Porsche 911 review

Some things in life should be left as they are. The Leaning Tower of Pisa wouldn’t be the same without a tilt – and the shape of the Porsche 911 needs no tweaking either.

Under the skin, though, there have been loads of changes to the 911 over the years. Porsche’s rear-engined sports car now comes with a choice of four turbocharged flat-six petrol engines and – for the first time – one of them (the Carrera GTS) gets extra power from a mild-hybrid system.

Further down the line, Porsche will offer two plug-in hybrids – including one with more than 600bhp and a top speed of almost 200mph.

Porsche 911 video review

So the big question is – is the Porsche 911 a better sports car than its key rivals, the Aston Martin Vantage and Mercedes AMG GT? Read on to find out...

What’s new?
- September 2025: searing 911 Turbo S model hits the road, complete with electrically driven turbochargers. Its 701bhp makes it the most powerful 911 to date.
- January 2025: new Carrera S added to line-up
- May 2024: first ever hybrid-powered 911 is revealed. The 911 Carrera GTS has a 3.6-litre flat-six hybrid engine and does 0-62mph in 3.0 seconds
- October 2022: new Carrera T (Touring) revealed, with no rear seats, a mechanical limited-slip differential and Porsche Torque Vectoring which improves stability
- September 2019: 911 Carrera 4 features four-wheel drive, adaptive suspension and a standard PDK transmission
- July 2019: Porsche expands 911 range with launch of new Carrera entry model, which has a 380bhp 3.0litre flat-six engine, and numerous driver-assist systems including Porsche Wet Mode to help handling on wet roads
- November 2018: latest (992) version of Porsche 911 shown at LA Auto Show, and features aluminium body panels

The entry-level Porsche 911 – the 389bhp Carrera – comes with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six engine that's happy to rev to its 7500rpm limiter. It delivers crushing straight-line pace, too, getting from 0-62mph in just 3.9sec, which is a lot quicker than the Mercedes-AMG GT 43. The 911's eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox is much more responsive than the auto 'box in the Aston Martin Vantage and AMG GT, too. 

Next up is our favourite version, the Carrera T. It has the same engine and peak power as the Carrera, but...it's slower – 0-62mph takes 4.5sec. Sounds odd to recommend a slower but pricier model, doesn't it? But it's still more than quick enough in the real world, and the reason it's slower is the reason we like it so much: the T is the only 911 Carrera you can buy with a six-speed manual gearbox. It's also one of the few proper sports cars left with a manual option. And while the 911's auto 'box is excellent, when it comes to interaction and the full sports car experience, a manual wins out every time. Especially when it's so slick you'll savour every gear change. 

The Carrera S retains the 3.0-litre engine but boosted to 473bhp. 0-62mph drops to 3.3sec, which is mega-quick, and the power delivery is really well judged – it doesn't feel overbearing to drive, especially if you go for the four-wheel-drive Carrera 4S.  

The Carrera GTS, meanwhile, gets a larger 3.6-litre turbocharged flat-six engine with a mild-hybrid system. Combined power is 534bhp and equates to 0-62mph in 3.0sec – quicker than the vastly more expensive Vantage. You can’t use the hybrid system to drive on electricity alone, though. It’s there solely to give you instant acceleration, and the GTS feels decidedly more like a naturally aspirated car, with zero delay (turbo lag) when you plant the throttle. It's also available with four-wheel drive.

Finally, there's the Turbo S. What's left to say about an icon that's become known as the 'everyday supercar'? The 'supercar' part comes courtesy of the 701bhp 3.6-litre twin-turbo flat-six that produces phenomenal performance (0-62mph in 2.5sec and 200mph top speed); the 'everyday' bit is thanks to four-wheel drive, a seamless eight-speed dual-clutch auto, and the practicality of every other 911.

Well, the practicality of every 911 apart from the GT3 and GT3 RS. They're the hardcore track versions, and you can read about their differences in our separate Porsche 911 GT3 review.

All 911s come with adaptive suspension, called Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), which means you can change the stiffness of the suspension to suit the type of driving you're doing.

The softer setting works well around town, taking the sting out of sharp-edged bumps so you're not jostled around too much. But out on the open road, you may notice the body control is a little loose; the rear end, particularly, heaving unduly over pronounced undulations in the road. That's the point you need to switch to the firmer Sport setting, which takes out the unwanted slack. 

