McLaren 570 (2015 – 2019) Review

The McLaren 570S saw the British firm move into the same territory as the Porsche 911 with a supercar you could use every day. It’s a qualified success on this front, but remains a stunning car to own and drive next to rivals like the Audi R8, and Japan’s Honda NSX. Read on for our full McLaren 570S review.

Described as a ‘usable daily driver’, the McLaren 570S is anything but dull, with its 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 creating a head-thumping 570PS.

As a result, it will cover 0-62mph in just 3.2 seconds, while 0-100mph acceleration is rated at 6.3 seconds – a figure that equals the legendary McLaren F1 supercar from the 1990s. How’s that for the daily commute?

Over the past 30 years, McLaren’s Formula One team has pioneered the use of carbon fibre and, as you might expect, the McLaren 570S is full of the stuff.

This means the chassis is strong, rigid and incredibly lightweight. In fact, the McLaren 570S weighs in at just 1313kg, which is 282kg less than the Audi R8.

Despite the F1-bred race tech, the McLaren 570S doesn’t feel like a tooth-rattling, back-breaking track car. Far from it. McLaren has put considerable effort into making its supercar as driver-friendly as possible, which means it is comfortable, calm and a realistic everyday sports car. 

Obviously, with 570PS packed away behind the driver, the McLaren 570S has incredible performance at its disposal. Thump the throttle and it will pick up momentum instantly, while the automatic gearbox does a fine job of distributing the power. 

The handling is excellent too, with pinpoint steering and lots of feedback through the compact race wheel. Grip levels are staggeringly high, which is impressive when you factor in the rear-wheel-drive set-up and lack of a limited slip differential.

As fast as it is, the McLaren 570S rarely feels as quick as the Porsche 911 Turbo in a straight line. Its twin-turbo V8 also lacks the aural delights of the Audi R8’s V10.

That said, this is still one of McLaren’s most accomplished supercars and it’s difficult not to be charmed by the striking good looks and brilliant handling when looking for a used example.

Fancy a McLaren 570S Spider? Read our review here.

The McLaren 570S is one of the firm’s ‘entry-level’ supercars (if such a thing exists) and, along with the cheaper and less powerful McLaren 540C, forms the Sports Series.

Above this range is the Super Series (with the McLaren 650S and McLaren 675LT) and the Ultimate Series (McLaren P1 and McLaren P1 GTR).

However, with supersonic acceleration and a top speed of 204mph, the McLaren 570S will be more than enough for your average sports car enthusiast. 

Built on a carbon fibre chassis tub, with aluminium body panels, the McLaren 570S weighs roughly the same as a Ford Focus, which means it is considerably lighter than its supercar rivals. 

On the road, the McLaren 570S is surprisingly refined, with a comfortable ride that provides supple protection from potholes, rough roads and speed bumps.

The smooth steering and intelligent seven-speed gearbox are well-suited to sub-50mph driving, providing smart gear changes that make it easy to navigate traffic and busy junctions without the car jolting forwards every time you contemplate touching the throttle.

If you do find a hard speed bump or car ramp, then you can prevent the bottom of the car from scraping the asphalt by activating an electro-hydraulic pump that will increase the ride height by 40mm, at up to 37mph.

The mid-mounted twin-turbocharged V8 is high revving and brutally quick, allowing the McLaren 570S to cover 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds. It offers a maximum 600Nm of torque between 5000rpm and 6200rpm.

One slight disappointment is the V8 engine doesn’t sound quite as visceral as an Audi R8’s V10 or an Aston Martin’s V8 or V12. However, it does make the McLaren easier to live with on a daily basis.

The gearbox and engine can be changed from Normal to Sport or Track mode, which increases throttle response and shortens the shift time between gears.

However, unless you’re on a track, the McLaren 570S’ most hardcore setting will seldom be needed.

For a car of this price, the McLaren is not exactly loaded to the gills with safety systems.

It does have ABS anti-lock brakes, naturally, and ESP traction and stability control. You also get four airbags, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

However, there’s none of the high-tech kit you might expect such as lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control or automatic emergency braking.

Refreshingly simple or too little? That’s up to you to decide.

Unsurprisingly, the McLaren 570S is not rated for towing.

The McLaren 570S is a comfortable two-seater, available in Sport or Luxury trim, with the latter getting more supportive seats for high-performance driving.

Storage is limited to a few cubby holes and cup-holders in the cabin, although there is space under the bonnet for a couple of overnight bags.

Getting in and out of the McLaren isn’t easy, with the low floor and sports seats making it difficult to slide in or out with any manner of elegance. The dihedral doors are special though, gliding upwards to reveal a well-sized cockpit.

Getting comfortable is simple – the driver’s seat is adjustable in six ways, including electric height adjustment. There is lots of head and legroom, while carbon-fibre shelled racing seats, as found in the McLaren P1, are available as an option.

Alongside the McLaren 570S, there is also a luxurious McLaren 570GT, with a small boot that is positioned above the engine. Getting into the 220-litre rear storage compartment, which is covered in leather, is easy thanks to a glass rear door.

The McLaren 570GT also gets additional space behind the seats for couple of soft holdalls, while the interior has more helpings of leather across the dashboard and door trims.  

Regardless of trim or seat choice, the driver gets a wide view of the road, thanks to the huge, raked windscreen.

The compact door mirrors also provide plenty of all-round visibility, although the view from the back window is similar to a post box, with the mid-mounted engine obscuring much of it.

That said, parking sensors and a rear view camera are fitted as standard.

The British firm has gone its own way with the finish of the McLaren 570S compared with rivals, so there’s a more pared-back look and feel to this car than, say, a Porsche 911.

The quality of the cabin does lack the finesse and finish of the Audi R8 or Porsche 911, with the ‘floating’ centre console home to a muddling seven-inch touchscreen system that can reward and infuriate in equal measures.

The firm’s IRIS infotainment set-up had been greatly improved by the time the McLaren 570S arrived in 2015.

There are intuitive menus and shortcuts on the home screen to take you to the important stuff quickly. However, it's still not as easy to use as an Audi R8’s system, for example.

Whether you fancy the McLaren 570S or the McLaren 570GT, prices are much the same for both. You also don’t have to worry about high-mileage cars, as most lead pampered lives.

As a result, entry point to ownership is around £75,000 for a nine-year-old model with 20,000 miles on the clock.

For a late version, reckon on paying up to £100,000 for a very low-mileage car that’s five years old.

Anyone considering a McLaren 570S or McLaren 570GT is not going to baulk at a few big bills, as that is the nature of this breed of car.

In this context, claimed fuel economy of 26.6mpg comes as a welcome surprise.

The McLaren 570S is also not the worst offender for carbon dioxide emissions, although 258g/km does mean you’ll pay the highest £735 per annum for cars registered up to 1 April 2017.

For cars registered after that, you pay the flat rate of £190 plus the £410 surcharge applied to models that cost more than £40,000 when new. This remains in place until the car passes its fifth birthday.

Insurance isn’t cheap either, as the McLaren 570S sits in the top group 50 bracket. Servicing the car at a McLaren dealer or specialist will also need deep pockets.

The McLaren 570S comes with alloy wheels, leather upholstery, air-conditioning, IRIS infotainment system, rear parking sensors and reversing camera, a decent stereo and that’s about it.

The McLaren 570GT model adds a glass roof, heated seats and a 220-litre boot positioned above the engine for added practicality.

Options included a Bowers and Wilkins stereo with 12 speakers, plus carbon ceramic brakes for increased stopping power if you planned on using the car for track driving.