③ Handling

As my first Porsche and first luxury sports car, I can’t give a fully informed evaluation, but it’s simply excellent. The low center of gravity and minimal body roll make lateral G feel smaller. I thought, “Much of what I thought was lateral G might actually have been gravitational force from body roll.”

④ Fuel Economy

Considering the power, it’s very good. 8–9 km/L in city commuting, 9–12 km/L in suburbs and mountain roads, and 13–15 km/L on highways. I only tested during break-in, but steady 80 km/h cruising can reach 16 km/L. Seasonal differences apply; running AC full blast in summer can drop fuel economy by over 1 km/L.
For comparison, my previous Subaru B4 (flat-6 3.0L NA) got 7 km/L city, 9 km/L suburban, and 13 km/L highway.
The Cayman (2L) has only a 54L fuel tank but can cover over 700 km on highways, which I find sufficient.

⑤ Ride Comfort and Feel

Ride Comfort

Without PASM and with normal ride height, road contact is excellent, and ride comfort as a sports car is good. Before, I drove a Subaru B4 (Bilstein dampers, 18-inch wheels), and the firmness feels similar. (But the Cayman has much less roll.)
However, stroke isn’t large, so you feel bumps on big road irregularities.

Brakes

The brakes work as expected, very well. With minimal body attitude change, you can brake confidently. ABS activation is easy to sense.

Visibility

Visibility is better than expected, especially with wide side mirror views. The mirror position relative to the rear fender allows more outward angle than typical sedans, which was a pleasant surprise.

⑥ Family Reaction

My wife now prefers riding in the passenger seat more than with the previous car.

⑦ Favorite Points

Though not physically large by modern standards, it feels even smaller when driving, which I like.

5) Options I Would Definitely Choose for Future Porsche Purchases

– Options I liked having

・Power Folding Mirrors
・Rear Window Wiper
・Connect Plus (standard on 911, etc.)

– Options I want next time

Backup Camera

– Options I think I don’t need next time

Lane Change Assist… It definitely helps safety when faster or slower cars approach on highways, so I’d choose it for Autobahn driving, but it’s unnecessary in Japan. In congested city driving, following the assist can prevent lane changes, and on mountain or narrow roads, it reacts to guardrails and distracts.

6) Concerns

Door Dings

The doors are thick, and the Cayman has pressed lines, so I’m careful not to hit adjacent cars when parking.

Engine and Exhaust Sound

I’m unsure if the low-speed engine and exhaust sound suit the Cayman. It feels closer to a large-displacement V8 than a “light-sized small turbo.”

Brake Dust

Not unique to the Cayman, but standard brakes produce a lot of brake dust. I wish PSCB (Porsche Surface Coated Brakes) could be retrofitted without going all the way to PCCB.

Interior Reflections

Not just the Cayman, but the steering spokes, shift lever surround, and glove box use many chrome accents that reflect direct sunlight and cause glare. An option to make these matte black would be great, but even black choices have glossy surfaces. So I applied matte black masking tape used for photography to reduce reflections.

*Anti-reflection on shift area and steering: matte black masking tape

*Additional notes (2019.1.15)
[Two points remain unclear:
① The GT steering wheel spokes are black, so reflections may not be an issue (not tested).
② The “Leather Interior Package” option reportedly replaces these areas with smooth leather matching the interior color, which might reduce reflections, but I haven’t seen it in person.
This option is hard to find in the configurator and I only recently noticed it. There are two similarly named options with different contents; the first can be selected alone without upgrading seats or other interiors and is probably synthetic leather…]

The 911’s Presence

Since I first admired the 911, I naturally keep an eye on it.

*Additional notes (2019.1.15)
[After writing this 718 Cayman report, I ordered a 911 Carrera and chose the two interior options mentioned above.]

7) Overall Evaluation

Daily commuting is enjoyable, and I want to go out on weekends. Now, I can’t imagine life without a Porsche.

8) What Porsche Means to Me

A Dream

When driving the Cayman, it’s a reliable partner. Somehow it feels cute and pet-like.

[Blog Administrator’s Thoughts]
The Rhodium Metallic Silver 718 Cayman is rarely seen in town but looks beautiful and stands out wonderfully both in the city and on mountain roads. The 718 with MT feels like a true partner, fun to drive and very appealing. Thank you very much, Porsche Dreamer!