11 Toyota Supra Statistics You Should Know (Facts & Numbers)

The Supra is Toyota’s greatest sports car and one of the most iconic sports cars in history.

Released in 1979, the Supra shared the same platform with the older Celica coupe. However, the Supra later moved away from its Celica-based structure, taking on a lighter, performance-oriented design.

The Supra’s appeal lies in incredible race car performance and its affordable sticker price. We’d recommend the Supra to anyone who wants a solid sports car with a sensible price tag.

Production of the Supra stopped in 1998, but a new 2020 model is available for purchase. This guide covers some must-know statistics about the Supra model.

We review annual sales, gas mileage, recall actions, pollution statistics, and many more!

How Many Toyota Supras Have Been Sold Per Year in The US?

The Supra’s first production run extended from 1979 to 1998. Upon release, it offered superb performance for a fraction of the cost of other cars on the market. Demand for the Supra grew, and sales peaked three years later, with over 34,000 models sold.

Toyota continued to see five-digit annual sales for the Supra in the US throughout the 80s. However, the 90s coincided with a drop in demand for sports cars. This affected the Supra, with 1990 sales totaling 6,419, down from the previous year’s figure of 14,544.

The decline continued for most of the decade, and sales reached record lows in 1996, with only 852 models sold. Such dismal figures forced Toyota to pull the Supra model from the US market in 1998. Toyota sold 299,134 Supras during the model’s initial production run, averaging 14,956 vehicles per year.

Below is a breakdown of yearly sales figures for the Supra’s first production run (1979-1998).

Sales data for the second production run (2020-upwards) isn’t available for now:

What Year Did Toyota Start The Supra Models?

Toyota began production of the Supra in 1978 and started selling in 1979.

The car was based on the Celica coupe, and Toyota called it the “Celica Supra.” However, the models differed greatly, especially with the engines they used (Supras used 2.6-L V6s while Celicas used 2.0-L V4s).

First-generation Supras (1979-1981) used a 2.6-L inline-six engine, producing 110hp. A 2.8 L inline-six engine was introduced later, increasing output to 116hp.

The second-generation Supras (1982-1986) received a twin-cam variant of the 2.8-L inline-six engine, pushing output to 145hp. The performance kept increasing, and by 1986, engine output on the Supra models had climbed to 161hp.

The third-generation (1986-1992) saw the Supra shed its ‘Celica’ name. It now used rear-wheel drive (Celicas used front-wheel drive) and got a more powerful 3.0-L inline-six engine. Supras now produced 200 horsepower, and Turbo models produced even more.

The fourth iteration of the Supra (1993-1998) saw it enter the supercar realm. Sporting a new lightweight design and a performance-oriented six-cylinder engine, the new Supra produced over 320hp. Its speed figures beat rivals, including the Chevrolet Corvette and the Porsche 968.

Declining sales later forced Toyota to stop making the Supra in 1998. However, the new Supra made a comeback at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show.

Toyota and BMW partnered on the production, with the Supra sharing the same design with the new BMW Z4.

How Is The Fuel Economy On Toyota Supra?

Sports cars aren’t known for sipping fuel, but the Toyota Supra does exactly that.

The 2020 model earns up to 31 MPG on highways and 24 MPG on city roads for a combined 26 MPG. This makes the Supra far more fuel-efficient than many of its rivals.

The Chevy Corvette, Porsche Cayman GTS, and BMW Z4 cost more than the Supra and consume more fuel.

How Quickly Do Toyota Supra Depreciate?

Since this is the first year of the new Supra, we can’t determine depreciation rates yet.

Classic Supras have held their values well, and some sell for more than they were bought for. But we don’t think this will be the case for the new Supra.

First, the new Supra will be mass-produced. Classic Supras are expensive because Toyota sold a few of them during the 90s. Hence, existing models are rare and command high prices.

Second, the demand for the new model may not be as high as expected. Supra fans have criticized the new model, especially for its lack of a manual gearbox option and over-reliance on BMW components. Demand for the new Supras will be considered but may not be enough to keep resale values high.

