Porsche 718 Boxster review

Introduction

If you want a convertible, you're spoilt for choice. But what if you want a two-seat drop-trop that goes like a sports car, and makes you smile no matter whether it's summer or a sodden Saturday in January? Well, the Porsche 718 Boxster might just fit the bill.

In fact, the Boxster is arguably the default choice. It’s basically a Porsche 718 Cayman – one of the best sports cars on sale – with the roof removed but very little, if anything, left on the table dynamically.

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2.0T Convertible GPF 2dr Petrol PDK Euro 6 (s/s) (300 ps)

Expected annual mileage	5000
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Monthly payment	£775.20
Initial payment	£9,302.40

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That’s why the Boxster isn't just comparable with other drop-top sports cars – such as the BMW Z4 and MG Cyberster – but also hardtop sports cars, including the Alpine A110 and Toyota GR Supra.

Oh yes, and it doesn't hurt that it comes with a Porsche badge on its nose to impress the neighbours. So how do we rate the Porsche Boxster in the areas that matter? Read on to find out...

What’s new?
November 2022: new colours and trims mark out limited-run Style Edition variants, with the option of Ruby Star Neo paint 20in Boxster Spyder wheels, bi-xenon lights and a black leather interior
September 2020: PDK gearbox made available with all 718 models
October 2017: Porsche releases new 718 Boxster GTS model, which has more power, black styling touches and Alcanara trim
March 2016: new 718 Boxster makes its debut at the New York Auto Show

Overview

The Porsche Boxster GTS, with its glorious 4.0-litre flat-six engine, sounds amazing, is sensational to drive and is beautifully built. Put simply, it’s one of the best sports cars on sale. The four-cylinder versions aren't nearly as appealing, but are still far superior to the BMW Z4.

Pros

• Brilliant handling
• Glorious-sounding GTS
• Well-made interior

Cons

• Four-cylinder engines sound gruff
• You'll want to add lots of options
• Limited active safety kit

Trims available

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S

The S adds 19in alloy wheels and partial-leather seats to the standard Boxster's tally.

GTS

The GTS adds bigger brakes, a sports exhaust, the Sports Chrono Package, PASM adaptive suspension and 20in alloy wheels. You also get a bunch of styling add-ons inside and out.

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Performance & drive

What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is

Engine, 0-60mph and gearbox

The entry-level Porsche Boxster 2.0-litre is a sound choice. With 296bhp it's far from slow (0-62mph in 4.9 seconds with the standard seven-speed PDK automatic gearbox) and power builds willingly as the revs rise, before things really get going at around 4000rpm.

Don't buy the S model version, though. Yes, it's quicker (0-62mph in 4.4 seconds) but the 2.5-litre engine (a four-cylinder, like the 2.0-litre) isn't as sweet, with some unpleasant flat spots as you rev it.

The best engine is the glorious 395bhp 4.0-litre six-cylinder in the Boxster GTS. It'll pull easily from low revs in the higher gears, but delivers explosive acceleration when you want to drive your sports car like, er, a sports car – that is, flat out. It really is worth the extra cash if you can afford it.

Whichever engine you choose, there's no doubt the PDK gearbox offers the fastest gearshifts. However, the optional six-speed manual gearbox is delightful to use and one of the best manuals around.

Suspension and ride comfort

Adaptive dampers called Porsche Active Suspension Management, or PASM for short, with a 20mm lower ride height are optional on the Boxster and Boxster S, but standard on the T and GTS. We've only ever tried models with this suspension fitted and it makes the Boxster ride remarkably well by sports car standards – even with big 20in alloy wheels.

Sure, it's firm-ish, but the damping is good enough that it keeps you from feeling uncomfortable over the usual lumps and bumps. Only really big imperfections, mainly around town, expose the car's inherent stiffness.

The BMW Z4 is noticeably softer but also bouncier over really undulating roads, while the lighter Alpine A110 manages the balance between firmness and control just that little bit better than the Boxster.

Handling

Any sports car (convertible or not) worth its salt needs to offer handling excitement in spades and the Boxster doesn’t disappoint. Its steering is wonderfully accurate and precise, with enough feedback to give the driver plenty of confidence. Turn in to a bend and there’s virtually no body roll and an enormous amount of grip.

