Porsche 911 is the best Sports/Performance car of 2025: DRIVEN Car Guide AA Insurance NZ Car of the Year

David Linklater
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GTS on a road trip: the 911 has taken us to physical and emotional places in 2025.

GTS on a road trip: the 911 has taken us to physical and emotional places in 2025.

We cannot claim to have evaluated the current Porsche 911 range in its entirety (although we are open to offers). True to character, the marque offers a multitude of versions, even in New Zealand. Fourteen to be precise.

Porsche 911.
PORSCHE 911: POWERTRAIN 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol boxer 6-cylinder, 3.6-litre turbo-petrol boxer 6-cylinder with two-motor hybrid system or 4.0-litre petrol boxer 6-cylinder OUTPUT 290kW/450Nm, 353kW/530Nm, 375kW/450Nm, 398kW/610Nm or 523kW/800Nm EFFICIENCY 10.6-15.2l/100km (WLTP) SIZE 4542mm long, 1520-1885kg PRICE $293,900-$525,000.

But we’ve reviewed three quite different iterations of the 911 over the course of 2025: the Carrera T with manual transmission, the Carrera GTS T-Hybrid with Porsche’s innovative new electrified powertrain, and the very focused GT3 Weissach Package. And every one has been a life-affirming, inspirational experience.

Okay, so a $300k-plus (plus a lot in some cases) sports car turns out to be fantastic: big surprise, right? But the 911 remains a truly remarkable creation that celebrates so much of its important heritage, yet continues to push forward in terms of technology, maximum performance and yes - efficiency.

Every time Porsche makes a character-threatening change to its most famous model (a hybrid 911?), it just seems to get better.

Porsche 911.
Porsche 911 Carrera T: three-pedal thrills.

It’s an expensive machine in any form. But there’s a big difference between price and value, and regardless of whether you’re one of the lucky few who can afford one, the 911 is the best sports/performance machine we’ve driven this year.

Runners up: Toyota GR Yaris, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N (2024 winner).

Check out the other Category Winners here

And don't forget the Overall Winner will be announced at 7am on Friday, December 5.