2025 Porsche 911 Carrera S First Drive: Is the Best Seller the Best Buy?

• The Carrera S splits the difference between the base Porsche 911 and the electrified GTS.
• Its 3.0-liter turbocharged flat-six engine offers a stout 473 horsepower.
• Both coupe and convertible body styles are available.
• The Carrera S packs a punch, but does it offer the best bang for your buck?

What's in an S?

For that $19K upcharge over the standard 911, the Carrera S gives you more power: 473 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque, gains of 85 hp and 59 lb-ft, respectively, over the base car. Porsche says this results in a 911 that's 0.6 second quicker when accelerating to 60 mph and 0.5 second speedier through the quarter mile. Considering Porsche tends to be conservative with its performance numbers — the base Carrera is a perfect example — I won't be shocked if the S' 3.1-second 0-60 and 11.6-second quarter-mile times drop a bit when this car hits the Edmunds test track.

Power isn't everything, though, and so the Carrera S comes with more standard equipment to help it scoot on winding roads. An adaptive suspension adjusts damper firmness depending on the selected drive mode, and because the Carrera S borrows the suspension technology from the 911 GTS, there's a greater range between the stiffest and softest settings. This new setup is so good, there's really no reason to pick the optional Sport suspension, which in past 911s has always been a little too stiff for the freeways of Southern California. OK, sure, the Sport option might offer some minor handling benefits on a track, but here on the mountain roads outside of San Diego, I can't complain about the standard kit.

Instead, what makes a difference is the Carrera S' torque-vectoring technology, which shuffles power between the rear wheels to make sure it's dispatched where it's needed most. This results in more confident handling, giving the large 305/30ZR21 rear tires sure-footed grip. Planning to routinely drive your 911 in gross weather? First of all, kudos. And don't worry: Porsche will undoubtedly add an all-wheel-drive Carrera 4S to the lineup in due time.

Rear-wheel steering is optional on the Carrera S, and Porsche has historically done a good job of tuning this feature, where the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction ever so slightly to help scoot the 911 through hairpin turns. All Carrera S models come standard with big 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels, behind which you'll find the large brakes borrowed from the 911 GTS. Carbon-ceramic brakes are optional, but the standard setup is just fine for the non-track-rats among us. After a long day of hard driving, these stoppers show no signs of fade.

Other 911 updates carry over

The Carrera S has all the same new goodies found in other 911 models, including a fully digital gauge cluster, push-button starter (it's fine, you guys, quit complaining), standard rear-seat delete, and slightly updated infotainment tech with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Slight tweaks to the front and rear fascias are more noticeable in person than they are in photos, but honestly, I prefer the styling of last year's 911 — the new car's thicker taillight treatment and carved-out front end just aren't doing it for me. But maybe they do it for you.

In addition to the Carrera S Coupe, Porsche offers a Carrera S Cabriolet, which is lovely for sunny SoCal days, though you'll pay for the privilege: It's $13,200 more expensive. I like that there's a deployable wind deflector that covers the rear compartment and helps keep the cabin hushed and not so blustery at highway speeds. And while Porsche does a nice job of retaining the 911's iconic profile on the Cabriolet with the top up, fold the roof back and this car turns into a homely little hunchback. Not my jam.

Is the Carrera S the one to get?

Don't get me wrong, I get the appeal of the Carrera S; it's nicer to drive than the standard car and comes with performance equipment you're genuinely going to want on a 911. But I'll also argue that it's harder than ever to make a case for this model. The Carrera GTS isn't too far of a stretch financially for the sort of customer who can already afford a Carrera S, and the hybridization of the 911 changes this car's character dramatically — and for the better.

But there's also the Carrera T, which, as far as I'm concerned, is all the 911 you'll ever need. Granted, it only comes with a manual transmission now, which I suppose is Porsche's way of forcing folks who can't or won't drive a stick shift into ponying up for the Carrera S or sticking with the base car. And in that case, let's be honest: For the vast majority of buyers, the standard Carrera will be just fine. The Porsche 911 pie is becoming increasingly hard to slice.

There's an old adage that says the best Porsche 911 is whichever one you can afford, and not a single person who buys a base 911 or a Carrera T will be unhappy. But there are plenty of people out there who will always want more. $149K is a heck of a lot of money, but the 911 Carrera S is also a heck of a lot of car.