Review of the Porsche 911 Targa

The Porsche 911 Targa is a state-of-the-art sports car that completes Porsche's 911 range. Coming with exceptional performance and good levels of practicality, the Porsche 911 Targa is a great sports car.

Rivals to the Porsche 911 Targa include the Jaguar F-Type Convertible, Audi R8 Spyder, and Lexus LC Convertible.

Our Porsche 911 Targa review covers:

• Slick exterior with an eye-catching roof mechanism
• Premium interior featuring leather upholstery
• 163-litre boot under the bonnet
• One six-cylinder engine available with various power outputs
• Three trim levels: 4, 4S and 4 GTS

Pros:

• Good performance
• Premium interior and build quality
• Practical for a sports car

Cons:

• Slowest of the 911 variants 
• Expensive
• No rear storage

The 911 Targa is undoubtedly one of the best-looking sports cars on the market. At the front, you're greeted with a typically slick 911 bonnet, but the standout features are towards the rear. The rounded rear is complimented by the Targa's electronic roof mechanism, which is beautiful to watch.

For practicality, the Targa is one of the most generous in its class. Up front, there's plenty of leg and headroom for anyone over six feet tall, which is better than the Jaguar F-Type Convertible. However, rear space is quite limited; the seats are designed for children, and two adults will struggle to get comfortable.

The boot is under the bonnet, with the engine and roof mechanism taking up rear space. Here you'll find 163 litres of storage space, which is good enough for a couple of suitcases.

As you'd expect, the interior of the 911 Targa is high-quality. All of the buttons and switches are nice to touch, and all other touch points are metal or covered in leather. You can take the interior up a notch with various personalisation options, but this comes at an additional cost.

On the dash, you'll find a 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system that features DAB digital radio, Apple CarPlay, and a built-in sat-nav. The system is responsive and straightforward for the driver and front passenger.  

Three trim levels are available for the 911 Targa: 4, 4S, and 4 GTS.

The entry-level 4 kicks off the trims with 19 or 20-inch wheels, 4-way sports seats, LED main headlights, leather upholstery, automatically dimming interior and exterior mirrors, two-zone climate control, auto start/stop, front and rear park assist, cruise control, and an 8-speaker sound system.

4S adds to this with 20 or 21-inch wheels and brake calipers in red.

4 GTS completes the range with 20 or 21-inch turbo S wheels in black, electrical sports seats, a sports design package, tinted LED main headlights, interior LED lighting, and an interior style package in black.

The 911 Targa is powered by a six-cylinder petrol engine with all-wheel drive and an option of a seven-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. Three power outputs are available, 385PS, 450PS, and 480PS.

The entry-level 385PS unit achieves 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds and has a top speed of 179mph. The 450PS unit ups its top speed to 189mph and achieves 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, while the 480PS version goes one further with an acceleration of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 191mph.

All three power outputs have a fuel economy ranging from 25 to 27mpg.  

Because of the folding roof mechanism, the 911 Targa is around 110kg heavier than the hardtop 911. On paper, this is a big hindrance, but the Targa lives up to expectations when on the road.

Because of the extra weight, steering is well-weighted, meaning you can easily guide it through tight bends. The 911 Targa also has superb body control, allowing you to corner confidently when travelling at high speeds, which is much better than the Jaguar F-Type Convertible.

Ride quality is also pretty good for a sports car. It's flexible enough to easily tackle potholes and bumps in the road while also being composed over dips in the road.

Prices for the new Porsche 911 Targa start from £113,000.00 OTR* or to lease from £1,522.32 per month.

Looking to get behind the wheel of the Porsche 911 Targa? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offer a range of affordable leasing deals.

Leasing may suit you better than an outright purchase thanks to fixed monthly payments and various extras included in your lease deal, such as maintenance and breakdown cover.

*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change, always check with your nearest retailer.