Test Drive of the New Porsche 911

In a previous article, I wrote that we were considering the Porsche 911 (992), and since then, our sales representative Mr. H kindly said, “Why not come and take the 992 for a test drive?”

Regarding the 992, I had a brief chance to test drive it at a Porsche driving school (though I personally drove for less than a minute), but my husband had never driven one before, so we decided to take this opportunity to try it out.

The test car prepared for us was a 911 Carrera 4S in Aventurine Green Metallic.

Aventurine Green Metallic is a new color introduced with the 992, and seeing it in person was incredibly cool.

At last year’s test drive fair, due to the large number of applicants, test drives were limited to city streets only, but at this time of year, it’s not so crowded, so they encouraged us to take our time and enjoy the drive.

So this time, I’ll start by sharing my impressions from a wife’s perspective—thinking, “I bet many wives would feel this way when driving the 992…” And next time, my husband will write a more technical review focused on driving performance.

Impressions from the 992 Test Drive

Comfortable Ride

The first thing I felt when driving the 992 was that it was “solid like a GT3.” The sense of solidity and rigidity was impressive. I had previously test-driven a 991.2 911 Cabriolet, but the 992 felt much more solid, to the point that our 981 Boxster GTS feels soft in comparison.

Despite this solid feel, “does it pick up rough road shocks like a GT3 and feel uncomfortable?“—not at all. It’s solid yet smooth and comfortable to ride. Both my husband and I agreed it felt smoother than the 991.2 911 Cabriolet we tried before and the 991.1 Carrera 4S we drove in Germany.

It’s amazing that they achieved this combination of rigidity and smooth ride.

Even wives who imagine that “Porsche must have a harsh ride” will likely think, “Oh? It’s actually quite nice, isn’t it?” when they get behind the wheel of the 992.

Of course, the Panamera and Cayenne still offer far superior ride comfort, so it’s good to keep in mind that this is a sports car—the 911.

Easy to Drive

The 991 was already easy to drive, and the 992 is just as easy, if not more so. As expected from Porsche, it responds exactly as you want, giving you the illusion that your driving skills have improved.

For wives who usually drive large sedans, this “feeling of being in full control” of the 911 will be thrilling.

Sports cars often have a reputation for heavy steering, but modern Porsches are easy to handle even for women. (The test car was equipped with Power Steering Plus, which probably helped.)

Also, this test car had the slightly smaller GT Sport Steering Wheel, which enhanced the feeling of having the car right in your hands—it was very satisfying.

Some sports cars have heavy brakes that require a strong press (our previous McLaren 650S had very heavy brakes that were intimidating), but the 911’s brakes are very manageable. The accelerator also responds precisely to how much you press, making it a sports car that women can drive without worry.

Comfortable Front Passenger Seat

You shouldn’t compare it to the GT3, but the GT3’s front passenger seat isn’t very comfortable. So unless your wife is a serious car enthusiast, she might not want to go out together in that car.

That said, once you’re behind the wheel, the GT3’s power, excitement, and charm become clear. Personally, I feel that “the GT3 feels completely different from the passenger seat compared to the driver’s seat.”

However, the 992’s front passenger seat was comfortable. On winding mountain roads, the GT3 is obviously sharper and more aggressive in corners, but the 992 is still quite sharp. There were moments when I felt “a bit stronger lateral G in the 992…” but for city driving, the passenger seat was comfortable and pleasant.

Cup Holder in the Center Console

Previous 911s only had a small, fragile-looking cup holder tucked away in the dashboard, but the 992 has a cup holder installed in the center console (though in the photo it’s holding keys).

This is very welcome. I’ve heard wives say, “Why is the cup holder so cheap when the Porsche is so expensive?” and many wives enjoy driving elegantly with a Starbucks coffee in hand (just my impression), so having a cup holder in the center console is a big plus.

By the way, the passenger seat’s cup holder is still located in the dashboard.

Front Seats Fold Down Easily

The 911 is a 2-door 4-seater, so to get into the rear seats, you have to fold the front seats forward. Previously, there was a lever on the side of the seat that required some strength to push and fold the seat.

But in the 992, that lever has been replaced with a strap. Pulling this strap lets you fold the seat easily without much effort.

It’s a small detail, but I thought it was great that even women can handle it easily. (I forgot to take a photo of the strap)

Easy-to-See Park Assist Camera

The 992 comes standard with a surround-view camera and park assist, which is a great feature for women like me who aren’t confident at parking.

Moreover, the park assist screen was very easy to see.

The top-down view on the right half of the screen was especially clear. The current 971 Panamera has a similar feature, but

the 992’s image was even easier to see. This feature is truly appreciated by wives who often have to park in crowded supermarkets or tight parking lots.

Road Noise is Loud

Having listed many positives, the one concern I had was that “road noise is quite loud.” Combined with the low engine tone, it felt like a constant whooshing sound while driving.

Since we also own an air-cooled Porsche, I thought, “This engine sound and road noise remind me of an air-cooled model. The 992 was designed with air-cooled inspiration in many ways.” But many wives probably haven’t experienced air-cooled Porsches, so they might find the 992 noisy.

Overall Impression of the 992

In summary, the 911 (992) is incredibly easy to drive and comfortable, and I was reminded once again that it’s truly a wonderful car that women can drive without worry.

It might feel too well-behaved for those who want “a car with more character” or “a car more focused on sporty driving,” but (though I doubt many wives fit that description, haha) for someone like me, it was a thoroughly satisfying and excellent car.

Thank you very much to Mr. H at the dealer for letting us test drive it!