Finally, a Chance to Drive the 718 Cayman

The other day, I went to our local Porsche Center, where we always get great service, to have the speakers in our air-cooled 911 replaced. And to my surprise, they lent me a 718 Cayman as a loaner car!

That morning, after dropping off my daughters at their respective daycare centers, I headed to the Porsche Center. Upon entering the showroom, right in front of me was a striking blue 718 Cayman.

It looked incredibly cool, but I thought, “There’s no way this is the loaner, right?” (Of course not)

After chatting with Mr. H, my contact there, he explained, “The loaner this time is a standard Cayman model, equipped only with the Sport Chrono Package,” and handed me the keys. Like the Boxster, the Cayman’s key has two buttons to open the trunks.

The Cayman in GT Silver

With the keys in hand, I headed to the back entrance where the Cayman was parked. I wondered, “I wonder what color the loaner Cayman is—maybe white? Or a bright color?” Then right before me appeared a silver Cayman. Mr. H said, “This is GT Silver. Pretty cool, isn’t it!”

Wow! It really is! Super cool!

As usual, the sky was overcast that day (I’m a fog and rain magnet). I wanted to drive on the Royu Driveway if the season were better, but snow and icy roads made that impossible. Also, there wasn’t enough time to visit the pleasant country roads of Sanda (the famous Sanda Bullring lol), so I decided to drive to Ashiyahama, where I could take some nice photos.

First Impressions of the Cayman

After driving a bit, my husband said, “Ah, so this is the 718 Cayman. The engine sound is totally different from the naturally aspirated 981.” Indeed, the 718’s engine note was much deeper and less high-pitched than our 981 Boxster GTS’s lively, high-revving sound.

I asked him, “Doesn’t the 718’s engine sound kind of remind you of the air-cooled 911?”

Yeah, definitely. It’s not the pure mechanical sound of an air-cooled engine, but the exhaust note has that air-cooled vibe. Since I was just driving the air-cooled 911, I can tell. Even though it’s a flat-four turbo like the Subaru Impreza STI, it sounds different. The Subaru has a stronger beat and a rougher tone. When started, the 981 goes “Vroooom!” while the 718 sounds more like “Grrrrrr!“—the tone is totally different.

He continued,

Because it’s not a convertible, the Cayman feels more rigid and solid than the Boxster. The 981 Boxster feels a bit looser. The ride is also firmer than the 981 Boxster GTS with PASM in Sport Plus mode—just a bit stiffer, like it’s gripping the road firmly. The chassis has evolved, but if I had to describe it, the Cayman is “solid” while the Boxster is “supple.”

Even as a passenger, I definitely felt the Cayman’s ride was firmer with better road contact than the Boxster.

However, on rough roads there was some residual rocking. I said, “The ride isn’t as smooth as I imagined. Maybe because I’m comparing it to the Panamera or the Cayenne I test drove before?”

Yeah… There’s no harsh impact from the road, so it’s not uncomfortable, but at low speeds on wavy surfaces, the residual rocking is noticeable. This rocking has a longer cycle, unlike the short-cycle rocking you get in a McLaren.
I wonder if this is just how the Cayman is or if it’s because this model doesn’t have the optional PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management system)…
I’ve heard the 718’s ride is better than the 981’s, but from my memory of driving a 981 Cayman GTS a while ago, the 981 might be better at low speeds (probably thanks to PASM). But at higher speeds, there’s no difference, and considering the stronger road contact and solidity, I think most people would say the 718 is better overall (an evolution).

After driving for a while, I said, “When I first test drove the Panamera and Cayenne, I was blown away within two seconds of starting, thinking ‘What an incredible car!‘ but I didn’t feel that level of excitement with the Cayman. Still, it’s definitely a fantastic car.”
My husband replied,

True, it’s not that overwhelming. But since I’m used to the 981, I think I’ve grown accustomed to its feel. Also, it’s only got 6,000 km on it, so maybe the suspension isn’t fully broken in yet. But the handling is classic Porsche—there’s no disconnect between the line I imagine and the car’s path. Even on gentle curves, you can really feel the grip of all four wheels.
Someone who’s never driven a Porsche before would be amazed the first time they get behind the wheel of a Cayman.
Personally, the suspension feel reminds me most of the Ferrari 488 among all the cars I’ve driven. Not the same, of course, but the road contact, low-speed ride, and stability gave me that first impression.

