2026 Porsche 911 Review

The 2026 Carrera T demonstrates the 911's ongoing ascent to new heights of appeal.

James Riswick | 

Nov 13, 2025 | 8 min read

James Riswick

So, you're interested in the 2026 Porsche 911. Well, you're going to need to be more specific than that, because there's a whopping 20 different models, many of which provide fundamentally different driving experiences. A Carrera Cabriolet convertible is wildly different from the hardcore GT3 RS. But don't assume you'd prefer a pricier 911. The Carrera T I tested is proof positive of that.

For 2026, Porsche continues updating those 20 models to the 992.2 generation introduced for 2025. The base Carrera, Carrera GTS, and Targa were first, followed later in the model year by the Carrera T and the Carrera S. This year sees the hybrid Turbo S with 701 horsepower, while the all-wheel-drive 4S models get the 992.2 treatment.

Although the new hybrid powertrain has been the biggest news so far for the 992 generation's most recent update, other models received noteworthy upgrades. The base engine, for example, got new turbochargers and an intercooler, resulting in a horsepower bump. There were also subtle yet effective design tweaks and interior technology upgrades. I experienced all of the above in the Carrera T I reviewed, proving the 911 is indeed improved, if not exactly new.

James Riswick

About the 2026 Porsche 911

The 911 lineup consists of coupe and cabriolet convertible body styles that, for the most part, offer the same Carrera, Carrera T, Carrera S, Carrera 4S, GTS, and Turbo S models. There are also three coupe-only GT ultra-performance variants and two Targa models. Base prices range from about $135,000 to around $287,000, including the destination charge. The 911 is built in Stuttgart, Germany.

I tested the Carrera T in Southern California. It pairs the base Carrera's engine with a six-speed manual, unavailable on the other Carreras. It then adds a selection of performance upgrades, many of which are optional on the Carrera S and unavailable on the base Carrera. These include a lowered adaptive suspension, rear-axle steering, a sport exhaust, a torque-vectoring differential, and the Sport Chrono package (launch control, extra drive modes, a dash-top clock). The Carrera T also gets reduced sound deadening and lightweight glass.

The test car included some expensive options: a front-axle lift system, adaptive sport seats, surround-view parking camera, blind-spot monitoring, and a Bose surround-sound system. It also had a crucial no-cost option: a back seat. The manufacturer's suggested retail price was $162,250, including the $2,350 destination charge.

James Riswick

The 911 Carrera T Is Comfortable and Well-Built

To my eyes, the subtle design changes to the 992.2 generation corrected the slightly awkward blockiness of the car's original front-end design. I also think the Carrera T looks cleaner than the GTS with its gill-like louvers stuffed into the lower air dam.

The main change inside is the all-digital instrument panel, plus a cooled wireless charger under the center armrest. That's a great feature, though the location proves the adage "out of sight, out of mind." I constantly forgot my phone.

The Carrera T gets distinct interior upgrades: black plaid upholstery and a walnut shift ball, which provides a cool, retro look and a dash of visual interest in what is otherwise a plain cabin. Like other 911s I've tested, the materials, switchgear, and build quality all seem worthy of a car that costs this much.

The cabin is also easy to use. There are physical controls for the climate system — minus air recirculation, which is annoyingly buried in the touchscreen — and neat toggle switches that let you quickly adjust key vehicle controls: exhaust volume, suspension firmness, traction-control intervention, and the front-end lift system. The steering wheel controls are well executed, too.

James Riswick

The test car's 18-way adaptive sport seats are some of the most adjustable and supportive you'll find in any vehicle. They're well worth the extra cost.

The back seat is optional, but it doesn't cost anything, and I found it can accommodate a big, forward-facing convertible car seat. My 5-year-old had just enough legroom, and that's with the passenger seat moved so far forward that only a shorter person could comfortably fit. Thankfully, my wife's short. The 911 subsequently made for some delightful family outings.

The back seat could be a good idea for cargo, too. Fold the seatbacks down, and you have three tiers of storage. I fit two medium check-in bags, a roll-aboard suitcase, and a duffel bag back there. Combined with the two roll-aboards that fit in the frunk, that's six bags for two people. That should do.

Small-item storage space barely exists, and the central cupholder is too narrow for anything bigger than a can — and if used, it gets in the way of shifting. The door holders are similarly skinny but allow for taller bottles to fit. The most usable cupholder isn't accessible by the driver — it pops out of the passenger-side dash.

