I love my cw9. My buddy has a pps, no way I would choose it over my Kahr. Also the magazines release is horrible I think on the pps. The Kahr has a cleaner look and a little thicker feeling grip. Go hold both and make up your mind. Both great guns but Kahr has it in my eyes.
I had a PPS and liked it a lot. With the 7 round magazine, it shoots like a larger gun, it's very nice for a small gun.
The mag release lever is a bit odd and I can see why people might not like that part, but overall it's a very well made gun. If I remember right, Indy Trading post has one in their rental fleet.
I liked my PPS 9x19 a great deal, but wound up going to a Kahr CM9 for most carry because the smaller size works better for me. Between the CW9 and the PPS, I'd go with the PPS - I like the shorter trigger reset and find the gun to be very accurate and utterly reliable. And, for a concealment gun, I personally very much like the (unlikely to accidentally trip - unlike the one in my Kahr P9 Covert) Walther's triggerguard mag release.
There is no contest between the two, IMO. The PPS is a far better built weapon. I would find polymer shavings in my CW9, and often got a nose-down malfunction with the first round. I think it's because of their crappy mag design that really doesn't do a good job of holding the rounds in place. Kahr 9mm mags are notorious for dumping rounds if you put them in a pocket.
Some people get a good Kahr, I suppose, but hundreds of reviews show that their quality control is a mixed bag at best. The PPS is a solid pistol, reliable and well made. It's a bit heavier, and perhaps not as good looking as the Kahr. But those are secondary considerations. Reliability trumps all. Since I can't get a single stack 9mm Glock, a PPS is the next best thing.
I tried out my friends PPS. The trigger reset is nice. It's nice and slim and is lightweight. I too thought the trigger release is odd. It would make a good EDC.
Another PPS vote here, better trigger and build quality than Kahr. I am a Kahr fan too, but prefer the PPS. If Walther just made a P380 rival, I might not own a Kahr.
If the mag release is the only problem one has with the PPS it is of my opinion that practice will overcome it. With practice it has become second nature to associate the thin grip of the PPS with a trigger guard mag release.
Takes practice but well worth it for a quality dependable handgun that is accurate and conceals so well.