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If you were to create a hall of fame for sports cars, it’s a certainty that the Porsche 911 would be in it. Beloved by owners worldwide, the 911 has provided superlative performance, style and refinement for decades.
The current generation also has a seemingly endless lineup of models and customisation options. Whether you want a track-focused machine or a powerful grand tourer, Porsche has you covered.
The refreshed 2025 Porsche 911
Porsche has given the 2025 911 a significant update.
All models receive reworked front and rear styling. Most of the revisions help improve aerodynamics and engine cooling.
Inside, the instrument panel is now a completely digital unit that’s configurable. Porsche also repositioned some controls for easier reach such as the engine start button and gear selector stalk.
But, the big news is the GTS’ new hybrid powertrain.
It still has a turbocharged flat-six engine, but it’s paired with hybrid componentry to significantly improve performance.
It cranks out 532 horsepower, which is 59hp more than the outgoing GTS. The base Carrera’s engine also gets updated, but only receives a small power bump from 379 hp to 388 hp.
Finally, Porsche has given the top performance versions chassis improvements for better performance and revised the availability of certain features.
Competitors to consider
The 911 is an amazing luxury sports car, but it’s expensive. For not much more than the base 911 Carrera, you can get a BMW M8 coupe or the new Mercedes-Benz AMG GT coupe.
Both are larger and more comfortable. Other alternatives to the 911 are the Chevrolet Corvette, including the new 1,064-hp Corvette ZR1, Aston Martin Vantage and McLaren Artura.
Performance
Automobile drivers tested the base 911 Carrera coupe. At the test track, it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds and sprinted past the quarter mile in 11.7 seconds.
Launch control makes getting quick times easy, and the Carrera had no problem with repeated runs at our tested track. The eight-speed dual-clutch automatic is quick but smooth, and it’s smart enough to generally be in the right gear when needed. If you prefer to shift with a clutch, Porsche still offers a manual in the Carrera T.
As impressive as the acceleration is, it’s the 911’s steering, braking and overall handling that make it a standout sports car.
The 911’s rear-engine layout gives it unique handling that helps with traction because there’s always weight over the rear axle.
The steering is quick and responsive and offers excellent feedback from the road. The 911’s brakes are strong and are capable of helping the 911 make shorter panic stops than most cars on the road today.
Comfort
The 911 Carrera is the sort of sports car you can drive daily without undue stress on your spine. The seats are well-padded and supportive, though the base sport seats don’t offer much adjustment.
The adaptive suspension is comfortable and compliant, especially given how well the car handles.
The 911 is not the quietest coupe on the street, though wind and road noise is well dampened. You always hear the growl from Porsche’s flat-six engine, and the car’s optional sport exhaust was never overly loud or obnoxious.
Interior
The 911’s driving position is exactly what you want from a sports car. All but the tallest occupants should be comfortable up front.
Porsche no longer includes a rear seat as standard, though you are not missing much without it. It’s only suitable for young children. Forward visibility is excellent thanks to the low hood and relatively small pillars.
The 911 uses a mix of physical and touchscreen controls. The touchscreen is responsive and easy to reach.
There are dedicated switches for the climate system, and the steering wheel uses real buttons and knobs.
From 2025 onward, the 911 uses a fully digital instrument cluster.
Technology
The 911 finally includes both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Both can connect your phone wirelessly.
The test drivers noticed some connectivity issues, though nothing persisted for long. There are USB-C ports for speedy charging.
The digital instrument cluster can display gauges or a navigation map, and the latter can integrate turn-by-turn directions from Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
While the number of standard driver aids is limited, Porsche does offer features like adaptive cruise control and parking assist as optional equipment.
Storage
Because the engine occupies the rear half of the car, cargo space is restricted to a 4.6-cubic-foot bin under the hood. It’s large enough for two soft-sided carry-on bags, but not much else.
You can use the rear seating area for additional storage, but getting stuff in and out requires an awkward stoop and a tight squeeze. There is also not a lot of space for your personal items. The cupholders, pockets and bins are all small, so pack accordingly.
The car seat anchors are easy to find, but that’s about the only good thing test drivers can say. The lack of rear seat room means installing a child safety seat is very difficult.
If you really need a vehicle for family duty, the Panamera, Cayenne and Macan are obviously better suited.
Fuel Economy
The base 911 Carrera coupe, which is what the test drivers chose, has an EPA-combined fuel economy estimate of 21 mpg.
The test drivers had no problem hitting those figures in their testing. That’s better than most rivals, even ones that also use six-cylinder power.
Value
A 911’s base price is just a starting point. Porsche makes available a seemingly endless number of options, from driver aids to paint colours.
That can be a good or bad thing depending on your point of view. Having to pay extra for, say, adaptive cruise control just seems greedy on Porsche’s part.
But the automaker does allow customers lots of personalisation potential. The Carrera coupe test car had tight build quality and no obvious flaws. The 911 is not the most premium car in its class, but fit and finish is as good as anything out there.
Porsche includes a four-year/50,000-mile basic and powertrain warranty, which is the average for this class. It also includes four years/50,000 miles of roadside assistance.
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