2023 Porsche 911

　　

2023 Porsche 911 Review

byBrent RomansSenior Manager, Written Content

　　Brent Romans has worked in the automotive industry since 1996. He has written or edited thousands of expert car reviews and road-tested hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Brent is a senior manager of written content at zzdcar and previously contributed to publications such as Super Street and Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road. His personal car is a 2019 BMW M2 Competition, which he bought for its ideal combination of performance, style and practicality.

　　, rating written byBrent RomansManager, News

　　Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at zzdcar include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).

　　It's fair to think that even Lionel Hutz, the incompetent lawyer from The Simpsons, could win a court case arguing that the 2023 Porsche 911 is the perfect sports car. Slip into the cabin and you immediately know you're sitting in something special. The steering wheel is sized just right. The driving position offered by the supremely comfortable seats is close to the ground but also practical for easy entry and exit. The interior is immaculately designed and trimmed in luxurious materials. And that's before you fire up the glorious flat-six engine, or tackle a set of switchbacks and enjoy the 911's telepathic steering and stable handling that urges you to drive it harder and faster.

　　That perfection still doesn't stop Porsche from coming up with new enhancements, however. The 911 lineup has grown continuously since this latest generation debuted in 2020, and this year is no exception. We'll start at the top with the GT3 RS. With its extensive aerodynamic modifications fully caffeinated naturally aspirated engine, there's little doubt that it's the most hardcore roadgoing 911 Porsche has ever produced. On the lower end of the scale is the 911 Carrera T. Porsche starts with a base Carrera and adds a targeted mix of feature upgrades and weight-savings tricks to make it what you might call the "driver's choice" of the 911 lineup.

　　Next up is the new Sport Classic model. It's based on the 911 Turbo and promises a more rewarding driving experience thanks to its rear-wheel-drive layout and mandatory manual transmission. Porsche also fits the Sport Classic with distinctive bodywork such as smooth rear fenders (they lack the Turbo's normal air intakes) and a ducktail-style rear spoiler. Only 1,250 will be produced worldwide.

　　But wait, there's more! Also added for 2023 is a special edition 911 Dakar model that will be limited to 2,500 units worldwide. Meant to celebrate the 911's off-road heritage (yes, it has one), the Dakar has a standard ride that's 2 inches higher than the regular 911 and a lift system that can raise it another 1.2 inches as needed when off-roading. It comes fitted with all-terrain tires, uses the 473-hp engine out of the 911 GTS, and has two exclusive off-road drive modes. There's also an available roof basket if you want to turn the 911 Dakar into an overlanding machine. And who doesn't really?

　　There are so many different versions of the 911 that if you can't find one that matches your style Ferdinand Porsche might just rise from the dead and come to your house to revoke your Car Enthusiast membership. Check out our test team's full evaluation of the 911 below and dive in on our take of its performance, comfort and more.

　　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

　　8.2

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

9.5/10

　　How does the 911 drive? We tested the 911 Carrera S with the PDK eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Acceleration is impressively rapid in any situation. The launch control mode is easy to activate, and with it we observed a 0-60 mph sprint of just 3.2 seconds. This car feels as if it can run at full throttle and high speeds all day.

　　The brakes are similarly impressive. Our test vehicle had the optional carbon-ceramic brakes, and they stopped our test car from 60 mph in a scant 97 feet. The brake feel and pedal effort are excellent for both casual and high-performance driving. Around turns, the 911 is so quick and precise that it feels as if it's tapped directly into the driver's mind. Even with all this capability, the 911 is an easy car to drive in everyday conditions thanks to its best-in-the-business PDK automatic transmission. The breadth of the 911's capabilities is nearly unrivaled at this price.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the 911? Overall comfort is impressive considering how much performance the 911 provides. The optional ventilated adaptive sport seats are agreeable even after several hours of driving, for instance. Our test vehicle had the optional sport suspension. With it, you'll feel every flaw in the road, but impacts are never harsh even when you're driving in Sport mode.

　　Road noise is more noticeable than in some rival sports cars, but it's not grating. The engine sounds rough and surprisingly unrefined at cold startup and doesn't really start sounding like a proper 911 flat-six until you get the revs high. Buyers new to the 911 might not mind, but returning customers will pine for the sound of older 911s.

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