The Supra is dead, long live the Supra. Launched here way back in 2019 BC, the A90 generation will exit the Australian market by the end of August – but a new sixth-gen model won’t be too far away.
Announcing its exit, local sales boss Sean Hanley said the current BMW-partnered Supra had “exceeded the expectations set by its predecessors”.
Sales figures show there have been 1422 examples of the Supra sold here between September 2019 and the end of July this year, but Toyota doesn’t offer any breakdown on the split between four-cylinder and six, or manual and auto.
Sadly, Toyota isn’t doing anything special for its final models, shutting down any hopes of the overseas Final Edition bringing its 320kW/570Nm tune here. (Regular six-cylinder models produce 285kW and 500Nm.)
Then there’s the matter of its coming introduction into the Australian Supercars series.
It’s a bit of an odd one, seeing a car that’s no longer for sale still lapping Bathurst. The Supra will join the Chevrolet Camaro in the ‘ghost car’ category on the Supercars grid, leaving only the Ford Mustang as a racer you can actually buy.
The big question is what comes next. Hanley has all but confirmed a sixth-generation is coming, so the name isn’t going anywhere. Whispers from Japan suggest a hybrid powertrain could be on the cards, and maybe even a Lexus version.
For now, though, the Supra’s exit leaves the entertaining Nissan Z looking pretty lonely as the only real Japanese rival in its class. A far cry from the glory days, that’s for sure.
The six-speed manual Toyota Supra seems like the obvious choice for folks who really like to drive, but not everyone is a fan.
Words: Peter Anderson Images and co-pilot: Matt Gerrard (@mattg81)
Supra. It’s a brand all of on its own. The Toyota part is unnecessary given it’s so strongly embedded in people’s minds. It’s like Mustang is to Ford – no, really, – you just call it Supra. The GR bit…well…it really ties it to the 86/Yaris/Corolla set but, again, nobody calls it the GR Supra.
The A90 has been an incredible success, at least as far as awareness and the generation of brand cachet goes. It eclipses the car with which it shares so much – the BMW Z4 – here in Australia in a way I didn’t think possible. You tell people it’s a Z4 with a hat and they shrug, telling me it looks like a Supra.
It’s an astonishingly bold and intelligent design. The body is stretched tight over its underpinnings and is so curvy and muscular it looks absolutely nothing like its under-the-skin sibling. The idea that hard points would define the way it would look is out the window, they don’t even share a windscreen. It’s as different from the Z4 as the 86 and BRZ are similar. Or shares as much with the Z4 as the Yaris GR does with your mum’s hybrid hatchback (that’s just a little joke to make you click on a story I loved writing).
The references to the fabled FT-HS and FT-1 concept cars are so clear, too, but not a straight-up rip-off. More came from FT-1, which generated a vast amount of excitement when it appeared. It has a wonderful fluidity to it and has proved to be an incredible base for aftermarketeers keen to pump the looks even more. As ever, some of it is awful but some of it is superb. It can cope with addition but looks amazing without it. This is a controversial opinion to some, I know.
I am a particular fan of the way the bonnet rolls so far down over the arches. It screams race car clamshell without actually being a clamshell. When Matt asked me how I wanted it shot I said, “At rest. We don’t even need shots of it driving, really.” The rain and mist and Matt’s undeniable eye have made me love this car even more. If I was allowed, one of these shots would be on my wall, right next to one of Blake’s shots of the Vantage.
Interestingly, my description of the Supra being a Z4 with a hat comes from one of the early cars and echoes a reference I once made to the Jaguar F-Type coupe. Both cars are based on convertible-first structures and are internally compromised as a result. Strict two-seaters, not much room for luggage and a roof that liked to squeak.
The first Supra I drove many moons ago – how my wife loved that car and how that feeling was ruined by ute-driving yahoos screaming at her – squeaked madly, in a very un-Toyota way. In squeaked in a Jaguar F-Type coupe way, which is to say it did but you forgave it because good lord it was pretty. This 2024-built example was tight as a drum and I assume this propensity to squeak was fixed long ago.
Just look at these gorgeous details – the shape of the lighting elements, the bevelling of the exhaust pipe, the Supra script on the boot, the F1-like1 fog light with the LEDs for the reverse light as a frame. Just some incredibly fine work that we see because it’s there and it all just works. You can just see the designers had so much fun and freedom, led by Nobuo Nakamura. Yes they had the FT-HS and FT-1 inspiration to work from but this is a rare 2020s-era car that is genuinely beautiful. And it’s under a hundred grand in Australia, at least in GT form. And only a bit over in GTS form.
Under that long bonnet is BMW’s gorgeous B58. I have mentioned the B58 in my X3 M50 review and I don’t care if you made fun of me. It’s an incredible engine and here in the Supra is good for 285kW between 5800-6500rpm (the early cars had 250kW and the Supra was almost immediately upgraded for 2021 in line with the Z4’s power bump). Torque is a nice round 500Nm between 1800 and 5000rpm.
For the manual, Toyota had to work hard. It took the same ZF six-speed in the Z4 and, er, made it nice. To be fair, in the Z4 it’s ok but the clutch placement means my size 10 (Euro 43) brushed the steering rack. Co-pilot Mark didn’t like the manual Supra at all and when he had a brief spin in this exact car before I had it and came away with the same opinion – he doesn’t like it. He disliked it so much in fact, that he didn’t drive it this time. He was happy for me to lead the way.
I, however, did love it. The pedal placement seems better in the Supra, which honestly wouldn’t be hard. The clutch action wasn’t exactly to my taste and the ZF is like it is always was – good but not great. Not Fiesta ST great, not Mazda MX-5 great, just good. Feels unburstable, though.
Working so well with the revvy straight-six, the Supra is just perfect for a midnight blast. The big LEDs light the darkness, the big Michelins bite the ground and only come unstuck when you tell them to. The power on a hard launch is perfection but never feels overdone – I don’t need more, it’s exactly where it should be.
The seats are supportive, everything works fine and the stripped back mix of Toyota and BMW is still a bit odd but nothing you can’t live with.
When you are on it, this car just delivers and delivers, with a lovely front end that just wants to go where you point it. I love practically sitting on the rear wheels and being down so low. Not just because I seem to spend my life six feet in the air in a Chinese SUV wondering how I’m going to explain the terribly calibrated safety systems but because it’s so right.
I love the way the brakes feel great and haul the speed off. I love the way the rear hangs on if you want it to and the front stays where it is when you punish the rear tyres. The diff is beautifully set up for the road.
As is the suspension. It works so well under duress as well as on the commute. Potholes aren’t terrifying and the solidity and stiffness of the chassis is a testament to its fundamental engineering depth.
