Driving feel, excitement level of the Supra compared to other sports cars...

[PInimodulo]

Hello everyone. I’m posting because I’d like to hear from people who have driven newer sports cars. I would like to know how do you feel the Supra compares to other modern cars in terms of handling and overall driving experience. This is just a curiosity by the way and nothing else.
I really like the Supra. I love the way it looks, the power it has, and how well it handles. But I come from older, more analog cars like a 1968 BMW 2002, a 1972 Datsun 240Z, a 1993 FD RX-7, and a turbo 2010 Miata. I’m used to light, nimble cars where you can feel the road, or cars with a raw, intense driving style like the highly modified FD that wants to kill you in every turn.
Because of that, when I drive the Supra, it sometimes feels more like a fast luxury sedan than a "true" sports car, even though I know it is one. I understand that new cars have more safety features and are naturally more refined, but cars like the Miata or the FRS/86 still feel very connected to the road.
So my question is: (besides cars like the Porsche GT3/Cayman and the Lotus Evora/Emira), do other modern sports cars, like the new Corvettes, the Nissan Z, the Audi R8, McLarens, Lamborghinis, and so on, also feel this way? How would you compare them?
Thanks for any feedback.

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[jmikes]

It's moreso just a downside of being what is more or less a BMW. There hasn't been a "connected" / "sports car feeling" BMW probably since Bush was in office. Toyota has done a good job at making the Supra feel special and sporty, but no amount of GR testing/tweaking is going to fully fix it. I don't really feel like the Supra feels like a luxury car/sedan personally, though. Most of the disconnect just comes from the steering feel (which it's rare to find cars with good steering in the 2020s) and maybe the suspension feel, which can be modded to improve.

I have not driven any of the cars you've listed in your question, but just from what I've heard, the C8 Vette is worse in terms of driver's feel and connection, the Z is definitely more "Grand tour / muscle car" feeling, and the supercars listed are better, but they're far more expensive cars that aren't really worth comparing the Supra to.

 

[concept]

I've rented a:
2019 McLaren 570S Spider
2015 C7 Corvette
2022 C8 Corvette
2019 Vanderhall Venice
2020 Porsche 911S

The McLaren steering felt really good - well connected, as did the Porsche. Those were my favorites. The Corvettes felt quite a bit larger and a bit quieter than my Supra does, but for street driving it felt similar to other mid/rear engine cars. Really, I enjoyed all of them, but bang for the buck value goes to my Supra.

 

[PInimodulo]

Thanks guys! Yes of course many of those cars are completely out my (and most peoples) league and not comparable to a Supra but I just wanted to have an idea out of curiosity.
Definitely bang for buck the Supra is one of the best sports cars out there, no question, and I love it.
For now, I found out that if you can drive with the windows down, you have an aftermarket exhaust, make sure to not drive the car lower than 3500 RPM in any gear and for sure drive in in Sport and manual, it feels much closer to what I am used to with those older analog cars.
I am always trying to find ways to make it feel more like those cars without maing it obnoxious or ridiculous loud.

 

[jbirdsupra]

Coming from an E92 M3 that I put almost 80k miles on. I forgot who said it, but the engine of a car is its beating heart. There are many days where I do miss the 8300k RPM redline of a screaming V8 -- it's just something that the Supra can not match. The Supra is objectively a faster and more capable car (especially on track), but each drive in the M3 felt more like an event than it does in the Supra.

Driven a fair few other supercars and sports car on track, and to the earlier point for the current price point the Supra really is hard to beat especially with an available 6MT option. Only car that really drew my attention was the SS 1LE with the V8 emotion but I ended up here.

 

[luv2xlr8]

I came from a 2001 Honda S2000. The only nannie it had was ABS. Driving the Supra compared to the S2000 was like driving a video game. Even turning off all the traction control doesn't quite make it feel like what you're looking for.

I have to agree, the new modern sports cars have gotten so nice that I almost want to go back. Don't get me wrong, I love the Supra for what it is, but it isn't as fun as earning every inch of a corner in a BRZ/86 or Miata. Something about trying to get everything you can out of something small and underpowered, I think those days are gone in the "sports" car world. I debate weekly adding a BRZ/86 to the garage, or an 8th gen Civic Si as a daily. New cars have so much of everything; power, tech, comfort, it's almost like we need to buy the basic entry level sports cars to try and match that old feeling. Alas, so few now exist.

