When Porsche renamed its Cayman the 718 Cayman back in 2017 and replaced the car's six-cylinder engine with a turbocharged four-cylinder, part of the connection to the 911 — something so intrinsic to the Porsche experience — was lost. There's nothing wrong with the four-cylinder 718's performance certainly, but the driving experience is all a bit soulless. Thankfully, there's a heaping dose of James Brown in the 2021 718 Cayman.
The Cayman got a brand-new six-cylinder last year with the debut of the GT4. For 2021, Porsche is following it up with the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0. It has the same naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine as the GT4, albeit with a bit less horsepower (394 horsepower compared to 414 hp in the GT4). You do, however, get all the comfort and accoutrements you'd expect from the GTS model line as well as a lower price.
More than ever, the 718 Cayman is an appealing lead-in to the venerated 911 lineup. It could very well be hard to choose between a Cayman GT4 and, say, a base 911 Carrera. Other notable sports car rivals include the BMW M2 Competition, Chevrolet Corvette, Jaguar F-Type or even top-end versions of the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. So should Papa get a brand-new 2021 Cayman? Read our Expert Rating below to help you decide.
Our verdict | |
Even in its base model, the Porsche Cayman is predictably excellent in all of the ways we've come to expect. This is a driver-centric vehicle with an emphasis on sharp handling and premium cabin materials. But excessive outside noise, a lackluster engine note and questionable value diminish the Cayman's overall appeal. | |
How does the 718 Cayman drive? | |
There are certain situations in which driving the Cayman feels like absolute bliss. It is not mind-bendingly fast but it wants to be driven hard. If you do that — especially on a winding road where the genius of the perfectly weighted steering and world-class handling are on full display — the Cayman is worth its weight in gold. The brakes have incredible stopping power and good durability. Our test 718 Cayman S with a manual transmission accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. That's not great, though the PDK automatic-equipped car is noticeably quicker. We're not fond of the base 2.0-liter engine. It provides ample passing power, but full acceleration leaves something to be desired due to tall gearing. The shifts of the dual-clutch automatic transmission can also be jarring at low speeds, though it smooths out once you build speed. | |
How comfortable is the 718 Cayman? | |
Even though the optional sport seats have only a few adjustments, they're well shaped and adequately cushioned for long-distance comfort. The ventilated seat option is also a welcome addition on hot days. Our test Cayman S had the optional PASM sport suspension. With it, smaller bumps are nicely smoothed out, but driving over larger bumps can launch you out of your seat for a moment. Engine and exhaust noises are loud enough to be considered deal-breakers. With the sport exhaust, the four-cylinder engine is coarse and unrefined, sounding like a poorly tuned Subaru. The base Cayman is worse. Wind noise is nonexistent by comparison, but road noise is intrusive on coarse asphalt. | |
How’s the interior? | |
The driving position in the Cayman is nearly perfect, as you'd expect. The tachometer and speedo are in full view, and adjustments to the seat and steering wheel make the cozy cockpit accommodating to most body types and sizes. There is excellent forward and side visibility with few blind spots, though you'll need the rearview camera to back up safely. To get inside, you must drop down a bit, and taller occupants will need to duck. It may be more difficult for wider passengers. The cabin feels small from the outside, though it isn't too tight once you're in. It's just the right fit for a sports car. | |
How’s the tech? | |
Technology is not the Cayman's strong suit. There's a learning curve to using the infotainment system due to the sheer number of buttons. Android Auto smartphone integration is not an option. Adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist are also optional. The stability control system is effective when it's needed, and most drivers won't notice its guiding hand at speed. Beware the standard parking sensors, though. They're often annoyingly activated in heavy traffic. | |
How’s the storage? | |
There's a mostly vertical trunk in the rear for duffel bags and the like and a second storage space in the front. It's about half the size of the trunk but can still take a few bags. The total capacity is pretty good, but the split prevents you from loading a larger item that might otherwise fit in one trunk of the same total size. Inside, only a few bins and pockets are around to hold your personal items, and they're small and shallow. The typical Porsche cupholders are effective but fussy, and they're a bit out of reach for the driver. | |
How economical is the 718 Cayman? | |
The EPA estimates the Cayman will get 21-25 mpg in combined city/highway driving depending on the model and transmission. Our manual-equipped Cayman S posted an impressive 28 mpg on our standardized mixed-driving evaluation route. In general, the Cayman is one of the more fuel-efficient sports cars you can buy. | |
Is the 718 Cayman a good value? | |
The interior build quality is very high. We especially like the premium materials and their tight assembly. The cost is the main issue. Add just a few desirable options to a new Cayman S and you're looking at $80K. Oof. If you care about bragging rights, you'll objectively get vastly more performance and utility from less expensive sports cars. | |
Wildcard | |
This is a gorgeous car that wears its sporting intentions proudly. The Porsche heritage, like the layout of the gauge cluster, is both clear and useful. Few cars have this level of responsiveness combined with very high handling limits. It's ready to hit the track right out of the box too. Sadly, the plebian four-cylinder engine sound clashes with the expectations set by the design. It simply doesn't sound the way a Porsche should. As superficial as it may seem, it's a deal-breaker for some staffers. | |
The 2021 718 Cayman sports car is available in five trim levels: the base 718 Cayman, 718 Cayman T, 718 Cayman S, Cayman GTS 4.0 and 718 Cayman GT4. All models are rear-wheel-drive and come standard with a six-speed manual transmission. A seven-speed automatic (PDK) transmission is offered as an option.