Sales are falling, however, all over the world. The US and Europe have lost interest and it’s a sign of the ailing sports car market that just isn’t interested in things that aren’t Porsches. Very often great cars fall by the wayside and this is most definitely a goodbye to the Supra, hence my intention to have the photos portray a stillness.
The imminent departure of the Supra is a genuine shame because this thing can take it to cars a lot more expensive. It’s more fun to drive than most things on the road and given its petite cabin, still manages to be practical enough to be a daily. And that’s not something to sniff at – in these pricey times, having a car that can be this much fun but also drag you to work in the morning without either being compromised means you don’t have to compromise. No, it won’t take the family to the beach but you know what I mean.
I would have a Supra in a heartbeat. I want to own a Supra before I get too old to enjoy it. Would I have the manual? No, I don’t think so. If we were talking about the 86, it’s no contest. But the Supra’s eight-speed is everything you could ever need and plays along with you the way you want. While Toyota worked hard to improve the frankly dire manual gearboxed Z4s, I’m not quite sure it was enough for me.
Either way, though, the A90 Supra remains utterly desirable six years into its life. It feels shorter than that – partly because of the pandemic, partly because life is moving fast these days – but the Supra has made its mark on the automotive landscape once again. The Z4, with which the Supra shares its Austrian production line at Magna Steyr, will die next year with no successor in sight.
The Supra, though, looks to be headed for a new life as a hybrid, rear-wheel drive four-cylinder. It might be good, it might be great. But with the last of the mighty six cylinders fading into the night of emissions regulations, the A90 will surely be endlessly sought after.
Yes I know they’re rain lights in F1, but it looks like the rain light. ↩︎
Gun motorsport (and supercar) photographer and all-round excellent fellow, Rhys Vandersyde, reviews his own Toyota RAV4 Edge.
Sure the latest iteration of the Toyota RAV4 is getting a good wrap at the moment, especially the hybrid models. But what about the non-hybrid Edge version?
Paying homage to the 4×4 versions of the Toyota RAV introduced in the late 1990’s, the go almost anywhere but very much “softroader” attitude of those early RAV4’s has been re-envisaged with the current modernised Edge.
By no means is it a full off-roading, get you anywhere you could dream of going type machine. But it does give you that little bit of hope that you could be almost as adventurous as your friends who own proper 4WDs. You know, those two/three times a year.
Based on that description alone, you might think that the ruggedised Toyota RAV4 Edge would be a sidewards step in the range as alternative to the very popular hybrid models, especially given the current waiting list on those versions. Instead it sits at the top of the current model line-up, above the GXL that Peter recently reviewed as well as the previously top-tiered Cruiser. That said, it is decked out accordingly with some top tier trimmings.
So, with the current wait times on the super popular RAV4 hybrid, do you stick with the cheaper 2WD non-hybrids, spend the extra money on the top tier Edge or look at any number of other brands mid-sized SUV offerings? Spoiler alert… I picked the Toyota RAV4 Edge as my daily driver so I’m going to tell you all about it.
Words and images: Rhys Vandersyde
HOW MUCH IS a 2020 TOYOTA RAV4 EDGE AND WHAT DO I GET?
As I just mentioned, the Edge is the most expensive variant in Toyota RAV4 line-up at the moment and the only version not to offer a hybrid option.
With that $50k price tag, you get unique exterior and interior styling that includes bigger 19-inch two-tone alloy wheels and front bumper/grill exclusive to the Edge that looks like it has come off the North American, Toyota Tacoma.
You will also get an upgraded 9 speaker JBL audio system with DAB+, tilt and slide moonroof (with a $1365 option to upgrade to a panoramic moonroof), power-assisted rear door, panoramic around-view cameras and softex seats (a synthetic hardwearing leather alternative, apparently) on top of the features already included on the other RAV4 models (see Peter’s GXL review).
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now installed out-of-the-box across the Toyota RAV4 range (previously they had been offered as a free upgrade on the new model when it was originally released in 2019) which is a significant improvement on Toyota’s native software included on the 8.0-inch central touchscreen.
(Rhys is being kind to Toyota’s head-unit – it’s horrific – Peter)
Also unique to the Edge is the off-road drive mode select dial with options for Mud/Sand, Rock/Dirt and Snow (on top of the usual Eco, Normal and Sports modes) as well as Downhill Assist Control and a Torque Vectoring Differential to help it live up to its namesake. Which at the very least will give you the feeling that you could be really adventurous, you know… if you really wanted to be.
In terms of colours, Jungle Khaki (a green/brown-ish grey) is the only free colour on the Edge with a $600 upgrade to Eclipse Black, Atomic Rush (metallic red), Electric Blue or my pick of the colours, Graphite (gunmetal grey)
SAFETY: 5 STARS (ANCAP, MAY 2019)
Toyota’s Safety Sense is common across the entire RAV4 range, including lane departure warning, lane keep assist, forward AEB with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, road sign recognition, auto high beam and active cruise control.
By default, all these features are turned on at their most obnoxious settings the car will beep and talk to you almost constantly while driving, which can be annoying. You will need to dive into the menu setting on the dash to tweak and fine-tuning back down to something more reasonable.
You also get seven airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, trailer sway control, blind-spot monitor and reverse cross-traffic alert. Cruiser and Edge models get the addition of a panoramic view monitor for a 360º vision while parking.
Two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors are available for the child seating.
WARRANTY AND SERVICING
5 years/unlimited kilometres 5 years fixed-price servicing
The warranty and the cost of ownership is one of the areas that Toyota really makes its mark, particularly with its capped-price service offering.
Toyota also now bolsters its legendary reliability by offering a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty across the range.
The warranty on the engine and transmission can also be extended by a further two years if you maintain your servicing within the Toyota’s dealer network.
At only $195 per service and a service interval of 12 months/15,000km, there is no real reason to maintain your RAV4 anywhere other than Toyota.
LOOK AND FEEL
As a long time Toyota RAV4 owner, I really like the more angular aggressive look on the exterior of the current model. It’s got a bit of attitude about it. Something the mid-size SUV market has really been lacking recently, in my humble opinion.
The Edge variant takes it one step further with the aforementioned additional styling pack and bigger wheels that just subtly gives the car a bit more of a gritty rugged look. That might appeal to those who want to have that appearance of being a bit more outdoorsy, much like those late 90’s Subaru Outback owners.
Peter’s assessment that the little strip of black on the C-Pillar is spot-on, it really is just oddly positioned. At least with the darker paint (Graphite) it becomes significantly less noticeable.
Inside the RAV4 Edge, it’s almost what I would consider to be roomy for what I normally expect from a mid-size SUV with plenty of space to comfortably sit four adults with a boot load of luggage for a weekend away style road trip.
The pseudo leather seats, officially called softex, are a lot more comfortable that I was initially expecting just by looking at them. They also seem to be more resistant to heat and cold than traditional leather seats, not that I’ve done a side by side comparison. That said, the front seats also feature seat warmers and coolers to make things comfortable more quickly in the extremes.
