Ford Bronco vs Toyota Supra

What's the difference?

In many respects the reasons the Bronco is not available to Australian buyers are clear and understandable - demand remains high in the US market and it’s unclear just how many Ford Australia could sell. A pessimist would point to the modest sales of the Jeep Wrangler but an optimist would point out the sales gap between the Ford Ranger and the Jeep Gladiator and ask why Ford doesn’t think it could out-sell its competition.

Having spent so much quality time with the Bronco it’s clear it would have some major appeal to Australian buyers. The strong sales of the Ranger and Everest, as well as the entire off-road SUV market - the likes of the Isuzu MU-X, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, etc - it’s obvious we love a rugged, adventurous vehicle.

Ford’s strength in that area, with the Ranger/Everest combination, would seemingly strengthen the case for the Bronco to join its ‘T6’ siblings, but only time will tell.

Having spent an extended period behind the wheel I’m more convinced that the Bronco would find a strong market in Australia. Both with the off-road set and those who like a Land Rover Defender to take the kids to school. 

This is an SUV with capability and personality and that should be enough to make it a success in Australia. But for now, we need to play the waiting game…

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Toyota GR Supra GT is a superb sports car that’s relatively easy to live with in the city even with the manual gearbox and incredibly fun to drive out where the roads are free from traffic.

Not only is the GT great for the price compared to rivals but it’s the pick of the Supra range.   

While we don’t have a history with the Bronco in Australia, it’s an iconic model in the US that was introduced in the 1960s to compete with the likes of the Jeep CJ-5 and Toyota LandCruiser.

It evolved throughout the 1970s, ‘80s and into the ‘90s eventually becoming an F-150-based SUV before being discontinued in ‘96.

For this revived Bronco Ford has gone back to its roots, taking inspiration from the ‘60s and ‘70s but also creating a car that is also very much contemporary.

It’s a great example of using retro design elements without getting lost in nostalgia.

It’s also hugely functional, with a removable roof and doors, which is a popular feature in the US where it’s legal to drive without the doors in place, and has deliberately short front and rear overhangs for improved approach and departure angles.

The Heritage edition takes this a step further with its pumped out Sasquatch flared guards, which are both functional and add to the chunky look of the Bronco.

Notably, the Bronco does not feature a Ford ‘blue oval’ badge, instead it only uses the ‘F-O-R-D’ on the grille and the rest of the badges are the ‘bucking Bronco’ - an alternative take on the ‘striding Mustang’ logo used for the iconic pony car.

The interior of the Bronco is interesting, showing very little commonality with the Ranger and instead embracing its unique history and design language.

The Heritage version also pops with its Oxford White dashboard inset, complete with bright red ‘Bronco’ lettering in front of the passenger.

Perhaps it’s just me but I think the Supra looks exactly how it should look - like a Hot Wheels car.

Seriously, how good does the back view look? I love the spoiler that angles up like a crazy ski jump and the tail-lights integrated underneath it.

I love the huge rear hunches swollen like they’ve been stung by an enormous wasp. Check out the roof - see how it’s curved? And that bonnet with the vent above the wheel arches, I love the styling of every millimetre of this car.

But my neighbour doesn’t. I pulled up and said, “How good does this look?” And he gave me this stare like I was bonkers.

I don’t know, maybe you and I have the same excellent taste, but if there’s anything I hate it's anything that’s boring.

To me the BMW Z4 ‘twin’ is getting very close to the boring end in the styling department. 

Talking of BMW, the Supra's interior is very BMW from the indicators stalks to the media system and climate control set-up.

It’s a modern and minimalist cabin… if only there wasn’t a cupholder right where my elbow goes. That’s a good place to stop and talk about the Supra GT’s practicality. 

The Bronco is a big vehicle so you do need to climb up into it, but Ford has considered that and integrated handles into the side of the dashboard to help you in.

That’s just one of several small but thoughtful touches around the cabin that show the company has been very considered in designing the Bronco.

The option to have either removable soft- or hard-top is another one of those design touches that show Ford was determined to ensure the Bronco appealed to a broad market of buyers.

It does mean some peculiarities, though, such as the window and mirror controls being on the centre console, instead of the doors.

It also cuts down on small item storage space, as the doors only have small netted areas rather than any meaningful space.

In fact, small item storage is limited to just two cupholders and two small areas up front and in the car there are no cupholders at all in the rear.

Instead, rear passengers are left with the small nets in the doors and nothing else. However, rear passengers do get a USB and power outlet which will no doubt come in handy for owners.

Back in the front the instrument display combines an analogue speedo with a small digital screen that displays the rest of the information.

It’s not a particularly clear layout, with a vertical rev counter next to several other readouts making it tricky to glance at on the move, and unfortunately it cannot be changed like some other digital displays.

The 8.0-inch media screen is a good size and offers Ford’s intuitive SYNC 4 operating system, which is a plus.

