Used 2023 Porsche 718 Cayman

The 718 Cayman is the hard-top counterpart of the 718 Boxster convertible, a coupe with two seats and a mid-mounted engine. That’s a mundane way of describing what is one of the most engaging cars on the road, with accessible capabilities and — in the lower price reaches — a relatively affordable way to get into a new Porsche sports car.

This generation debuted for the 2017 model year, and although the 718 Cayman has timeless qualities that will please driving enthusiasts of any age (and across a range of abilities), it still comes with a CD player.

Standard equipment is not especially generous in the base model, but it could be argued that it has all it needs. And when you drive it, you can feel the depth of the engineering. That’s when it all seems like money well spent, which is true for any 718 Cayman.

The open-air 718 Boxster is reviewed separately.

Some sports cars are just plain firm, a constant reminder of sportiness that can become tiresome if you’re not in the mood or on the right roads. The 718 Cayman isn’t like that.

It’s composed, for sure. But there’s a fluidity to the chassis, the way it flows gracefully around corners with a fine balance from its mid-engine configuration.

The brakes feel decisive and easy to modulate. The steering is responsive, making us realize how little feel and feedback most other cars have these days. And the well-engineered manual transmission clicks sweetly from one gear to the next, requiring only minimal effort. The optional automatic with shift paddles beneath the steering wheel has a similarly precise action.

Although the 300-horsepower engine in the base 718 Cayman and Cayman T is pretty good, we recommend stretching to the 350-horsepower S model. The rest of the car is so capable and involving that it’s a shame not to exploit it with some real muscle.

The new-for-2023 GT4 RS is its own animal. The 493-horsepower engine comes from the 911 GT3, one of the most fearsome 911 models, with a much sportier (yes, firmer) suspension to match. Buy one if you want to win on track days.

This is a 2-seater, with its engine mounted behind the seats. There’s enough space and comfort for people of most shapes and sizes, as long as they’re happy to bend a bit to get in and out.

The seats are supportive, holding their occupants through quick corners yet cushioned to make long trips more than bearable. Achieving the driving position is easy, unsurprisingly, and the steering wheel has just the right amount of chunkiness to it. Porsche always offers plenty of choices for color schemes.

Porsche keeps infotainment technology at an understated level. And no designer went to town on the interior. If they did, the subsequent finessing must have been a great lesson in restraint. This car is more about driving than anything else, yet the materials and build quality are exemplary.

Most versions have a trunk area of 9.7 cubic feet, plus a 5.3-cubic foot space under the hood. So that’s useful in some ways but not great for larger items. Oh well, who buys a sports car for hauling anyway?

Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM)
This is standard in the 718 Cayman T and GT models, tuned for extra sportiness and a lower ride height than the basic 718 Cayman.

Flat-6 engine
This classic Porsche configuration comes complete with a special, thrilling exhaust sound that only emanates from such an engine. All the GT models have one.

Sport Chrono package
Standard in the higher trims, optional in the lower models, this package brings a clock/stopwatch for the center console and adds a launch mode for the automatic transmission.

Porsche Torque Vectoring
This is another feature that’s optional in the more affordable 718 Cayman models and standard higher up. A mechanically locking differential adjusts the amount of torque going to each rear wheel to help keep a tight line through quick corners. It comes in tandem with PASM.

Burmester audio
If there’s one non-driving-related optional indulgence worth considering in the 2023 718 Cayman, it’s this wonderful 12-speaker/821-watt surround-sound system.

Porsche Ceramic Composite brakes
To go fast, you need good brakes. Not only are these discs huge, they’re made from a special material that won’t fade or warp even after a series of hot laps. They’re an $8,000 option with the GT4 models, but being a track-day hero doesn’t come cheap.

At the relatively cheaper end of the 2023 718 Cayman spectrum, propulsion is supplied by a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. In the base model and the 718 Cayman T, it’s a 2.0-liter version making 300 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque.

There’s a displacement of 2.5 liters for the Cayman S, enabling 350 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque.

Going up another level, we’re looking at naturally aspirated (no turbos or superchargers) 6-cylinder engines. As its name suggests, the GTS 4.0 has a 4-liter engine. It develops 394 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque. Not so different from the 718 Cayman S, but it delivers its thrust at higher revs, allowing the driver to fine-tune output with the accelerator.

That same engine goes into the GT4. Same torque figure as well, but with 414 horsepower achieved at a screaming 7,600 rpm — almost the redline.

A different 4.0-liter 6-cylinder engine goes into the new-for-2023 GT4 RS. The crucial numbers here are 493 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque. This much power in a small, light, and nimble car is fantastic.

The GT4 RS is the only 718 Cayman to come with a 7-speed automated transmission as standard (which says a lot about how highly Porsche rates this unit, known as PDK), the rest come with a 6-speed manual transmission, offering the PDK as an option. Every variant deploys rear-wheel drive. Premium gasoline is required for all engines.

718 Cayman, 718 Cayman T
2.0-liter turbocharged flat-4
300 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
280 lb-ft of torque @ 1,950-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/25 mpg (manual), 21/27 mpg (auto)

718 Cayman S
2.5-liter turbocharged flat-4
350 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
309 lb-ft of torque @ 1,900-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/24 mpg (manual), 19/25 (auto)

Cayman GTS 4.0
4.0-liter flat-6
394 horsepower @ 7,000 rpm
309 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000-6,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/24 mpg (manual), 19/24 mpg (auto)

Cayman GT4
4.0-liter flat-6
414 horsepower @ 7,600 rpm
309 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000-6,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/23 mpg (manual), 18/24 mpg (auto)

Cayman GT4 RS
4.0-liter flat-6
493 horsepower @ 8,400 rpm
331 lb-ft of torque @ 6,250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/19 mpg

More 718 Cayman fuel economy information is available on the EPA’s website.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

The new-car warranty on a 2023 Porsche 718 Cayman is for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This is typical for the luxury sector.