Finally… the 2023 Toyota GR Supra is available with a manual transmission. The purists have wanted it from the get-go, and even the casual fan has demanded it. Trent Nikolic finds out whether the entry-grade GT with the six-speed manual delivers the driving engagement Supra fans have been waiting for.
2023 Toyota GR Supra GT
The 2023 Toyota Supra is finally available with a six-speed manual transmission – and it’s something the purists have wanted from the get-go. The only problem with that is that in 2023, slick-shifting automatics are invariably faster everywhere than even the best manual transmissions.
In effect, then, you’re buying a manual sports car for the sheer driving engagement rather than outright pace or track-day smarts. And, you won’t get any disagreement from us on that.
The *ahem* shift to automatics has been relatively swift, in line with their improved performance ability. We’ve seen it with the supercar brigade and every variant of the Porsche 911, such that the more affordable cohort has followed in lockstep. Smart automatics, whether they be DCT or conventional torque converter, are where it’s at in 2023.
For all those improvements, I still couldn’t buy a BRZ/86 or MX-5 with an automatic transmission. It just doesn’t sit quite right with me. A Supra, on the other hand, delivered engagement and enjoyment right off the bat even with the automatic doing its thing.
But – and it’s a pretty big but – we’ve wanted a manual Supra since launch too. It is more in line with the original ethos of the big performance GT, which was available with an automatic, yes, but was often seen as the lesser variant. The choice for those desiring a cruiser rather than a bruiser.
As such, on the second-hand market, the popular refrain is, ‘I’d really prefer a manual’. On paper at least, though, the new Supra is sportier than ever, meaning a manual transmission and the turbocharged inline-six engine should be a match made in heaven.
How much does the Toyota GR Supra cost in Australia?
Starting from $87,380 before on-road costs, Supra is available in GT (as tested here) and GTS model grades, with the more expensive GTS starting from $97,380 before on-road costs. Auto or manual start from the same price in either model grade, and the manual, while being a BMW-sourced unit, has some Toyota engineering input. Crucially, the manual – according to Toyota – is 18kg lighter than the automatic.
Standard features for the GT we’re testing include 18-inch wheels, which I’m happy to run as opposed to the 19s on the GTS. Sure, I’d like a set of Rays TE37s or Work Meisters in the same 18-inch sizing with some semi-slick tyres, but I don’t dislike the factory design either for the 18s, and they fill the guards nicely. You also get 348mm front discs, four-piston callipers, 345mm rear discs, leather trim, heated and electrically adjustable seats and a 10-speaker audio system.
Competition is a difficult one to determine. Rear-drive Nissan Z Proto and Ford Mustang GT are significantly more affordable, but vehicles like BMW M240i xDrive, Mercedes-AMG A45 S and Audi RS3 Sedan are around the same money, despite being significantly different in terms of philosophy. Does the Supra buyer even look at another option? Maybe not – let us know what you think.
| Key details | 2023 Toyota GR Supra GT Manual |
| Price | $87,380 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | Azure Blue |
| Options | Premium paint – $575 |
| Price as tested | $87,955 plus on-road costs |
| Drive-away price | $94,923 (Sydney) |
| Rivals | Nissan Z | Ford Mustang | BMW M240i |
How much space does the Toyota GR Supra have inside?
Many of the interior components – such as the steering wheel, instrument cluster, infotainment screen, air-conditioning controls and other switches – are straight out of a BMW. It is worth noting, though, that Toyota has still done an admirable job of making the Supra feel like a Toyota. The Japanese giant has managed to integrate rather than hide some of the Supra’s German DNA.
We’ve written this before, but inside the cabin, unless you’ve either owned or tested a BMW, you probably wouldn’t realise that there’s as much crossover as there is. Telltale signs like the blinker stalk being on the left-hand side of the steering column remain, though. You’ll probably spend a day or two hitting the wipers instead, but that won’t take too long to get used to.
Supra’s cabin is an interesting one. Undeniably sporty, and driver-focused, it feels like a sports car should, but is definitely cramped. There’s not a lot of surplus room in here, but that could also be the result of getting into and out of so many different vehicles, most of which aren’t sports cars. If you’re getting out of an MX-5, will it feel cramped? Probably not.
I love the seats, they are comfortable but also capable of keeping you in place when you find a sweeping corner. And, this is perhaps most relevant to the Grand Tourer nature of the Supra, they don’t leave you with aches and pains after a long drive.
The roof line is low, though, and it’s one of the reasons the Supra looks as good as it does in profile. It means you need to work hard to get into and out of it, so be mindful – if you’re tall, you’ll also need to be nimble.