Finally, sports cars typically depreciate faster than most. Those that hold their value, such as the C8 or 911, have a large customer base, something the Supra doesn’t have yet.

However, Toyota’s reputation for reliability may help keep depreciation rates low on the Supra. If the Supra proves to be reliable, resale values will see a significant increase.

Did Toyota Recall Any of the Toyota Supra Models?

Even though this is the first production year of the new Supra, it has been involved in three recalls to date. But Toyota isn’t the one issuing the recall notices: it’s BMW.

Toyota partnered with BMW to produce the Supra. Therefore, the Supra shares components with other BMW cars, most notably the Z4 convertible. So recalls affecting those BMW cars also affect the Supra.

The three recall actions all happened in 2019, covering the following issues:

1. Improper seatbelt welds
2. Faulty backup cameras
3. Malfunctioning headlights.

How Much Do the Supras Models Pollute?

Since the new Supra consumes less fuel than previous models, it has a lesser carbon footprint too.

Per data, most of the Supras made during the first production run had an average emission rate of 494 grams per year.

The 2020 Toyota Supra, with its fuel-efficient V6 engine, emits lesser greenhouse gases (334 grams per mile). That’s a difference of about 160 grams of harmful carbon released into the air.

Moreover, the Supra’s emissions are lower than most rival sports cars. For example, the 2020 Corvette emits 467 grams of greenhouse gases per mile. Similarly, the Porsche Cayman GTS coupe emits over 470 grams of greenhouse gases per mile.

How Much Can the Supras Models Tow?

The Supra isn’t rated for towing by Toyota, and no official towing capacities exist for the car.

Frankly, we won’t advise towing with your new Supra. It’s a sports car, not a pickup.

Given its reduced weight, towing with your Supra could lead to serious problems for the vehicle.

How Reliable Is a Toyota Supra?

For the time being, there are no sufficient reliability data for the Toyota Supra. The older-generations Supras had legendary reliability, and some have suggested the new-era Supras may continue the tradition.

However, some have expressed fears that the Supra’s BMW-controlled production may affect its reliability. BMW doesn’t quite have Toyota’s reputation for being reliable, leading some to conclude that the Supra may suffer from reliability issues.

Many reports suggest that Toyota tested the Supra’s BMW-made components before allowing them to go into the car. So you can rest assured that your Supra has undergone rigorous testing and won’t break down unnecessarily.

NB: The 2020 Supra received a 4/5 reliability rating from JD Power.

How Safe is a Toyota Supra?

Being a new and low-volume sports car, Toyota hasn’t undergone safety tests by both the NHTSA and the IIHS.

Despite this, Supra seems a safe car by all indications. Models come standard with lane-control system, stability control, and pre-collision warning with automatic emergency braking.

Optional safety features include adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and blind-spot monitoring.

What Is the Typical Buyer Demographic for This Model?

No official demographic data exists for Supra models yet.

But our research turned up a few bits about the Supra’s potential buyer demographic:

1. Buyers will include young adults who remember the Supras of old, made famous in films like Fast and Furious. They’ll likely be members of Generation Y (those born between 1980 and 1994).
2. Supra buyers will have sizable annual incomes and will likely be price-buyers, prizing reliability, performance, and fuel economy over things like vehicle uniqueness.
3. Most buyers will be predominantly men, although women may form a small minority of owners.

Toyota Supra Theft Numbers

The NHTSA Vehicle Theft Rate Database contains only figures for the models produced during the Supra’s initial production run.

A trend we noticed was that thefts of the Supra reduced as sales declined. From three-digit numbers seen during the 80s, annual thefts reduced to double digits in the 90s, declining to single-digit figures on occasions.

Here are theft figures for the Supra models extending from 1983 to 1998 when production ended:

Sources:

fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/41309.shtml

cnet.com/roadshow/news/bmw-toyota-supra-backup-camera-recall/

toyota.com/gr-supra/features/safety_convenience/2372/2374/2375

Was this article helpful?