Porsche 911 (2015-2018) review - MPG, CO2 and Running Costs
New turbocharged engines improve mpg and lower CO2 without impacting performance
Some people bemoan the use of turbos in performance cars like this, but when they add even more performance and boost the 911’s green credentials, it’s hard to argue.
The base Carrera PDK will officially return 38.2mpg and 169g/km CO2, which isn’t bad for a high-performance coupe like this. Go for the manual and the figures aren’t quite so good, but 34.0mpg and 190g/km is still impressive.
The more powerful Carrera S isn’t quite as efficient, as you’d expect, but it delivers a best of 36.7mpg and 174g/km.
Go for the more involving manual and these figures are eroded further, with mpg falling to 32.5mpg and CO2 rising to 199g/km. Adding four-wheel drive takes this to 31.7mpg and 204g/km CO2 for the manual and 35.8mpg and 180g/km for the PDK model.
However, if you’re buying a performance coupe costing £75,000 or more, fuel economy might not be at the top of your priorities list. As this new 911 is much more usable than the model it replaced, the chances are you’ll drive it even more, so eking out what you can from a tank of fuel, improving cruising range, is actually a big benefit. Thank the turbos for that.
Active aerodynamics and stop-start technology help to shave a few more g/km compared to its predecessor, too. With its 64-litre fuel tank, cruising range is up to an impressive 538 miles in the Carrera PDK.
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There’s also been an improvement with the Turbo S, so adding to a long list of firsts this is the first 911 Turbo model to break 30mpg. Official figures are 31.0mpg and 212g/km CO2. It features similar active aero features to achieve these numbers.
Insurance groups
Insuring a Porsche isn’t ever going to be a bargain, so expect some hefty quotes, even if you shop around. With the 'entry-level' 911 Carrera coming in at group 47, the only way is up for the rest of the range, with most models sitting in the top group 50 rating.
Depreciation
Despite its high purchase price and relative lack of practicality compared to some cheaper performance saloons like the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63, the 911 resists depreciation well.
According to our experts, the basic Carrera manual car will hold onto a surprisingly strong 52 per cent of its original value after three years/60,000 miles. At the other end of the range, the Carrera S PDK almost identical, also holding onto 52 per cent.
The Carrera 4 is marginally behind this, while the more expensive Turbo S will depreciate more and is predicted to retain just 45 per cent of its value.
There’ll no doubt be a bit of a wait for the new 911, too, as buyers wanting the latest thing trade in their old cars. This means second-hand prices of the new model should stay high for quite a while until demand is satisfied – but it might also mean values of the older naturally-aspirated car take a bit of a hit.
