2008 Porsche 911 Carrera Quality Review

The 2008 Porsche 911 lineup offers very good front-occupant comfort and great overall quality, and it even boasts impressive cargo space, especially for its class.

Inside the cozy cabin of the 2008 Porsche 911, Cars.com finds that although they are "called four-passenger automobiles by Porsche, 911s have plenty of space for front-seat occupants, but backseat riders are in for a major squeeze." Other reviews read by TheCarConnection.com affirm that opinion, with Edmunds claiming that "large footwells and a tilt/telescoping steering column virtually guarantee that most drivers will be comfortable behind the wheel," but they also write of the backseats that "in a pinch, they'll work for small children, but no more than that." Up front, ConsumerGuide says "room is good" and the "911's seats hug without binding and are long-haul supportive." For extra comfort and support, ForbesAutos writes that Porsche 911 customers have the option of upgrading to Adaptive Sport Seats, which "improve both lateral support and overall comfort."

One area of concern on the 911 Porsche is the retractable roof on the Targa models, which ForbesAutos notes "reduces what little rear-seat headroom there is to begin with and could even smack a rear occupant in the head." It is also worth mentioning that both the GT3 and GT2 variants of the 911 Porsche do away with the rear seats altogether, in the interest of cutting weight.

The interior of the 2008 Porsche 911 also offers impressive cargo room, especially in Targa form. ForbesAutos claims that "the Porsche 911 Targa provides a surprising amount of cargo flexibility," thanks in part to the fact that "the rear seats fold forward to create a flat cargo floor" and the "lift-up glass hatch makes accessing this space much easier than on other 911 coupes." Edmunds writes that although the folding rear seats provide some storage space, "the 911's principal cargo area is located underneath the hood up front." Thanks to the rear-engine layout of the Porsche 911, the underhood storage compartment is free to hold "a couple of gym bags," according to ConsumerGuide, who also declares that overall cargo room is "great for a sports car." Inside the cabin, even the lightweight 911 Porsche GT2 retains "two swing-arm cup holders," which are present on all 2008 Porsche 911 models.

Porsche has a long history and reputation of producing high-quality vehicles, and the 2008 Porsche 911 lineup is no exception. ForbesAutos writes that "Porsche 911s are usually completely devoid of creaks and rattles," though they did notice "creaks when going over potholes" in their Porsche 911 Targa. Otherwise, they praise "plenty of engineering forethought" that goes into every 911 Porsche. ConsumerGuide recognizes the quality that comes with the Porsche badge, saying that "you pay plenty, but that's partly offset by solid construction." ConsumerGuide adds that "cabin materials are solid and mostly upscale," while Motor Trend raves about the standard "rich Alcantara" that adorns the interior of the GT2 and GT3 variants of the 911 Porsche.

Those lucky enough to drive a 2008 Porsche 911 will be treated to quite a bit of ambient noise, but most of it comes from "the engine's unique sound," which ConsumerGuide considers "music to an enthusiast's ears." One complaint from Automobile comes from testing the 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet, where they state that "when the turbos are on full boost, intake honk and turbo whoosh create a giant sucking sound that assaults your ears." Otherwise, most reviewers agree with ConsumerGuide when they say that there is "lots of engine and tire noise, but 911s are on par for ultra-performance sports cars."