Why Is the Porsche 911 So Expensive?
By the CarWhere Research Team · Updated November 14, 2026 · Built from our resale value study, MSRP history, used listing prices, reliability and longevity data
Why is the 911 so expensive?
The 911 is expensive mostly because it holds its value: CarWhere data shows a 5-year-old (2021) 911 lists for 91.1% of today's median new price vs 61.5% for sports cars.
Updated November 2026 · Sources: Depreciation study
Value kept at 5 yrs
91.1%
vs 61.5% for sports cars
Base price change
+84.7%
1999 → 2025
Cheapest year (median)
$128,679
2020 model year
Resale: the 911 vs other sports cars
A 5-year-old (2021) 911 lists for a median $187,831 at 15,653 miles, 91.1% of the $206,290 median price of a new one today. The average across 4 other sports cars is 61.5%, which puts the 911 1 of 5.
High resale cuts both ways: owners lose less when they sell, but used shoppers pay more, which keeps new prices firm. Full year-by-year curve: 911 depreciation by model year.
| # | Model | 5-year value retained |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porsche 911 | 91.1% |
| 2 | Ford Mustang | 70.9% |
| 3 | Subaru WRX | 61.0% |
| 4 | Chevrolet Corvette | 59.0% |
| 5 | Volkswagen Golf GTI | 55.0% |
Retained = median asking price of a 5-year-old example ÷ median price of the same model new today. CarWhere listings study, October 25, 2026.
How the 911's price climbed by generation
The cheapest 911 went from $65,030 (1999 Carrera) to $120,100 (2025 Carrera), up 84.7% in starting MSRP, before adjusting for inflation.
Trim mix matters as much as the base price: the newest full lineup in our data spans $164,200 from cheapest to priciest trim (+136.7%).
| Generation | Cheapest trim | MSRP | Priciest trim | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 992.2 (2025–present) | Carrera | $120,100 | Turbo S | $284,300 |
| 992.1 (2020–2024) | Carrera | $97,400 | S/T | $290,000 |
| 991.1 (2012–2016) | Carrera | $82,100 | Turbo S | $194,600 |
| 997.2 (2009–2012) | Carrera | $75,600 | GT2 RS | $245,000 |
| 997.1 (2005–2008) | Carrera | $73,500 | Turbo | $136,500 |
| 996 (1999–2005) | Carrera | $65,030 | GT2 | $179,900 |
Porsche press material (launch-year US base MSRPs), as compiled in CarWhere’s Porsche specs dataset. Starting MSRPs as published for each year (launch-year prices; the year shown is the cheapest trim’s price year); years we haven't priced are left out. Destination charges are excluded where the automaker lists them separately.
The used-price floor
The floor is high: the cheapest model year by median price is the 2020 at $128,679 with 22,889 miles. Figures are from CarWhere's October 2026 listings study; the 911 isn't in our latest used-price snapshot.
| Model year | Listings | Median price | Median miles | % of new today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 569 | $197,180 | 3,630 | 95.6% |
| 2024 | 601 | $198,000 | 5,530 | 96.0% |
| 2021 | 284 | $187,831 | 15,653 | 91.1% |
| 2020 | 234 | $128,679 | 22,889 | 62.4% |
| 2019 | 262 | $189,094 | 16,334 | 91.7% |
| 2018 | 305 | $196,899 | 16,016 | 95.4% |
Median asking prices of used and certified listings at US dealers, October 2026. % of new today is from the October 25, 2026 depreciation study. Years with fewer than 50 listings are left out.
Reliability and how long it lasts
- Of 2,317 listed 911s from 2016 or earlier, 0.3% had passed 200,000 miles, vs 9.1% across all models in CarWhere's lifespan study. Long-lived cars stay in demand, which props up used prices.
- NHTSA lists 22 recall campaigns across 911 model years in our recall dataset.
911 years to avoid · best 911 years · how long the 911 lasts
How to pay less for a 911
- The cheapest model year on the used market right now is 2020, at a median $128,679 with 22,889 miles.
See what other buyers paid, deal by deal, at What People Paid, and check 911 years to avoid and the best 911 years before you shop used.
How we got these numbers
- Resale. Median asking price of each model year in US dealer listings (licensed vehicle-data providers) divided by the median price of the same model new today; CarWhere depreciation study dated October 25, 2026. Segment averages exclude the 911 itself and only include models with 50+ listings at that age.
- Price history. Porsche press material (launch-year US base MSRPs), as compiled in CarWhere’s Porsche specs dataset.
- Used prices. Active used and certified listings at US dealers, stats only (no listing rows stored), October 25, 2026.
- Reliability. CarWhere's analysis of NHTSA owner complaints and recall campaigns, plus odometer readings from the lifespan study.
- Nothing here is projected or estimated: each figure is a median or count from the data above, dated where it appears.
FAQ
Why is the 911 so expensive?
The 911 is expensive mostly because it holds its value: CarWhere data shows a 5-year-old (2021) 911 lists for 91.1% of today's median new price vs 61.5% for sports cars.
Does the 911 hold its value?
In CarWhere's October 2026 listings study, a 5-year-old (2021) 911 lists for a median $187,831 at 15,653 miles, 91.1% of the $206,290 median new price today. The average for sports cars is 61.5%; the 911 ranks 1 of 5.
How much has the 911 gone up in price?
The cheapest 911 went from $65,030 (1999 Carrera) to $120,100 (2025 Carrera), a change of +84.7% in starting MSRP before inflation.
What's the cheapest used 911 I can find?
In CarWhere's October 2026 data, the lowest model-year median is the 2020 911 at $128,679 (22,889 miles).
How long does the 911 last?
Of 2,317 listed 911s from 2016 or earlier, 0.3% had passed 200,000 miles, vs 9.1% across all models in CarWhere's lifespan study.
Cite or embed this number
“The 911 is expensive mostly because it holds its value: CarWhere data shows a 5-year-old (2021) 911 lists for 91.1% of today's median new price vs 61.5% for sports cars.”
Source: CarWhere Research, “Why Is the Porsche 911 So Expensive?,” www.carwhere.com/research/why-so-expensive/porsche/911. Journalists: free to quote with a link. Data downloads, methodology and the media kit are on the CarWhere press page.