Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Never let the boys tell you a car was made for them.
I hover around the automotive enthusiast circles, and I can’t tell you how many men I’ve seen lose their minds over the gorgeous, newly-redesigned Toyota Supra. You’d think this was a car made just for the boys! But I’m here to report that the Supra may actually be the very best vehicle for women.
Don’t believe me? I got a chance to test drive it, and I was so stoked about the possibilities this car could offer to women that I couldn’t wait to talk about it on A Girls Guide to Cars.
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Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
1. Small-Girl Friendly
I drove the Supra at a jam-packed Toyota press day earlier this year — but I didn’t start out driving it. Instead, I started my morning driving a Toyota 4Runner to a local race track. We were supposed to take the same vehicle home… but all the men who jumped for the Supra first thing in the morning discovered a harsh reality: the car isn’t made for them.
The Supra isn’t a massive vehicle. It’s fairly compact and low to the ground, and its two-seater format makes it tough for a really tall person to adjust their seats. But for short girls like me, the Supra is absolutely perfect. You’ll fit inside like it was made for you, with ideal sight lines and a seat made for smaller bodies. All those guys that salivated over the vehicle in the morning had gotten quite tired of it after a while.
I, on the other hand, would have gladly driven it all day long. It felt like we were built for each other.
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Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
2. Legacy Name
Even if you have no interest in cars, there’s a still chance you’ve heard someone mention the Toyota Supra. That’s because it’s garnered quite the cult following over the years through its appearances in movies like The Fast & The Furious and in video games that feature tons of Japanese-made vehicles.
You don’t have to know the full history behind the vehicle to appreciate that it means something to a lot of people, or to appreciate the beauty that this new vehicle has.
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3. Comfortable and Exciting Drive
The Toyota Supra is a zippy little car that feels made for the track without suffering from that intimidation you can feel when you hop behind the wheel of something super fast. You have two options:
- Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine that makes 382 horsepower
- 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 255 horsepower
You’ll notice that both of those numbers are — at least when compared to other sports cars — fairly low. That’s okay! Those are perfect numbers for beginners or for people who don’t need to feel like they’re trying to rope a bull every time they get behind the wheel.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
4. Affordable Price
If you’re reading this and thinking, “Sure, that all sounds great, but I bet it’s expensive,” then you’re in for a surprise. The 2021 Toyota Supra starts at $44,115, with the model I drove clocking in at $55,615 and the top-of-the-line edition starting at $55,820. That’s a bargain when you consider all the fun you’ll be having behind the wheel!
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
5. Sporty Look
Some reviewers have criticized the new Supra for looking “busy,” but I really like it, especially when it’s outfitted in an eye-catching paint color like the Nitro Yellow one I drove. Its spoiler is built into the rear end of the car, and its carved vents give it an edge that lets you know you can expect speed from this car.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
6. Cozy Interior…
… If you’re small, that is. If you’re a taller person, you’ll likely feel a bit pinched in the cockpit, which is definitely more driver-focused than anything else. Your passenger probably won’t be having as much fun as you.
The black Alcantara leather-trimmed seats are sporty but comfortable, and there are even knee-support cushions built into the dashboard so you won’t be enduring painful bruises any time you take a sharp turn. The driver’s seat can be adjusted 14 ways, and it also includes a 4-way lumbar and 2-way bolster adjustment for maximum comfort.
And while there’s not tons of space in the trunk, you’ll have plenty of room for your weekly shopping trip.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
7. Clean Dashboard Design
The 8.8-inch digital LCD gauge cluster is very clean and easy to understand. Some gauge clusters can get really overloaded with information, but I loved the Supra’s: it shows your speed, revolutions per minute and navigation directions prominently in the center. On the sides are the fuel levels and oil temperature.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
8. Intuitive Infotainment Layout
Toyota has done a wonderful job with its infotainment system. Frequently-used options are listed vertically on the left-hand side of the touch screen nearest the driver, so you won’t have to go reaching for the option you’re looking for — and, if you choose, you can navigate with a rotary knob. There are buttons for frequently-used options like climate, so you don’t have to hunt through a menu to find them.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
9. A Complimentary One-Year NASA Membership
No, not that NASA. The National Auto Sport Association is an organization that promotes road racing and high-performance driver education so that you can become the best possible driver you can be.
That one year membership gives you access to a network of benefits that range from discounts on parts to priority access to high-performance driving coaches. In addition, you also receive one free track day, where you’ll be able to see how the Supra handles the twists and turns of a course.
Full disclosure: Toyota provided me with the 2021 Supra for my test drive. All opinions are my own.
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