, but I mostly left the latter alone. The only toggle I messed with there besides the automatic shifter (boo, I know) was the drive mode selector.

I won’t lament the Supra’s ZF eight-speed gearbox too much, as it’s legitimately quick. It doesn’t have any problem handling the twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six and its 382 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque. Instead, it just sends all that power to the rear wheels, resulting in a mighty shove of acceleration.

Driving the 2026 Toyota Supra MkV Final Edition

Let it be known that I never bonked my head while getting in or out of the Supra. At least, not that I can remember. Anywho, there is room for you if you’re 6’5″ like I am, or maybe even a skosh taller. Just don’t expect to ride comfortably with another person that size in the passenger seat.

My first drive in the Supra was at night on a delightfully twisty B-road that’s not exactly well-surfaced. Rows of dead trees meant I could see any oncoming headlights around the corners, and the Supra linked them together like they were nothing. Really, those Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires were so sticky that I winced every time I drove over a patch of pebbles that had washed in from the recent rain. At least it gave me an excuse to scrub them like a Le Mans driver under a full-course yellow.

A little farther down the road, and it opened up so I could use some more of the ZF box’s gears. If you think 382 hp isn’t enough in a car like this, then I’m not sure what to tell you. The car wants to go fast, and you essentially have to tell it not to—especially in Sport+ mode. The sound gets piped in, and you feel like it’s pestering you to go for it at every fat-radius sweeper.

Let’s say you listen and put your foot to the floor. You might make it most of the way around that corner, but then you find a big dip or a sharp crack in the asphalt. You’re going to feel it, and you’re going to think that the steering needs correcting. That’s how it went for me, and just as I started reacting, it suddenly found its composure again. It’s like I never left the driving line, except it was a big enough jolt that it had me worried for a split-second.

Maybe it’s because I’m more used to driving big trucks than tiny sports cars, but I didn’t much care for that.

Toyota added serious bracing to this car. My tester’s window sticker shows a $620 strut tie bar, and lifting the hood shows everything is linked together. Paired with the short wheelbase and stiffened adaptive dampers in Sport and Sport+ mode, this sucker is more rigid than I wish it were. Still, it gets the job done and goes where you tell it to, so maybe I’m not hardcore enough as a driver.

The Supra is, nevertheless, a fun car that makes you feel like a rockstar driver. The vented, four-piston Brembo brakes bite hard and never fade during my testing on curvy Ozark roads. In short, the engine pulls hard, the front end listens well, and the rear end eventually settles where it needs to. Harsh handling on the limit doesn’t need to steer anyone away from this car; you should arguably expect it.

The Highs and Lows

I’m a big fan of the Supra’s powertrain, even if it comes from BMW. You have to remember that the Bavarians have made some of the greatest inline-sixes ever, and while I’m not sure this B58 belongs in that conversation, it’s a strong runner. When you hit a steep hill with a big kink in the middle, it just keeps pulling like you’re driving up Eau Rouge at Spa. And because the chassis and suspension are so tightly buttoned up, there’s practically zero body roll.

I only wish the shimmy and shakes were more gradual. I recognize that’s par for the course with boy-racer sports cars, but if a lifetime of driving fast machines on dirt has taught me anything, it’s that controlled rotation is best.

2026 Toyota Supra MkV Final Edition Features, Options, and Competition

Every Supra MkV Final Edition comes with the twin-turbo inline-six, as the old 2.0-liter four-cylinder is long gone. You can buy one with the ZF eight-speed or a Bimmer-built, Toyota GR-tuned six-speed stick. They’re fairly loaded from the get-go with heated power seats, a 12-speaker JBL sound system, an 8.8-inch infotainment display, and wireless Apple CarPlay. My press car had only a few options:

• A $1,195 driver assist package with dynamic radar cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors
• The aforementioned $620 strut tie brace
• A $110 carpet cargo mat
• $90 wheel locks

Aside from the Supra’s BMW Z4 platform mate, the Nissan Z is its only real competition. The Z starts in the mid-$40,000 range, so it’s significantly cheaper, and it offers a bit more power with 400 ponies from its boosted V6. While the Nissan and the ‘Yota seem similar on paper, everyone I’ve talked to who’s driven both says they’re pretty different. If you prefer precision, the Supra is it; if you want more of a hot rod, then the Z may be a better choice.

Fuel Economy

I’ve never heard anyone talk about fuel economy in this segment, but for what it’s worth, the Supra and Z4 are neck-and-neck. Both get 25 mpg combined and 29 mpg highway, diverging only on the city rating, with the Toyota managing 22 mpg while the BMW gets 23 mpg. Nissan falls behind with its Z at 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway/22 mpg combined.

Value and Verdict

We already knew the MkV Supra wasn’t perfect, but I tell you what, it’s not bad either. I’m curious to see what the MkV’s legacy will be in 10 or 20 years, but for now, I’ll remember it as a car that loves to reward drivers while keeping them honest at the limit. I never worked up the gusto to truly challenge the brakes, though I don’t think most folks ever will.

Most people who stopped and talked to me about the Supra asked, “What even is that thing?” This reiterates the idea that most folks have missed this generation of Toyota’s sports car. That’s a little sad, but for those who know, the MkV is a good-timing car that’s just the right amount of fast.

So long, Supra. I hardly knew ye.

Toyota provided The Drive with a GR Supra MkV Final Edition for a week for the purpose of this review.

2026 Toyota Supra Specs

Quick Take

It’s too bad the MkV Supra never really took off. Maybe, it blossomed too late.

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