James Riswick

The 911 Features Great Infotainment and Few Driver Aids

The 911's Porsche Communication Management (PCM) infotainment system includes a 10.9-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, SiriusXM satellite radio, embedded navigation, and voice controls. A wireless phone charger is standard, too. The PCM is a user-friendly system featuring a sensible, uncluttered layout with easily read icons. It matches the rest of the cabin aesthetically and the car's driving-focused ethos.

The 12.6-inch curved digital instrument panel offers multiple layout options, including two navigation/map-focused designs I found useful for driving quickly on unfamiliar roads. That said, I prefer the old-school five-gauge design.

James Riswick

For a $160,000 car, this Porsche 911 came with a sparse array of driver-assistance technologies. It included only forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and parking sensors. Blind-spot monitoring, surprisingly, is not standard — in fact, it's a $910 option

The Carrera T doesn't offer adaptive cruise control at all — other manual-equipped cars do — and it's a $1,790 option on other Carreras. If you want lane-centering assist, that'll be $2,970 for the more advanced InnoDrive system.

Among the systems my test car did have, the lane-keeping assist was surprisingly obtrusive even in its "low" sensitivity setting, and struggled a bit when one lane split into two or vice versa. The test car's optional features were much better. I think the front-end lift system and surround-view parking cameras are must-haves to prevent the long, low front overhang from running aground while parking.

James Riswick

Forget the 911's Speed and Enjoy the Sensations

The Carrera T features the 911's base engine: a 3.0-liter six-cylinder that produces 388 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. While the T pairs it exclusively with a six-speed manual, the base Carrera, and indeed most other 911s, have an eight-speed dual-clutch automated manual known as the PDK.

If you measure a car by its zero-to-60-mph acceleration, the base Carrera is a better choice, as the PDK hits 60 mph in a Porsche-estimated 3.9 seconds. The manual clocks in at 4.3 seconds.

Frankly, I couldn't care less. The PDK is one of the best-performing automatics in the world, but unless you're driving your 911 daily in gridlock or trying to lay down your lowest times at a drag strip, the manual is such a perfect pairing for a car that is already dripping with communication and feedback. The three-pedal 911 is also unburdensome to drive; the forgiving clutch won't replace leg day.

James Riswick

The rest of the 911 Carrera T driving experience is characterized by the abundant feedback you get through the controls and, well, every part of you that's in contact with the car. You don't even need to drive it fast to revel in all the sensations — that's rare in performance cars today, which in my experience often require you to drive at hyper-illegal speeds just to get an inkling of engagement. The 911 still makes you feel like you're part of the process.

And it's not just the exquisitely communicative steering, ultra-responsive throttle, and masterfully tuned suspension. You also hear everything in vivid detail. Perhaps too much on the highway: The reduced sound deadening and lightweight glass elevate road and wind noise, but the engine's wail as it approaches redline never gets old. Neither does the speed it achieves. That the Carrera T is the slowest 911 is remarkable. Nothing about this car feels remotely slow.

Nothing about this car feels plush, either. The ride is well damped — impacts aren't harsh and your head won't be bobbing on concrete highways — but you do feel every bump. Combined with the elevated noise, road trips will be memorable but not serene.

James Riswick

Is the 2026 Porsche 911 a Good Car?

Every time I drive a Porsche 911, I fall in love with it all over again. It may be familiar, but that familiarity speaks to decades' worth of perfecting a formula. Similarly priced sports cars may be more exotic, but I'd ultimately get a 911. Moreover, I'd probably get this 911, the Carrera T, even if I could afford more. I wouldn't need more power, I love the manual, and the chassis upgrades are spot-on. I've got a thing for plaid, too. Honestly, it's amazing Porsche got the car back from me.

James Riswick

James Riswick has been testing and reviewing cars since 2007, serving as an editor at Edmunds and Autoblog, and contributing to Autotrader, Car and Driver, AutoGuide, Auto Express, and Capital One Auto Navigator. You name it, he's almost certainly driven it. He has attended an auto show every year since he was 2 and has wanted to be an automotive journalist since high school. He owns a babied 1998 BMW Z3 2.8 in James Bond blue, a silver 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 Wagon (his idea of a three-row family vehicle) and a 2025 Cadillac Optiq because his wife would rather drive something from this decade.