Audi RS3 vs Toyota Supra

What's the difference?

The Audi RS3 is a special hot hatch and sedan I’m so glad I experienced before its five-cylinder engine is inevitably retired due to emissions regulations. Full of character and charisma, this car is far from a rational purchase, pitched at boy racers who don’t want to grow up just yet.

From a value perspective, too, while the asking price has crossed the six-figure threshold and the option prices add thousands, it’s still much cheaper than the Mercedes-AMG A45 S. Make of that what you will.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with 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.   

Audi has made some subtle tweaks to the RS3 that has somehow made this snarling hot hatch look even angrier.

Up front there’s a new fascia featuring more open sections, which in turn improves air flow. A black styling package is now standard so it almost looks like the entire front is open and ready to eat you alive.

The matrix LED headlights now have a darkened finish which adds to the menacing look. There are new signatures, including a special chequered flag one for the RS3 which looks top notch.

Around the side it surprises me just how much wider the front is compared to the rear. Both have big, muscular haunches, but it shows this hot hatch is a bit of a bulldog. I’m a big fan.

These haunches stand out even more when you opt for the new Daytona Grey Matte exterior paint. While the extra $11,400 for the privilege makes me wince, it looks sexy on this car.

The standard 19-inch ‘Y-spoke’ alloy wheel design remains unchanged from the pre-update car, though there’s a new, optional ‘cross-spoke’ design that looks delicious (and tricky to clean).

At the back there’s still the classic RS dual exhaust tip motif which looks mean and it’s surrounded by a new black rear diffuser with a motorsport-inspired vertical red reflector in the centre.

The new LED tail-light signature with the vertical slats is so clean and neat. It looks particularly great in low-light situations or at night.

Inside, the biggest change is the new RS steering wheel with the flat top and bottom. As standard it’s wrapped in perforated leather, but with the optional RS Design package it’s wrapped in 'Dinamica' synthetic suede. I much prefer the standard leather-wrapped unit as the Dinamica likely won’t last in the long run, especially if you’ve got clammy hands.

Other changes include more interior ambient lighting on the door cards through small slits, as well as a new shift-by-wire gear selector. The digital instrument cluster and touchscreen multimedia system set-up remains unchanged which is no bad thing because they look fantastic.

It’s disappointing Audi has stuck with an extensive use of piano black on the centre console because this gets dusty and grimy very quickly, and then can get scratched easily when wiped clean. It now also features on the steering wheel buttons, which are frequent touchpoints.

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 RS3’s standard sport front seats are deliciously comfortable and offer plenty of electric adjustment. This means people of any size and stature should be able to find their desired seating position.

Thanks to the electric lumbar there’s also a massage function for the front seats. This is pretty cool to flick on and relax into, but I wish the massage was a little stronger.

While the new steering wheel looks cool interacting with the buttons on it can be a bit of a hassle. They’re touch-sensitive but do have a satisfying click if pressed harder.

There were moments where I accidentally clicked on the buttons during intensive track driving as my hands were at the nine and three o’clock positions. Not the best thing when you’re meant to be focussing.

The digital instrument cluster offers so much configuration you won’t know what to do with yourself. There’s even a new rev counter design especially for the RS3 which looks very cool.

Moving across, the touchscreen multimedia system is classic Audi. It’s easy to navigate around and hard to get lost in the sub-menus. There’s also wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity which is virtually a given now.

While you need to use the touchscreen for a number of features, I appreciate how Audi has retained so much physical switchgear up front. It’s particularly handy to have physical toggle switches and a small digital display that’s separate from the touchscreen for the climate control.

Another piece of physical switchgear I like up front is the rotary dial for the media controls on centre console. It’s much like an iPod, allowing you to change the volume if you rotate your finger on it like a click-wheel. Major throwback vibes.

In terms of storage up front, it’s decent but not outstanding. There are two cupholders, a wireless phone charger, a centre console box as well as a lockable glove box.

Moving to the second row, it’s clear it’s more for the sake of it, rather than having a space you’d want to use all the time. At a leggy 182cm tall, I have minimal legroom behind my own driving position.

With headroom, it’s adequate in the hatchback and not great in the lower-slung sedan. I need to kink my neck in the latter to fit, which isn’t comfortable.

The second-row bench seat is comfortable, offering enough support for short-to-medium trips. I wouldn’t want to get stuck back there for too long, however.

In terms of amenities, there are air vents mounted on the back of the centre console with a dedicated third zone of climate control, two USB-C ports, nets on the seat backs as well as a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders.

At the back there’s a power tailgate for the hatchback, however the sedan only has a power-opening boot lid. This means you need to manually shut it, which isn’t uncommon for sedans.

Boot space in the RS3 is a weak spot due to all the componentry for the all-wheel drive system and the tricky rear clutch set-up. There’s only 282L for the hatch and 321L for the sedan, which isn’t much.

In reality, however, the boot space is still usable. It’s fairly square and there’s barely any boot lip, meaning you can slide things in and out with ease.

Boot-related amenities include a netting system to keep things from sliding around, a light, some hooks and a 12V socket. There’s also a parcel cover for the hatchback.

Unfortunately there’s no spare wheel of any kind under the boot floor in the RS3 as this is where the 12V battery lives. Instead there’s a tyre repair kit. This isn’t uncommon in performance cars, though it’s disappointing if you frequently travel in the country, away from tyre repair shops.

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 Audi RS3 is still powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine which produces an unchanged 294kW of power and 500Nm of torque.

This is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with drive sent through an all-wheel drive system.

Audi claims both versions of the RS3 can do the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.8 seconds, which is technically 0.1 seconds faster than a Mercedes-AMG A45 S. Top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h.

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.

The Audi RS3 sedan is claimed to consume 8.2L/100km, whereas the RS3 hatch is claimed to consume 8.3L/100km, both on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle (ADR 81/02).

Both body types come with a 55L fuel tank and require a minimum of 98 RON premium unleaded petrol.

During my testing I saw an average of 9.6L/100km according to the trip computer. We did around 200km of higher speed driving heading east out of Melbourne, including some spirited sections.

Our on-test figure translates to a range of 570km on a full tank of petrol.

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.

Spoiler alert, it’s a cracker.

Starting up the RS3, you’re instantly aware you’re behind the wheel of something special. Audi has made the start-up more “emotional” with this update and also “optimised” the exhaust flap control for more five-cylinder growl across a wider rev range.

When you’re on the boil, this five-cylinder sounds so fantastic. It’s the clear centrepiece of this car and I’m so happy Audi has continued to offer it.

However, thanks to the addition of a petrol particulate filter (PPF) with this latest-generation model it sounds a little muted in everyday driving. Call me a boy racer, but I want more noise.

Staying on the engine, it’s full of character and gets this small hatch and sedan moving along with ease. Even though the outputs are unchanged with this update, it’s still more than enough; 0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds shows it's more than enough.

The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission in this car keeps the acceleration feeling relentless with snappy gear changes at a moment’s notice. It’s particularly fun taking control of moving between the ratios with the paddle shifters.

In slow-moving traffic, however, the dual-clutch can get a little lost and stuttery, which is a classic characteristic of this kind of transmission.

As standard the all-wheel drive system remains neutral, keeping the front and rear balanced and in check. However, if you flick to the ‘Dynamic’ drive mode you get more rear-biased action which is fun when you exit a corner with some extra heat.

There’s also still a ‘RS torque rear’ drive mode which is essentially a drift mode. Unfortunately we didn’t get to sample this during the launch program.

Additionally, there’s an ‘Individual’ mode that allows you to choose your own destiny. You could spend hours here fine-tuning your desired drive mode which is both great to see but complete nerd-core.

Like the pre-update car, there’s an electronically controlled multi-disc clutch on the rear axle which actively splits the torque between the rear wheels. However, it’s been "optimised" to allow for quicker cornering.

While this is hard to gauge without testing the pre-update and current car back-to-back, the RS3 is so dynamic it feels like you only scratch the surface on public roads. Thankfully we got to see how far we could push it on Haunted Hills, which is a fantastically complicated hill climb circuit in eastern Victoria.

In terms of the steering, there’s a progressive rack as standard which ramps up the steering intensity the more you turn the wheel. In practice, this means the lock-to-lock ratio is very short, making it easy to link up tight corners.

It also makes it easy to navigate tighter driving scenarios, like parking, though it disguises how wide the turning circle is. Expect to do three-point turns fairly often.

For the suspension, the RS3 has adaptive dampers set-up that generally errs on the sportier and firm side. There is a ‘Comfort’ mode which irons out some bumps, but larger road imperfections still transmit harshly into the cabin.

It’s also worth noting at higher speeds there’s a considerable amount of road and tyre noise that comes into the cabin. Thankfully the Sonos sound system does a great job at drowning this out.

Lastly, the safety systems in this car are generally user-friendly, though the lane-keep assist can be a little too hands-on, especially on narrow roads with poor lane markings. Thankfully you can switch this off by pressing and holding a button on the end of the indicator stalk.

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.

Like all Audis, the RS3 is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. There’s also five years of roadside assistance.

Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

You’re able to purchase a five-year pre-paid service package for $4010. That averages out to $802 per service, which seems like a lot until you see how much Mercedes-AMG charges to service an A45 S.

RS3 owners can also purchase two-year packages to extend the warranty, roadside assistance and servicing coverage. This allows new RS3 owners to have warranty coverage for up to nine years and it’s transferable to future owners.

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.