Toyota Supra VS Lexus RC
Toyota Supra
Likes
- Wild styling
- Advanced safety tech
- Outstanding dynamics
Dislikes
- Limited visibility
- Not easy to drive in the city
- Hardly any cabin storage
Lexus RC
Likes
- Smooth, effortless V6
- Better looking than before
- Tweaked chassis feels good
Dislikes
- Thirsty
- Useless rear seats
- Heavy
Summary
Toyota Supra
Does the Toyota Supra call your name in the night? It calls mine. It whispers things. Tries to convince me that despite living in an apartment with my family only seven kilometres from the city it'd be perfect for us.
Of course, when it's daytime and I'm thinking straight I know a sports car in the city is impractical. But then I see one parked out the front of our flat and I start to entertain the idea of having one all over again – maybe it could work, it's not large, it has a boot, and it's a Toyota so it's probably reliable and not too pricey… Right?
Well as it happens the Toyota Supra parked outside my apartment was the car I was road testing for the week for this Urban Review. It was the base grade GR which lists for $84,900 and if you want to know what it's like to give into those voices and live with it, in the city, daily, I can tell you.
Read More:
Toyota Supra 2020 review: GTS| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Regular Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.7L/100km |
| Seating | 2 seats |
Lexus RC
It's 2019 and the Lexus RC has been with us for four years which means it's time for a mid(ish)-life update. A glance at the specifications and tech details for its very low-key, late 2018 arrival suggests not much has changed. And let's be fair, it hasn't.
The mild refresh has brought a few changes in spec (in the right direction), price (the wrong direction, but few things are free in this life), and styling (you be the judge).
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.5L |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 9.4L/100km |
| Seating | 4 seats |
Verdict
Toyota Supra8/10
I think you can guess what I'm going to say: Yep, the Supra GT is great to drive, just not in the city.
That's why I've scored it this way.Â
If you live outside the city, even in the suburbs, daily driving will be fun and rewarding, but venture into the an urban environment and life behind the Supra's wheel will become frustrating.
If you live in the city, you'll have to be completely in love with the Supra to make it through the hard times in the urban landscape of car parks and traffic.
Still the Supra GT is great value, has a comfortable ride, looks awesome, and comes with excellent advanced safety tech.
So, if the Supra is calling your name in the night, keep all this in mind before you answer it.
Lexus RC7/10
The RC's time on my drive was preceded by a cheaper, V8-powered Mustang, so it was fascinating to compare the Japanese approach to the American. They're not really competitors, obviously, but the Lexus' ability to cosset the driver while still showing a good turn of speed was an interesting counterpoint.
The 2019 RC350 isn't a step-change - if you want one of those, double your money and get the delightfully nutty RC F - but the changes inside, outside and underneath will certainly please the fans even if it doesn't bring in new ones in huge numbers.
Does anyone still even notice luxury coupes? If you do, is Lexus even on the radar?
Design
Toyota Supra
Ever seen the movie Twins with Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger? Well if the Z4 and Supra GT are twins under the skin then the latter is definitely the Arnie of the pair.
Okay, that's not fair. The BMW is pretty and sleeker than an otter, but the two look so different that from the outside you'd never know (if you didn't know) they are essentially the same car.
The Supra is like a mutant superhero with its enormous pumped up rear guards, the huge bulging bonnet, and the hungry looking grille with giant air intakes.
Some people don't like the headlights, but they're a hat tip to the previous-gen Supra and I'm a fan of them.
Then, there's the rear-end. You could stare at it for hours. The sinister tail-lights, the big 'duck tail' spoiler, the dual exhaust, and it's also from this angle that you can see the 'double-bubble' roof shape better.
The Supra lineage goes back to the 1967 Toyota 2000GT and if you Google that car you'll see how much of a stylistic homage this new car is to the original.
If you were wondering what the GR badge is all about, it refers to Gazoo Racing, Toyota's performance brand. The Supra's official name is the GR Supra.
The only outward difference in looks between the entry-grade GT which I tested and the GTS above it are the wheels. The GTS has bigger 19-inch rims and red brake calipers.
Inside both are almost identical, too, but it's in the cabin where you can spot all of the BMW bits and it confuses my brain big time.
