Test Driving the 718 Cayman

The other day, as a loaner car during the GT3’s one-year inspection, I was able to borrow a 718 Cayman for a full day. Both my spouse and I took turns driving it, so I’ll share my impressions from a female perspective—how my wife would feel using the Cayman as a daily driver—and my husband will share his thoughts from the viewpoint of a Porsche enthusiast and driver.

This loaner 718 Cayman was almost completely option-free. It was truly a base model 718 Cayman with no PASM, no sport exhaust, no Sport Chrono package, and standard 18-inch tires.

To get straight to the point, I felt that “if my wife were to use this base Cayman daily, it would be more than enough!”

Ride Comfort

The suspension was very firm and solid, with no weird lingering vibrations—it was surprisingly good for being on the stiff side. That said, since my wife is used to luxury sedans like Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and BMW, at first she might think “it’s not smooth and the ride isn’t very comfortable.”

However, I believe she would get used to it over time, and once she experiences the precise handling and the feeling of driving exactly as intended, the impression of “easy and enjoyable to drive” would outweigh any concerns about ride comfort.

Definitely a Porsche

I recently test drove the 911 Carrera 4S (992), and its evolution was incredible—the quickness of the handling was astonishing, and the engine note was a well-balanced, great sound.

Compared to that, the 718 Cayman didn’t have the same level of sharpness in handling as the 992. Still, the sense of control over handling, braking, and throttle response was unmistakably Porsche, and even the base Cayman clearly delivers that Porsche feeling.

I once read an article saying, “The Cayman is Porsche’s entry-level car,” and now I think that’s probably true.

Compact Enough to Go Anywhere

Unlike the Panamera or Cayenne, the Cayman’s body is compact, so it can easily handle regular roads and parking lots without any trouble, making driving stress-free.

Also, while the Boxster’s soft top color tends to stand out in town, the Cayman’s design is less conspicuous, which makes it easier to use without drawing too much attention.

Other Thoughts

As I’ve mentioned many times on this blog, the Boxster and Cayman have surprisingly ample cargo space for a two-seater sports car (with trunks both front and rear), so running errands like grocery shopping shouldn’t be a problem.

That said, being a two-seater, it might feel a bit confined. After driving the 718 Cayman, I had the chance to drive a 911 Carrera GTS (991.2), and I definitely felt that the 2+2 seating of the 911 offers a greater sense of openness. (I plan to write about the GTS impressions later.)

Still, the base 718 Cayman was an excellent car. Honestly, I was even more impressed than when I test drove the BMW M2 Competition before.

Of course, the M2 Competition is a great car, but since the test car I drove was priced just over 10 million yen with options, comparing that to the 718 Cayman loaner, which costs about 3 million yen less but offers this level of performance, I felt the Cayman is definitely the better buy in terms of cost-performance.

I’ve rambled on quite a bit, so next, I’ll share my husband’s impressions.

A Porsche Owner’s View on the 718 Cayman

My husband bought his first Porsche, a Boxster GTS, a few years ago, and since then he’s owned several Porsches himself, often rides with friends in their cars, and recently drives some new Porsche every month.

Thanks to this, he has a good sense of the characteristics of each Porsche model, the differences between grades, and the options, and to improve his skills for more accurate reviews, he even attends driving schools and practices on simulators. (Seriously, who is this guy… lol)

With that background, I asked him to share his honest thoughts after spending a day with the nearly option-free 718 Cayman.

For Those Wondering if the Base Cayman Is Really Enough Instead of the S

Regarding the 718 Cayman, my husband said:

Many people struggle when deciding whether to buy the base model (also called the standard or basic model) or to go for the higher trims like the S or GTS. Especially when budgeting, many think, “I really want the S, but maybe I should settle for the base… or maybe I should just go for the S…” and spend sleepless nights going in circles in their heads. To those readers, I want to say confidently: the conclusion is “I absolutely recommend the base model.” I say this with confidence, having driven many Porsches including high-power models like the GT3.

When I asked, “So you’re saying it was really well made and balanced, but you actually prefer the base over the S?” he replied:

It’s not that the “S” is bad at all. Of course, the S has more power than the base, so in that sense it’s better. The S has its own merits, and no one would be disappointed buying an S. I fully understand that. But if you ask me, “Does this base Cayman feel inferior or leave you unsatisfied compared to the S?” I’d say, not at all.

He continued:

I had driven the base 718 Cayman before, but this time I really felt, “This is totally fine.” The cost-performance is unbeatable. It has more than enough agility for city driving, and on winding roads, the power feels just right to enjoy revving the engine. Once the turbo kicks in and torque builds, it’s quite fast. If you’re constantly running 250 km/h in the passing lane on the Autobahn, you might feel it’s lacking, but on Japanese highways, you’ll hardly ever feel underpowered when leading in the passing lane.

I definitely understood that the base model offers the best cost-performance. He also said:

I feel the 718 is faster than the 981 Boxster GTS in terms of driving feel, and I don’t think the suspension on the standard 18-inch wheels is soft at all. Rather, the balance between engine power and tires is just right, and it really shows how important balance is in a car. If I took it to a circuit, my lap times might be slower than the S, but it would be more enjoyable and a better learning experience because I’d feel fully in control.

Indeed… I used to think power is everything and faster is better, but after driving many cars, I’ve come to understand balance is key—it makes driving feel natural and fun.

When I said, “I definitely felt the 718 Cayman is well balanced, which made me very satisfied. And I really felt the Porsche spirit. I’m not exactly sure why…” my husband said:

The suspension is firm, but combined with very high-quality, slightly soft bushings, it creates a perfect balance of suppleness and strength—that’s very Porsche-like. The PDK shifts quickly, and in sport mode, even without using the paddle shifters, it downshifts and upshifts at perfect timing, letting you focus on enjoying the fantastic handling. If you don’t care about the grade hierarchy, the base model is more than enough. If I were to buy a 718 Cayman, I’d probably want either the base model or the GTS 4.0.

Next time, I’ll write about the ride comfort without PASM and the differences compared to the 981.