Porsche 718 Cayman running costs and reliability

2016 onwards (change model)

Running costs rating: 3 out of 53.0

Porsche 2017 718 Cayman Coupe Static exterior

Porsche 2017 718 Cayman Coupe Exterior detail

Porsche 2017 718 Cayman Coupe Interior detail

Written by Tim Pollard Published: 13 October 2020 Updated: 18 August 2022

Miles per pound (mpp) ⓘ

Low figures relate to the least economical version; high to the most economical. Based on WLTP combined fuel economy for versions of this car made since September 2017 only, and typical current fuel or electricity costs.

Petrol engines	3.1 - 4.6 mpp

What is miles per pound?

Fuel economy ⓘ

Low figures relate to the least economical version; high to the most economical. Based on WLTP combined fuel economy for versions of this car made since September 2017 only.

Petrol engines	21.4 - 31.7 mpg

View mpg & specs for any version

Surprisingly close between four- and six-cylinder models
Maintenance costs won’t be cheap
But two-year service intervals welcome

What are the running costs?

Let’s not beat around the bush. The Porsche 718 Cayman is not going to be a cheap car to run. But for a car of this type and pedigree, it needn’t break the bank, either. And anyone who can afford the £50k+ price tag shouldn’t baulk at the cost of running this two-seater.

All models come with stop-start, with CO2 emissions surprisingly close between the four- and six-cylinder cars, making you wonder what the benefit of losing two pistons was in the first place.

The 2.0-litre petrol is the cheapest to run and lowest emitting. You’ll get close to 30mpg in real-world driving and mid 30s if you’re really trying. The flipside? Enjoy a fast blast and fuel economy will quickly sink to the 20s, if not lower. The 2.5-litre is a similar story.

The six-cylinder 4.0-litre isn’t far off these figures, with mid 20s around town and reaching low-30s on a motorway cruise with the help of cylinder deactivation.

Servicing and warranty

The Cayman comes with a three-year/unlimited mile warranty as standard. Porsches only require servicing every two years or 20,000 miles, bringing welcome relief from big bills on a regular basis.

However, Porsche dealerships aren’t renowned for their low labour rates. You can expect hefty charges for consumables such as tyres, brake pads and exhausts, particularly if you take your car on track, so make sure you factor those into your budgeting.

Reliability

Proven platform, few known faults
Recall history is good on Cayman
Smaller four-cylinder engines still to be proven

The Cayman has been around in one form or another since 2006 and has established a strong reputation for reliability with few known mechanical problems. Earlier issues, such as ‘trunk clunk’ – when the tailgate would rattle over bumps in the road – have largely been ironed out.

The Cayman has only been subject to two recalls in its lifetime, and even then they were back in 2016. The recalls were regarding airbag control units and cross member sections.