2025 McLaren Artura: Meet The Supercar Standard

What does it mean to introduce your brand to new drivers? You have to start somewhere. In today’s ultra-competitive landscape of sports cars and supercars, it can be a bit confusing as to where the line begins and ends between something that is sporty, and something truly worthy of the label “supercar.” McLaren reckons the answer to many drivers’ questions, concerns, and curiosities lies within the hybridized “entry-level” model they call, “Artura.” My mission, to be completed within four glorious days, was to find out if, in fact, the Artura is worthy of both the supercar label, and of bearing the McLaren badge.

McLaren kindly loaned us a very boldly spec’d 2025 model finished in Mantis Green, a $5,500 option. Other notable options include a $9,400 “Performance Spec”, $8,350 Driving Assistant Pack, and $7,400 Technology Pack, although I’m not sure why you’d want that in a supercar of this type or what any of that includes beyond what the car already offers, but it’s there. The carbon fiber on the car, inside and out, all adds up to $10,650. The must-have sport exhaust is $5,100. The wheels themselves are a $4,950 option, and with the $2,200 diamond-cut finish, I’d say they are actually quite the bargain for a set of beautiful forged wheels.

The slightly adjustable bucket ClubSport seats are incredible and cost $1,250. Again, I think a reasonable ask for seats this good. The list goes on with less exciting options, but I especially love the 60th Anniversary Kiwi logo in silver on each side mirror. They are a $1,600 option, but really add a special touch to an already exclusive car. In total, with options, the McLaren Artura jumps from a $249,100 base price, to a massive $321,458 as configured.

2025 McLaren Artura First Impressions

First impressions don’t get much stronger than a very clean, sparkly, and radioactive-colored McLaren. I always thought I’d have my own supercar one day, but in a more subtle color. That is, until you’re handed the keys to one in a bold color such as Mantis Green, and subtlety goes right out the window. This car is stunning to stare at, and I did for nearly 30 minutes before even opening the door. The design of Artura is perplexing, in the best ways. It’s sharp and edgy, but also extremely organic in areas.

Exterior Dimensions

The juxtaposition is beautiful and allows the eyes to keep wandering. It’s the type of shape that makes you want to figure out how everything works on the car, be it aero, cooling, or otherwise. These are sure signs of supercar greatness. Artura isn’t a large car, but not as small as you might think. In Mantis Green, the car looks substantial. The paint looks like literal candy, and the fit and finish are damn-near flawless.

With the doors up, even more so. There are subtle nods to McLaren’s past models. I see some 650S in the headlights, some P1 in the bodywork near the taillights. The side intake scoops are reminiscent of the 570S it replaces. Those optional bi-color, diamond-cut wheels really complement the car well. They are stylish, sophisticated, and thankfully, not all blacked out. The Artura’s curb appeal is striking, just as a McLaren should be.

Driving Impressions And Performance

It was clever of McLaren to incorporate the drive mode selector so close to the steering wheel, attached to the dashboard. This makes deciding which mode to start in a very seamless process. Since it was early in the morning and my garage resonates sound easily, I opted to start off in EV mode. The wildly aggressive McLaren then quietly wakes up and is movable in pure silence for 18 miles.

Once outside and into the neighborhood, I immediately switched to sport mode, which quickly fires the internal combustion engine. The sound is properly exotic. The engine is then used in a combination of ways to either charge the battery, directly power the rear wheels, or both depending on throttle input. In normal or sport mode, the car will default to using up the EV battery in the name of efficiency.

The Artura is something of a small monster. It’s not the loudest, or most brutal with wings or gimmicky tricks. Instead, it saves its party trick for when drivers want to take things to the absolute limit. Just when you think you can’t possibly drive any quicker, Artura finds a bit of extra push, or offers just a bit more grip than expected. The whole chassis feels refined and up to the task of serious driving duty. It’s not the stiffest ride either, thankfully. McLaren focuses on goals intensely, so making one of the world’s greatest road-going supercars meant it could never be too harsh.

Numerous times, driving quickly over LA’s questionable road surfaces, I could feel the suspension soften up when the car was pushed upward, but then very smoothly return to a normal level. It was odd, but the more I drove, the more I understood it was doing everything right to keep the tires in contact as much as possible with the road. Confidence-inspiring is an understatement. This is full-on superhero stuff. Artura makes you feel invincible in almost every driving situation. No turn is too sharp, no straightaway lasts long, and it takes everything in its stride while providing a high level of comfort for the passenger(s).

Braking And Acceleration

Hysterical. That’s the only word to describe a launch-controlled acceleration in the McLaren Artura. The car uses the EV motor and ICE engine very strategically to deploy absolutely everything it has to the ground, sending occupants off into a blurry warp-speed-like run to 60 mph. It happens in just 2.6 seconds, and that’s 100-percent believable. It happens so quickly, you have to remember to immediately think about slowing right back down after your closed-course run-up to speed. The fact that it can do it so effortlessly with only two driven wheels is astonishing.

With minimal drama along the way, McLaran has mastered the art of putting down power. It’s not just the initial launch that’s shocking, too. Because of the amazing use of EV torque-fill, Artura can explode with thrust at any moment.

