2027 Nissan Z NISMO vs. 2026 Toyota Supra Comparison Test: The Final Stick-Shift Showdown

This is it. The last chance. The final showdown. As the MkV Toyota Supra ends production, we’re pitting it against the Nissan Z one more time. Twice before, we’ve compared the current generations of these iconic Japanese nemeses. Twice, the Supra has come out on top. In this third, ultimate comparison, can the Z redeem itself in the nick of time?

Stakes are high. If the Z can’t claw back a win, the Supra will close this era as the better sports car of the pair—at least until a MkVI Supra eventually arrives. What Nissan does with the Z by then is anyone’s guess. Count on us to run that matchup if we can. For now, we’re giving both cars their best shot by comparing them in their most evolved, enthusiast-focused forms.

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Track-Tuned, Three Pedals

Given its past two victories, perhaps the Supra needs less change to keep the Z pinned down. And indeed, it receives less, but what the Supra Final Edition gains makes it the sharpest version of the MkV Toyota has ever created.

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The turbocharged 3.0-liter I-6 engine still makes 382 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque. Likewise, the six-speed manual transmission is the same as in other Supras. But the chassis gains updated suspension dampers, along with adjusted camber at both axles. Stiffer bushings and mounts reinforce key points in the body structure, while new bracing and stabilizers increase rigidity. Software updates for the rear differential improve traction, and the electric power steering is retuned for more direct feel. Enlarged Brembo rotors aim to strengthen braking.

The Supra Final Edition is visually distinguished by matte black 19-inch wheels and subtle aerodynamic enhancements. Our test vehicle was equipped with the GT4 style package, which adds red mirror caps, a matte black rear emblem, matte finishing for the carbon-fiber spoiler, and a conspicuous GR decal low on the rocker panel, all on top of matte black or white paint. Inside, you’ll find Alcantara seat accents, red stitching, and red seat belts. A commemorative badge visible when the driver’s door is open is another special touch.

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Nissan’s efforts for the Z NISMO go further. Its upgrades are similar to the Supra Final Edition’s—tighter suspension, firmer bushings, lighter 19-inch wheels, bigger brakes—but it also grows stronger. Its twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 churns out 420 hp and 384 lb-ft, up 20 hp and 34 lb-ft from the standard Z and considerably more than the Supra. Aerodynamic body elements, an enlarged grille, and a telltale red stripe around the car’s base set it apart from other Z variants. Oh, and this one has a six-speed manual transmission—just added for 2027, after Nissan launched the Z NISMO with a nine-speed automatic only.

Numbers Worth Noting

This comparison will be decided on driving experience: which car is more fun on the road. But our test results provide context and another point to argue over.

Surprisingly, the less powerful Toyota, carrying more pounds per horsepower, is quicker. The Supra Final Edition hits 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, making it the quickest manual-transmission Supra we’ve tested and putting it just behind the 3.9-second automatic Supra. The Z NISMO manual needs 4.7 seconds, though the automatic Z NISMO remains quicker still at 4.2 seconds. Posting 12.5 seconds at 114.1 mph, the Supra Final Edition also completes the quarter mile ahead of the Z NISMO, which needs 13.2 seconds at 108.0 mph.

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Even with its upgraded rotors, the Final Edition’s 60–0-mph braking distance of 106 feet is among the longer outcomes we’ve measured from any Supra. Still, it’s just slightly better than the Z NISMO’s 107-foot result. Notably, both cars stopped from 100 mph in 294 feet.

In handling tests, the Supra Final Edition edges out the Z NISMO. The Toyota grips to 1.04 g average on the skidpad, imperceptibly more than the Nissan’s 1.03 g average. The gap is larger on the figure-eight lap, which the Final Edition completed in 23.8 seconds at 0.85 g average and the NISMO managed in 24.2 seconds at 0.81 g average.

These Are Still Cars

Track-ready as they are, both cars are likely to be treated as sporty daily drivers and back-road weapons. That’s exactly how we used them, taking them from the test track to the real world with plenty of curvaceous pavement in between.

Let’s get the boring stuff out of the way. In terms of everyday practicality, the Supra would seem to have a cargo capacity advantage, on paper 47 percent more than in the Z NISMO. However, the Nissan’s nearly square hatchback aperture makes loading and unloading far easier than with the Toyota’s tight, hourglass-shaped hatchback.

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The Z NISMO feels more open inside; cabin access and outside visibility are more constrained in the Supra. Head- and legroom are similar in both, and the Z NISMO’s Recaro bucket seats look and feel great—but unlike the Supra’s seats, they’re adjusted by fiddly manual knobs and levers. Then again, objects in the Supra’s center-console cupholders interfere with shifting motions; the Z NISMO has better cabin storage.

Neither vehicle displays cutting-edge tech. The Supra reveals its aging German underpinnings with BMW’s last-generation infotainment system running on a small touchscreen and a simplistic digital gauge display. The Z’s screens are larger, have a straightforward interface, and can show varied information but have slightly grainy resolution. One more point for the NISMO’s practical potential is standard adaptive cruise control, which can’t be equipped on manual Supra models. Fuel efficiency is better in the Supra, but the Z has longer driving range.

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Time for a Street Fight

When it comes to pure driving enjoyment, though, the Supra is superior. It’s not that the Z NISMO isn’t fun—it is, and much better resolved than the standard Z. But the Final Edition is more fun and a more satisfying, engaging car.