The orange trim details in the interior is going to be one of those things people either love or hate. I really love it because it gives the Toyota’s (and the mid-size SUV market for that matter) traditionally neutral look a bit more personality which helps match the exterior. It just make the inside of the car interesting.
Toyota have also taken into consideration the whole family with 5 USB ports (only the one in the central console integrates with the Apple CarPlay/Android Auto system) as well as a Qi enabled wireless charging pad that will handle any sized phone, to keep all your gadgets charged up on the go.
While everything else about the interior in functional and practical, you know Toyota-ery…
CHASSIS AND DRIVETRAIN
2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol
The Edge shares the same naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the RAV4 GXL and Cruiser hybrid variants.
However what the Edge does differently is swaps out the CVT, electric motors and batteries to instead deliver the 152kW through a proper eight-speed automatic gearbox and the torque vectoring all wheel drive system to all four wheels. Completely different to the rest of the AWD variants of this latest RAV4 which rely exclusively on eclectic power for the rear wheels.
FUEL CONSUMPTION
Fuel figures: 7.3/100km (claimed, ADR) Real world: 7.6L/100km
My typical driving is a good mix of long-haul trips up and down the motorway as well as short, quick trips around town and occasionally off-road adventure. But for the most part, I avoid a lot of that start-stop city driving, so I tend to get a little closer to the manufacturer numbers than most people.
DRIVING
I’ve always said this as a Toyota RAV4 owner, it’s a functional, practical car that is easy, bordering on boring, to drive. It’s the everyday car that will just hum along and get you exactly wherever you need to go.
That said, this latest version is a significant improvement in a lot of areas. Firstly, it’s a lot more nimble to drive than its predecessors. It points when you steer, and it holds the road with much less body roll making it a lot more comfortable and dare I say it, even fun driving experience on the twisty stuff.
By no means will you confuse it with a sports car but let’s just say it’s no longer completely boring to drive either.
Once you take the RAV4 Edge off road, which how this one is marketed, it maintains that comfort level. The suspension manages the bumps of a gravel bumpy road with ease considering the standard road tyres and on road handling ability.
I have taken it offroad on what I would consider a moderate incline with a loose rocky surface and the all wheel drive system handled it without too much fuss. That said, it still doesn’t have the ground clearance, underbody protection or ability to be a proper 4WD alternative, so you won’t be able to tear up rutted out fire-trails with it. That said, it holds its own loose gravel and sand giving you the option to be able to explore further afield.
COMPETITION
Sure all the usual contenders offer a mid-size SUV option at that $50k price point but what you’ll find is that they are all just progressive improvements to the rest of the line-up. Whereas the Toyota RAV4 Edge is completely its own thing in the range.
Both Honda’s CR-V VTi-LX AWD and Hyundai’s Tucson Highlander are in the ballpark terms of price and comparable on features, but style-wise they’re much more neutral. Both are scheduled for upgrades later this year.
Subaru just released upgraded version Forester, which I haven’t driven, but its top on the line hybrid model could be an alternative worth exploring.
Volkswagen’s offering, the Tiguan 162TSI Highline could also be an option, but once you consider the option packs to match the RAV4’s included features and the ongoing servicing and maintenance it becomes considerably more expensive.
The biggest competition for the Edge, however, might come from Toyota’s own stable. More specifically the Cruiser Hybrid AWD which is slightly cheaper, styled a little more conservatively, but without all the off-roading stuff.
Redline Recommenation
I’ve always said that the Toyota RAV4 is car you buy to make sure you are going to get where you need to go. It’s practical, functional and comfortable, everything a Toyota claims to be.
The new version takes this even further by being packed full of extra features as standard and just generally being better to drive. As a result, a lot of Toyota RAV4’s have been sold recently and will continue to do so. So if you’d like to stand out in the crowd, the unique styling of the Edge might be just the ticket, especially if you want to showcase your adventurous side.
But then again, you might just be impatient like me and not willing to wait months for the next available RAV4 Hybrid stock to arrive in Australia.
Toyota’s reborn Corolla hatch – now properly good to drive – has a sedan version. Does the hatch’s dynamic flair carry over?
In days gone by – well, at least the last three decades – Corolla did not spark joy. Every now and again Toyota would try, with sporty version that maybe had some scandalously…okay, slightly stiffer dampers and maybe poxy spoiler.
And who could forget the two Corolla ads in 1999 that were slightly…uh…optimistic about the car’s sexiness. The last interesting Corolla was the SX/GTi with a mighty 100kW, and that’s getting on three decades ago.
The sedan, however, has never been particularly cool. And it still isn’t, obviously. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it, because sometimes you just need a boot on a car that’s alright to drive.
How much is a Toyota Corolla SX Sedan and what do I get?
Corolla SX CVT: $28,235 + ORC
The SX is the second step in the Corolla pantheon, with a 1.8-litre Ascent Sport manual and auto a few grand cheaper (and, presumably, quite bare-bones).
On the SX get 16-inch alloys, a six-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry, cruise control, sat nav, LED headlights, keyless entry and start, powered and heated door mirrors, power windows, cloth interior and a full-size spare alloy.
Not amazing, not terrible.
Not amazing and actually terrible is the standard Toyota touchscreen software. The hardware performs well but the screen itself is low-res and the colours are all washed out. The big improvement that had been forever coming was the addition of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, both of which fix almost all of the system’s problems. So Corolla now has 21st-century cabin tech to go with the brand new platform.
There is just one option – you can add DAB+ digital radio and sat nav for $1000, which seems a bit stiff.
The only free colour is, predictably, Glacier White. The rest are $500 for Ink (black), Lunar Blue, Saturn Blue, Celestite Grey, Volcanic Red, Wildfire (another red), Silver Pearl and Crystal Pearl.
Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP, November 2019)
The Corolla ships with seven airbags, ABS, stability and traction control, forward AEB and forward collision warning, auto high beam, reverse cross-traffic alert and lane departure warning.
You also get two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors for child or baby seats.
Warranty and Servicing
5 years/unlimited km (+2 years engine and gearbox) Capped price servicing – 48 months/60,000km
Toyota’s legendary reliability is probably what kept the company from joining the five-year crowd, but they’re there now and that’s what’s important.
What had always been handy with Toyota was the bargain service pricing. The first four services are capped at $180 per service, meaning four years only costs $720, as long as you’re doing less than 15,000km per year.
Keep servicing with Toyota (and why wouldn’t you for that price) and you’ll get two more years warranty on the engine and transmission.
Look and feel
Look, there’s a pair of funky headlights and then it all goes hyper-dull. It’s not a curious move for Toyota – they’ve been doing it for well over two decades – but the Mazda3 sedan is now considerably duller than the hatch.