Performance Specifications

Dial it up to track mode, and now the engine charges the battery full-time to keep it ready to deploy at any moment. Its goal is to provide the most torque possible, especially when starting from a stop or at heavier throttle applications. From a stop, I felt the immediate shove of the EV motor before the immense power of the ICE engine took over. Coming out of corners, there was torque readily available at any level, any speed, and as much as I needed. It’s an addictive character trait to the Artura that makes it feel powerful all the time.

Manufacturers often claim to mitigate turbo lag with EV components, but this has to be the closest to eliminating lag altogether. I’ve never driven anything with such a relentless feeling of thrust. The EV component gives a sense of endless power that perfectly complements the ICE engine all the way to redline.

If you know, you know. McLaren brakes have a signature weight to them. Initially, you need to push the pedal quite hard, but there’s a method to the madness. Having a higher level of initial pressure required on the pedal means that when you find the meat of the braking power, it’s almost infinitely controllable because you can depress or release with greater precision than a softer pedal would allow. The brakes always feel rock-solid, and there’s never a lack of performance or even the slightest hint of fade. It’s a genius way to do carbon ceramics, and I found going back to “normal” car brakes a massive let-down.

• Acceleration 0-60 MPH: 2.6 Seconds
• Braking: 60-0 MPH: 101 Feet

McLaren Artura Fuel Economy

For obvious reasons, cars like the McLaren Artura are not particularly fuel-efficient. Even with the hybrid system, I still found myself filling up with fuel quite often. The best advice for short distances would be to use the more conservative modes, like normal or full EV. Remember, the Artura is a plug-in hybrid, so you can have 18 miles of gasoline-free driving if you so desire, every single day. ​​​​​​​

In normal mode, the car is calculating how to best use its available resources, whether that be from the EV battery or gasoline engine or a mix of both. It’s very clever with how it manages torque, and will err on the side of conservation if not in sport or track mode. It will use more of the EV range to up the MPGs in most cases. Ideal for when you are on a more relaxed drive and not hooning your 690-horsepower hybrid supercar.

Interior Design And Comfort

Step inside, close the dihedral doors, and suddenly you’re comfortably sitting in what can only be described as a space ship-style cockpit. The steering wheel is the perfect size, shape, and with a relatively thin rim, it makes maneuvering the McLaren easy and confident at any speed. The LED-lit doorcard surrounds add to the “supercar” experience and make the cockpit feel both upscale and sporty. The seats perfectly cup the human body and are adjustable just enough to get into a perfect position. As far as supercars go, this one is surprisingly comfortable to spend time in.

The center console, arm rests, and many other materials inside Artura are premium and soft-touch, making the space cozy and comfortable, but also lending well to sporty intentions. The drive mode and traction control selectors are almost like jewelry, as is the center infotainment screen that loosely resembles a watch with its singular knob on the right side of the screen itself. Alcantara usually irritates a bit, but it feels at home in the Artura.

The gear selector is elegantly placed in the center, right below the infotainment screen, with an integrated starter button that glows orange. Every bit of polished metal inside perfectly complements the flatness of the acres of Alcantara, which gives a serious, yet premium feel. McLaren even placed a 60th Anniversary Speedy Kiwi plaque behind the infotainment screen that subtly celebrates the occasion.

Polished aluminum pedals are a must in a McLaren, and they are perfectly positioned in the Artura. Road noise is not a problem in the Artura as it’s fairly well insulated. The most prominent noise is the engine, when fired, as it should be in a supercar. Visibility is actually very good looking out from pretty much every angle of the Artura. Parking is not overly difficult.

Technology And Ease Of Use

McLaren’s focus on “technology” really shows in the way they develop the physical car. Their idea of pushing the envelope technology-wise is baked into things like the carbon-tub chassis, and a clever hybrid powertrain. Not only is this McLaren’s first series production hybrid (besides the ultra-rare P1), but the V-6 ICE component is all-new, too. The clever drive modes and chassis control programs are what impress most in the technology department.

That being said, the driver gauge cluster and center infotainment screen are totally adequate for the modern driver. There’s nothing particularly stand-out about either, but it is neat to see the menu use images of the driver and passenger with helmets on. There is wired Apple CarPlay, although I never bothered to use it as the wireless Bluetooth connectivity works just fine for a car of this type. The sound system itself, though, is quite impressive. The Bowers & Wilkins speakers do a great job of setting the vibe when you want to just cruise along.

Cargo And Storage Space

Cargo space isn’t as limited in the McLaren as one might think. Up front, there is a dedicated frunk cargo area. Inside, behind the passenger seats, is a relatively large parcel shelf, good for day bags or last-minute items. The doorcards can hold quite a bit of items too, even multiple 12-ounce water bottles at a time. Speaking of which, there is a dedicated cupholder between the driver and passenger, and a small center console just behind it. For a supercar, this is actually a surprising amount of storage space. I’ve driven less sporty cars with far fewer storage solutions.

