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When it comes to sports cars, the 2023 Honda Civic Type R and Toyota Supra couldn’t be more opposite. One is a front-drive, four-door hatchback, while the other is a two-door, rear-drive coupe. They’re both quick and fast cars, but which one is faster?

The 2023 Honda Civic Type R is faster than the Toyota Supra around “The Green Hell”

A red 2023 Honda Civic Type R
2023 Honda Civic Type R | Honda

It’s easy to look at the specs between these cars and speculate which one is faster than the other, but true metrics are more important. Racing enthusiasts know that a fast car is not just about how much horsepower and torque it has but also how well it performs in an actual race environment. One such environment is the Nürburgring Nordschleife race track in Germany, which is one of the most technical and well-known courses for any to complete.

The new 2023 Honda Civic Type R lapped the 12.9-mile track in 7:44.881, which is quick considering it has 315 hp and a front-drive configuration. The Toyota GR Supra, with its turbocharged 3.0-liter engine, finished its best lap around the ‘Ring in 7:52.17.

That may surprise some enthusiasts since the Supra pumps 382 hp to its rear wheels. As we can see, being “fast” isn’t only about how much horsepower a car has.

A drag race between the Honda Civic Type R and Toyota Supra tells a different story

Although the 2023 Honda Civic Type R has proven to be faster than the Toyota GR Supra on a long track, the same can’t be said when the two battle it out in a straight line. A YouTube video posted by Sam CarLegion shows the two sports cars in a couple of standing drag-and-roll races.

Spoiler alert: The Toyota GR Supra beat the Honda Civic Type R in every race. And it wasn’t by a hair, either. The Supra stayed car lengths ahead of the Civic during the roll races and walked it in the standing drag races. In the final race, the Supra completed the quarter-mile in 12.4 seconds, and the Civic took 13.9 seconds to complete the distance.

Any race enthusiasts will know that 1.5 seconds is a large difference in real-time, although it doesn’t sound like much.

Which sports car should you choose?

A blue 2023 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 blasts across a mountain road.
2023 Toyota GR Supra | Toyota

Considering both the Honda Civic Type R and Toyota Supra are excellent sports cars that be driven daily, either car will be fine for the street. We recently drove the GR Supra and found it practical enough for a weekend trip and easy to drive around town. Additionally, the Honda Civic Type R is practical with its four-door architecture and hatchback shape.

Ultimately, the Honda Civic Type R is faster than the Supra during long races, but if you’re looking for a drag car, the Supra is the way to go. As we can see, it’s not all about horsepower, but there are some times when it does count.

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Senior Writer

Joe Santos

Joe Santos has been an automotive journalist since 2013 and joined MotorBiscuit in 2020. He writes strongly on consumer advice and new cars, and we consider him an asset to readers looking for guidance in buying and selling autos.

Joe earned a Bachelor’s in Journalism from California State University, Fullerton, and spent years as a Road Test Editor at Kelley Blue Book, after which he served in various automotive-related roles, including an autonomous vehicle trainer for GM, a vehicle sales manager, and an Audi brand specialist.

Joe’s prized possession is a 2008 Honda S2000 in Laguna Blue Pearl, with which he attends local car meets. Joe is also a content creator for LTD Global, a B2B support firm.