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Porsche's flat-six is a great engine alright, but the 718 Cayman's flat-four is an engineering marvel in its own right.

To some, the Porsche 718 Cayman is the poor man's 911, but we beg to differ. It's an entry-level sports car that gives you an unfiltered driving experience of a Porsche. In fact, it's so talented, it could take on the 911 - and with a good driver behind the wheel - lap a circuit quicker than its rear-engined sibling. However, after having switched to turbocharged 4-cylinder engines, there's been gossip.

Enthusiasts weren't too happy about the 'softened' soundtrack, meaning to say, the 981's flat-six is still ringing in their ears. You can still have the flat-six, but only on the GTS, GT4 and GT4 RS, leaving the Cayman, Cayman T and S with the flat-four units. The true-blue stick-shift drivers still think the entry-level Cayman, with a manual gearbox and the smallest-sized wheels of all the options, tick all the boxes when its comes to performance and comfort.

The 718 Cayman simply brings a buyer closer to Porsche ownership, but don't mistake it for being any less capable than the other Caymans in the range. It's not an affordable car, but is cheaper than the rest in the range. Having said that, the moment you digest the fact that it's the best handling sports car ever, there would be no need for any further convincing. The 718 Cayman and Boxster share the same underpinnings.

The introduction of the new 4-cylinder, boxer engine resulted in better efficiency as well. The base Cayman and Cayman T come with a 2.0-liter, turbocharged flat-four, producing 300hp with either a 6-speed manual or an optional 7-speed PDK twin-clutch automatic transmission. Whichever gearbox you opt for, you're in for a blast. Then there's the Cayman S that comes with a 2.5-liter turbocharged, flat-four that makes 349hp, mated to the same gearbox options as the standard Cayman.

Related: This Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 MR Is Manual Sports Car Perfection

The 718 Cayman does not have the iconic silhouette of the 911, but then, it doesn't have to, because it's an icon in itself. Porsche's mid-engined icon. It's been close to 20 years the Cayman has been around, and the shape is unmistakably Porsche. There is nothing disproportionate about it; the design is still likable, and the smoked-out tail lights give it a refreshing look from the rear. There isn't much of a visual difference between the Cayman and Cayman S, but the Cayman T gets some unique graphics and a different set of wheels, and twin exhausts from the Cayman S.

Being a mid-engined sports car, practicality is not something you'd expect, but practical, the Cayman is. It's got storage areas up-front and the rear that swallow small suitcases and large shopping bags. The rear deck, above the engine, can be used to store something small. Ergonomically, the Cayman doesn't fall short. In fact, it impresses with the quality, and the driving position is such, you sit low to the ground. Everyone wants to sit that low in a car, except someone buying a Cayenne or a Macan. The steering is a mimic of the one on the 918 Spyder, and the high-mounted gearlever couldn't have been better positioned. Materials, build quality and finish are spot-on, and there are plenty of features to spec your base Cayman with.

The turbocharged, flat-four cylinder engine is perhaps one among the best four-cylinder engines in the world. It ensures the driver extracts optimum performance from the engine, without forgetting it must be fuel efficient. Incorporating a turbocharger was also intended to boost torque significantly. The 2-liter engine makes 280 lb-ft of torque - and that makes it torque-rich, compared to the previous flat-six engine on the 981 Cayman.

The 2.5-liter flat-four, on the other hand, makes 309 lb-ft of torque. The additional result is better acceleration. Turbocharging, as mentioned earlier, contributes significantly to efficiency, making the flat-four 14% more efficient than the 981's flat-six. If you're in pursuit of fuel efficiency, the PDK transmission features fuel-saving virtual gears.

The flat-fours also sound distinctly different from all other turbo engines. Porsche clearly states - and it has been proved too - that the 718s are quicker than the earlier 6-cylinder engine, from 0-62mph. The 2.5-liter boxer engine powered 718 Cayman S is said to have lapped the Nordschleife in 7 minutes and 42 seconds, making it much quicker than all the flat-six 981s from the earlier years.

Related: Why We Love The 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS

Lopping off two cylinders did create a bit of controversy among Porsche purists, but both the flat-fours were genuinely better. Despite being different in cubic capacity, the only difference in the 2.5-liter engine was the bigger cylinder bore and a different turbocharger. The base 2.0-liter flat-four shares its 91 millimeter bore and 76.4 millimeter stroke with the 3.0-liter flat-six, but its pistons are a bit taller. The flat-fours and flat-six share a few components like the connecting rods, timing chain, camshaft-phasing mechanism, fuel injectors, vacuum pump, camshaft bearings, alternator and piston rings among others. Even the crankcase on the flat-four features the alloy and casting technique from the flat-six. A great engine that clearly doesn't get the appreciation it deserves.

Rehan got published for the first time at the age of 17, having written a feature on a Triumph Herald in print. He uses his writing as a tool to express his fondness for all things automotive even today, aged 28. Collecting scale models is a hobby close to his heart, and he wishes to sprinkle pixie dust on them only to see them grow into full-sized cars. He now represents HotCars.com.