Put simply, its handling is on a different level to rivals such as the BMW Z4 and Toyota GR Supra. Only the lightweight Alpine A110 comes close – albeit in a different way. Yes, it leans more and has less grip than the Boxster, but that helps it feel a little more playful on the road, and some drivers will prefer that.

The Boxster, meanwhile, has a wonderfully broad range of talents. It feels at home on fast, sweeping corners just as much as it does pottering around town, where the steering is light enough to make parking easy.

Noise and vibration

There is no question which engine to buy for the right noise: the 4.0-litre, six-cylinder in the Boxster GTS. It's rich and soulful, which is exactly what you want from a sports car, and in the Boxster, with the roof down, it sounds even more invigorating.

However, you’ll be very disappointed by the noise of the four-cylinder engines in the Boxster 2.0-litre and Boxster S 2.5-litre. Their monotonous drone isn't too dissimilar to the original Volkswagen Beetle's, although the 2.0-litre is smoother and less obnoxious than the 2.5-litre. If your budget doesn't stretch to a GTS and you want a sweet-sounding sports car, try the Alpine A110, which uses a four-cylinder engine but one that's much sweeter than the Boxster's.

Wind and road noise are the biggest bugbears of Boxster ownership – with the roof up there's more of both on the motorway compared with a BMW Z4. On the plus side, with the roof down and the wind deflector in place, buffeting in the Boxster is minimal.

"I can't think of many engines (in any price point) that sound as glorious as the 4.0-litre flat-six in the Boxster GTS." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

Driving position and dashboard

The Porsche Boxster's standard seats have manual controls for back-and-forth adjustment with a button to electrically adjust the angle of the backrest. If you want lumbar adjustment you'll need to order the 14-way electrically adjustable Sports seats, or the 18-way Sports Seats Plus, which include adjustable side bolsters as well.

Any of those options will supply great levels of comfort and support, while the racing-style sports bucket seats that are also available on some versions are more about the latter. They're deep, so getting in and out isn't as easy, with fixed-angle backrests and firm cushions – be warned if you're planning on using your car daily.

The rest of the driving position is just about spot on. The pedals are positioned perfectly and the steering wheel has so much adjustment that you should be able to get suitably set up. Even the buttons on the dashboard are easy to get to grips with. They might look a little confusing at first but you quickly learn to find them by feel while driving.

Visibility, parking sensors and cameras

Sports cars and convertibles are notoriously hard to see out of, with thick pillars, small rear windows and a low driving position. So you won't be surprised that reversing isn't is easy as it is in a Toyota Aygo X.

That said, all versions have front and rear parking sensors, and you can pay extra to have a reversing camera to make backing up even easier. It's also relatively easy to see out of the front of the Boxster and to judge its width.

At night, the standard bi-xenon headlights offer excellent illumination. You can upgrade these to directional headlights that aim their beams with the steering to help you see better through bends, or you can opt for the adaptive LED headlights that can be left on main beam without dazzling other drivers.

Sat nav and infotainment

As standard, you get a 7in infotainment touchscreen with Bluetooth, a DAB radio and sat-nav. Apple CarPlay is also standard, so you can mirror your iPhone to the screen, but disappointingly there's no Android Auto.

The touchscreen is within easy reach, is quick to respond to your inputs and the menus are reasonably logically laid out, with shortcut buttons to help you navigate straight to key functions. However, some rivals' systems are better, including the iDrive setup in the BMW Z4.

There are no audio controls on the Boxster's steering wheel unless you pay extra, and the standard stereo is a fairly mediocre with six speakers and just 110W. Of course, you can pay to upgrade it. The first option is a relatively affordable Bose system with 10 speakers and 505W, while the second is a pricey 12-speaker, 821W Burmester unit.

Quality

Porsche has a reputation for building smart interiors and the Boxster doesn’t let the side down. As standard, you get solid, high-quality buttons and switches, and everything feels like it's been screwed together tightly.

Much of the interior is covered in dense, soft-touch materials, while you sit on Alcantara and leatherette-trimmed seats – or part natural leather on S and GTS models.

Spend even more and you can have full-leather seats, a leather-covered dash and door panels, or go to town with additional Alcantara or wood finishes. Even without these fripperies, the Boxster feels far more special to sit in than the Alpine A110 and at least on a par with a BMW Z4.