The Corolla is perfectly inoffensive, nicely proportioned and absolutely nothing stands out down here in the Ascent Sport. Couldn’t be duller, but it’s not ugly. The hatch is hardly avant-garde, but it is at least attractive.
You could say the same for the interior. The cloth trim is perfectly fine and seems hardy. Given a lot of these cars end up in fleets, that’s entirely unsurprising and comforting for owners.
It’s quite roomy too, which you can see from the interior photos I got. The front seats are cleverly-shaped to maximise knee room. And, as is now a habit for small Toyotas, the front seats are as good to sit in as they are to look at.
It’s not colourful, it’s not wild, but it’s well-built and fits in the Toyota oeuvre without causing trouble.
There is plenty of storage, with the obvious jump in cargo space from the hatch’s ho-hum boot to 477 litres. Drop the seats and there’s a probable tripling of space (Toyota does not offer an official figure).
Front and rear rows of seats score a pair of cupholders each, there’s a useful but small centre console (with sliding armrest) and a wireless charging pad for your phone. Each door will take a small bottle.
Chassis and Drivetrain
Toyota fits the tried and true naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder M20A-FKS for 125kW at 6600rpm and 200Nm between 4400 and 4800rpm. And as always, it’s front-wheel drive and the power gets there via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
I don’t like CVTs. I used to absolutely hate them, but Toyota and Honda have worked hard to make them less crap. I still don’t like them, but they get in the way less in a Toyota than, say, a Subaru.
There’s nothing remarkable about the chassis except that it rolls on the bang up to date but too-heavy TNGA. The Corolla weighs almost as much as 3 Series.
The 16-inch wheels have 205/55 Bridgestone Ecopia rubber. You can’t win them all.
Driving
Corolla has never been the last word in driving dynamics. Until recently, my experience with Toyota’s small hatch has meant skinny tyres, mushy-but-comfy ride and chronic understeer.
The last version of the Corolla on the previous platform felt old. Dead steering and not a drop of soul. Nothing. Naturally, most buyers didn’t care because they were either fleet accountants who liked the fact they got them cheap, they were affordable to run and had good residuals.
I really didn’t like it at all.
The TNGA Corolla, which I first drove eighteen months ago, was good, even if it was the slow hybrid. I was very impressed that it had equally good ride and handling. It looked good. It was almost fun.
Want to know something? The sedan isn’t all that much fun, but it’s still good. The sedan has traditionally not been an excitement machine with a mix of a doughy CVT (the 10-speed paddle-shift function is largely pointless) and the weight blunting the torque.
The CVT does a good job of making the most of the 200Nm, but it’s more to keep things moving than to provide any thrills.
The Corolla sedan is lovely and quiet, though. Everything is within easy reach, the controls all feel really good and it’s an insulating experience the like of which you only found in very expensive (or very large) cars not that long ago.
The Ecopia tyres don’t do the handy chassis any favours, either, but that’s the same on any car they’re on.
Competition
There’s lots, so I’ll keep this brief. You can have a Suzuki Baleno but you’ll probably die of boredom and it costs a lot to service.
The Subaru Impreza has a terrible CVT and isn’t especially good value when compared to the Corolla. It has a slightly better head unit, though, and is slightly roomier and even more solid-feeling. The extra cost does go on all-wheel drive, so that’s something. And it’s, uh, challenging to look at.
The Hyundai Elantra is heading for a(nother) facelift and for this kind of money you can have an i30 Hatch N-Line, which is a very good car indeed. Strong warranty, good capped-price servicing and it’s better to drive with a proper six-speed automatic.
The Kia Cerato Sport is cheaper than any of them and despite feeling a bit on the old side, looks pretty good if you like the back end it seems to share with a BMW X6. Hammer the dealer and/or spend a few more bucks and you can have the 1.6-litre GT.
I almost clean forgot about the Honda Civic VTi. That car has a ton of space inside and a very, very clever interior. Tidy handling, good warranty, Honda vibe and a half okay CVT. Only problem is there’s not much power from the gasping old 1.8, so you need to spend a few bucks and get the 1.5-litre turbo. No slower in the real world than the Corolla, though.
Oh, and it’s not very good looking.
Redline Recommendation
The Corolla Sedan isn’t an excitement machine and – crucially – doesn’t pretend to be. This mild boy does everything it says on the tin, without costing too much and without sucking.
Actually, that’s damning it with faint praise, which is unfair. The new Corolla is a very good car. I’ll stick with unexciting, but it’s good to drive, not bad to look at and will most likely outlast humanity.
Sometimes car companies are in chronic denial about their cars or are trying just a little bit too hard. Like the 1999 Corolla ads…
Sometimes television commercials for cars go completely bonkers. Too much, too little, too abstract or there are people who look like they are simulating sexy times, like the recent BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe ad.
In 1999, Toyota’s marketing department attempted to improve the image of its evergreen bestseller with not one but two expensive-looking TVCs. They’re well-made, beautifully shot and even use Blur’s Song 2 (aka “Woo-hoo!”).
They’re also completely bonkers and just a little bit blue. But it seems back in 1999, this was all perfectly acceptable.
1999 Toyota Corolla Seca and Sedan
The 1999 Toyota Corolla was not an attractive machine. The Seca was a particular duffer. The front end was disastrously ugly and for some reason, the creative folks thought that this dreadful colour would help promote it.
The ad is full of some fairly questionable imagery. Straight up we have a water main bursting in a workman’s face who himself is looking a little too pleased to see what was not a particularly attractive car. We see at the end why he was perhaps a little hot under the collar because – surprise – there’s a pretty lady at the wheel.
Then there is the slightly inexplicable ice and fire juxtaposition as the hideously-coloured Seca drives past a hair salon. Bafflingly, ice suddenly falls from the sky while inside a customer’s hair is set alight. Presumably the hairdresser is an anarchist rioter.
Then a cyclist is basically monstered off the road and up a ramp. Luckily it seems like a 50-50 situation because he too is perving on the car and/or occupant. I’m going with the occupant. Then he shows off by doing a big jump and jettisons the bike. Did you see the Citroen DS in there, too? Cheeky. Also the best-looking car in the ad by far. Drawing that kind of comparison is pretty brave.
The car causes a stir in a cafe, although I’m not entirely sure why. The chap who gets a lap full of coffee deserves it just for the outfit. And why is the car on the wrong side of the double white lines?
Then the ghastly yellow car pulls to a stop, the driver checks the mirror for the mayhem she has caused and eyes up a gentleman who is at the boot of the even duller sedan. Then we see the ice was in fact water as the lady in the pink jacket huffs and puffs.
In today’s world, the young lady at the wheel would be hastily milkshake-ducked by the Murdoch press and the Daily Mail would suggest she was “flaunting her curls” as she climbs out of the car.