 

[mack73]

Came from a Lotus Evora. Just picked up mine 2 days ago so this would only be based on my initial impression - but it is actually closer than I was expecting. Certainly, the Lotus driving feel is much more direct and the Evora is mechanically very analogue (hydraulic steering). The steering wheel in the lotus was very connected to the tires, you felt every rock and crack for good or bad. Supra feels heavier and you can feel it when you throw it into a turn but could also be weight distribution as it isn't that much heavier on paper. Power is quite similar although supercharged vs turbo as expected. Braking on the lotus was very good and linear - supra's not quite so much (although perhaps that will change as the pads wear in)

As it compares giving the lotus 10/10 the supra's steering is 7/10. Braking 6/10, Overall chassis feel is probably 8/10. But the supra surely makes up for it in tech, comfort, headlights, wipers, etc. Much more comfortable to do every day driving in.

 

[PInimodulo]

I came from a 2001 Honda S2000. The only nannie it had was ABS. Driving the Supra compared to the S2000 was like driving a video game. Even turning off all the traction control doesn't quite make it feel like what you're looking for.

I have to agree, the new modern sports cars have gotten so nice that I almost want to go back. Don't get me wrong, I love the Supra for what it is, but it isn't as fun as earning every inch of a corner in a BRZ/86 or Miata. Something about trying to get everything you can out of something small and underpowered, I think those days are gone in the "sports" car world. I debate weekly adding a BRZ/86 to the garage, or an 8th gen Civic Si as a daily. New cars have so much of everything; power, tech, comfort, it's almost like we need to buy the basic entry level sports cars to try and match that old feeling. Alas, so few now exist.

Thanks! That is exactly how I feel. Love the Supra but kind of miss the "excitement" of every drive as it used to be. Now, many of the electronic gadgets the Supra has are really welcomed since it is much safer on wet roads for example (which in Seattle I have all the time) specially at around 430 WHP and the immense amount of torque it delivers and at very low RPM. The FD RX7 even with much less torque was always trying to kill me

 

[splv]

I think what you’re after is a car that can be safely driven closer to 10/10th on the road. Something with a playful engine like the Honda S2000 or Miata.

I used to own a 91 MR2 Turbo and a 03 S2000. Now I have a 09 Cayman base that’s modded and the GR Supra that is stock. I do love the older more analog driving experience which is why I plan to keep the Porsche long-term. However, perhaps I’m getting old because I don’t want every drive to be THAT involved. I think the GR Supra is a perfect street car to provide 50-75% of that “driving sense of occasion” but can also cruise in comfort.

 

[PInimodulo]

Yes, I still have the turbo NC Miata (but I might have to sell it unfortunately) and it is a blast to drive, but I am always looking for more power. And the Supra really delivers on that side of things. I guess it is like everything else, a trade of, unless you had all the money in the world and could buy any car you chose.
But it is becoming kind of an interesting subject to me, tryting to make the Supra feel more "alive" while keeping all the good traits it already has.

 

[GRMan]

I have driven nearly every JDM hero cars from the golden 90s/00, even owning quite a few (modded) and I can tell you the GR Supra beats them all and I don't miss any one of those cars as long as I have my Supra. You just have to get a set of good coilovers, wider wheels and run on 200TW tires and the Supra will transform immensely. It's like day and night.

In stock form the Supra is soft, feels like a sedan with a big engine. The GR86 I had feels much more analogue, engaging and exciting. Same with the GR Yaris. Once you start modding the suspension and tires on the Supra, you will find new admiration on the balance of the chassis, the B58, the willingness to turn in and rotate...they all come together, and nothing comes close in terms of excitement unless you go for exotics.

 

[noogie]

You can get some of that connectedness back by replacing the soft rubber bushings with some verkline bushings. For example, the front caster arm and rear toe links.

 

[Frosty87]

I agree that new cars feel numb but can be modded to feel a little more connected. To fix the feeling of the car for me I added exhaust coilovers and front swaybar. I miss the "drivers era" cars of 90s to 2010s where the cars were quick had newer tech but were also more raw. I contemplate going back to an older car often.

 

[razorlab]

I came from Evos so I know about the connectedness thing. The Supra def feels better with some spherical upgrades but you won't get the same thing as those early era cars. That said, the Supra is more capable than any of the Evos I had, even mod for mod. Set up right, the Supra is an absolute weapon. It just takes a little more trust because of less feel.

 

[Frosty87]

I came from Evos so I know about the connectedness thing. The Supra def feels better with some spherical upgrades but you won't get the same thing as those early era cars. That said, the Supra is more capable than any of the Evos I had, even mod for mod. Set up right, the Supra is an absolute weapon. It just takes a little more trust because of less feel.

Thats funny I was going to mention my evo 8mr being one of the most engaging cars I've had. Even with only 330whp that thing was a blast.

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