2008 Porsche Cayman
Based on analysis of 40 Cayman reviews and test drives.
Porsche Cayman - What the Auto Press Says
The 2008 Porsche Cayman ranks 3 out of 9 Luxury Sports Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 40 published reviews and test drives of the Porsche Cayman, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.
The Cayman receives a high ranking because it's generally regarded as a mid-engine masterpiece of performance and has a surprising amount of utility for a sports car. This Porsche is a dream come true for luxury sports car shoppers.
Enzo Ferrari famously said that convertibles were for playboys -- serious drivers go for coupes. With the Cayman, the fixed-roof version of its successful Boxster roadster, Porsche has opened a door for serious drivers to enjoy the storied brand at an entry-level (for Porsche) price. Like the Boxster, the Cayman features a mid-mounted engine, which allows for almost perfect balance. That balance, combined with the hard-top's more rigid structure, makes the Cayman a hot performer that some test drivers believe even rivals the Porsche 911. According to Automobile Magazine, it's "everything the 911 has not been for most of its career: confidence-inspiring, super-stable, totally balanced, quite forgiving, a gifted storyteller that is equally good at listening."
The Cayman also offers a surprising amount of utility for a sports car. Its mid-engine platform allows for two trunks and a large amount of cargo space for the class, and its suspension easily switches from taught performance at the track to comfortable cruising for the ride home. Still, the rear-wheel drive Cayman is focused more on driving than distractions -- as is evident by its lack of class-common creature comforts.
The Cayman comes both as a base model and the Cayman S, which has a slightly larger engine that makes 50 more horsepower than the base. It also comes with a standard six-speed manual transmission and an automatically adaptive suspension, though both can be added to the base Cayman, making the base the model most reviews recommend.
- "Potentially... the Cayman S (named imaginatively for a breed of crocodile, not the remote Caribbean islands) combines the best of the Boxster and 911: the rigidity of a coupe body (like the Carrera's) combined with the superior weight distribution delivered by the Boxster's mid-engine layout." -- Car and Driver
- "The good news is that you don't need any options unless you want to get into the personalizing one-upmanship game. Sure, there are a few things you might want, like automatic climate control or satellite radio, but the basic equipment works well enough, and the expensive frosting doesn't much affect the basic goodness of the Cayman driving experience." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Cayman Performance - 9.1 (Excellent)
In terms of performance, the Cayman ranks near the top of its class. "Mid-engine Porsches are some of the sweetest handling cars on the planet," writes the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Flick the steering wheel to lop an arc from a curve, and the Cayman simply waltzes through." Continue with our full Performance Review to read why some test drivers prefer the Cayman S's six-speed transmission over the base model's five-speed. continue
Cayman Exterior - 8.8 (Very Good)
Like the Boxster, its convertible sibling, the 2008 Cayman leaves reviewers pleased with its unique styling. In fact, its exterior design ranks within the top half of its class. According to Automobile Magazine: "The Cayman's exterior is very clearly derived from the Boxster's, and in fact most body panels back to the haunches are identical. Prominent round foglamps distinguish coupe from roadster in the front profile, and the Cayman side view -- not its prettiest angle, we feel -- is notable for the domelike steel roof and the unique side air intakes." Continue with our full Exterior Review to learn why some reviewers compare the Cayman to the 911, or go to the 2008 Cayman Photo Gallery to see pictures for yourself. continue
Cayman Interior - 7.1 (Good)
Critics agree that the Cayman has comfortable seats and plenty of cargo room -- two trunks, in fact. Even so, fussy controls and an overwhelming loud engine detract from the Cayman's appeal and make for an interior ranking in the bottom half of its class. Car and Driver explains, "The background whirring of belts and accessory pumps and the thrum of meaty 19-inch Michelins are noises cooped up by the Cayman's roof." Continue with our full Interior Review to learn which common-class interior features the Cayman lacks, or go to the 2008 Cayman Photo Gallery to see pictures of its cabin for yourself. continue
Cayman Safety - NA
Neither the federal government nor the insurance industry has crash tested the 2008 Cayman. It does, however, feature a wide array of standard safety equipment -- including traction and stability control, as well as six air bags. Continue with our full Safety Review to learn why the Cayman isn't suitable for small children. continue
Cayman Reliability - 8.0 (Very Good)
The 2008 Porsche Cayman reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). The Cayman comes with a four-year/50,000 mile basic warranty. Continue with our full Reliability Review to learn why one reviewer believes that you may "need things fixed shortly after you drive off the lot..." continue