There are too many long reaches in this ad to cover here, but in Australia at least, this car is more remembered for the ad and not the driving experience.
1999 Corolla CSX
The ad for the weird-looking CSX, with its different front end and one of the earliest perforated mesh-style grilles I can remember, is thematically more consistent.
The team stuck with Blur’s instantly recognisable Song 2 and kicks off with a bunch of well-groomed adults goo-ing and gaa-ing over a young baby.
The theme of being “the centre of attention” is quite consistent as the ad’s male protagonist is the subject of first the attention of his sporting peers and then a series of attractive women.
Then we get a bunch of dynamic, moving shots that would all have been done in-camera. This sort of thing was the zeitgeist back then, with MTV having introduced the world to jump-cuts and mystifying cutaways.
The women seem surprised at the speed with which the Corolla is being conducted and I’m with them. It was a total slug. They also seem a little too excited to see the car – as with the first ad – but clearly this fellow was deemed “hot” in 1999.
Then we’re suddenly introduced to a new character, a blonde woman driving the same car the male was previously. It’s a strange, unexplained jump. As are the rather obvious set of headlights, if you get my drift. Perhaps the 1999 Corolla had extremely effective air-conditioning.
Then the bloke reappears right at the end, looking confused. Well, at least he understands the product.
Would they get away with this today?
Nope. Car ads are pretty boring these days, partly due to cost pressures, partly because of mithering bores (VW sent this up well in the VW Amarok spot). But these ads are sexist and this kind of leering sexism just isn’t on anymore. It was never cool (and there’s some stuff coming, let me tell you), but it’s forbidden in advertising now.
Thank goodness.
Anyway, that was kind of like watching the first Ghostbusters with your kids. You had forgotten how blue the first one was.
And put more Woo in Hoo you are? I hate it.
Got any other ads you can think of that are terrible? Let me know!
Toyota’s youth-oriented but Boomer-bought compact SUV has already had its first minor tweak and now includes the series hybrid version.
Setting aside the dire name – C-HR means “Coupe – High Riding” – there is a great deal to like about Toyota’s tiny SUV. The price isn’t one of those things – we’ll get to that – but it’s a lovely, clean-sheet design that surprised me greatly the first time I drove it.
It was bolder than anything else in the segment, it was thrifty and popular from the get-go. It has a very cool interior, if not especially practical, but built on Toyota’s TNGA platform, it’s nice to drive and feels a lot more expensive than it is.
There were a few things to dislike, too – the world’s second-worst media system, the hopelessly inadequate CVT and the leisurely performance from the otherwise-excellent 1.2-litre turbo.
For 2020, a few things have been ironed out and there’s hope that the Hybrid powertrain will deliver where the CVT can’t.
How much is a Toyota C-HR Koba Hybrid and what do I get?
Koba 2WD Hybrid: $36,440 + ORC
$36,440 is $2500 more than a Koba front-wheel drive 1.2-litre turbo, so it’s a solid gain for pleasure of better fuel economy and the blue-tongued grille.
You get new-for-2020 18-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, around-view cameras, keyless entry and start, active cruise control, LED fog lamps and daytime running lights, sat nav, auto LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, leather wheel and shifter, electric folding and heated mirrors, power windows, and a space-saver spare.
I was a bit disappointed to step in and see the same screen atop the dash. It’s run by very dodgy software and powers a six-speaker stereo. The hardware itself is not too flash either, with terrible resolution and the colours are washed out.
What did please me is the very late arrival of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with the re-siting of the USB port. You used to plug it in on the head unit itself and it looked horrific and it was not very convenient either.
Oddly, there is just one free colour, Hornet Yellow. Another $450 gets you a contrasting roof with all colours. $500 buys you Ink, Nebula Blue, Oxide Bronze, Graphite (grey), Inferno (orange), Feverish Red, Shadow Platinum silver) and Crystal Pearl (white). So if you want a non-free colour and contrasting roof like the car I had, it’s another $950. Cheeky.
Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP, March 2018)
The C-HR packs seven airbags (including a driver’s knee airbag), ABS, stability and traction control, blind-spot monitoring, forward AEB (low-speed with pedestrian detection), forward collision warning, lane departure warning with steering assistance and reverse cross-traffic alert.
This is a pretty good package, especially considering the C-HR dukes it out at the loaded end of the Mazda CX-3, Hyundai Kona and Kia Seltos ranges.
You also get two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchor points for baby seats and child seats.
Warranty and servicing
5 years/unlimited kilometres 5 years fixed-price servicing
Toyota’s excellent five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty also has a two year extension on the engine and transmission if you keep servicing with Toyota.
Which is hardly a chore, because it’s only $195 per service and, unlike some Toyotas (and Japanese rivals), the service intervals are set at 12 months/15,000km.
You do have to pay for roadside assist, though, which is a bit stiff. Then again, it’s a Toyota, so…
Look and feel
The C-HR is a terrific-looking thing. It’s not pretty, no, but really, the only pretty compact SUV is the CX-3. Toyota’s designers went for bold and they nailed it. I’m a particular fan of the front view and the new headlights on the Koba are slightly cleaner-looking, which is a bonus. The side view is also impressive apart from that horrendous rear doorhandle up in the top corner of the door. Hard to reach, not nice to look at, but it does disappear when you step back a bit.
The rear is striking but I still think the taillights are too big. No mistaking it, though.
Wrong seat material, right seats
This is a genuinely lovely interior. It’s full of lovely details and you can see a couple of new things. The first is the illusion of Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto) on the central screen. You can also see that the USB port is down in the console rather than up in the screen itself. The whole touchscreen arrangement has some cheap shortcut buttons, so it’s a bit nasty. Only real drama in the cabin.
The front seats are fanastic – something Toyota is doing really well these days – and there are a number of cool choices of texturing and patterning, including in the headlining.
Rear seat accommodation is quite good given how small is the C-HR. It’s better than the CX-3 by a long way, but is beaten by Kona, Seltos and smashed to bits by Qashqai, Kadjar and HR-V.
You get four cupholders in the car. The rears are in the door cards (pictured) which makes up or the lack of armrest. The boot starts at a very handy 377 litres and with the seats folded, you get 1112 litres. Front passengers get bottle holders in the doors.
Chassis and Drivetrain
The most important bit about this C-HR is the hybrid drivetrain. Out goes the 1.2-litre turbo and in comes the 1.8-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder with a CVT and electric motor.
Toyota is always cagey about the figures, but the 90kW combined power is an improvement on the 1.2’s 85kW. Unlike the RAV4 Hybrid, the C-HR is front-wheel drive only. If you want AWD, you’ll have to go back to the 1.2.