2021 Porsche 718 Cayman
2021 Chevrolet Corvette
The mid-engine Corvette is a worthy rival to the Cayman, with stirring performance and enough convenience to work as a daily driver. The Corvette handily beats the Cayman when it comes to price, which helped it vault to the top of the class. Read Edmunds' long-term road test of the Chevrolet Corvette.
The BMW M2 might be small, but it packs a lot of performance into that tiny footprint. Rear seats also make it more convenient. It comes as no surprise that the BMW costs less than a similarly equipped Porsche Cayman, which means you'll have a larger budget for tires and track days.
The nearly identical Boxster takes the Cayman formula and chops off the roof for an open-air experience. It'll cost you a few thousand dollars for the privilege, but considering the already exorbitant price, it's not that big of a deal. Performance is close enough that most drivers won't be able to tell the difference.
When Porsche renamed its Cayman the 718 Cayman back in 2017 and replaced the car's six-cylinder engine with a turbocharged four-cylinder, part of the connection to the 911 — something so intrinsic to the Porsche experience — was lost. There's nothing wrong with the four-cylinder 718's performance certainly, but the driving experience is all a bit soulless.
The usual suspects are all here, such as the Audi RS 5, the BMW M2 and M4, the Chevrolet Corvette and the Jaguar F-Type. The new GTS 4.0 certainly ups the Cayman's desirability factor among this group. Should you want a more visceral but just as engaging experience, Ford has the Shelby GT350. It undercuts the Cayman GTS 4.0 by around $20,000 but also falls far short of the Porsche's high levels of refinement.
Sublime is very nearly an overused word when it comes to describing the handling of the 718 Cayman, but it's still the most accurate one that comes to mind. This new GTS has a standard adaptive sport suspension (PASM), which lowers the ride height by 20 millimeters (about 0.8 inch). It also gets torque vectoring (PTV) and a mechanical limited-slip differential as standard.
The GTS 4.0 retains the familiar layout of other 718 Caymans albeit with an extra dose of simulated suede upholstery. The fuzzy stuff covers the seat centers, door panels, armrests, shift lever, steering wheel and headliner. As with any Porsche, you can further tailor the interior to suit any whim or taste (or lack thereof). The GTS' standard sport seats are well shaped and supportive. The optional Full Bucket race-style seats hold you in even more snugly, but they're primarily meant for track driving, not daily commuting.
The 718 Cayman offers 14.9 cubic feet of total cargo capacity, but it's split between two trunks: one in the front and one in the back. That means larger bags will likely stay at home, but there's still enough room in the front cargo area to hold a decent amount of groceries or a couple of soft-sided bags. Competitors such as the M4 and the Shelby GT350 offer less overall capacity, but do so with a more traditional trunk capable of holding larger bags. Those cars also offer more small-item storage as well as incidental storage by way of their small back seats — something the Cayman lacks.
Should you not want the full sport experience of the 20 mm lower suspension on the GTS 4.0, Porsche offers a middle ground with a 10 mm lower ride height, which promises a bit more ground clearance and a slightly softer spring rate. There's also a form of cylinder deactivation, alternating between cylinder banks every 20 seconds, to improve fuel efficiency. The changeover isn't something you can feel, but you can certainly hear it. Thankfully, it's easy to disengage.
Edmunds saysWhile the 718 Cayman is undeniably one of the best-handling sports cars on the market, you could previously point to the car's lackluster turbocharged four-cylinder engine as a reason for a compromised résumé. Porsche has fixed this for 2021, however, with the introduction of the GTS 4.0 trim and its 394-horsepower 4.0-liter flat six-cylinder engine and six-speed manual. The new GTS has reignited our enthusiasm for the mid-engine Porsche.
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman:
The least-expensive 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman is the 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 2dr Coupe (4.0L 6cyl 6M). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $86,800.
Other versions include:
