EmailBest Reviewed
Sports Cars
- Best bargain sports car 2009 Nissan 370Z *Est. $29930
- Most refined sports car 2009 Porsche Cayman *Est. $50300
- Best supercar 2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 *Est. $108880
- Tech-lover's sports car 2010 Nissan GT-R *Est. $80790
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Most refined sports car
- Flawless handling
- Classic coupe style
- Impressive engines and transmissions
- Everyday comfort
- Two trunks
- Irritating shift buttons (auto transmission)
- Pricey options
- Slower than some cheaper sports cars
The Porsche Cayman rolls perfect handling, all-day comfort and good fuel economy into one beautiful two-seat, rear-drive coupe, reviews say. It's not the fastest sports car, but it's plenty fast -- and the way it drives has reviewers running out of adjectives.
"Even among all the legendary Porsche models, it's hard to recall a car that feels so utterly right under virtually all dynamic conditions," Kelley Blue Book says. It's not as fast as the pricier 2009 Porsche 911 (*Est. $77,800 to $143,800), or the cheaper 2009 Nissan 370Z (*Est. $29,930 to $39,130) for that matter. But critics say the Cayman's midengine layout is more balanced than the rear-engined 911, and it's far more refined than the latest Z car. Its closed coupe body makes it even stiffer and tighter-handling than its convertible sibling, the 2009 Porsche Boxster (*Est. $46,600 to $56,700), which critics equally adore.
Inside, reviews find more to praise, from the supremely comfortable seats to the simplified controls. The cockpit is small, however, as are the front and rear trunks, although they do add up to more luggage room than most sports cars. The Cayman feels as upscale as its price, but critics complain that common features on other cars, such as power seats and automatic climate control, cost extra.
The base Porsche Cayman's (*Est. $50,300) 265-horsepower, 2.9-liter engine "would never have a negative word thrown at it" if the step-up Cayman S (*Est. $60,200) didn't exist, Edmunds.com says. Both flat-six engines are smooth and capable, but the Cayman S's 320-horsepower, 3.4-liter version reaches 60 about a half-second quicker.
Both Cayman models are just a hair faster with Porsche's new seven-speed, PDK, dual-clutch, automated manual transmission, which experts say may be the best automatic transmission on the market. Still, critics wish Porsche used regular shift paddles instead of buttons on the steering wheel, and purists will probably prefer the excellent six-speed manual transmission. With the PDK, "It felt as if there was a layer of frosted glass in between me and the magic of Porsche," writes Mike Solowiow at TheTruthAboutCars.com.
Fuel economy is great for a sports car, reviews say. Expect 24 mpg combined from the base Cayman with automatic transmission (20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway) or 22 mpg combined with the manual transmission (19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway). Mileage is almost identical for the Cayman S: 23 mpg combined with the automatic (20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway) and 22 mpg combined with the manual (19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway). The Cayman comes with a four-year, 50,000-mile warranty.
Edmunds.com covers just about every aspect of the Porsche Cayman in its well-written review. Car and Driver and Road & Track both test the Cayman head-to-head against competitors. TheTruthAboutCars.com tests the Cayman's optional PDK automatic transmission in-depth. A short review at Kelley Blue Book sums up the Cayman concisely, and FuelEconomy.gov shows how the Cayman's fuel economy compares with other sports cars'.
Our Sources
1. Edmunds.com
The Porsche Cayman is Edmunds.com's Top Recommended Coupe under $60,000. The editors' only real complaint is its price, but they say its "stirring performance" more than makes up for that.
Review: 2009 Porsche Cayman Review, Editors of Edmunds.com
2. Car and DriverDetails/Subscribe
The Porsche Cayman has made Car and Driver's 10Best list every year since the car debuted in 2006. This article explains why, and it links to more Cayman news and reviews from Car and Driver.
Review: 2009 Porsche Boxster and Cayman -- 10Best Cars, Tony Swan
3. Road & TrackDetails/Subscribe
The Nissan 370Z costs half as much as a Porsche Cayman and performs a faster quarter-mile run, but the Cayman is more balanced and refined, according to this test, which uses the slightly less powerful 2008 Cayman. The Porsche Cayman is the easy winner if you can afford it, but it's not worth twice as much, the review concludes.
Review: Clash of the Coupes: 2009 Nissan 370Z vs. 2008 Porsche Cayman S, Jonathan Elfalan, April 2009
The Porsche Cayman loses one of five possible stars in this review because of the PDK automatic transmission. It's a fantastic transmission, TheTruthAboutCars.com reviewer Mike Solowiow says, but anything automated gets in the way of Porsche's essential car-driver connection.
Review: Review: 2010 Porsche Cayman PDK, Mike Solowiow, June 23, 2009
If you'd like the thrill of a Porsche 911 for about $10,000 less, the Porsche Cayman is for you, Kelley Blue Book says. This short review covers all of the Cayman's good points. Editors try to find the bad points, but they don't really find any.
Review: 2009 Porsche Cayman Review, Editors of Kelley Blue Book
The Porsche Cayman is one of the most fuel-efficient sports cars you can buy, according to this U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chart. Dozens of sports cars are listed, and you can sort them by fuel economy, annual fuel cost or pollution rating.
Review: 2009 Sports/Sporty Cars, Editors of FuelEconomy.gov
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