Porsche 911 Review
The Porsche 911 is the definition of a usable sports car. It’s devastatingly quick but also easy to live with everyday, just so long as you don’t need proper rear seats
This score is awarded by our team of expert reviewers after extensive testing of the car
What's good
- Huge cornering grip
- Strong performance
- Everyday ease of use
What's not so good
- Options are expensive
- Back seats best for storage
- Doesn't particularly great
Porsche 911 Review
The Porsche 911 is the definition of a usable sports car. It’s devastatingly quick but also easy to live with everyday, just so long as you don’t need proper rear seats
This score is awarded by our team of expert reviewers after extensive testing of the car
What's good
- Huge cornering grip
- Strong performance
- Everyday ease of use
What's not so good
- Options are expensive
- Back seats best for storage
- Doesn't particularly great
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Review contents
Overall verdict
Watch our Porsche 911 video review
Believe it or not, this is the eighth generation of the Porsche 911, which first went on sale back in 1963. However, hold up a picture of the original and today’s models and you’ll notice there hasn’t been much change in the design department.
However, we assure this latest 911 is all-new, built to be easier to live with and – more importantly – to be even quicker than the car it replaces. The latest evolution of the company’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six petrol engine has that particular requirement covered.
Revised turbochargers and a host of other revisions mean the Carrera S – the only 911 available from launch – now produces 450hp (30hp up on the old model). It’ll get from 0-60mph in just 3.2 seconds and crack 190mph, while it’s wide powerband means you always have oomph when you put your foot down.
The way the Porsche 911 deals with corners is as impressive as its performance in a straight line. Its powerful brakes give you bags of confidence to barrel into bends, cornering grip in the dry is almost infinite and, even when it does eventually run out, you get fair warning because the steering feels hard-wired to the front tyres.
But the 911 is just as good at rolling up its sleeves and getting to work on the dirty business that is everyday driving. On the motorway it’s a quiet cruiser, has plenty of standard safety kit and is available with autonomous driving aids that pretty much do your job for you.
The excellent forward visibility that helps you place the 911 perfectly in bends pays dividends in town when you’re inching through width restrictors. It’s even a piece of cake to park thanks to its large back window and standard high-definition rear-view camera. It’s this all-round ability that marks the Porsche out from uncompromising sports cars from the likes of Ferrari.
The Porsche 911 could give Darwin a lesson in perfect evolution
The Porsche’s interior might not look quite as exotic as a Ferrari’s but it feels miles better built and comes with no less than three infotainment screens that include a sat-nav system that’s as good as you’ll find in the best executive saloons from BMW, Audi and Mercedes.
Infact, the infotainment screens are used for most of the car’s controls – you only get nine physical buttons on the top half of the dash – leaving the way clear for a flash of trim that runs the width of the car. Leather upholstery comes as standard (you can extend it onto the rest of the interior at extra cost) and a wide range of interior colour options make it possible to have a 911 with its own unique feel.
It’s even hard to find fault with the space you get. Up front, there’s loads of room even if you’re a towering giant and the range of adjustment offered by the seat and the steering wheel lets you get all controls exactly how you want them. Admittedly, only small kids will be happy in the back, but then alternatives like the Ferrari 488 and Audi R8 have no rear seats at all. Even the Porsche’s boot has enough room to cram in a weekend’s luggage.
And that pretty much summarises what’s good about this 911. It might be an entirely different car to the original model but what hasn’t changed is its ability to fit your life, rather than you fitting around it.
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What's it like inside?

The Porsche 911 interior doesn’t make you feel as special as more exotic supercars but you do get a smart design, excellent quality and a list of options that make it highly customisable
How practical is it?

The Porsche 911 feels spacious and airy up front, but the back seats will only do for small kids – often you’ll be better off using them as an overflow for the small boot
Those back seats will be handy if you've defied medial science and parented hamsters. Otherwise, they're best used for storage
What's it like to drive?

In time the Porsche 911 will be available with an engine range covering the entry-level Carrera, top-of-the-range Turbo and track-focused GT models, but the car launches with the range staples – the two-wheel-drive Carrera S and four-wheel-drive Carrera 4S.
The 911’s eighth gear is like supercruise in a supersonic jet – allowing the Porsche to maintain high speeds while burning relatively little fuel
What's it like inside?

The Porsche 911 interior doesn’t make you feel as special as more exotic supercars but you do get a smart design, excellent quality and a list of options that make it highly customisable
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