2021 Porsche 718 Cayman Review

　　

2021 Porsche 718 Cayman Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　When Porsche renamed its Cayman the 718 Cayman back in 2017 and replaced the car's six-cylinder engine with a turbocharged four-cylinder, part of the connection to the 911 — something so intrinsic to the Porsche experience — was lost. There's nothing wrong with the four-cylinder 718's performance certainly, but the driving experience is all a bit soulless. Thankfully, there's a heaping dose of James Brown in the 2021 718 Cayman.

　　The Cayman got a brand-new six-cylinder last year with the debut of the GT4. For 2021, Porsche is following it up with the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0. It has the same naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine as the GT4, albeit with a bit less horsepower (394 horsepower compared to 414 hp in the GT4). You do, however, get all the comfort and accoutrements you'd expect from the GTS model line as well as a lower price.

　　More than ever, the 718 Cayman is an appealing lead-in to the venerated 911 lineup. It could very well be hard to choose between a Cayman GT4 and, say, a base 911 Carrera. Other notable sports car rivals include the BMW M2 Competition, Chevrolet Corvette, Jaguar F-Type or even top-end versions of the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. So should Papa get a brand-new 2021 Cayman? Read our Expert Rating below to help you decide.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.4

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.4/10

　　How does the 718 Cayman drive? There are certain situations in which driving the Cayman feels like absolute bliss. It is not mind-bendingly fast but it wants to be driven hard. If you do that — especially on a winding road where the genius of the perfectly weighted steering and world-class handling are on full display — the Cayman is worth its weight in gold. The brakes have incredible stopping power and good durability.

　　Our test 718 Cayman S with a manual transmission accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. That's not great, though the PDK automatic-equipped car is noticeably quicker. We're not fond of the base 2.0-liter engine. It provides ample passing power, but full acceleration leaves something to be desired due to tall gearing. The shifts of the dual-clutch automatic transmission can also be jarring at low speeds, though it smooths out once you build speed.

　　

Comfort

7.0/10

　　How comfortable is the 718 Cayman? Even though the optional sport seats have only a few adjustments, they're well shaped and adequately cushioned for long-distance comfort. The ventilated seat option is also a welcome addition on hot days. Our test Cayman S had the optional PASM sport suspension. With it, smaller bumps are nicely smoothed out, but driving over larger bumps can launch you out of your seat for a moment.

　　Engine and exhaust noises are loud enough to be considered deal-breakers. With the sport exhaust, the four-cylinder engine is coarse and unrefined, sounding like a poorly tuned Subaru. The base Cayman is worse. Wind noise is nonexistent by comparison, but road noise is intrusive on coarse asphalt.

　　

Interior

8.0/10

　　How’s the interior? The driving position in the Cayman is nearly perfect, as you'd expect. The tachometer and speedo are in full view, and adjustments to the seat and steering wheel make the cozy cockpit accommodating to most body types and sizes. There is excellent forward and side visibility with few blind spots, though you'll need the rearview camera to back up safely.

　　To get inside, you must drop down a bit, and taller occupants will need to duck. It may be more difficult for wider passengers. The cabin feels small from the outside, though it isn't too tight once you're in. It's just the right fit for a sports car.

　　

Technology

7.0/10

　　How’s the tech? Technology is not the Cayman's strong suit. There's a learning curve to using the infotainment system due to the sheer number of buttons. Android Auto smartphone integration is not an option.

　　Adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist are also optional. The stability control system is effective when it's needed, and most drivers won't notice its guiding hand at speed. Beware the standard parking sensors, though. They're often annoyingly activated in heavy traffic.

　　

Storage

6.5/10

　　How’s the storage? There's a mostly vertical trunk in the rear for duffel bags and the like and a second storage space in the front. It's about half the size of the trunk but can still take a few bags. The total capacity is pretty good, but the split prevents you from loading a larger item that might otherwise fit in one trunk of the same total size.

　　Inside, only a few bins and pockets are around to hold your personal items, and they're small and shallow. The typical Porsche cupholders are effective but fussy, and they're a bit out of reach for the driver.