In terms of space the Bronco offers reasonable interior room, albeit less than you might expect when you look at how big it is outside.

The front seats are comfortable and offer good visibility of the road ahead, while the rear offers adequate legroom and generous headroom thanks to the tall and squared-off roofline.

The boot measures a very healthy 1008 litres according to Ford, which seems generous based on our real world experience.

It certainly coped well, accommodating several large suitcases and smaller bags, though, so it doesn’t lack for luggage capacity even if its on-paper claim may be grandiose.

Obviously there’s the full-size spare mounted on the rear tailgate in case you need it. The tailgate itself opens in two parts, with the lower half coming out to the side while the glass lifts up, which is necessary because of the removable roof (with the glass section coming off with the top).

The good news is that if you’re tall like me (189cm) and mainly legs then you’ll have more than enough legroom and headroom because the footwells are impossibly deep and the seats can be lowered to what feels like ground level.

Actually, you are almost at ground height in this car so the bad news if you’re as tall as me you’ll probably have to crawl out of the car on all fours.

The cabin of the Supra doesn’t do the storage space thing well. Sure there are two cupholders but their location is the same place my elbow frequents while changing gears and resting.

The wireless phone charging area is good and easy to access, but the door pockets are as thin as post box slots so if it’s letters you’re storing there you’re in luck.

If it’s anything thicker than that you’ll be left looking around for a place to put your purse or wallet and end up throwing it in the phone charger space if the passenger seat is taken.

You could always ask your co-pilot to hold onto your things which reminds me to tell you that the Supra is a two-seater only. There are no back seats, and there’s no option to have back seats.

If you’re looking for a sports car with rear seats (although space will be limited) for the same money then there’s the Audi A4 45 TFSI and at an even lower price is the Ford Mustang GT.

If you look over your left shoulder while in the driver’s seat of the Supra GT you’ll see into the boot -  there’s no wall separating the cabin from the cargo area. This is handy for throwing a school bag in as I did for my son on the morning drop off, but also means your items may make an unexpected visit to the cockpit if you stop suddenly.

The boot is large for a sports car at 296 litres (VDA) and it managed to fit our large CarsGuide suitcase with space to spare as you can see in the images.

The Toyota GR Supra GT with the manual gearbox lists for $87,380 and you’ll pay the same price for the same car with the automatic transmission. 

Yes, almost $90K might sound like a lot of money for a Toyota (unless it’s a LandCruiser) but it’s actually a bargain considering the GTS grade above costs $10K more and has the same engine plus pretty much the same features apart from a fancier stereo, head-up display and 19-inch alloys (rather than the 18s on this GT).

Also, if you didn’t know already the Supra is a BMW/Toyota joint venture model aligned with the BMW Z4, and if you want the Beemer version with the same engine as the Supra GT you’ll pay $139,800 for it.

So see, it’s a bargain in comparison.

The standard features list of the GT has pretty much everything you need. There’s a proximity key, LED headlights with adaptive high beam, active cruise control, sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 10-speaker stereo, wireless phone charger, heated and power adjustable seats, shifting paddles and sports pedals. 

Great features, but let down only by a small 8.8-inch screen for your media and nav. Still, that absolutely shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for you.

The rivals? Well, clearly the BMW Z4 which is way more expensive, but also there is the Nissan Z which costs between $70-$80K and is also a hoot to drive.

Add the Ford Mustang GT to your research list, as well. It’s not as agile as the Supra but it’s quick, fun and sounds better to my ears. 

The Heritage edition is powered by Ford’s EcoBoost 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and can be paired with a 10-speed automatic. 

However, our test car was equipped with a seven-speed manual gearbox, but not in the way you might think. Instead of seventh gear being an overdrive for highway cruising, the extra ratio is actually for extremely low-speed off-road use.

Known as the ‘Crawler’ gear Ford says it makes the Bronco ‘almost unstallable’ when you find yourself in a tricky spot.

Specifications for the engine aren’t quite as straightforward as you’d like, with Ford offering power and torque figures for US standard and premium grade fuels.

With the former the 2.3-litre makes 205kW/427Nm, while if you put better petrol in you’ll get 223kW/440Nm - so it will pay to spend a bit more at the pump.

You’re looking at a Supra that could be the peak of its model evolution because since the generation’s arrival in 2019 Toyota has increased the power of the 3.0-litre turbo-petrol in-line six-cylinder from 250kW to 285kW (torque remains the same at 500Nm) and introduced a six-speed manual. 

This 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol is the only engine you can have with the Supra, there are no four cylinders or V8s - now there’s an idea. 

Toyota says the 0-100km/h time for the GR Supra with the manual gearbox is 4.4 seconds and 4.1 seconds for the automatic which comes with a ‘launch control’ feature.

Of course, all Supras are rear-wheel drive.

Not surprisingly a large SUV powered by a relatively small, turbocharged petrol engine is not particularly fuel efficient.

