Best used Porsches

Many people consider the Porsche Cayman to be inferior, in every way, to the iconic Porsche 911. And, a lot of the time, those people haven't experienced a Cayman.

It's a sublime sports car, handling with expert poise, precision and driver engagement. What's more, thanks to its engine being positioned right behind the driver (as opposed to slung behind the rear wheels like in the 911), it's actually better balanced than its bigger sibling.  

Used prices start at around £22,000 (for this particular generation of Cayman), making it very reasonably priced by Porsche standards. 

"The Cayman was even better to drive than how I'd imagined it. From the second you set off, you feel in perfect harmony with the car." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2013 Porsche Cayman 2.7 981, 78,770 miles, £22,800

Read our full used Porsche Cayman review

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The Porsche Boxster isn't quite as razor sharp as its fixed-roof sibling, the Cayman, but it's a close call. The Boxster remains brilliant to drive and, if you're after open-top thrills, you really aren't doing yourself a disservice by choosing it. 

This generation of Boxster uses the same six-cylinder engines as the Cayman, meaning it sounds heavenly and goes like stink. And like in the Cayman, the Boxster employs a mid-engined layout to help with cornering and putting down power. 

"I would choose a Boxster over a Cayman, because there's the option of wind-in-your-hair fun and nearly all the same handling ability. Plus, I actually prefer the way the Boxster looks." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2014 Porsche Boxster 2.7 981, 66,000 miles, £19,995

Read our full used Porsche Boxster review

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Underneath its skin, the Porsche Macan shares parts with the Audi Q5, not that you'd know it – the Macan is much more of a driver's car. It almost defies physics with how agile and composed it is: enter a bend and it handles more like a somewhat tall, chunky hot hatch than an SUV. 

It is an SUV after all, though, and you get a lofty driving position, seating for five and a decent boot, meaning it can work as a family car – unlike the sports cars on this list. 

"The Macan has much of the same qualities and driver appeal as the super sporty Porsches and yet it's quite practical. I like the steering in particular, because it's sharp and well weighted." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2015 Porsche Macan 3.0TD V6 S, 69,158 miles, £19,989

Read our full used Porsche Macan review

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The words iconic, legendary and famed are often thrown around in the car world. For the Porsche 911, though, such acclaim is deserved. From the 1960's original to the current model, it's unique rear-engined layout, captivating handling and intoxicating performance has won many a fan over. 

This is the previous-gen car and it's a great used buy. Sure, it's not cheap per se – a fair few other cars on this list are more affordable – but prices are far from from the near-£100k that new 911s demand, plus this generation still feels fresh and modern, too.

"With its engine slung out behind the rear wheels, the 911 is naturally imperfect from a weight distribution point of view, yet somehow Porsche has made it feel perfectly natural. It's beyond me. The 911 is wonderful to drive." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera, 65,074 miles, £37,500

Read our full used Porsche 911 review

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Some Porsches can be described as beasts because of how fast they are, while the Porsche Cayenne can be described as a beast because of how big and beefy it is – and, in the case of certain versions (usually those with a V8 engine), also because of how fast it is. 

If a V8 engine does peak your interest, you can get one via a TD V8 S model (that's a diesel V8), a Turbo or Turbo S (that's a turbocharged V8) or, if you'd like the duality of V8 and electric power, the V8 E-Hybrid. There really is that much variety to be had with a Cayenne. 

"The Cayenne is a really nice car to drive. It has the quick and accurate steering that you'd expect from a Porsche and it's fun to drive. I appreciate it's practicality, too." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2015 Porsche Cayenne Turbo, 73,000 miles, £26,995

Read our full used Porsche Cayenne review

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This Porsche Cayman is older than the one we cited as our number one pick (and it does feel it). However, in turn it's a cheaper buy and there's certainly a lot of old-school charm here. For instance, helped by the steering being hydraulically assisted rather than electrically assisted, you have a fantastic feel of the road in front of you. It's also a smaller and lighter car, meaning it's tremendous on a tight, twisty B-road. 

"If you feel that the modern refinement of newer Caymans have robbed it of some feel and communication, try this one. It feeds back to the driver with less of a filter, giving you a great, honest connection to it. I found it very refreshing." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2009 Porsche Cayman 2.9 987, 66,500 miles, £14,200

Read our full used Porsche Cayman review

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You probably know the deal by now: the Porsche Boxster is the Cayman's drop-top cousin. As a driver's car, the Cayman is ever so slightly sharper, but don't let that put you off. 

This is the Boxster to the Cayman above, meaning it's also a few generations old and, as such, it feels a tad dated. Still, there's a lot to like, including six-cylinder power, amazing handling and enticing used prices. 

"Along with the original, this second-gen Boxster is a surefire future classic in my opinion." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2007 Porsche Cayman 2.7 987, 72,772 miles, £9995

Read our full used Porsche Cayman review

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Initially, the Porsche Panamera received a less-than-warm welcome – actually there were quite a few boos and hissess from Porsche purists. A five-door luxury car that takes styling cues from the 911? Blasphemy, they cried.  

However, as time passed and another generation (this one) came along, people seemed to warm to the Panamera, because it offered so much pace, space and opulence, all the while staying true to the Porsche name – in other words, it's amazing to drive. What's more, reasonable used prices has only made the Panamera all the more tempting. 

"The Panamera is a quick car, no matter which one you choose but especially Turbo models. They're my favourite." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2017 Porsche Panamera 3.0 V6 4, 73,000 miles, £36,500

Read our full used Porsche Panamera review

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The Porsche Taycan is a cracking electric car with a wonderfully honed driving experience and a comprehensively classy interior. You’ll find used Taycans are most affordable in 4S guise, because this mid-range variant was first to market. It has four-wheel drive and, if you find an example with the 93kWh Performance Battery Plus, a power figure of 469bhp (which rises to 523bhp for quick bursts).

For a Porsche of its age, prices are remarkably low on the used market. Watch out for infotainment-based issues, though, because they're prevalent and have let the Taycan down in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey. If the model were more reliable, it'd definitely rank higher. 

"The Taycan was the first electric car to astonish me from a driving point of view – actually, it astonished me from many a point of view." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2020 Porsche Taycan 4S, 50,440 miles, £39,964

Read our full used Porsche Taycan review

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