　　

Fuel Economy

8.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimates the Cayman will get 21-25 mpg in combined city/highway driving depending on the model and transmission. Our manual-equipped Cayman S posted an impressive 28 mpg on our standardized mixed-driving evaluation route. In general, the Cayman is one of the more fuel-efficient sports cars you can buy.

　　

Value

7.0/10

　　Is the 718 Cayman a good value? The interior build quality is very high. We especially like the premium materials and their tight assembly. The cost is the main issue. Add just a few desirable options to a new Cayman S and you're looking at $80K. Oof. If you care about bragging rights, you'll objectively get vastly more performance and utility from less expensive sports cars.

　　

Wildcard

8.0/10

　　This is a gorgeous car that wears its sporting intentions proudly. The Porsche heritage, like the layout of the gauge cluster, is both clear and useful. Few cars have this level of responsiveness combined with very high handling limits. It's ready to hit the track right out of the box too.

　　Sadly, the plebian four-cylinder engine sound clashes with the expectations set by the design. It simply doesn't sound the way a Porsche should. As superficial as it may seem, it's a deal-breaker for some staffers.

　　

Which 718 Cayman does zzdcar recommend?

The top-of-the-line Cayman GT4 has the power, performance and sound to thrill even the most dedicated of Cayman haters. The problem is it costs almost as much as a base 911. That's why this year's new GTS 4.0 is the way to go. It's less expensive than the GT4 but still has the proper number of cylinders.

　　

2021 Porsche 718 Cayman models

The 2021 718 Cayman sports car is available in five trim levels: the base 718 Cayman, 718 Cayman T, 718 Cayman S, Cayman GTS 4.0 and 718 Cayman GT4. All models are rear-wheel-drive and come standard with a six-speed manual transmission. A seven-speed automatic (PDK) transmission is offered as an option.

　　718 Cayman

　　The base 718 Cayman comes well equipped, though as a "driver's car" many advanced safety features are not standard. Feature highlights include:

　　Turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (300 horsepower, 280 lb-ft of torque) 18-inch alloy wheels with summer performance tires Sport exhaust Xenon headlights Front and rear parking sensors Dual-zone automatic climate control Heated front seats Partial leather upholstery 7-inch touchscreen Two USB ports Eight-speaker audio system Satellite radio Apple CarPlay smartphone integration718 Cayman T

　　The Cayman T is a slightly sharper performance coupe and includes all of the base Cayman's features, as well as:

　　20-inch wheels Variable-damping sport suspension lowered 20 millimeters Mechanical limited-slip differential and torque vectoring (can enhance traction and agility when accelerating or cornering) Sport Chrono package Lightweight nylon door handles Sport seats 718 Cayman S

　　The Cayman S picks up where the base Cayman leaves off and increases the performance quotient with:

　　Turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (350 hp, 309 lb-ft) 19-inch alloy wheels718 Cayman GTS 4.0

　　The new GTS 4.0 gets a similar array of performance upgrades as the Cayman T. It also has:

　　4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six-cylinder engine (394 hp, 309 lb-ft of torque or 317 lb-ft with the PDK) 20-inch wheels GTS-specific trim details718 Cayman GT4

　　The range-topping Cayman GT4 goes all in with:

　　Naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine (414 hp, 309 lb-ft) Variable-damping sport suspension lowered 30 mm Upgraded brakes Fixed rear wing Larger cooling intakes Lower rear fascia with diffuser GT4-specific trim detailsSome performance upgrades found on the Cayman T and GT4 are available on the regular Cayman and Cayman S as options. Other notable extras include:

　　Ceramic-composite brake rotors Keyless entry and ignition Full leather upholstery 14-way or 18-way sport seats Ventilated seats LED headlights Navigation system Blind-spot monitoring (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot) Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Cayman and the car in front) Bose or Burmester premium sound system

　　

2021 718 Cayman Highlights

Type: GTS 4.0CoupeGT4Coupe

　　Trim: BaseTSGTS 4.0GT4Base

　　

Base MSRP	$59,900
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$208/month
Seating	2 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	14.9 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles