Kelley Blue Book: Review: The 2022 Porsche 911 is still a leader in luxury sports cars

2022 Porsche 911 pricing

The base price of the 2022 Porsche 911 is $101,200 (plus the destination fee). The new Porsche 911 GTS starts at $136,700, while the track-oriented GT3 begins at $161,100. As for the high-performance 911 Turbo, it starts at $174,300.

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The price of the Porsche 911 can go through the roof when you move up the model range and add options like all-wheel drive, a convertible or Targa top, tire and wheel packages, performance upgrades, and tech features. The most expensive 911 before adding any options is the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, which starts at $219,800.

Here’s a complete listing of starting prices for all 2022 Porsche 911 models:

Carrera:

911 Carrera: $101,200
911 Carrera Cabriolet: $114,000
911 Carrera 4: $108,500
911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet: $121,300
911 Carrera Targa 4: $121,300.

Carrera S:

911 Carrera S: $117,100
911 Carrera S Cabriolet: $129,900; 911 Carrera 4S: $124,400; 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet: $137,200; 911 Targa 4S: $137,200.

Carrera GTS: 

911 Carrera GTS: $136,700
911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet: $149,500
911 Carrera 4 GTS: $144,000
911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet: $156,800
911 Targa 4 GTS: $156,800.

911 Turbo: 

911 Turbo: $174,300
911 Turbo Cabriolet: $187,100
911 Turbo S: $207,000
911 Turbo S Cabriolet: $219,800.

911 GT3: 

911 GT3: $161,100.

Driving the 2022 Porsche 911

Few cars strike a perfect balance of modern and retro quite like the Porsche 911. The nod to tradition in the Porsche 911 is much more than skin deep. The heritage-inspired look is one thing, but everything from the interior design to the driving experience harks back to the character of classic 911 models while simultaneously feeling decidedly modern. Whether you’re a seasoned 911 enthusiast or you’re getting behind the wheel of a Porsche for the first time, you will be impressed with the experience that the 2022 911 delivers to the driver.

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The 911 Carrera connects the driver to the road through precise steering, an obsessively tuned suspension, and a standard twin-turbo flat-6 engine behind the driver. It’s a similar story with the communicative accelerator, brake, and — when applicable — clutch pedals. The car accelerates swiftly and stops just as well, especially if you make the pricey upgrade to Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes with 6 pistons in front and 4 in back. Most 911 models are equipped with a quick-shifting PDK 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, but for the Porsche purist, a 7-speed manual is available on the Carrera S.

This engine produces 379 horsepower in its base form, but can be upgraded to 443 hp in the Carrera S models and 473 in the new Carrera GTS models. Upgrade to the Turbo and Turbo S models for even stronger performance or the GT3 model for serious track driving. There simply isn’t a bad engine in the 911, guaranteeing you’ll be satisfied with whichever one best fits your budget.

Interior comfort

The 911 is primarily a sports car, but it doesn’t forget that it’s also a luxury car. The interior design has many reminders of classic Porsche design, like a sparse dashboard with a large analog tachometer right in front of the driver. This interior has an elegant simplicity and uses high-quality materials and thoughtfully integrated tech features. The infotainment screen is large, but unintrusive, and is highly customizable to show you everything you want to see and nothing you don’t.

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The rear-engine configuration yields a pretty spacious interior for the driver and front passenger. The two rear seats are notoriously cramped, but they can be useful if you need extra seats in a pinch. Another perk of the rear-engine layout is a surprisingly roomy “frunk” for storing cargo.

Exterior styling

Other than the Jeep Wrangler, the Porsche 911 might be the most instantly recognizable car on sale today. That’s because it hasn’t strayed far from its original aesthetic from more than a half-century ago. The round headlights, low-slung stance, and inimitable profile create a picture of a true automotive icon that’s sure to age well through the years.

There’s no doubt that the 2022 Porsche 911 gets its styling from its heritage, but there’s no shortage of modern flair in its design. It has the rear light bar taillights that have become a fixture of the Porsche brand, and we think it works very well on the 911. Also, the car’s look can change quite a bit depending on which model you go with. The Cabriolet takes the top off, and the Targa models give it a look that’s distinct from the standard Carrera coupe, but still honors the car’s heritage.

The new 911 Carrera GT3 models are distinguished by a lowered sport suspension, black exterior trim on their spoiler, center-lock alloy wheels, engine louvers, and GTS script.

The 911 GT3 has many functional aesthetic touches that make it a more effective track weapon, like a “swan-neck” mounted rear wing and a carbon fiber hood with integrated air outlets. The Turbo models have some unique styling cues of their own, like a special rear spoiler and gaping rear brake ducts that contribute to making the 911 a more extreme version of itself.

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Favorite features

Unique personality
You could get a more powerful car for less money, but there’s simply nothing quite like driving a Porsche 911. We love the fact that it’s retained its distinct charm over the years. To the enthusiast who truly appreciates the unique car that the 911 is, it’s well worth the price.

Sport Chrono Package
The Sport Chrono Package is an easy recommendation to those who have the budget for it. This package adds a cool dash-mounted stopwatch, launch control, more drive mode options, adaptive engine mounts, and even a tire temperature readout.

Standard features

The 2022 Porsche 911 is well-appointed with standard features. On top of the basics that you would expect like dual-zone automatic climate control and remote keyless entry, you get a 10.9-inch infotainment system with navigation and Apple
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CarPlay, two USB powers, a Wi-Fi hot spot, leather seats (which are heated in front), an adaptive suspension system, front and rear parking sensors, forward-collision warning, and automatic emergency braking.

Factory options

There’s a long list of available options for the Porsche 911 that improve performance, aesthetics, and comfort. On top of the range of available engines, a few available performance upgrades include Power Steering Plus, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, a 4-wheel steering system, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, an aerodynamics kit, and the Sport Chrono Package.

Some available interior amenities include multiple premium audio systems, ambient interior lighting, and a power sunroof. Some advanced driver assistance technology features available include traffic sign recognition, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, and more. If you want to customize your 911 to stand out from the crowd even more than it already does, there are several wheel and paint options to make it your own.

Also notable: The new 2022 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Coupe is available with a Lightweight Package. In addition to carbon-fiber bucket seats, the package includes a lightweight battery and weight-saving side and rear glass. The rear seat is deleted, too, for a total weight savings of 55 pounds.

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Engine and transmission

The 2022 Porsche 911 is powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-6 available in three different states of tune. The base Carrera has 379 horsepower, while the Carrera S and Carrera GTS put out 443 and 473 hp, respectively.

In the 911 Turbo, the twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-6 puts out 572 horsepower or 640 hp in the Turbo S. The only 2022 Porsche 911 powered by a naturally aspirated engine is the track-ready GT3, which makes great use of a 4.0-liter flat-6 that pumps out 502 horsepower at a lofty 8,400 rpm.

The 911 is a rear-engine design and comes standard with rear-wheel drive. Every 911 with the number “4” in its name is equipped with all-wheel drive. Most 2022 911 models are equipped with an 8-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission. You can get the S and new GTS models with a 7-speed manual.

3.0-liter twin-turbocharged flat-6
(Carrera, Carrera Cabriolet, Carrera 4, Carrera 4 Cabriolet, Targa 4)
379 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
331 lb-ft of torque @ 1,950-5000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/24 mpg (all Carrera, Carrera 4, and Targa 4 models)

3.0-liter twin-turbocharged flat-6
(Carrera S, Carrera S Cabriolet, Carrera 4S, Carrera 4S Cabriolet, Targa 4S, Carrera GTS, Carrera GTS Cabriolet, Carrera 4 GTS, Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, Targa 4 GTS)
443 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm (473 in GTS models)
390 lb-ft of torque @ 2,300-5,000 rpm (420 in GTS models)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/23 mpg (S automatic), 18/25 mpg (S manual, S Cabrio manual), 18/23 (S Cabrio automatic, 4S automatic, 4S Cabrio automatic, Targa 4S automatic), 17/25 (4S manual) 17/24 mpg (4S Cabrio manual, Targa 4S manual), 18/24 (Targa 4 automatic)

3.8-liter twin-turbocharged flat-6 (Turbo, Turbo Cabriolet)
572 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
553 lb-ft of torque @ 2,250-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/20 mpg (all Turbo Coupes and Cabriolets)

3.8-liter twin-turbocharged flat-6 (Turbo S, Turbo S Cabriolet)
640 horsepower @ 6,750 rpm
590 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/20 mpg (all Turbo S Coupes and Cabriolets)

4.0-liter flat-6 (GT3)
502 horsepower @ 8,400 rpm
346 lb-ft of torque @ 6,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: N/A

This story originally ran on KBB.com.