2019 Porsche 718 Cayman

Overview

The 2019 Porsche 718 Cayman's joyful driving demeanor, powerful flat-four engines, and stunning styling make it one of our favorite sports cars—as evidenced by its regular appearance on one of our 10Best Cars. Sharing all but its hard top with the convertible 718 Boxster, the Cayman is a focused performance machine; and, as the entry-level Porsche sports car, its seriousness sets the stage for the rest of the lineup. It's not perfect, but our complaints about the downmarket interior and expensive options that are standard on rival sports cars are forgotten by the time we've rounded the first corner at speed. Yes, the Cayman is that good.

What's New for 2019?

Two minor alterations are all that's in store for the 2019 Cayman. A sport-exhaust system is now standard and Porsche has added its Car Connect service to the list of features. Porsche Car Connect allows remote services, vehicle-status updates, and vehicle tracking from a connected smartphone app. A higher-performance Cayman GT4 goes on sale for 2020 and will feature a flat-six engine from the Porsche 911 detuned slightly to a still-potent 414 horsepower.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Even though the GTS model boasts a bit of extra power, we'd still opt for the midrange Cayman S, but we'd go easy on options since Porsche's a la carte menu can easily shove the cost of the S well above the starting price. We'd spec the 14-way power-adjustable sport seats and the Premium Package Plus, which adds luxuries such as dual-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated seats, proximity key, and adaptive headlights.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

Likes: Ballistic acceleration, lively handling, strong braking.
Dislikes: Grating engine sound.

Three engines are available: a 300-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-four in the base Cayman, a 350-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four in the Cayman S, and a 365-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four in the Cayman GTS. All three engines are capable and very quick. However, we're partial to the more powerful Cayman S and GTS models, which suffer from less turbo lag in normal driving courtesy of its extra displacement and variable-geometry turbocharger. Regardless of engine, every Cayman comes standard with a slick six-speed manual transmission that ought to be the model by which every other manual transmission is judged. A quick-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles is an option. A Cayman S with the automatic managed a lightning-quick 3.9-second zero-to-60-mph time in our testing.

The Cayman's willful chassis and telepathic steering transcend perfection. Credit the Cayman's mid-engine layout and sticky summer tires, which work together to provide the sports coupe with stunning balance and stability on twisty two-lane roads. But it's more than the layout or the tires alone; it's the fine-tuning magic that Porsche's engineers conjure during the development process. The Cayman is a sublime mix of heady handling and a relatively relaxed ride.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Regardless of engine choice, the Cayman is 1 to 2 mpg more fuel efficient when equipped with the optional seven-speed automatic transmission. In our real-world highway fuel-economy testing, the base Cayman and Cayman S both delivered a thrifty 32 mpg.

Interior, Infotainment, and Cargo

Likes: Driver-focused cockpit, comfortable and supportive seats, user-friendly infotainment system.
Dislikes: High-end features aren't standard, noisy when cruising, several cheap-plastic pieces.

Easy-to-understand gauges, comfortable seats, and well-placed controls give the Cayman's cabin a form-fitting feeling, not unlike a superhero's suit. Still, a plethora of hard buttons and a number of cheap-plastic pieces prevent the interior from standing out in this class. Fortunately, Porsche will cover just about any plastic surface in leather—at a cost, of course.

The Cayman's infotainment system is straightforward and offers generally quick response times to user inputs. Still, Porsche nickels and dimes its customers by charging extra for features such as Apple CarPlay and navigation. Android users will be disappointed to learn that the Cayman isn't available with Android Auto. In a car this expensive, that's a big negative.

A compact front trunk complements the Cayman's rear cargo area, providing the small sports car with cargo space that rivals the best of its competitive set. We fit two carry-on suitcases in the trunk and two more in the front-trunk. A steep rear-hatch angle, however, means owners will need to use soft duffel bags to make the most of the available space.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The Cayman has yet to be rated by either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, so its crash-worthiness is unknown. It is available with a handful of driver-assistance features and comes standard with a backup camera and front and rear parking sensors. Key safety features include:

• Available automated emergency braking
• Available blind-spot monitoring

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Porsche's warranty coverage lacks the complimentary scheduled maintenance offered by most of its rivals, but it is otherwise comparable to that of the competition.

• Limited warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
• Complimentary maintenance is covered for 1 year or 10,000 miles