Special focus must be given to the transmissions. In the Z NISMO, shifting requires force. The lever likes to be slammed between gates. It’s a muscular, mechanical motion. Meanwhile, the Supra’s shifter is more precise, with noticeably shorter, tighter throws. Flicking the small knob from gear to gear takes less effort. Clutch take-up in the Supra is also more smooth, gradual, and progressive.

Detecting Toyota’s steering adjustments for the Final Edition would require a back-to-back drive with a standard Supra, but the outcome is better than in the Z NISMO. The Supra’s steering wheel moves fluidly and with satisfying weight, working well with the retuned suspension to make the car seem compact and easy to place on the road. In the Z NISMO, the immediate steering impression is that the wheel is too large. A smaller diameter might negate the need for a faster ratio, but a bit of both and a touch more heft would be ideal.

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In hard driving, the Supra’s front relays confidence, but its rear is less trustworthy. Going to power too early can get the tail a little snappy, though it conveys that limit before getting totally loose. Some drivers might appreciate that edgy sensation, but the Z NISMO generally feels more balanced. Planted and contained at both ends, it tolerates a relatively brutish driving style, happy to be hammered on in a way that doesn’t suit the sensitive Supra. Nissan engineers clearly addressed the Z’s handling shortcomings noted before. But at a certain point, the Z reveals a bending, flexing sensation—hints that this aging chassis just isn’t very tight. The Austrian-made Supra seems more solid.

Bavarian heritage is obvious in the Supra’s engine: Smooth, linear, and responsive, the turbocharged I-6 could only come from BMW. Is that a problem? Perhaps only conceptually, where knowing how little of this car is truly Toyota undermines authenticity. Functionally, though, this is the nicer engine, churning out torque and spinning up power to speed past the Z NISMO despite its lower output. Nissan’s twin-turbo V-6 still packs a punch, hitting its powerband midway through the rev range in a way that’s explosive and exciting. Slower acceleration numbers don’t mean this engine feels weak.

Both cars’ brakes are good in different ways. The Z NISMO’s have a strong initial bite, while the Supra Final Edition’s build into stopping power progressively. Which is better is largely a matter of preference, much like picking a winner between the Z and Supra for the last time.

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Victorious Again

In NISMO form, the Z becomes the car it always should’ve been. Its stronger engine is nice, but the real transformation comes from everything around it: Improved balance, better body control, hardier brakes, and a stout shifter leave no doubt this is a real sports car—a good one. Factor in its pragmatic advantages, and the Z NISMO might be a better all-around car, too.

But for a better driving experience, the Supra once again rises above. Throughout, its refinement, precision, and responsiveness are higher, creating the cohesion that separates cars that are merely fun to drive from driver’s tools. Matte black paint can’t hide that polish—the Supra Final Edition slides past the Z NISMO to secure a trifecta of victories against its storied rival.

What a way to end this chapter in the Supra story. Now hurry up with the MkVI, Toyota.

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2nd Place: 2027 Nissan Z NISMO

Verdict: Better than the standard Z and arguably the better all-rounder—but not the better sports car.

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1st Place: 2026 Toyota Supra Final Edition

Verdict: This Final Edition model solidifies why Supra has beaten Z every time.

Photography byWilliam Walker

Deputy Director of Photography

Like many of my coworkers, my love for cars was cemented at a young age, thanks in part to Hot Wheels, car magazines, and every car poster I could afford when the book fair set up shop in my elementary school library. While most kids went straight for Where’s Waldo? and Goosebumps, I was torn between the poster of the Lamborghini Countach and the ’32 Ford hot rod with airbrushed flames on the cowling. In high school, I worked at Bergstrom's Antique Autos, a historic garage in Port Townsend, Washington. Surrounded by nearly a century of automotive history, I immersed myself in cleaning, sorting, and selling car parts and memorabilia. I also spent countless hours flipping through vintage car magazines and can comfortably say that I've looked through every Motor Trend, Car & Driver, Hot Rod, and Sports Car Graphic up until the early 1980s. Around the same time, I picked up photography—naturally, with cars as my main subject. Despite my high school photography teacher's advice to branch out, I stuck to my passion and attended every car show I could find. This led me to the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California, where I earned a bachelor’s degree with a focus on automotive photography. I began my career at Motor Trend as a photography intern. After freelancing for a few years, I joined the Motor Trend team full-time in late 2010. My passion for cars and photography continues to fuel my work, and I hope it shines through in every shot.

Photography byDarren Martin

Former Staff Photographer

For as long as I can remember, I was always interested in cars. I’d spent countless hours playing with toy cars or reading anything and everything I could find out about them. As I got older, I began wanting to make a career out of it, in whatever way possible. I used to think I would end up in engineering or automotive design, but turns out that was trickier than I imagined… Luckily, I also had a passion for photography and after honing my skills at The Creative Circus in Atlanta, a portfolio based school, I turned my enthusiasm into a career, specializing in capturing the beauty and power of cars. As a photographer at MotorTrend, I’ve had the privilege of working on numerous features and projects, showcasing many vehicles and helping share the stories of our highly talented editors. I’m grateful for my journey so far, and I hope to share my passion for cars through my images.

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