It's been 24 years since Porsche introduced the Boxster as a smaller and more affordable version of the iconic 911. The roadster was joined by the Cayman coupe in 2005. The Cayman is now in its third generation, and enthusiasts are still debating which one is the best and which one is the purest driver's car. The folks over at EverydayDriver set out to answer this question by comparing Caymans from all three generations. They've test a 987-gen Cayman R, a 981-gen Cayman GTS, and a 982-gen 718 Cayman GTS, rating their stying, performance, and handling.

There is a nine-year gap between the 987 Cayman R and the 2020 718 Cayman GTS, so they come with a very different amount of tech and driving assist systems. More importantly, they're fitted with completely different engines. The Cayman R is the more old-school car, as it shares its 3.4-liter flat-six engine with the 911. It packs 326 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The 981-gen Cayman GTS also features a 3.4-liter flat-six, but it's rated at 335 horses ad 280 pound-feet. Finally, the latest 982-gen Cayman GTS features a turbocharged, 2.5-liter flat-four instead of a naturally aspirated flat-six. But it's the most powerful at 359 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque.

It's pretty obvious which Cayman is the quickest and most powerful, but this isn't what this comparison is about. Yes, the latest Cayman would win a battle that's only about how modern each generation is in 2020, but this test focuses on more than that, and the result might surprise you. Check out the comparison in the video below and let us know which Cayman is your favorite.