Our favourite, the Carrera T, comes with PASM Sport Suspension. It's 10mm lower and tighter overall, solving the body control issues. Be aware that the ride is a bit more agitated over broken roads, but it's far from impossible to live with. PASM Sport Suspension is optional on the Carrera S. 

The 911's such an easy car to place on the road thanks to its beautifully weighted and accurate steering. The way it flows through bends, with little more than fingertip inputs, is a delight – and something that can’t be said of the Mercedes AMG GT. It's even more agile with rear-wheel steering fitted, which is standard on our favourite version, the Carrera T .

If there's a criticism, it's a minor one, but more detail sensations through the steering wheel would add to the car's finesse. That's what separates the 911 from pricier supercars, like the Ferrari 296 GTB; all those little sensations help you map the grip levels and push to the limit with absolute confidence.  

The rear-wheel-drive 911s feel more agile and rewarding to drive – especially the Carrera T, which is slightly lighter than the standard Carrera and comes with a limited-slip differential. The four-wheel-drive Carrera 4 and 4 GTS are slightly easier to drive, using their driven front wheels to claw you out of corners with extra security.

As we talked about in the ride section, if you switch the PASM adaptive suspension to Sport mode (or have the lowered, stiffer PASM Sport Suspension that's standard on the Carrera T), the body control is more tightly controlled. It's a better set-up for those of you seeking the ultimate in handling. 

To sum up, there are supercars, including the 296 GTB, that are even better to drive in certain respects, but they are another level entirely when it comes to price. For the money, the 911 remains a great-handling sports car, especially next to direct rivals, such as the Aston Martin Vantage and AMG GT. 

Whatever 911 you go for, it'll come with a flat-six engine that sounds immeasurably better than the four-cylinder engine in the entry-level Mercedes-AMG GT. It sounds different but no-less engaging than a V8-powered AMG GT. And if you have the 911's sports exhaust activated (optional on the entry-level Carrera but standard across the rest of the 911 range), the noise gets louder, fuller-throated, and even more thrilling when you rev the engine out.

When you’re not in the mood for theatrics you can switch the exhaust to its quiet mode. But like most sports cars, even then the 911's not especially refined. You'll hear wind whistle from around the frameless side windows at motorway speeds, and the wide tyres generate a lot of noise over coarse surfaces. Consider the BMW M8 if you're looking for a quieter long-distance cruiser.

The 911's eight-speed PDK auto gearbox shifts very quickly and surprisingly smoothly. The six-speed manual gearbox in the Carrera T is one of the best fitted to any sports car – it’s just a shame you can't have it on any other version except the 911 GT3.

"Many Porsche 911 fans were worried about the GTS getting a hybrid system, but it has turned out to be a great thing. It feels more like a non-turbocharged 911, reacting instantly when you plant the throttle." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

You sit close to the floor in the Porsche 911, which gives a suitably hunkered-down feel from behind the steering wheel, and the pedals are perfectly positioned.

Most people will be able to find a driving position that suits them using the entry-level 911's seats, which have four-way electric adjustment. We still recommend forking out for the 14-way electric sports seats – or even better, the 18-way Adaptive Sports Seats Plus – that bring adjustable lumbar support and a memory function.

The latest-generation 911 has done away with traditional dials in front of the driver, replacing them with a 12.7in digital display. The graphics are really crisp and it can mimic the look of analogue dials or show a full screen map. So that's a tick for usability, then, but the digital screen does lack the charm of real dials.

Driving a sports car usually involves making serious visibility sacrifices, but the 911 is surprisingly easy to see out of.

Forward visibility is excellent, thanks to slim windscreen pillars, and the distinctive bulges on the top of the front wings give you a clear idea of where the front wheels are. It makes the 911 easier to manoeuvre than a Mercedes AMG GT.

Even rear visibility isn't too bad, with a reasonably deep rear window to see through when reversing. And if all else fails, you get front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera as standard.

Porsche has acquired a reputation for being stingy with the amount of kit it fits to its cars, but the 911 comes with all the infotainment essentials, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring as standard.

The 10.9in infotainment touchscreen has a really crisp display and reacts to all your prompts quickly, although some of the icons are a bit too small, making them harder to prod on the move.

You also get an eight-speaker stereo and a DAB digital radio. If you’re a bit of an audiophile, it’s worth considering the optional Bose sound system (standard from GTS) or the Burmester system, which is particularly impressive.

