2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet: MPG and fuel economy
The 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 19 combined MPG, with 17 MPG in the city and 23 MPG on the highway. That lands well below the average for cars in the Minicompact Cars class in the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. The EPA rates 2 separate variants of this car (different engine, transmission, or drivetrain combinations), and you can compare them side by side in the trims table. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- The most efficient car in the Minicompact Cars class for the 2008 model year is the MINI MiniE at 98 MPG.
- EPA estimates this car costs around $7,500 more in fuel over five years than an average new vehicle of the same model year.
- Requires premium gasoline, which typically adds about 40 to 60 cents per gallon to the EPA's annual fuel cost estimate.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
When the EPA tests several variants of the same nameplate (for example, a front-wheel-drive version and an all-wheel-drive version), each gets its own rating. The figures shown here are the headline variant, taken as the configuration with the best combined MPG. The trims table further down covers all 2 variants side by side.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 19 MPG |
| City MPG | 17 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 23 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $3,650 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 468 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Premium |
How the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet compares
The 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet returns 19 combined MPG. Cars in the Minicompact Cars class for the same model year average 23.1 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 18%.
The most efficient car in the Minicompact Cars class for the 2008 model year is the MINI MiniE at 98 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
For broader context, the average new car of the 2008 model year (across all classes) returns 19.1 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2008 model year is on its own page.
Trim variants rated for 2008
The EPA rates 2 separate variants of the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet. The differences come from the engine size, transmission type, and drivetrain (front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and so on). The same nameplate can land several MPG apart depending on the configuration you actually buy.
| Engine and transmission | Drive | Combined | City | Highway | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8L, 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 19 MPG | 17 MPG | 23 MPG | $3,650 |
| 3.8L, 6-cyl, Manual 6-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 19 MPG | 16 MPG | 24 MPG | $3,650 |
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for premium gasoline, which is $4.61/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 789.5 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $1,825 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $3,650 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $6,083 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet
The EPA has rated the Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet across 6 model years, from 2004 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet through 2009 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run, hovering close to 21 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 21 MPG | 2009 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet |
| 2008 | 19 MPG | this page |
| 2007 | 19 MPG | 2007 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet |
| 2006 | 19 MPG | 2006 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet |
| 2005 | 18 MPG | 2005 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet |
| 2004 | 18 MPG | 2004 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet |
Compare against other Minicompact Cars for 2008
If you are cross-shopping the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Minicompact Cars class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
The MINI MiniE leads this group at 98 MPG, 79 MPG ahead of the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet.
Specifications
The 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet runs a 3.8-liter 6-cylinder engine paired with a automatic 5-spd, sending power through 4-wheel or all-wheel drive.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Minicompact Cars
- Engine
- 3.8L 6-cylinder
- Transmission
- Automatic 5-spd
- Drivetrain
- 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Premium
- Annual petroleum use
- 15.7 barrels per year
Common questions about the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet.
-
Is the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet fuel efficient?
Not particularly. The 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet returns 19 combined MPG, which trails the average car in the Minicompact Cars class for the same model year by about 18%. -
What MPG does the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet get?
The EPA rates the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet at 19 combined MPG, 17 MPG in city driving, and 23 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $3,650 for the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
Does the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet require premium gas?
Yes. The EPA lists the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet as requiring premium gasoline. Running it on regular can reduce performance and may affect engine warranties, so it is not a recommended way to save at the pump. -
Has the Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet become more fuel efficient over time?
Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2004 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet, 18 MPG) and most recent (2009 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet, 21 MPG) versions sit in the same range. -
How much CO₂ does the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 468 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 7,016 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet?
City driving returns 17 MPG and highway driving returns 23 MPG, a gap of 6 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise. -
What engine is in the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet?
The 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet has a 3.8-liter 6-cylinder engine. -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet have?
The 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet comes with a automatic 5-spd transmission and 4-wheel or all-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive variants typically read 1 to 3 MPG lower than the front-wheel-drive equivalent of the same engine, since the extra hardware adds weight and parasitic loss. -
How does the 2008 Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Minicompact Cars class for the 2008 model year is the MINI MiniE at 98 combined MPG. The Porsche Carrera 4 S Cabriolet returns 19 MPG, a gap of 79 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.