The stated torque figure of 142Nm is pretty weedy but also inaccurate – that’s just the figure from the 2ZR-FXE. There’s clearly more because the Hybrid C-HR feels that bit more sprightly than the standard car.
It’s pretty chubby, too, weighing in at 1460kg, which is a lot for a car this size. It’s disappointing that Toyota didn’t try and use the opportunity of the TNGA platform to reduce weight.
The C-HR Koba rolls on 18-inch wheels and 225/50 Bridgestone Potenza RE050As.
Driving
The C-HR is one of the finest compact SUVs to drive. Unusually for a Toyota, it just feels right from the get-go.
Actually, that’s not fair – all of the TNGA Toyotas are really nice to drive but they do share one common issue. They’re all really slow. It’s that last part of the puzzle that Toyota needs to get right, putting a bit of grunt into their cars. At this price point, your Kona or Seltos has a 1.6-litre turbo with a proper transmission, not the silly CVT Toyota persists with.
The hybrid powertrain is really good, though. Unlike the Hyundai Ioniq PHEV’s whirring and clicking, the much more polished Toyota system is seamless. You can trundle along on a very light throttle in electric-only power, which is very nice in traffic. I quite like playing the game of seeing how far I get in EV mode.
But what’s really great about the C-HR is the whole ride and handling compromise. The steering is really nice, with plenty of feel and you know what’s going on under the front tyres.
You can really throw the C-HR around (which makes the power deficit all the more depressing), cornering is flat and predictable. But at the same time, the ride is beautifully sorted.
In the cruise, the C-HR is super-quiet. It might not be cheap, but it feels more expensive than it is.
Competition
The compact SUV segment is a war zone, so I’ll stick with its obvious competitors. None of them are hybrids, so keep that in mind.
I don’t want to mention it, but the Mitsubishi ASX continues to sell like it’s actually a good car, which is endlessly frustrating. The top of the range ASX Exceed is still cheaper but expensive considering what a dud it is to drive. It looks better in 2020 guise – at least at the front – and is bigger, it’s just not a good car. Thirsty, incredibly cheap-feeling and despite sharing the advantage of a multi-link rear suspension, does nothing with it.
The Hyundai Kona is getting old but up at this level, you’ll get a quick and capable 1.6-litre turbo-powered Elite with tons of gear and a good chassis to go with it. Looks great, too.
Kia’s newest SUV, the Seltos, shares a lot of the mechanicals of the Kona but is bigger in every direction, with a much bigger cabin to more closely match the bigger cars in the class. It’s a terrific car and has a long, long warranty, good resale prospects as a result and they look terrific.
Honda’s HR-V is getting old but is by far the biggest. The turbo 1.5-litre versions are better than the gasping 1.8s but the overall experience is largely forgettable.
Renault’s Qashqai-based Kadjar is very good but pricey and missing some key safety gear. I really liked it and it has a really good ownership proposition. It also drives really well on the better rubber the Intens wears.
Redline Recommendation
The C-HR is a great car. It’s not very fast, no, but the Hybrid version is just good enough for me to say that it’s worth the financial stretch. It’s kind of annoying you can’t get a lower-priced one. If you can’t push up this high, there’s the phenomenally good-value Corolla Hybrid at around $33,000.
The C-HR is uncannily good, even in a segment populated with some great cars. It stands alone – for the moment – in the class as the only hybrid, though, and for some, that’s reason enough. It’s also a vastly more interesting purchase than the ageing and terminally dull Prius C.
285kW engine tune and revised dynamics for supply-strung Toyota flagship and it’s definitely coming here…later rather than sooner.
After the slow-burn stoking of Toyota GR Supra information before its release, the relatively speedy news of MY21 updates has gone straight for the firelighters. Most cars in Australia are barely off their first set of rear tyres and here we already have a fairly reasonable update to the two-door sportster.
Chassis and drivetrain
Inevitably a rise to 285kW for the BMW-built 3.0-litre, single turbo straight-six arrives, matching its BMW Z4 M40i sibling’s power peak, while torque remains unchanged at 500Nm.
According to Toyota, the engine features a new dual-branch exhaust manifold that utilises six exit ports rather than two, improving heat management but also breathing capability. The compression ratio has dropped from 11.0:1 to 10.2:1, an indicator that boost pressure has risen.
On the chassis side, Toyota has added aluminium support braces under the bonnet, tying the strut tops to mounts on the radiator support panel, increasing rigidity. Hopefully, that helps stop the squeaking we experienced when we drove it (yes, the review is coming, it’s Peter’s fault). New bump stops are applied to the front and rear suspension to suit the revised damper tuning.
Matching these mods are revised programs for the electric power steering, Active Differential, Adaptive Variable Suspension and Vehicle Stability Control Systems. Toyota says its intent is to make Supra ‘more stable through quick transitions, such as compound turns’.
When?
The MY21 Toyota GR Supra has already been launched in the United States. From an Australian perspective, Toyota says the updated Supra is planned for a late-2020 arrival…pending our favourite virus, naturally.
In a refreshing display of honesty, Toyota Australia says that, while pricing and local specifications are still to be finalised, ‘there will likely be a (price) increase linked to the updates.’ Availability is ‘also expected to be more limited than for the current car’.
Redline recommendation
These updates sound like they’ll be worth the wait, especially as word out of the US launch was that the engine modifications can’t be retrofitted to existing cars. Then again, there are myriad aftermarket tuners that can liberate more than 285kW out of this engine…
The Toyota Hilux finished 2019 at the top of the sales charts – again. That means folks who don’t really need a dual-cab ute are buying one anyway. Why?
That’s not a rhetorical question. If you’re like me, you’re so deep into your late-thirties that you’re actually in your mid-forties. Utes used to be noisy, smelly and hard to get on with – that’s the image from my childhood.
Obviously, that’s all changed and Toyota very kindly indulged me to allow me to answer this question. Kind because they know of my good-humoured disdain for this kind of car and my uncharitable jokes about the Sutherland Shire-based owners.
Look and feel
The Toyota Hilux is many things, but the SR5 is a dual-cab ute with some spangly suburban sass to appeal to cashed-up tradies and mid-life crisis professionals.
As you can see, Toyota has gone the mucho-chromo route, slapping it on the grille, mirror caps and rear bumper. And the big hog-spotting roll bar in the tray. It’s actually not nearly as bad as it could be. Perhaps Toyota designers caught sight of a RAM and thought, “Hmm, that’s a bit much.
There isn’t much to say about the Hilux, really. It’s no show-pony, but that’s okay. Perhaps the only genuinely garish bit is the silver foil TOYOTA lettering on the tailgate.
It’s even less show pony in the cabin. Lots of big switches, hard plastics and the usual afterthought of a hastily fitted touchscreen. The gear shifter looks like an aftermarket unit and feels like it but all of it – all of it – will outlast humanity. Except maybe the touchscreen. I can imagine an over-excited kelpie wiping out, which won’t be a great loss because it’s still running Toyota’s Alibaba-sourced software.