Most of the buttons and switches in the 911 are well damped, and the dashboard and other fixtures feel reassuringly sturdy. Compared with the Aston Martin Vantage and Mercedes AMG GT, the 911 has impressive interior quality.

Indeed, the materials used throughout look and feel high quality but, as standard, the 911's interior is pretty much a sea of black. As such, you’ll have to dive into the extensive personalisation options if you want to add more colour and character.  

"It’s a shame the analogue dials have been replaced in the latest Porsche 911. True, the digital dials are more configurable, and real dials are probably something that only purists will care about, but it does remove some of the 911’s previous character." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

The Porsche 911's driver's seat slides back a long way, so leg room is really good; there’s a decent amount of head room, too – even for tall adults. And while the 911 is relatively narrow between the doors, it doesn't feel cramped inside. 

Storage space isn't generous but it's not bad for a sports car. The glovebox is deep but a little quite narrow, making it hard to fit more than a few documents inside, while the door bins are on the small side. You get two cup-holders, along with a shallow storage area under the centre armrest.

Rear seats are a no-cost option on most of the 911 range. If you add them, head and leg room are tight, so they're mainly suitable for children or very small adults – and even then for short distances only.

But at least you can have four seats, which few other sports car rivals offer, and when you're not using them for people, they work as extra luggage room.

The 911's rear seats (if fitted) split and fold flat, allowing you to carry extra luggage when required.

It's worth noting that, unless you specify the optional full electric adjustment on the Carrera, Carrera T or Carrera S, you have to return the front seats to their original position manually after you've moved them forward to allow access to the rear.

The 911 has a 135-litre boot under the bonnet. It's big enough to stow a carry-on suitcase, a soft weekend holdall or a few shopping bags.

It's certainly better than nothing, but you do get more boot space in some front-engined sports cars, such as the Mercedes AMG GT.

"I don't have kids, but I'd still tick the no-cost rear-seat option for my 911. The seats are small, true, but you can squeeze people into them in an emergency; the rest of the time they double up as added storage space. In my book that's a win-win" – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

If you measure in performance per pound, the Porsche 911 works out slightly better value than the equivalent Mercedes AMG GT.  And every version, bar the mighty Turbo S, undercuts the Aston Martin Vantage by a fairly hefty margin.

The 911's slow depreciation means that it's more than likely you’ll get a good chunk of your money back when you decide to sell. Indeed, the 911 is predicted to lose its value slower than the Vantage and AMG GT.

Don't expect great fuel economy if you drive with a heavy right foot, though. We saw an indicated figure of around 34mpg in the 911 GTS after a long motorway run, which isn't too bad, but the number tumbled as soon as we used the engine’s performance.

While you’d be fine going for the entry-level 911 Carrera, we’d step up to the Carrera T. It doesn’t cost all that much more and gives you unique access to a six-speed manual gearbox. Mechanical upgrades include rear-wheel steering, a limited-slip differential, bigger brakes, sports exhaust and lowered PASM Sport Suspension. You also get a heated steering wheel, part-electrically adjustable and heated seats, power-folding door mirrors, Sport Chrono Package, keyless entry, wireless phone charging and Matrix LED headlights.

As you go higher up the model range, you get more standard equipment, but even then you'll almost certainly want to tick a few option boxes.

Porsche finished 19th out of the 30 car brands in the manufacturer league table of our 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey. That's not amazing for a prestige performance car manufacturer, but still put it a few places above Mercedes. 

You get a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, which includes three years of European breakdown cover.

While the 911 hasn’t been tested for safety by the experts at Euro NCAP, it comes with a good amount of standard safety equipment. That list includes automatic emergency braking (AEB), plenty of airbags, a sophisticated stability control system, traffic sign recognition, lane-keeping assistance and Isofix mounts for a child seat on the front passenger seat.

If you delve into the options list you'll find more safety kit available, including lane-change assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and a system that can see pedestrians and animals at night beyond headlight range.

An engine immobiliser and an alarm are fitted as standard. If you want more protection you can pay for Porsche’s vehicle tracking system, which makes it possible to trace stolen vehicles across most of Europe.

"While the Porsche 911 isn't cheap, when you look at the performance on offer versus its rivals, you actually end up getting a lot for your money." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Buy it if...

-You want a useable sports car with four (ish) seats

-You want a fabulous flat-six engine noise

-You want great handling and a choice of two- or four-wheel drive

Don't buy it if...

-You want the ultimate in steering feel

-You want a sports car with rarity value

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