Used Toyota Supra (Mk5, 2019-2025) buyer’s guide: rare sports car is a thrilling purchase

Verdict

The final new Toyota Supras will soon be delivered to their owners and that will be the end of this eye-catching coupé. It’s an intriguing proposition because it isn’t scalpel-sharp to drive, practicality isn’t brilliant and few exterior designs are as Marmite as this. But the Toyota is unusual, reliable, truly quick, a decent tourer and easy to live with. As an enthusiast’s car, it’s essential that you immerse yourself in the owners’ forums, try one or two out, and pin down if it’s the right car for you. The next hurdle will be trying to find the right example, because the market is never awash with Supras.

Toyota has a reputation for being ultra-conservative, with a focus on reliability and utility. Much of this is down to unexciting family cars such as the Corolla and Prius, but over the years there have been models with more pizzazz, and at the top of the pile is the Supra. Originally a halo model in the Celica range, the Supra became 
a stand-alone vehicle in 1986.

Seven years later a much more exciting Supra was introduced, but when that was axed in 2002 it looked like Toyota had abandoned the GT segment for good (Lexus models aside). But that wasn’t the case, because in 2019 the manufacturer returned to the market with a new GT car, developed in conjunction with BMW. That was the fifth-generation Supra, which is about to be killed off – although few buyers knew about the model’s existence in the first place.

History

Toyota opened the Supra order book in January 2019, with the first cars delivered in September 2019. 
All had a turbocharged 335bhp  3.0-litre six-cylinder engine that sent its power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. With 500Nm of torque, the Supra could do 0-62mph in just 4.3 seconds.

For those who didn’t need quite  so much performance, a 254bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engined version was introduced in January 2021. This did 0-62mph  in 5.2 seconds, and as with its bigger brother, it was restricted to 155mph. From June 2022, the six-cylinder engine was also available with a  six-speed manual transmission.

On the road

Both engines (from BMW) work superbly, with great power delivery and in the case of the six-cylinder, a decent soundtrack, too. The four-cylinder version weighs about 100kg less than the 3.0-litre and you can feel this with its improved agility, while the adjustable ride can be more compliant than you might expect. The slow-witted automatic gearbox is a disappointment, though, which is why the manual is the better option for really keen drivers.

Which one should I buy?

The six-cylinder Supra feels more special than the four-cylinder, but the latter provides all of the performance you’ll ever need, and it handles that little bit more sweetly thanks to its slightly lighter weight.

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Six-cylinder cars came in standard or higher-spec Pro forms, while the 2.0-litre model was only available 
with Pro trim. The standard 3.0-litre car has adaptive cruise control, sat-nav, a 10-speaker hi-fi, electrically adjustable heated Alcantara-trimmed seats, LED headlights, adaptive suspension and a reversing camera. The Pro adds leather trim, a JBL 12-speaker audio system, head-up display and wireless phone charging.

Alternatives to the Toyota Supra

The obvious rival is the BMW Z4, which shares the Supra’s running gear, including the 2.0 or 3.0-litre engines. But while the Supra has a fixed roof, the Z4 comes only as a cloth-roof convertible. The Z4 is a little disappointing to drive, but you can’t say the same about the Porsche 718 Cayman and Alpine A110, both 
of which use a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The German and French models are terrific to drive and are assured of future classic status.

That’s also true of the Alfa Romeo 4C, although this isn’t really directly comparable with the Supra. Closer rivals are the Audi TT and Jaguar F-Type, while you should also check out the dynamically brilliant BMW M2, which is a practical choice too.

Use our valuation tool to check the price of a Toyota Supra

What to look for

Paint problems

Some Supras have suffered from white spots in the paint, a problem with the lacquer. Applying heat to the affected areas seems to fix things.

Wheel alignment

The wheel alignment needs to be bang on or the tyres will wear unevenly, the handling will be poor and vibrations might set in. The alignment is often out.

Supra rarities

There have been a few specials. Just 24 3.0 Editions came in 2019 followed by 30 3.0 Jarama Race Track Editions and 45 2.0 Fuji Speedway Editions in 2021.

Differential oil leaks

Any Supra that’s covered a very low mileage may have oil leaking from the differential. This is only because it’s been over-filled in the factory. It leaks out of the breather for a while, then settles down.

Interior

While some of the tech in the Supra’s cabin is from BMW, you wouldn’t know, because the design is pure Toyota, and it’s none the worse for that. Material quality is first-rate and there’s plenty of standard kit, while the infotainment (based on BMW’s iDrive set-up) is easy to use.

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Much of the switchgear also comes from BMW, but the sports seats are specific to the Supra and they’re superb: supportive and comfortable on even the longest journeys. You sit low in them, but all-round visibility is pretty good for such a low-slung car.

Practicality isn’t so good, because the boot can stow just 290 litres. But there’s some extra space behind the seats and a removable panel allows for longer items to be fitted in.

Running costs

All Supras need to be serviced every 12 months or 10,000 miles, with maintenance alternating between Minor (£365) and Major (£545). This cost includes brake fluid every other year and coolant as and when it’s needed; there’s no set schedule for it to be renewed.

Chain-driven engines mean there are no cambelts to replace, so you can put the cash you’ve saved towards the £410 VED luxury car supplement that’s in place until the model’s sixth birthday; all Supras cost more than £40,000 when new. Insurance isn’t too bad, though, with 2.0-litre models sitting in group 34 or 35, and the 3.0-litre versions only a couple of groups higher.

Recalls

Toyota has recalled the Supra on three occasions so far, the first two times in 2021. In January of that year a campaign was launched because a handful of models were identified as having left the factory with sub-standard fuel tanks that could leak petrol; a replacement tank was the solution.

A second recall was issued in September 2021 because faulty engine-management software meant the oil pump could be damaged; a software update cured the problem. The most recent action came in January 2024, 
when a few Supra owners were asked to take their cars to a dealer because the transmission ECU could work loose.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

The Supra is a niche product so it’s never been in our Driver Power surveys. But Toyota is no stranger to these and in 2024, four of its cars were in our top 50, with the Yaris and RAV4 in third and fourth places respectively; the C-HR came 15th, while the Corolla was 24th.

Those are better results than in 2023, when Toyota had eight cars in the top 75, but only the Prius (eighth place) in the top 20.

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