Cabin storage could be a little better, but a two-seat layout makes any storage something of a luxury and there’s always a compromise. Cargo space is more than fair by two-seat sports car standards, though.
There’s enough for a regular grocery run or a weekend getaway, with some room to spare. If you’re inclined to load up for a weekend road trip, the Supra will tackle that job easily.
| 2023 Toyota GR Supra GT Manual | |
| Seats | Two |
| Boot volume | 290L |
| Length | 4379mm |
| Width | 1854mm |
| Height | 1299mm |
| Wheelbase | 2470mm |
Does the Toyota GR Supra have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
Supra gets wireless phone charging and wireless Apple Car Play as standard, but there remains no mention of Android Auto connectivity in the Toyota Supra. The smartphone charge pad doubles as a secure shelf to stop your phone from launching itself in the cabin when you tackle the first switchback.
If you’ve got an Android device, then, it’s Bluetooth or nothing. The functionality of the system itself is excellent, thanks largely to the fact it is effectively BMW’s iDrive interface. Physical buttons where some manufacturers might have gone for obscure infotainment screen commands make using the system a cinch.
The iDrive interface isn’t perfect by any means, and there remains some complexity that will take you a bit of time to learn, but it’s a responsive, reliable system. The infotainment screen itself is smaller than most these days, measuring 8.8 inches, the same size as the widescreen driver’s instrument cluster. Step up to the GTS and you get a punchier audio system, but the standard offering in the GT is a good one, even at highway speed with some wind and road noise entering the cabin.
Is the Toyota GR Supra a safe car?
The Toyota Supra hasn’t been crash-tested and assessed by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) or its European counterpart. The only guide we have is a European NCAP test for the Toyota Supra’s twin, the BMW Z4 convertible, which was awarded a five-star rating in 2019.
| 2023 Toyota GR Supra GT | |
| ANCAP rating | Untested |
What safety technology does the Toyota GR Supra have?
The Supra comes standard with seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, radar cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, blind-zone warning, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera.
How much does the Toyota GR Supra cost to maintain?
Supra’s warranty coverage is five years/unlimited kilometres (the same as other Toyota models). Where the Supra pulls ahead of the BMW it’s based on is by offering an additional two years of driveline warranty when serviced in accordance with the supplied warranty and service book. BMW’s warranty stops at five years.
The Toyota Supra is (unsurprisingly in some ways) cheaper to service than its BMW equivalent, too, with each routine service visit (every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first) costing a very reasonable $390 – over five years a six-pot Supra will average out to $430 per year.
Insurance costing seems, on paper at least, to be acceptable. The annual premium quoted was $1424.94 based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
| At a glance | 2023 Toyota GR Supra GT Manual |
| Warranty | Five years, unlimited km |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Servicing costs | $1170 (3 years) $1950 (5 years) |
Is the Toyota GR Supra fuel-efficient?
Fuel efficiency for us is always an interesting one when we’re assessing a performance car of any kind. And yet, despite the reality that most of you won’t place too much weight on fuel use if you’re buying a Supra, it’s quite efficient in the real world. After a week of mostly enthusiastic driving, the indicated return was 10.1L/100km against the ADR combined claim of 8.9L/100km.
If you’re running gently around town, you’ll see that average drop down into the single-digit range, and a relaxed cruise on the freeway displayed a live readout in the mid 7L/100km range, well below the official combined claim.
Fuel Consumption – brought to you by bp
| Fuel Useage | Fuel Stats |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 8.9L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 10.1L/100km |
| Fuel type | 95-octane premium unleaded recommended, 91-octane regular unleaded usable |
| Fuel tank size | 52L |
What is the Toyota GR Supra like to drive?
The first point to make is that we should rejoice in Toyota doing its part to keep the manual transmission alive in the face of its declining popularity. If you’re reading this thinking you don’t want a manual, and they are pointless, that’s fine. Don’t buy one. The fact that there is a manual Supra is reason enough to celebrate for those of you who aspire to own one.
The gearbox itself is excellent. During our time with the Supra, the team cycled through it for a decent test drive, and everyone liked the shift quality and precision of the six-speed. What did take some getting used to was the working of the clutch pedal, its pick-up point, and travel.
Those of you who move between numerous manual cars will understand what I’m probably not doing the best job of explaining here. Some manuals are easy to drive smoothly the moment you select first gear. Others, not so much.
Off the bat, I didn’t like the Supra’s clutch, and I wasn’t alone either. However, the more time I spent with it, the more I liked it, and the smoother it felt. It’s a clutch that will take time for you to be able to use quickly if you’re heading to the track as well, but practice will certainly make perfect.