The door handles, the switch gear and the media controller dial are the same as the Z4's. Meanwhile, the climate control systems and radio controls seem to be from a 2014 BMW 3 Series.
And although the media display and digital instrument cluster are different in their design to the Z4's it's easy to see they're the same, just repackaged.
I'm being a car nerd, but some of you will appreciate it. BMW bits or not, it's a great interior that's uber modern and stylish.
Now to get numbers nerdy. Let's look at the dimensions of the Supra. The length is 4379mm. That's the width of your pinky nail longer than a Toyota Corolla hatch. That's small. It's 60mm wider than a Corolla, though at 1854mm, and way lower at 1292mm tall. What does that mean for practicality? You're about to find out below.
Lexus RC7/10
As a whole, I've always thought the RC to be handsome, but the headlights - as on the IS - always made me wince a bit. There's too much going on, which is weird because the rest of the car is very easy on the eye.
As is common with a mid-life facelift, the work all happens at the front and rear. There's a revised bumper, tweaked mesh pattern in the spindle grille, and a much better looking set of headlights - with much cooler LED daytime running lights and headlights. They're still a bit much, but they're not jarring.
The rear is a little cleaner but I reckon it didn't need much work. Along with new wing mirrors from the gorgeous LC coupe and new wheel designs, it's a subtle update, but a good one.
Inside is little-changed, which is good and bad. A new brushed-aluminium dash inlay, a new (naff) analogue clock, and not a huge amount else. The switchgear has a lovely damped feel, nothing clicks or snaps and it really is very serene indeed. Few cars can match a Lexus interior for feel and touch.
Some of the design decisions are confusing, though. A rotary dial to change driving modes looks more like it should be used to control the media system, and the media system's touchpad is really annoying.
Practicality
Toyota Supra
All Supras are two-seaters, and while this is a small car at less than 4.4m long leg-, head-, shoulder-, elbow and headroom are excellent.
I'm 191cm tall with a 2.0m wingspan and I fit into the cockpit of the Supra better than a Porsche Boxster and most other sports cars. That said, the seats are snug, well for me anyway, so if you're 'big-boned' like me you might find them a bit tight, too.
Just don't expect to fit many people in. That's right, you won't find a couple of tiny seats in the back. Actually, if you sit in the driver's seat and put your hand behind your chair you can feel the boot floor.
The boot has a hatch opening and a cargo capacity of 290 litres but you may be able to fit more into it than you think, as I found out after going to the supermarket to do a big weekly family COVID-19 grocery shop.
As I pushed my overloaded trolley back to the car I remembered I'd brought the Supra. Not sure how I forgot that, considering it was so tricky to park (see the driving section) but my new problem was working out how to get all the shopping bags in.
Take a look at the before and after photos. There was no way I thought the shopping would fit, but it did and without the bread getting squashed.
You can see in the rest of the photos that I even managed to fit the CarsGuide pram into the space, although you'll have to leave the baby at home because there are no anchor points or mounts for a child seat or capsule inside.
As for cabin storage, it's almost non-existent. The door pockets are only big enough for a phone and there's no centre console bin. But you do get two cupholders, a small glove box and a tray in front of the shifter which doubles as a wireless charger. There's also a 12V outlet and a USB port.
Coupes tend to have long doors, and if you've ever owned one you'd be well aware of the problems this causes in trying to open them in carparks. They can also be heavy and that makes opening them on steep hills a struggle, too.
The low height of the car could also see you having to leave the car on all fours if you're tall and not a flexible as you used to be, like me.
Lexus RC6/10
As ever, a sports coupe is the not the place to consider starting your DIY career, but front seat passengers luxuriate with plenty of space. A good-sized glove box joins two cupholders in the centre console which also has a decent-sized bin for hiding things, as well as a sensible place to put your phone (no wireless charging, sadly).
Rear seat passengers have very little space for their limbs or heads but at least the seats are comfortable. Two more cupholders back there, but really, nobody will use them.
The boot is a very useful 423 litres.
Price and features
Toyota Supra
Excuse the language but, gosh yes! See, a joint venture between Toyota and BMW resulted in the Supra and the Z4. Thing is, if you want the six-cylinder engine version of the BMW (the Z4 M40i) you'll need to hand over $128K, whereas the base-grade Supra GT tested here lists for $84,900.