"I get on with the Boxster's driving position really well and it's refreshing there are lots of proper buttons, so you don't need to use the touchscreen for everything." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

Front space

Despite having its engine mounted in the middle of the car, the Porsche Boxster is plenty roomy enough to accommodate a couple of tall people. It’s also wide enough to ensure that you’re never brushing elbows with your passenger.

Storage is more of an issue. Yes, there's a decent-sized glovebox, a couple of cupholders and several cubbies, including two in the doors and one in the centre armrest, each of which is big enough to take a mobile phone. But the door pockets are shallow, tricky to access and certainly not big enough for something chunky, such as a bottle of water.

Rear space

Probably the biggest disadvantage of the Boxster's mid-engine layout is that there’s nothing but a bulkhead behind the front seats. Some two-seat drop-top sports cars, including the BMW Z4, offer cubbies or luggage nets to stow loose items behind the seats.

If you’re not the tallest of drivers, and your seat isn't slid all the way back against the rear bulkhead, you will find small gap behind the seat. Indeed, there's a hook on the back of each seat to hang a jacket on.

Seat folding and flexibility

Apart from having an electrically adjustable backrest as standard, the Boxster's passenger seat doesn’t do anything of note.

You can add 14-way electric adjustment, which includes adjustable lumbar support, or an 18-way seat that feature adjustable side bolsters.

Boot space

The Boxster gives you a choice of two boots in which to stow your bags: one in the nose and the other in the usual place, at the back of the car.

While neither offers a massive amount of space there's more room to play with than you get in an Alpine A110. Combined, there's enough space for a few soft bags or a weekly shop. Forget about golf clubs, though – you’ll have to choose between those or a passenger.

If you need to carry anything more substantial, the Z4 has a bigger boot and the option of a ski hatch, which means you can carry longer items more easily.

"I don't play golf but I do play squash – and my chunky bag fits easily beside me on the passenger seat." – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

Equipment, options and extras

Porsche is notorious for giving away very little standard equipment and this is true of the Boxster. Even the range-topping GTS model goes without the kind of kit you might expect as standard on a car costing such a serious wedge. You'll need to pay extra for cruise control, power-folding door mirrors, heated seats and even climate control.

So what do you get? Well, the standard Boxster comes with an electric roof, electric windows, air-con, 18in alloy wheels, xenon headlights and part-Alcantara seats.

Meanwhile, the S adds 19in wheels, while the GTS (our pick) comes with discrete styling upgrades, 20in wheels, lowered adaptive suspension, a limited-slip differential, a sports exhaust and the Sports Chrono Pack (which adds, among other things, launch control).

Costs, insurance groups, MPG and CO2

It’s got a Porsche badge on the nose so, naturally, buying a 718 Boxster will require a hefty initial investment – especially if you're buying our favourite GTS model.

More positively, the Boxster will hold onto its value well, so the costs stack up surprisingly well against rivals such as the Alpine A110 in the longer term, and in the short term if you're buying one on a PCP finance deal.

Servicing, replacement parts and tyres will all cost more than you might expect. And our Real MPG tests on the Porsche 718 Cayman S (basically a Boxster with a roof, so the results will be similar) revealed an average of just 28.4mpg – the GTS 4.0-litre won't be much worse in the real world. The 2.0-litre Cayman did better, managing a much more palatable 34.4mpg.

Reliability

In the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey the Boxster finished joint top of the coupé, convertible and sports car class, alongside its hard-topped sister, the Porsche Cayman. Only 6% of cars suffered faults, and these were all fixed for free in a day or less.

Every Boxster comes with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty but, like most cars of this type, it will chew through consumables, such as tyres and brakes, at a rate of knots.

Safety and security

There’s no Euro NCAP safety appraisal available for the Boxster, and there isn't much in the way of active safety kit compared with many modern cars. You'll also have to pay extra if you want to add Isofix child seat mounts to the passenger seat.

More positively, Security experts Thatcham Research awarded the Boxster a maximum five-star rating for resisting being stolen and four stars for guarding against being broken into.

"I think it's disappointing that Porsche hasn't added more active safety kit to the Boxster throughout the years. Automatic emergency braking really should be standard." – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

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