The only counterargument for the eight-speed auto (as exceptional as it is) comes when you hit peak-hour traffic. There’s no getting around the annoyance and pain in the behind that a manual becomes when you’re on and off the throttle. But, so far as payoffs go, the manual rewards the minute you escape the grind for anyone wanting a pure connection to their sports car.
Anyone familiar with the legendary JZ family of Toyota engines (or their 5M and 7M predecessors for that matter) will understand the significance of Toyota wanting an inline six when the Supra revival was first announced.
We didn’t always get the hottest version of the Supra in this country, and enthusiasts often looked wistfully toward Japan for an indication of what could have been. There is no doubt, however, that a smooth inline six is the ideal engine for a Toyota Supra, and this car is the better for it.
The 3.0-litre turbocharged six knocks out an easy 285kW between 5800rpm and 6500rpm, while peak torque of 500Nm comes in between 1800rpm and 5000rpm. Just as it should be, the Supra is front-engine, RWD, and weighs in at 1503kg without the driver. I write ‘easy’ in regard to power, because this feels like a remarkably understressed engine.
It likes to rev, and encourages the run right out to the 6500rpm peak power generation point, while that chunky torque figure being available so low down in the rev range makes for effortless low-speed cruising up to the signposted speed. This is not a manual that requires 100 shifts every few minutes, such is the relaxed nature of the engine.
A feature I’ve never been sure of is rev-matching. If you learnt to drive manuals when there was no such thing, the undeniably clever tech takes a bit of getting used to, but Toyota’s smarts here are excellent. Sounds good too, which, let’s face it, is most of the reason for it outside the confines of a racetrack. You can disable rev-matching in the sharpest sports mode, if you so desire.
Quality Michelin Pilot Sport 18-inch tyres mean grip is never an issue, but the balance, poise, and response from the chassis are all excellent. This is a well-sorted sports car on any road.
Erring on the side of firm, the ride is never uncomfortable, even on rubbish surfaces around town. There’s an acceptable compromise with any sports car, but the Supra GT does a fantastic job of being a consummate all-rounder.
Having driven the Supra on-track, it’s fair to say that Toyota got its wish for a tail-happy response from the chassis. Interestingly, I’ve read plenty of international criticism specific to this, in that the lively nature of the rear-end puts the shackles on how hard you want to push the Supra.
On-road, this is hardly going to be an issue of course, unless you’re driving like a fool on a wet road. Having spoken to some pro drivers who’ve pushed the Supra harder on-track than us mere mortals, though, I think the reality is that the chassis rewards those who understand how to drive it fast, and respect its power delivery and grip levels – just like a sports car of old then.
| Key details | 2023 Toyota GR Supra GT Manual |
| Engine | 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo petrol |
| Power | 285kW @ 5800–6500rpm |
| Torque | 500Nm @ 1800–5000rpm |
| Drive type | Rear-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual |
| Power-to-weight ratio | 189.6kW/t |
| Weight (kerb) | 1503kg |
| Spare tyre type | Tyre repair kit |
| Turning circle | 10.4m |
Should I buy a Toyota GR Supra?
Yes. You should buy a Toyota GR Supra. We can’t avoid the reality that sports cars like this might not last much longer. There’s every chance that a fully-electric Supra would be a giant killer. It won’t offer the same level of engagement, though, as an internal-combustion-powered variant. So yes, you should buy a GR Supra.
Whether you should buy the manual or the automatic is down to a combination of personal preference and driving style. I really did love the manual after a week with Toyota’s sensuous RWD sports car. It really is a fantastic car to drive. However, if I spend most of my time stuck in traffic around town, I’m more inclined to recommend the automatic.
Regardless, though, this is a fantastically fun sports car to drive. I really like what Toyota has tried to do, and I like what the execution of that determination has delivered. For the price, there’s precious little that goes toe-to-toe with it.
How do I buy a Toyota GR Supra – next steps?
Having tested the base GT manual for this review, I reckon it’s the way to go rather than spending more money to get into the GTS. Whether you choose manual or automatic is entirely up to you. If you want a manual, though, it’s a bloody good thing to drive.
You should absolutely take the Supra for a test drive to decide whether the manual or automatic is the one for you to buy. At the time of testing, Toyota had stock of the Supra GT in both manual and automatic around the country. A simple, two-model range makes for a much easier buying process with the Supra than many cars of course.
The next steps on the purchase journey are to check the Toyota website for stock of your preferred Supra variant. You can also find Toyotas for sale at Drive.com.au/cars-for-sale.
If you want to stay updated with everything that’s happened to this car since our review, you’ll find all the latest news here.
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