Lexus ES vs Toyota GR Supra

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Lexus ES in South Africa

Lexus ES

ES 300h SE Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 1,138,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 160 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.7 km/l
VS
Toyota GR Supra in South Africa

Toyota GR Supra

3.0T Manual Petrol 6-Speed Manual Current
ZAR 1,561,600 ex-showroom
⚡ 285 kW 🔧 500 Nm ⛽ 12 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Lexus ES vs Toyota GR Supra: the short answer

ES and GR Supra are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

ES starts ZAR 673,300 cheaper ES from ZAR 851,500 · GR Supra from ZAR 1,524,800

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification ES GR Supra
Maximum Power ES160 kW @ 5700 rpm GR Supra285 kW
Maximum Torque ES221 Nm GR Supra500 Nm
Engine Size ES2500 cc GR Supra2998 cc
Combined Fuel Economy ES21.7 km/l GR Supra12 km/l
Ground Clearance ES158 mm GR Supra117 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

ES

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality

GR Supra

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance

Which One's Right for You?

ES

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

GR Supra

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec ES GR Supra
Model Introduced Year 2021 2021
Generation Current seventh-generation Lexus ES executive sedan A90 fifth generation – co-developed with BMW on the CLAR platform
Facelift History Current South African ES range; the next-generation local range has not yet received final derivative confirmation Manual gearbox and power upgrade (280 kW→285 kW) in 2023
Facelift Launched Since Current South African ES range; the next-generation local range has not yet received final derivative confirmation 2023
Facelift Version Ending Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17 Current
Body Style Sedan Sedan
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment Executive sedan Sedan
Tare Mass Kg 1740 kg 1545 kg
Vehicle Type Sedan Sedan
Color Note - Matte White, Nitro Yellow, Renaissance Red, Gravure Grey, Tungsten Silver, Black
Dealer Stock Note - Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Spec ES GR Supra
Length 4975 mm 4380 mm
Width 1865 mm 1865 mm
Height 1445 mm 1294 mm
Wheelbase 2870 mm 2470 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 158 mm 117 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 52 l
Boot/Cargo Space 454 l 290 l
Kerb Weight 1740 kg 1545 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2150 kg 1870 kg
Payload Capacity 410 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 seats 2 seats
Doors 4 doors 4 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.9 m 6.3 m

In depth: how these cars differ

This ES and GR Supra comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: ES 58 vs GR Supra 94.

Efficiency index: ES 85 vs GR Supra 47.

Safety-equipment index: ES 93 vs GR Supra 98.

Practicality index: ES 62 vs GR Supra 39.

Ownership-cover index: ES not separately scored vs GR Supra 43.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

ES leads by 6 points

ES and GR Supra are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 73 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 68% source coverage
73
#1 Evidence leader

ES

68% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 58
Performance 58
Efficiency 85
Safety 93
Practicality 62
Leads by 6 points
67
#2

GR Supra

83% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Practicality 39
Performance 94
Efficiency 47
Safety 98
Practicality 39
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance GR Supra +36 Efficiency ES +38 Safety GR Supra +5 Practicality ES +23

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

ES

Performance 58/100
Efficiency 85/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 62/100

GR Supra

Performance 94/100
Efficiency 47/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 39/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Lexus ES leads the specification evidence index with 73 pts vs 67 pts for GR Supra

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, ES leads. However, GR Supra may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.

ES
ES
VS
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ES vs Mustang →
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ES vs Civic Type R →
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ES vs GR86 →
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ES vs Civic RS →
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ES vs Corolla →
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GR Supra vs Mustang →
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Civic Type R
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GR Supra vs Civic Type R →

ES vs GR Supra questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.