2023 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4

2023 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Review

　　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.

　　The 2023 Porsche 718 Cayman is the hardtop coupe version of the 718 Boxster, and both represent the entry-level sports cars in Porsche's lineup. But don't think for a second you're getting anything less than a legitimate Porsche — the Cayman is an impressive little sport coupe that could easily be considered alongside its iconic 911 sibling.

　　The Cayman achieves this with its mid-engine layout that is more balanced than the 911's rear-mounted engine. Indeed, there was talk around the first Cayman in 2005 that it should be detuned so it wouldn't take sales away from the 911. Thankfully, both the Cayman and 911 have evolved to loftier heights over the years. For 2023, there's very little change. The top GT4 models now come with Apple CarPlay and there are two new paint colors. Unfortunately, they're both gray.

　　Not all Caymans are created equal, though. While the four-cylinder models perform on a very high level, the sounds they make are a huge letdown. In some ways, they sound more like a poorly modded Subaru than a Porsche. That's why we suggest checking out the top models with the six-cylinder engine. It's far more inspiring, which is exactly what you want from a Porsche, right?

　　The 2023 Porsche 718 Cayman is easily one of the best sport coupes you can buy today and we explain all of its advantages and its few drawbacks in our Expert Rating below. With our preferred six-cylinder engine, the Cayman is an excellent choice for your favorite road or racetrack and can keep up with some equally impressive rivals. These include the Audi RS 3, the new BMW M2 and the Chevrolet Corvette. And the winner among all of these? You.

　　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.

　　Great

　　8.1

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

　　How does the 718 Cayman GT4 drive? Equipped with the PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission, our test 718 Cayman GT4 ripped from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds and howled past the quarter mile in 12 seconds flat at over 115 mph. For comparison, this is a little slower than the new Corvette (0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds and 11.6 seconds in the quarter) but still plenty quick.

　　Braking is even better, with a firm and easy-to-control pedal and tremendous stopping power. We measured an impressively short stopping distance of 98 feet from 60 mph — that's several feet shorter than both the Corvette and the BMW M4. Our test car had the optional carbon-ceramic brakes. They were fade-free in our performance tests and proved to be easy to modulate for smooth stops around town.

　　Handling is everything you want from a sports car. It's really that good. Steering feel is excellent, and the GT4 displays beautiful balance at all speeds. We pulled 1.14 g on our skidpad, which is pretty much higher than anything else in the class. A six-speed manual or Porsche's slick-shifting PDK automatic is available, but both have gearing that's a little too tall, which fails to make the most of the engine's power output. It's our only, and relatively minor, complaint in this category.

Comfort

　　How comfortable is the 718 Cayman GT4? Modern performance cars don't sacrifice much comfort in the pursuit of speed. The Cayman GT4's main drawback is its climate control system. It cools and heats the cabin fine, but its combination of very small buttons and rocker switches is far from ideal. The other downside is interior noise. The 4.0-liter flat-six engine dominates the cabin's ambiance at speed and is rivaled by tire and road noise around town.

　　Ride comfort in such a high-performance car is often a concern. The GT4 is stiff but offers a fair bit of compliance on most roads. The stiffer of the two selectable suspension settings offers better body control for faster canyon and track driving yet maintains some decorum. Our test car was fitted with the one-piece carbon bucket seats. They're relatively comfortable for a few hours of driving, but the Cayman's other available seat designs offer heating and far better breathability.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below