When Toyota unveiled the new generation Supra back in 2019 it only offered it with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It's an alright gearbox, but a true sports car at least offers the option of a manual transmission. Toyota needed almost three years to understand that, and, at the beginning of 2022, Toyota finally started offering the Supra with the long-waited six-speed manual transmission. Now, the question is: if you want to buy a Toyota sports car with a manual transmission should you go for the updated Supra or for the recently launched GR86? The guys over TopGear try to answer that question for you in their latest episode.

Neither the GR86 nor the Supra are 100% Toyota cars. The Supra couldn’t have existed without the help of BMW, while the GR 86 was developed in cooperation with Subaru. So for sure, this can’t be a criteria to choose one of them. When the Supra was launched, many found it heavy, lazy, and soft – mostly because of its automatic transmission. When the manual transmission was added people were finally able to feel like they were in control. And, even if the car is louder and less fuel efficient, the driving experience has improved significantly. And, next to the manual gearbox, the model also received lighter alloy wheels, plus a lighter HiFi. As a result, the manual Supra is roughly 38 kilos (about 84 pounds) lighter than it was when originally launched. Under the hood, the Supra retains the usual 3.0-liter inline-six engine that delivers a total of 335 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of twist. The sprint from 0 to 60 mph is made in 4.6 seconds – which is 0.5 seconds slower than the automatic version, while top speed remains limited to 155 mph.

The Supra’s little brother - and the successor for the GT 86 - the GR 86 offers a very nice interior, but at the same time doesn’t feel like an expensive sports car. There is still plastic inside that gives it a very cheap feeling. With the GR 86, Toyota learned from its mistakes and offered it from scratch with the option of a manual or automatic gearboxes. The model also corrected many of the flaws of the GT 86, and it offers a considerably better driving experience. It is powered by a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated flat-four engine that delivers a total of 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. When equipped with the manual, it goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds – which is of course not as impressive as the Supra, but it is still a pretty impressive figure for a tiny sports car.

So, which model should you consider? Well, first of all, it's important to understand that the Supra is not going to offer you the same experience you will get in a Porsche Cayman or a Honda Civic Type R. The GR 86, on the other hand, won’t be as impressive as an Audi TT. Check out the video below to learn Top Gear's verdict