Item: Used Porsche 718 Boxster 2016-present
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

The evergreen <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/tt/coupe/used-review/n814">Audi TT</a> is a cracker, whether as a coupe or a convertible roadster, with a smooth, eager range of engines, darty handling and a beautiful interior. It’s as fast, in some of its variants and in many of its ways, as the Boxster, but perhaps lacks the special sparkle of the Porsche.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/slc/sports/review/?aq=Mercedes-Benz%20%20SLC&amp;amp;type=review&amp;amp;src=SearchDropdown&amp;amp;oq=mercedes-benzslc">Mercedes-Benz SLC</a> is a fine drop-top car whose purpose is more boulevard cruiser than out-and-out sports car, and though it’s well equipped and good to sit in it’s not as much fun to drive as the purposeful Boxster.

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

Sports

Porsche is best known as the quintessential sports car maker, but its line-up is increasingly diverse, interesting and successful, from its SUV family to the Panamera hatchback and shooting brake and, in time, a planned family of electric vehicles.

Whatever your choice, What Car?’s testers rate the cars highly; Porsche has an unusually high percentage of five and four-star cars.

Without exception, its sports cars are class leaders or among the class leaders, standing out for combining driving thrills with surprising luxury and comfort. Likewise, its SUVs are among the sharpest handling, as well as offering high levels of practicality and quality. Meanwhile, the Panamera is a true rival to the very best large executive saloons.

Porsche also sees itself as an electric car pioneer and has already enjoyed sales success with its plug-in hybrid range. Its first all-electric sports car is imminent, signalling the firm’s intent to stay relevant for many years to come.

PORSCHE

BOXSTER

The 718 Boxster is a phenomenally good sports car, and makes for a great&nbsp;used buy, too.

Used Porsche 718 Boxster 2016-present

Obviously, the Boxster is a sports car and it’s amazingly quick so don’t expect miracles when it comes to fuel economy. The most abstemious version is the 2.0, which has an official NEDC average consumption of 38.2mpg, with corresponding CO2 emissions of 168g/km. The 2.5 S manages 34.9mpg, while the GTS claims 31.9mpg. Under the newer, more realistic WLTP tests the 2.0 averages 32.5mpg and the 2.5 29.1mpg.&nbsp;

Tax for cars registered before April 2017 will be based on CO2 emissions, and will be fairly high, while cars registered after that date will pay a flat rate, currently £150 a year. However, all Boxsters cost over £40,000 new, and as such are subject to a luxury car supplementary tax, currently £325&nbsp;a year.

Insurance groups are high, too, ranging from 44 for the 2.0-litre car up to 49 for the GTS. Servicing will be expensive, and is best carried out by proper Porsche specialists. Some garages operate a fixed-price servicing plan, with costs for a minor service starting at £485 for a Boxster. &nbsp;

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The 718 Boxster is a phenomenally good sports car, and makes for a great used buy, too.


Boxsters are popular cars and residual values are high, so you’ll still be paying a fair amount for one. You’ll need between&nbsp;£32,000 and £35,000 to buy a good 718 Boxster, this for a 2016 car with an average mileage for the year and a full service history, bought from a trade or private seller. Up the wedge to between £35,000 and £40,000 for a 2017 or 2018 model, bought from an independent dealer, and between £40,000 and £50,000 for a 2018&nbsp;or 2019 bought from a franchised dealer.

The 2.0-litre version isn’t much slower on paper than the other two, and on the road it’s more than fast enough. It’s also a fraction cheaper to buy and run, so it’s the one we’d seek out.

Our favourite Porsche Boxster:&nbsp; 2.0 718 Boxster

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Ride comfort shouldn’t be sacrificed at the altar of handling sharpness</li> <li>Plenty of power from a melodic engine</li> <li>Handling that doesn’t come at the expense of a back-breaking ride​​​​​</li> <li> Practicality is not essential but nice to have </li></ul>

Driving fun is right at the top of any sports car buyer's priority list, and every one of our award candidates has backroad entertainment coded into its DNA.

