Toyota GR Supra review – can it rival the Porsche 718 Cayman?

When Toyota launched the GR Supra back in 2019, it’s fair to assume that we all took more interest in the historical precedence of the Supra bit of its name than we did GR. But now, four years, two fabulous GR siblings and a new manual transmission later, the Supra’s relevance to its GT-like predecessors has almost completely passed, leaving behind a curious two-seater sports car that we feel is only just now starting to reveal its full potential.

The GR Supra range in the UK has grown to include a four-cylinder variant, and more recently a manual version that arrived in 2022. The latter also brought about some meaningful changes to the set-up on all subsequent Supra models; while the quirky coupe is still flawed in some respects, it's carved out its own sports car identity while many others are biting the dust.

While our four-star rating indicates that the Supra is good, it doesn’t offer any truly outstanding characteristics that elevate it into the realms of the very best. It doesn't have the sparkling powertrain of the Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0, the agility of an Alpine A110, nor the balance of its smaller GR86 sibling. But there’s still plenty of appeal in this most distinctive of sports cars.

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Toyota GR Supra: in detail 

• Engine, gearbox and technical specs –Two BMW-sourced engines are available – a four and a six – with the latter available with a manual gearbox
• Performance and 0-60 time – Does strong work with its relatively modest power figures, but both engines do most of their work in the mid-range
• Ride and handling – Responsive, well balanced and grippy, with good traction in the dry and a decent ride, but on-the-limit handling can be indistinct
• MPG and running costs – Decent on-paper economy for its performance. Good warranty too.
• Interior and tech – A Toyota recipe with BMW ingredients. The outcome is a comfortable, well-judged environment, but small windows and dark trim leave it a bit gloomy
• Design – Traditional sports car proportions paired with unique design elements.

Prices, specs and rivals

The Supra is currently unavailable to order in the UK. When it was, it was offered in a single Pro grade in both four- and six-cylinder forms. The base 2.0 Pro was £50,545, making it significantly more expensive than the GR86 (Toyota's smaller coupe was priced at £32,495). The GR Supra 3.0 Pro cost £58,580, putting it right in the thick of rivals such as the Alpine A110 and Porsche 718 Cayman S.

As mentioned above, Toyota gave the Supra a gentle set-up change later in its life, with a focus on improving precision by firming up the anti-roll bar bushings, recalibrating the adaptive dampers and rear differential, and amending the stability and traction control systems. The tweaks came alongside a new six-speed manual option which is only available on the 3.0 variant, with new forged 19-inch wheels thrown in for good measure.

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All GR Supras get LED headlights, a limited-slip differential, a suite of safety systems, adaptive cruise and an 8.8-inch media screen. The 3.0 model, meanwhile, adds a set of 19-inch wheels, a JBL stereo upgrade, head-up display and wireless phone charging pad on top.

Two solid colours are offered (Lightning Yellow and Prominence Red, the latter for an extra £650), and it’s nice to see a manufacturer offering bright shades. Opting for metallic white, black, grey or blue adds £740 to the base price. A new beige interior colour option made from lighter seat fabrics also gave the interior a boost as part of the 2022 update.

While the Cayman S and Alpine A110 might have an edge over the Supra in many areas, it’s worth remembering that both are now on life-support systems as their respective manufacturers have confirmed their successors will swap petrol for a plug in their forthcoming generations.

The new Lotus Emira is an exception to the sports car rule, but Lotus has also confirmed that it’ll be the last petrol-powered Lotus ever which could well leave the Supra as one of the last sports cars standing after BMW pulls the plug on the Z4.