2025 McLaren Artura vs. Its Competitors

It’s the battle of the “entry-level” hybrid supercars. England, Italy, and the United States are battling it out to make the quickest, most extreme versions of hybrid supercars without having to spend millions of dollars. While the Corvette E-Ray deeply undercuts the Ferrari 296 GTB and McLaren Artura in terms of price, there may be a missing “exotic” factor. These cars are all about geeky numbers and performance, though, so maybe the punchy E-Ray can make up with a heavy hit of American muscle.

How The McLaren Artura Compares To The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray

The McLaren Artura and Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray are fairly closely matched in both performance and comfort. The real differentiator between the two is going to be cost and exclusivity. Corvette is better suited for daily driving because of its lower initial cost and maintenance costs, whereas the McLaren is a better car for special occasions. If you want something that’s more of a showpiece, the Artura is it.

Performance

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The Corvette E-Ray might be down on power (655 horsepower vs. 690 horsepower), but that doesn’t mean the Americans can’t keep up. E-Ray virtually matches Artura’s 0-60 MPH sprint, give or take a tenth of a second. This truly shows how serious performance metrics have become, at any point in the market. Corvette isn’t just about straight-line speed anymore either; they can do the twisty stuff, too. E-Ray utilizes its electric motor to make the Corvette all-wheel-drive, whereas McLaren uses it to add power to the rear wheels only. Some like the fact that you can now have an AWD Corvette, while others would much prefer the more “pure” RWD-only McLaren.

Comfort

Both the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray and McLaren Artura offer wonderful ride quality, but the McLaren’s operates in ways that allow it to utilize suspension travel more thoroughly. MagneRide on GM products, including the E-Ray is something out of the world of magic, and is admittedly more consistent than the McLarens. When traveling over harsher bumps, however, the Artura has a unique way of smoothing things out, and keeping better contact with the road. Both offer fantastic sport bucket seats, but the McLaren’s are easier to remain in a comfortable position. They are less adjustable, though, which is something to keep in mind for seat adjustment sticklers.

Technology

Chevrolet’s advantage here is due to their sheer size. Being a much larger company allows them to invest more heavily in things like infotainment and in-car technology. This shows right away in the Corvette as compared to the Artura. The infotainment screen, menus, and options are without a doubt superior to those of the McLaren’s. Even the digital gauge cluster is easier to read, and offers more extensive arrangements of information. This is where Chevrolet shines.

How The McLaren Artura Compares To The Ferrari 296 GTB

Where the Artura makes the Corvette seem a bit more pedestrian, Ferrari steps in and, once again, ups the ante. It’s more powerful, more luxurious inside, and is just a bit more exotic. It may not be as put together as the McLaren, but it makes a slightly bolder statement with a wilder powertrain, acres of leather, and signature Italian styling. The McLaren driver is a more focused one, though, and it’s worth considering the more serious car when spending upwards of $200,000.

Performance

The Ferrari is the quicker car to 60 miles per hour, and can complete the quarter-mile some half-second quicker, too. Producing over 800 horsepower will do that. It may not be quite as razor-sharp as the Artura in the corners, but is definitely the wild-child of the two. Feedback is an Artura strong point, delivering unmatched information through the steering and chassis.

Comfort

Comfort is a bit of a mixed bag between the two. Artura has the better seats, and has better road-going characteristics, but the 296 has better materials. The Ferrari is just a more luxurious car. Both ride very well, especially for supercars. I’d personally like to see more leather and exotic materials used in the McLaren, but a better interior design from the Ferrari. Although these cars represent the entry point into both brands, that’s no excuse to cut corners. Then again, these aren’t luxury limousines, but some of the quickest cars on the planet, so pick your poison based on your hierarchy of priorities.

Technology

This is definitely where the Artura excels, compared to the 296. Where McLaren utilizes a traditional center infotainment screen in addition to the driver gauge cluster, Ferrari has changed things up a bit. They have decided that all the car’s infotainment should be housed in the same screen as the driver gauge cluster.

What’s more, it is all controlled by a capacitive touchpad located on the steering wheel. This is an ergonomic nightmare that Ferrari refuses to admit was a mistake. Ironically, the passenger side has a dedicated screen. It can be used to control things like their side of the climate control, audio settings, and view some vehicle telemetry. This is novel, but could have easily just been mounted in the center making things easier for both the driver and passenger.

Our Recommendation For Which Model You Should Buy

Normally, when spending silly amounts of money on a supercar, I’d say just go for the most extreme version. The Artura makes a strong case for itself, though. Being the only hybrid in the lineup besides the flagship W1, it offers both mind-blowing acceleration and the versatility of a plug-in, electrically-driven vehicle at a fraction of the cost. It looks every part a McLaren, offers a similarly constructed carbon structure, amazing seats, driver interface, and overall, the experience isn’t lacking much at all.

Sure, the sound is definitely a differentiator, but as far as six cylinders go, this one is about as good as they get. Don’t sleep on the Artura, as it has transformed the entry-level car into a truly complex machine that is more than worthy of bearing the iconic McLaren badge. England should be proud, and anyone who owns an Artura should be, too.