Then, on a quiet road, I switched the mode to “Sport” and pressed the accelerator firmly. The Cayman seemed to wake up, accelerating sharply and changing the engine’s tone noticeably. (Since it didn’t have the optional sport exhaust, the “bububub” sound was barely audible.)

As expected, when you push it, it’s a true “Porsche.”

After driving in Sport mode for a while, my husband said,

In Normal mode, the car feels a bit sluggish at low speeds in busy city traffic, but in Sport or Sport Plus, the idle revs rise from 800 to about 1000 rpm, shortening the turbo boost lag. The PDK also becomes more responsive.
So acceleration is sharp, and it moves like a water strider.
High revs come easily, and torque is plentiful.
I honestly think, ‘This car is fast!’
It’s the base Cayman, not the S, but I think it’s fast enough. Compared to the naturally aspirated 981 Boxster GTS, the turbocharged 718 feels quicker on regular roads.
The chassis is more stable and planted than the Boxster, so you can corner with more confidence. Whether that’s due to the model difference or the generational gap between the 981 and 718, I think if you drove the Royu Driveway, the Cayman would be faster than the Boxster.

Cayman Interior and Photos

Later, we parked the car and took some time for photos.

Looking closely at the interior again… honestly, the standard model without options might not have the “luxurious interior you’d expect from a high-end sports car.”

My husband said,

If you think of this as a luxury sports car costing over 7 million yen, some might wish for a bit more luxury, at least on the dashboard.
Porsche is a luxury brand, but that luxury is about performance, not about being a glamorous, opulent car. If you misunderstand that and buy a Cayman as a fashion statement for a luxury sports car, you might be a bit disappointed.

Regarding storage, the Cayman is mid-engined, so it has two trunks—front and rear—and the front trunk is quite deep.

Later, while taking photos from various angles, my husband exclaimed,

“What’s this? There’s an unfamiliar cover here!”

Looking closer, on both sides inside the rear trunk there were hidden compartments (well, not really hidden).

Opening them revealed small storage spaces. Maybe for car wash supplies?

On the Boxster, this area is where the soft top folds, so since the Cayman’s roof doesn’t open, it’s used as storage.

After the photo session, I took over driving and we headed toward Osaka on the Hanshin Expressway. While riding shotgun, I had only a mild reaction of “Well, it’s a Porsche, so it’s a good car,” but once I drove it myself, I was genuinely impressed by how much it felt like a true “Porsche.”

The handling was precise, the throttle responded exactly to my inputs, the brakes worked well, and the highway stability and merging acceleration were flawless.

After all, a Porsche is meant to be driven!

I thought again. Without any discomfort or dissatisfaction, we quickly arrived in Osaka city and parked the Cayman nearby. Unlike the Panamera, which is about 2 meters wide and over 5 meters long, the Cayman was so easy to park almost anywhere without checking—how convenient! (laughs)

However, since I had gotten used to the 360-degree park assist on the Panamera, parking the smaller, easier-to-handle Cayman was still challenging. That’s where I parted ways with the Cayman, and my husband took it for a detour home that night, saying,

The acceleration on the highway is fast, it quickly hits 100 km/h, and the stability at speed is excellent! At first, the exhaust note felt a bit strange, but it grows on you the more you drive it!

Final Thoughts on the Cayman

Finally, here’s my husband’s overall impression of the 718 Cayman.

I think the Cayman offers great value for money. It starts around 7 million yen, but the driving experience is truly Porsche. Some people look down on the Cayman or Boxster as “budget Porsches,” but that’s not true at all. Acceleration, cornering speed, and braking all live up to the Porsche name.
For the performance you get at this price, it’s a bargain. From my experience, the Cayman’s driving performance often surpasses more expensive cars from other brands.
If I were to buy a Cayman, I’d choose either the base model or the recently released Cayman T. I’d want PASM, the Sport Chrono Package, and if possible, PCCB. Suspension without PASM depends on your preference, but for those focused on driving, it’s fine. If you prioritize comfort, go with PASM.

That’s true. What I felt driving the Cayman was that it’s a car whose greatness reveals itself gradually… The more you drive it, the more you think, “Ah, this is Porsche,” “The handling is amazing,” “Wow, this costs only a third of a Panamera Turbo!” and you get hooked on its charm.

Since I got to drive the 718 Cayman this time, next I want to try the 718 Boxster… lol

For a detailed review of the 718 Cayman, please check out “Porsche Owners File #8: 718 Cayman Purchase, Options & Driving Review.”

【ポルシェオーナーズファイル #8】718ケイマン 購入・オプション・走行レビュー