Porsche 911 Carrera 4 3.4 3dr Car Review - April 2013

This is the real attraction of a Porsche 911, and the Carrera 4 certainly doesn't disappoint, with handling that responds immediately to every twitch of the wheel. The 3.4-litre petrol engine propels the car from 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds, and on to a top speed of 177mph. The ride is comfortable and relaxed while cruising, while taking out the major bumps of the road without sacrificing the handling. This version of the 911 comes with four-wheel drive and, as a result, you really have to provoke it to get it out of line. Most of the time, however, it's tricky to tell the difference between this and the standard Carrera.

As you would expect with a car that is screaming to be taken to the track and thrown around the corners, the driving seat is very supportive, but still has enough adjustment along with the steering wheel to allow drivers to get comfortable. The small back window does mean that rear visibility is impacted, but most 911 drivers won't have to worry about other cars catching up with them.

The stylish looks of the 911 have been tweaked over the years, but this version still enjoys the rounded headlights that are such an important part of the Porsche design philosophy. The sleek lines of the car and low suspension gives the 911 the look of a car that is just aching to be driven, and the great looks of the car continue inside the classy and attractive cabin.

Satellite navigation is one of the welcome features included with the 911, while the leather seats do help to give the interior of the car a high quality feel. Features such as cruise control and climate control both help to make the 911 a comfortable car to drive; however, it's a slight shame that extras such as Bluetooth and rear parking sensors have been resigned to the optional extras list.

There are two seats in the back of the 911, but in reality you'll be using them as extra storage, as they're only really suitable for children and (very) small adults. As with all 911's, the boot is in the front and is a fairly measly 125-litres. Then again, if it's luggage space you're after, why not buy a Mondeo estate?

Porsche has incorporated a raft of different safety features to supplement the driver and passenger side air bags that are included with the car, with a thorax air bag built into the seats. The high-quality finish of the 911 oozes class and gives the impression that it's a car built to last -- an impression backed up by Porsche's enviable reliability record.

At £77,924, the 911 Carrera 4 3.4 is not cheap, and one question buyers will have to ask is whether to go for this version with four wheel drive, or to go for the standard Carrera, which is still an excellent car and over six thousand pounds cheaper.

911s aren't the cheapest cars to run either, with the 3.4-litre engine delivering an average 30.4mpg, which is better than many sports cars but still isn't exactly efficient. Porsche offers the car with a two year unlimited mileage guarantee which is supplemented by Porsche's in-house Europe wide roadside breakdown recovery service.