I’m 180cm tall but I still needed the grab handles to haul myself into the Hilux. It’s a long way up and I’ve had to talk a number of young families out of this kind of car because it’s way too tall to be slinging baby capsules in and out of.
The rear seat is not bad if you’re my height and there’s a ton of room behind where I drive and you even get rear vents for the air-conditioning. Plenty of passenger cars don’t give you that.
You get four cupholders and bottle holders in the doors and the centre console has a decent-sized bin for throwing bits and pieces. You can sling your phone under the climate controls.
The 60/40 split fold rear seats seem a bit mad, but there are couple of handy bins underneath.
Cargo Space
Obviously, the load space is massive. The SR5 doesn’t come with the Colorado’s lined tray, so you might want to tick a few boxes at the dealer. And bear in mind that the tailgate is undamped, so watch out for kid’s heads.
In this version, the Hilux will take a payload of 955kg and a towing capacity of 750kg (unbraked) or 3200kg (braked). Of course, you have to take into account the legal 5650kg legal load limit, so if you’re dragging 3200kg, the people and stuff payload drops to 405kg. I mean, that’s still a lot, but make sure you break out the calculator if you’re shifting a lot of gear.
Also, 3200kg is 50 percent more than the weight of the car itself. Are you people mad?
Shut the gate and the load floor measures 1550mm long, 1520mm wide and 1110mm between the wheelarches.
That last figure means it won’t take a standard pallet as I found out the hard way and forgot to photograph. It’s not alone, though, hardly any ute does.
The sports bar gets in the way if you’re using it to carry stuff, too, so crack out the spanners if you want to get rid of it.
How much is a Toyota Hilux SR5 and what do I get?
Toyota HiLux SR5 4×4 auto – $57,240(plus on-roads)
Your Hilux SR5 arrives with 18-inch alloys, six-speaker stereo, climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, active cruise control, cooled glove box, LED headlights and daytime running lights, sat nav, leather wheel and shifter, power windows and mirrors and a full-size steel spare.
Oh, and a tow bar.
Safety – 5 Star ANCAP (July 2019)
The Hilux does very nicely on the safety front, which is about time. You get seven airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, reversing camera, forward collision warning, low-speed forward AEB with pedestrian detection, trailer sway control, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and speed sign recognition.
Warranty and Servicing
Five years/unlimited kilometre warranty Capped-price servicing – 6 months/10,000km
Toyota joined the five year club a bit late, but got there anyway. If you listen to Toyota owners, especially Hilux owners, it’s probably a moot point. Toyotas are pretty good on the reliability/not much to break front.
The service regime is a bit annoying. You have to go in for a 5000km service and then every six months/10,000km. If you’re actually using the Hilux as a work vehicle, that’s a fair bit of faffing around, especially in the first year. You’ll probably be fine, but you’ve been warned.
On the bright side, your services are fairly reasonably-priced at $250 a pop until the fourth service. Which is a thousand bucks for two years servicing. That keeps pace with, say, a Colorado LTZ or Ford Ranger Sport. An Isuzu D-Max is slightly cheaper. Those three cars cost more per service, but you don’t have to go as often.
Drivetrain
Under that high flat bonnet is Toyota’s 1GD-FTV 2.8-litre turbodiesel, grumbling up 130kW at 3400rpm and a meaty 450Nm from 1600-2400rpm. Revvy it isn’t. Nor is it especially advanced, but again, Toyota is big on simplicity.
The power heads out through a six-speed automatic too all four wheels with a rear differential lock when you get out into the rough stuff, along with a low-range transfer case.
The diesel particulate filter (DPF) drama is supposedly a thing of the past with Toyota now fitting a manual burn-off switch.
Fuel Economy
The sticker on the windscreen says the Hilux will drink 8.5L/100km of diesel on the combined cycle. I wasn’t especially sympathetic with the throttle pedal in a smoky Sydney week and still managed 9.7L/100km.
Not bad and with a massive 80-litre tank you can cover a lot of ground in this 2172kg monster.
Chassis
Being a ute, this is kind of important. The front end is held up by the usual struts while the rear is comprised of ultra-tough leaf springs. The Hilux is pretty famous for its load-carrying capability but if you’re thinking of using this as a family car, this is a key consideration.
Leaf springs work best under a crap ton of load. They’re not great for taking the kids to school over bumpy tarmac.
It’s also worth noting that the Hilux is built on a ladder chassis, not a car-style monocoque chassis. Lots of cred, yes. Plush ride quality, er, no.
The SR5 rides on 18-inch alloys that will get scratched to buggery if you go properly bush-bashing. Tyres are 265/60s all round, meaning big balloony tyres that are, yes, not bad off-road. Thank Toyota for the high-profiles, though – if they were any lower you’d be bounced out of the window just backing up your driveway.
Driving
Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way. If there’s nothing in your tray or you don’t have a bunch of hefty lads or lasses on board, the Hilux’s ride is as rugged as its dependability. The thing bounces around all over the shop in a way the Ranger Wildtrak or Nissan Navara (or Mercedes X-Class) does not.
There are reasons those other cars ride better and reasons for the way the Hilux rides. I’m just telling you what I know, it’s not about the relative merits between these different utes.
I hear a lot of people asking which dual-cab ute they should get for their family and I say, “None of them. Why?” and then I get thrown out of the cafe. But I say the same thing about seven-seat SUVs, so I’m not taking aim at utes.
Anyway.
For longer trips when empty, the Hilux would be tiring. Bouncy suspension and slow steering means you’re doing a lot of work hanging on and steering. The engine is super-solid, though, hauling you around in two or wheel drive with a lot less fuss than, say, a D-Max or Colorado.
The six-speed auto is on the job all the time but can occasionally be caught out with a throttle lift. Nothing dramatic.
Having said all of this, there is something about the Hilux other utes don’t have. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but on reflection, it’s the feeling of solidity. I’m not one of those, “Put me high in the sky so I may survey my kingdom” types, so it’s not that. It’s knowing that the car underneath you can do pretty much anything and keep doing it forever.
That’s the Toyota promise and the Hilux delivers.
Redline Recommendation
You’re not going to listen to me about thinking twice before you buy a dual-cab ute for family duties. But if you must, the Hilux is quite compelling. You might want to strap a water tank in the bank to calm down the ride, but in all other respects, the Hilux is great. Tough, well-built and with that towering reputation, it does make sense as to why it’s number one.
Why people buy dual-cab utes to bash around the suburbs when they’re not for work is a different story for another day.
The infinitely long gestation periods of fast Toyotas is starting to get on my nerves, but after a long wait we have the bonkers GR Yaris. All 200kW and 370Nm of it.