The Mazda MX-5 embodies sports-car spirit without wearing an exotic price tag, and has deservedly gained a strong following over the years. Much newer to the scene is the mid-engined Alpine A110. It may carry a name from the past, but this potent, mid-engined sports car was designed with the very latest lightweight thinking.&nbsp;

Rounding off our shortlist, though, is a name that'll be familiar to even those to whom sports cars hold little interest. The Porsche 911 was born an icon in 1964, and the latest generation bridges the gap between sports car and supercar. Yet, somehow, it manages to preserve a distinctly civilised character.

This is a very sporty car and will therefore have been used enthusiastically from time to time. Check the bodywork carefully for any signs of damage. Look at the alloy wheels closely for kerb damage, as repairs will be costly. Also check the operation and condition of the folding hood.

Engines and gearboxes are generally reliable, although earlier cars had problems with the dual-clutch transmission, and owners complained about the quality of the paintwork.

There was good news&nbsp;for Porsche in our most recent reliability survey. The Boxster finished in a highly commendable third place in the sports car category.&nbsp;

Porsche as a brand finished in 23rd place out of 31&nbsp;manufacturers. &nbsp;

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Some things are immutable in our changing world: the passing of the seasons, the sun rising and the Porsche Boxster being an open-top, two-seater mid-engined <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/sports">sports car</a>.

Well, the latest version of the Boxster is still an open-top, two-seater mid-engined sports car, but whereas for its <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/boxster/sports/used-review/n863">previous generations</a> - stretching all the way back to 1996 - we could always rely on it having a beautifully balanced and naturally aspirated flat-six engine, this 718 version has a turbocharged flat-four instead. To an enthusiast, such things are important, as the flat-four, despite being more powerful than the unit it replaced, will be down on response and delivery and short of the sort of aural pleasures the previous car enjoyed.

Don’t think of it as short of oomph, though. The lowest-rung Boxster gets a 296bhp 2.0-litre engine, while the Boxster S packs a 2.5-litre with 345bhp. The GTS offers up 265bhp from its 2.5 engine. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic ‘box is an option.

However, there were those who still hankered after six cylinders, and in 2019 Porsche reintroduced a naturally aspirated 3.0-litre flat-six engine, the 394bhp GTS. Joy was unconfined in enthusiasts' circles as a Boxster&nbsp;once again issued a classy six-cylinder burble. It goes&nbsp;like the clappers, of course, and sounds fantastic.&nbsp;

Equipment-wise, the standard Boxster comes with electric windows, air-con, 18in alloy wheels, xenon headlights and part-Alcantara seats. The S adds 19in wheels, while the GTS comes with discrete styling upgrades, 20in wheels, lowered adaptive suspension, a limited-slip differential, a sports exhaust and the Sports Chrono Pack.

On the road the Boxster is quick. Even the 2.0-litre car can sprint from 0 to 62mph in just 5.1 seconds, and go on to a top speed of 170mph, while the S lowers the time to 4.6 seconds and raises the flat-out speed to 177mph. The GTS can hit 180mph.

But these figures only tell half the story, because what’s always separated the Boxster from the also-rans in this class is its delicate mid-engined handling balance, and just how damn enjoyable it is to drive. This one is no different, with wonderfully direct steering that is well weighted and linear in its responses, and eager handling that makes the car brilliantly driveable at any speed, with endless grip and remarkable poise thrown in for good measure.

It even rides well, with a suppleness unknown in other lesser sports cars. It’s firm, of course, but it never threatens to become uncomfortable. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Inside is a comfortable, pleasant and well put together interior with a great driving position that places the driver central to the action, in a perfect location in front of the controls. Visibility is reasonably good, too, for such a low-slung roadster, and many cars will have been specified with the optional reversing sensors or, if you’re lucky, a camera.

As standard, you get a crisp-looking and easy to use 7.0in touchscreen, with Bluetooth, a DAB radio and sat-nav, as well as Apple CarPlay. All the switchgear has a solid, high-quality feel, and all the buttons are well damped. There’s plenty of room for two to sit without brushing shoulders, and although storage space is rather limited there are two small-ish boots: one in the nose and the other behind the engine. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Used Porsche 718 Boxster 2016-present review

Our recommendations

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