Sure, the Supra isn't a convertible or as powerful as the Z4, and yes it's expensive for a Toyota, but the equipment list is extensive and much of it is BMW tech such as the digital instrument cluster and media screen – both 8.8-inches.
Standard too is sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, 10-speaker stereo, wireless charging, dual-zone climate control, paddle shifters, proximity key, LED headlights and taillights, rain-sensing wipers, heated folding wing mirrors and 18-inch alloy wheels.
The standard upholstery is leather, and the seats are heated and power adjustable.
Then there's all the safety equipment such as the reversing camera and advanced tech which you can read about below.
It's good value, especially when you compare it to the Z4 and also the entry-level Porsche 718 Cayman, which is $118,690. Nissan's 370Z is a traditional rival to the Supra and lists for about $50K.
But it's old – like, been-on-sale-since-2009-old, and having driven a manual one in peak hour traffic daily through the CBD I'd not recommend it as a great urban car.
If you're wondering where the Toyota 86 fits into all this think of the Supra as it's bigger, more powerful and way more expensive step-brother.
Lexus RC8/10
While you can have an RC300 in the mid-sixties, the F Sport starts at $77,529, $200 extra than before. On the face of it, it doesn't look like amazing value, but get a Euro competitor and you'll be paying more.
You get 19-inch alloys, a 17-speaker stereo, four-wheel steering, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, sat nav, electric heated and ventilated front seats, leather everywhere, a limited-slip diff, variable ratio steering, adaptive dampers, keyless entry and start, and an improved safety package.
The 17-speaker stereo is a treat but the media system is not; controlled from the console by a touchpad, it's hard to use and a pain to navigate. It has Bluetooth and USB connectivity with terrific sound, but it requires patience to operate - which includes the time to get the required qualifications (okay, slight exaggeration). And there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to take the edge off. Pity.
Under the bonnet
Toyota Supra
Inside that long snout is a BMW 3.0-litre turbo-petrol in-line six-cylinder making 250kW/500Nm.
It's not an enormous amount of power but perfect for the Supra, because it isn't a muscle car or a supercar, but a sports car which is more about fun and handling than massive grunt.
Besides, the Supra weighs just 1495kg (about 100kg more than a Corolla hatch) and that mumbo (especially the 500Nm of torque) is plenty.
Is it fast? Well 0-100km/h in 4.3 seconds is a tenth of a second quicker than the fastest Porsche 718 Cayman sold in Australia, the GT4. So, yes.
The eight-speed (ZF-sourced) automatic transmission is smoother than smooth, but also slower than fast at changing gears.
Drive goes to the rear wheels and there's an electronic limited slip diff.
An outstanding engine matched perfectly to the car. But there's something you should know. Later in 2020 a more powerful Supra is coming. Keep your eye out for that.
Lexus RC7/10
The RC350 packs Lexus' creamy 3.5-litre, naturally aspirated V6, a step up from the RC300's turbo four-cylinder. Power remains at 232kW/380Nm, driving the rear wheels through an eight-speed torque-converted automatic.
The RC350 cracks the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.3 seconds, which isn't bad considering it's a hefty beast at over 1700kg.
The RC300's turbo four spins up 180kW and an impressive 350Nm if you're keen to save a few dollars upfront and on running costs.
Efficiency
Toyota Supra
Toyota says that if you were to stick to just urban driving the Supra GT should use no more than 6.5L/100km of petrol.
My own testing found that after 125.1km of mainly urban driving plus a trip to a national park to stretch its legs I needed 11.7 litres to top up the 52-litre tank.
That's 9.4L/100km. The official economy for a combination of open and urban use is 7.7L/100km. Not bad for a 340 horsepower sports car.
Lexus RC6/10
Lexus says the 350 will manage 9.1L/100km on the combined cycle but I scored a rather less convincing 12.8L/100km. Again, that's probably not bad considering its weight. The tricky dash display had me thinking it was an amazing 7.8L/100km, but it was km/L...
There is no stop-start, cylinder-on-demand or battery regen tech to save fuel - features its European rivals all have at least one of.