If you haven’t been paying attention – and I normally stop when Toyota promises something fun – the GR Yaris has been a long time coming. The company is doing fun things in the World Rally Championship, even winning rally or two. They should, given the legendary Tommi Mäkinen is in charge.
Anyway, the Toyota GR Yaris – Gazoo Racing – is finally properly mostly unveiled and we’ve got some real details about it.
What is it?
Toyota says the GR Yaris is its WRC homologation special, which seems weird at first. But then you realise the company had to do it so they could get away with a few things.
For a start, it’s a three-door. You can’t get the current Yaris in three-door form. In fact, it’s so different to the five-door, the roof is a whopping 91mm lower. It doesn’t (and can’t) share the doors witht the five-door, so Toyota fitted a set of frameless doors for laugh. The press release says it has a coupe profile. Really, it just looks like a hot hatch, but why not, eh?
The front end is suitably aggressive-looking, with a big grille and splitter. Out the back, the pumped-up guards contain the huge-for-its-size 18-inch wheels.
Toyota also slapped a big GR-FOUR badge on the tailgate to remind you of the Celica GT Four rally weapon from…nearly 30 years ago.
Yaris GR Drivetrain
While all Yarises are three-cylinders these days, they’re not 1.6-litre turbocharged monsters. This little unit develops a not-insubstantial 200kW and 370Nm. Not even the mightily impressive triple in the BMW i8 winds up that much grunt.
All that power comes courtesy of large-diameter exhaust valves, multi-oil jet piston cooling and a part-machined intake port. The turbo is a fairly simple-sounding single-scroll ball-bearing unit. Doesn’t sound like much, so there’s probably a touch more to it than that.
Power reaches all four wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, so it will certainly be a laugh. It’s a wacky system, too.
Toyota says the front and rear axles use slightly different gear ratios and power can be adjustable 100 percent in each direction. The company says this is not only a lighter arrangement but allows for a better experience over a twin-coupled or permanent AWD set-up.
You can choose from normal (60:40 F:R), Sport (30:70 F:R) or Track (50:50). Whatever mode you choose, the system is supposed to adjust torque according to what you’re doing.
Chassis
It all sounds a bit Frankenstein-ey here, but what good homologation special isn’t? The 2020 Yaris’ GA-B platform front end has been welded to the GA-C platform rear. Obviously a vanilla GA-B platform didn’t have the room for the AWD system and the more complex suspension design needed for the fun stuff.
A standard 2020 Yaris makes do with torsion beams while the Yaris GR scores a double-wishbone rear end, so that should be fairly amusing.
Front brake discs measure a whopping 356mm and a grooved for your stopping pleasure. Four-pot calipers provide the stopping power. No word yet on the rears, but they probably won’t be too spectacular in size because they don’t need to be.
As you might imagine, the GR’s production process is more complicated than the standard cars. Toyota won’t be plucking standard Yarises of the line and then applying GR goodness. The company has built a dedicated line at a new facility in Motomachi. The press release dangles this little carrot:
“With its new manufacturing methods, the GR facility is capable of handling multi-type, small-volume production.”
Translation: there’s more fun stuff on the way.
How much is the GR Yaris and when can I get it?
Good questions both. I don’t know and I’m not sure. Given it’s practically hand-built, it’s not going to be cheap. A pre-Christmas launch in camouflaged cars revealed nothing of pricing but an Australian arrival date of “towards the end of 2020”. So you’ve plenty of time to save.
Ending the most irritating drip-feed since the BMW Z4, the 2019 Toyota Supra is finally, officially, really, truly public. With stuff shared with the Z4 and a striking new look, Toyota has a new halo car and the star of the Detroit Auto Show.
The Toyota Supra is the stuff of legend, as these sorts of things often are. I even know of a person who used the last-gen Supra’s silhouette in the logo for an automotive site. It’s that kind of car.
Toyota set about dismantling its sports car heritage in the late 90s, killing the Supra, hot Corollas and the Celica in the space of a few years. To be fair to the Japanese giant, these sorts of cars are hard to make money from.
With the 86 and BRZ twins, Toyota hit upon a way that one could make money with the – share the costs. So somehow BMW and Toyota talked each other into a relationship spawning a new pair of rear-drive sportsters. And to preview it, the FT-HS concept previewed Toyota’s idea of a new fast car.
I quite like the way it looks. Strong rear haunches to remind you it’s rear drive, a silhouette that nods to the last Supra and even headlights that echo rather than copy.
The surfacing is muscular and while I can see some 86 in it, not everyone can.
The interior is basically a BMW one, which means clean and functional. The digital dash looks more like a Toyotas, but there’s one photo. The press release makes a huge deal about the seats – they even get their own heading – and they do look good. They also look really close to the roof, so I wonder how much headroom there is in the Supra…
Drivetrain
Toyota has decided to lead with the BMW-sourced 3.0-litre turbo straight-six, an engine I like very much in the BMW M140i. In the Supra, it’s tuned for 250kW (340PS) and a nice round 500Nm.
As with the Z4 – and unusually for a Toyota – the ZF eight-speed is along to push the power out back. Put it all together and the Supra will flash to 100km/h (62mph) in 4.3 seconds.
No doubt as a result of this combination, there will be stop-start and other fuel-saving measures.
As is now de rigeur, your Supra comes with selectable driving modes which change the behaviour of the transmission, exhaust and throttle. And of course, the chassis.
Japanese buyers will also be able to buy two four-cylinder variants, but neither feature a manual. Which is interesting, given BMW’s adherence to self-shifting…
The base SZ delivers 145kW (197PS) and 320Nm, shifting around 90kg less than the six and arriving at 100km/h in 6.3 seconds. Step up to the SZ-R and the same engine offers 190kW (258PS) and 400Nm. Around 70kg lighter than the turbo six, it will hit the benchmark in 5.2 seconds. I wonder if that car might be the sweet spot…
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Chassis
The 3.0-litre Supra RZ is bristling with fun tech. The active differential has a “golden” ratio of 1.55:1 when you compare the final drive ratio to the wheelbase, so I guess that means it should be perfectly balanced.
Toyota says the Supra’s torsional rigidity is greater than the Lexus LFA’s (huge if true) and a lower centre of gravity than the nimble little minx that is the 86. Weight distribution is the real deal at a claimed 50:50,
Front suspension is by MacPherson struts and the rear is a five-link system. Various parts of the suspension are weight-saving aluminium, too.
How much and when?
Yeah, the drip-feed isn’t quite over. We don’t really know at all what the car is going to cost, so we’ll let you know.
But the most important thing is that it’s here, Toyota chief Akio Toyoda has lapped the ‘Ring in it and he reckons it’s ready.
Toyota is now run by a car guy, so car people all over the world can rejoice that one of the world’s biggest carmakers is getting its act together.
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