Porsche 718 Boxster review
The Porsche Boxster is sensational to drive and beautifully built – it’s one of the best open-top sports cars on sale
RRP £59,275
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RRP from: £59,275
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From £786
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What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Porsche 718 Boxster
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 60 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £786.01 Initial payment £9,432.12
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
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£9,677 total upfront (£9,432 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 60 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
5-Star
Sports
Jump to:
Introduction
Performance & drive
Interior
Passenger & boot space
Buying & owning
Will Nightingale
Updated: 1 February 2025
How we test cars
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.
New car deals
Best price from £59,275
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
RRP from: £59,275
Leasing deals
From £786
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Porsche 718 Boxster
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 60 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £786.01 Initial payment £9,432.12
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£9,677 total upfront (£9,432 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 60 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
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
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Verdict
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
New car deals
Leasing deals
Performance & drive
What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is
Strengths
- GTS sounds fabulous
- All engines deliver strong performance
- Brilliant manual and auto gearboxes
Weaknesses
- Plenty of road noise
- More wind noise than in a Z4
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
Strengths
- Smartly finished, well-made interior
- Fantastic driving position
- Decent forwards visbility
Weaknesses
- Reversing camera costs extra
- No Android Auto smartphone mirroring
- Standard stereo isn't amazing
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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"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
Strengths
- Plenty of space for two people
- Two boots (one in the nose and one at the back)
Weaknesses
- Two seats only
- Narrow door pockets
- BWM Z4 has a bigger boot
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.
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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.
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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.
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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
Strengths
- Has proved more reliable than other sports cars
- Likely to hold its value well
- Lots of options to personalise your Boxster
Weaknesses
- There are cheaper alternatives
- No much safety kit
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.
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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.
Ways to buy
Cash from £59,275 Own the car outright. No monthly payments.
Lease from £786pm Drive a new car every few years. Lower upfront costs.
£9,432 initial payment , 60 month contract , 5000 miles p/a . Subject to status and conditions.
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.
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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.
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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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Porsche 718 Boxster owner reviews
Sort by: Most Recent Star rating
Robert
Porsche 718 Boxster petrol
Likes: Value
Jun 30, 2026 10:32 PM
Simon
Porsche Boxster 4.0 petrol
Likes: Value, Servicing, Running costs
Jun 18, 2025 1:09 PM
A great sports car that is a pleasure to own and drive let down by very poor customer care in the Servicing department when a faults needed to be fixed fixed
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Similarly priced cars
Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder
Porsche 718 Cayman
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If you're interested in finding a Porsche 718, or any of the other sports cars mentioned here, head over to our Cars available now pages to find new cars listed for sale at great prices.
Porsche 718 Boxster specifications
RRP price range
£59,275 - £82,205
MPG range across all versions
25.9 - 31.7
Available fuel types (which is best for you? )
Petrol
Number of engines (see all)
3
Number of trims (see all)
6
Warranty
2 - 3 years
Company car tax at 20% (min/max)
£4,129 - £5,720
Company car tax at 40% (min/max)
£8,258 - £11,440
FAQs
Is the Porsche Boxster a reliable car?
In the latest What Car? Reliability Survey the Boxster finished joint top of the coupé, convertible and sports car class, alongside its hard-topped sister, the Porsche 718 Cayman. Only 6% of cars suffered faults, and these were all fixed for free in a day or less.
Is a Porsche Boxster a good investment?
There are cheaper options, but the Boxster holds its value better than many sports cars. That makes it a surprisingly good long-term investment.
How much does a Boxster cost?
The Boxster is a more expensive than an equivalent BMW Z4 but it's still fairly affordable by sports car standards. Indeed, it costs thousands of pounds less than a Porsche 911. You can check the latest prices on our New Car Deals pages.
New car deals
Best price from £59,275
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
RRP from: £59,275
Leasing deals
From £786
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Porsche 718 Boxster
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 60 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £786.01 Initial payment £9,432.12
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£9,677 total upfront (£9,432 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 60 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
About the writer
Name: Will Nightingale
Title: Reviews editor
Follow Will Nightingale on
Will Nightingale has been a motoring journalist for more than 15 years. He is currently reviews editor at What Car?, and held the same role at Autocar (a sister Haymarket brand) between 2015 and 2018.
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