The USA’s Environmental Protection Agency estimates the EcoBoost four-cylinder will use 11.7 litres per 100km on the combined urban/highway cycle.

That didn’t ring true in our real-world test, which did include long highway stretches as well as a lot of urban running around, with the car’s trip computer saying we’d used 13.6L/100km.

While that’s not particularly miserly, at least there’s a 64-litre fuel tank to provide a driving range of nearly 550km, so you can cover some distance.

Toyota says the 3.0-litre six-cylinder straight-six turbo-petrol engine in the Supra GT paired with the six speed manual gearbox should use 8.9L/100km after a combination of open and urban roads.

I did a week’s worth of city commuting and then a couple of hundred kilometres on country roads, but no motorways and the trip computer told me I was averaging 10.3L/100km.

Not bad for a big engine in a car tuned for performance, driven by a big kid who feels like he’s playing with somebody else’s toys.  

Premium 95 RON fuel is recommended, although 'standard' 91 is acceptable. A 52-litre fuel tank translates to a theoretical range of around 580km, dropping to approximately 500km using our real-world number.

The Bronco is designed for off-road use, it isn’t a ‘soft-roader’ and has been created specifically for those who enjoy getting off the beaten path.

Ford claims an approach angle of 43.2 degrees, a breakover angle of 29.0 degrees and a departure angle of 37.2 degrees, plus 294mm of ground clearance and up to 850mm of water fording capability. 

We, unfortunately, didn’t get a chance to drive the Bronco that way, instead spending three days behind the wheel driving it through US cities, along highways and winding our way through some picturesque mountain roads.

But despite being out of its element, the Bronco felt perfectly at home.

The fundamental qualities of the ‘T6’ platform, that makes the Ranger such a capable and popular offering with Australian buyers, shines through with the Bronco, too.

It steers with accuracy and has nicely weighted steering, rather than feeling too heavy and slow as some off-roaders can.

The ride is comfortable, too, which isn’t too surprising as it rides on 17-inch alloy wheels with huge 35-inch tyre, with bumps soaked up with ease.

Ford’s drive select system has modes for on-road - 'Normal', 'Sport' and 'Eco' - as well as off-road - 'Mud/Ruts', 'Sand' and 'Rocky' - so you’re covered whatever you want to do.

As for the powertrain, the EcoBoost engine does an admirable job most of the time, feeling powerful enough around town to move this sizable SUV.

However, there are times it will struggle and labour, most obviously when needing to overtake or climb a hill. There were several instances when we found ourselves shifting down from sixth to fourth gear to keep momentum up.

Ah, but what about living daily with a manual? As a car enthusiast most of the cars I’ve owned have been manuals and I’ve rarely cursed them because I love to drive.

But there were times when they were a pain, such as in traffic, or in traffic on steep streets and in traffic in shopping centres. Did I mention in traffic, also?

But on the nice roads with bends and dips, hills and sweeping corners, hairpins and twisty parts in places without traffic, then all is forgiven. 

And so it goes with the manual version of the Supra. 

Making life easier in the Supra GT is a clutch pedal without much travel so you don’t feel as though you’re at the gym doing a one-sided leg press.

I found the shifts themselves, while short, to be less than smooth. At first, I thought that the clunky changes might have been because the gearbox hadn’t been run in yet, but the odometer was saying 7500km, so this could just be the nature of the gearbox and after a few days I became used to it.

The rev-matching feature of this gearbox is a nice touch, especially on those sporty drives when you change into a gear and you’re thrown straight back into the power band again.

Superb balance, great steering with a nose which points exactly where you want it to and that magnificently smooth turbo-petrol in-line six posting all its meaty grunt to the rear wheels just behind your shoulders makes for a sports car that’s fun, talented and quick.

Good brakes (348mm ventilated rotors with four piston calipers at the front and 330mm discs with single piston calipers at the rear) and grippy Michelin Pilot Supersport tyres (255/40 fr - 275/40 rr) complete a great package. 

A ride that’s still comfortable over bad Sydney roads and surprisingly good visibility made the Supra easy to live with in the city, from parking to school drop offs.

Yes, used it each day for the school run with my older child and the grocery shopping. 

The GR Supra GT has not been crash tested by ANCAP, but its BMW Z4 twin scored a maximum five stars when it was tested by the European equivalent Euro NCAP.

Still, the Supra has seven airbags, there’s AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keeping assistance and blind spot warning, plus front and rear parking sensors. There are seven airbags on board.

There’s no spare wheel, but there is a tyre inflation kit which should get you out of trouble.

These are questions for another time unfortunately, with Ford Australia still unlikely to add the Bronco to the range in the near future.

Toyota covers the GR Supra GT with its five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km and is capped at $415 per service.

The warranty is the industry standard in terms of time and kilometre length, and the capped service prices are very reasonable - a lot more affordable than a car with a prestige badge on the bonnet, too.