Driving
Toyota Supra
Go out into the street and sit on the road. Oh, and do it wearing your letter box on your head. That's how it feels to drive the Supra GT. Well it's more comfortable than sitting on bitumen but that's about how low you'll feel in the traffic and how much visibility you have through the mail slot of a windscreen.
Okay, it's not that bad but you are super low and visibility isn't terrific. Take a look at the view out of the cockpit in the images.
There will be some who will love this driving position because it offers such an engaging 'you're-a-part of-the-car' connection. And they'll gladly suffer a bit knowing that that's just the design of a classic sports car, and in return you get superb handling.
Then there will be others who loathe that low-letter-box feeling. They'll hate not being able to see ahead in the traffic, detest looking out their window and staring straight at the wheels of buses, and be anxious when parking because it's impossible to tell where the front of the car ends over that long bonnet.
My passion is hot rodding which means I love driving cars which are awful to drive, but even I became frustrated with the Supra daily in the city over a week where it rained nearly non-stop.
I remember being in a car park in torrential weather and me not being able to open the long driver's door enough to get in because somebody had parked close to me.
But then at the end of the week I took the Supra to a national park for a test drive and loved every corner, hill and straight in it. The steering is direct with plenty of feedback and the feel of those rear wheels just an arm's length away pushing you along is wonderful. This is a modern classic sports car for sure.
But is it an urban driver? Well the ride is surprisingly comfortable, and the engine is quiet and pretty docile with controllable predicable acceleration, but this is really a car wants to be free, on a nice twisty road away from the city and its traffic lights and parking lots.
Lexus RC8/10
As it has ever been, the RC350 is one smooth, smooth ride. Even the way the doors open is relaxing: swinging wide open like the hinges are made of butter, (except butter that doesn't melt or sag). Look, I'm trying to avoid saying smooth again.
Engine start-up is barely audible and while pottering about the engine remains just as subdued. It's up to the digital dashboard, with its instruments clustered into a single dial with a digital speedo, to let you know what's going on. Few cars outside of the Lexus stable are this relaxing to drive.
What I don't remember from the last time I drove an RC was all-wheel steering. Either I wasn't paying attention or Lexus snuck it in - but it really makes a difference. It's not as aggressive as, say, the bonkers RC F or Renault Sport Megane, it's just there to help bring the heavy car around. It also seems better sorted than the same system in the bigger LC500. And the steering's variable rack works well with it as a partner, too.
The RC's adaptive suspension is so good at what it does. It never over-tightens the suspension but does make a difference in Sport+. It's not really in the 350's nature to take it out for a good thrashing, but it's certainly capable - if held back a little by its portly kerb weight and soft brake pedal feel.
Safety
Toyota Supra
The Supra hasn't been crash tested and awarded an ANCAP score yet. But the safety equipment on-board is impressive with urban-focused standard tech such as AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, front and rear parking sensors with clearance detection, blind spot warning, rear-end collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, speed limit recognition, and a reversing camera (with a clear picture).
Seven airbags, ABS with a brake fade and drying function and hill start assist complete the excellent standard equipment list.
As mentioned, there are no mounts or anchor points for child seats.
There isn't spare wheel, either. What you do get is a puncture repair kit. It's under the boot floor.
Lexus RC7/10
The RC comes with eight airbags (including knee bags), ABS, stability and traction controls, active bonnet, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, forward AEB and forward collision warning.
There are two top-tether restraints and two ISOFIX fittings in the back.
ANCAP has not tested the RC but it scored a 'Good' rating from the US IIHS test regime.
Ownership
Toyota Supra
The Supra GT is covered by Toyota's five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
Servicing is recommended annually or every 15,000km with the first four services capped at $385.
That's excellent value especially compared to the servicing and ownership costs of its BMW Z4 twin.
Lexus RC7/10
Unlike parent company Toyota, Lexus offers a four-year/100,000km warranty. Also unlike Toyota, you don't get an absurdly cheap deal on servicing, and there's with no capped-price regime. Lexus wants to see your car every 12 months or 15,000km.
To soften the blow of no capped-price servicing, Lexus will either give you a loan car or, even better, come and fetch your car from you before returning it vacuumed, washed, and serviced.
You also get a fairly comprehensive four years of roadside assist and a few other perks.