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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 Porsche Boxster looks great, drives beautifully and is reliable

Used Porsche Boxster 2004 - 2012

It's a Porsche, so if you're going to do things properly you'll have to dig deep.

Servicing is vital and, with newer cars, it's best to stick with a Porsche dealer - especially if you're still in the original warranty period. Specialist independent maintenance is acceptable, as long as they use original Porsche parts. The good news is that the schedule calls for work only every 18,000 miles.

All models sit in insurance group 43-48, so premiums are going to be sizeable.

Fuel economy is acceptable, however, with 30.4mpg from the 2.7 and 26.6mpg from the 3.2.

The Boxster's running costs will be higher that its rivals', but it's the best driver's car of the bunch and has great resale values, so it's worth the extra.

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The Porsche Boxster looks great, drives beautifully and is reliable

The 2.7-litre engine feels fast enough for most people but, if you want more, the 3.2 S model will fit the bill.

In mid 2006, the 2.7-litre was increased to 245bhp, before being replaced by a 252bhp 2.9-litre. The 3.2-litre was replaced with a 291bhp 3.4-litre in mid-2006, and this was given a 15bhp power increase itself in 2009, to 306bhp.

A new six-speed manual gearbox had a positive action and a slick change. As before, however, the Tiptronic automatic 'box blunted the performance and satisfaction of the drive. With this in mind, the 3.2 S with the manual gearbox is considered to be the ultimate version.

In late 2008, Porsche introduced its smooth twin-clutch PDK automatic gearbox, which is both efficient and enjoyable to use.

The active suspension option does improve the handling, but does nothing for the ride quietly, so we'd avoid it.

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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.

Be wary of a car that looks like it hasn't been loved and cherished. Some owners might be tempted to save money by skipping services or using non-specialist garages, so a full dealer service history is essential on newer cars.

Build quality is first class, so look out for anything that's less than perfect - it usually means there are bigger issues afoot. Also look for poor-quality paintwork or general imperfections in the body - a sure sign of repairs.

Make sure all the controls and switches work properly, including the operation and condition of the hood. If you're buying from a dealer, make sure that any issues are sorted before you take delivery. If the wheel alignment isn't spot-on, the tyres wear rapidly and unevenly, so make sure you check before you buy.

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Just when the competition was starting to catch the original Porsche Boxster, this harder, faster, better and stronger version was released.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/porsche">Porsche</a> said that 80% of the car was all-new, even though it looked pretty similar to the previous-generation model.

The existing engines were modified to produce more power, with the 2.7-litre up by 12bhp to 237bhp, while the 3.2-litre S model was increased by 20bhp to 276bhp.

The Boxster's trademark fine handling was retained, while Porsche also worked to improve the car's practicality and comfort. The hood was redesigned and included extra insulation to make it quieter at higher speeds. The Boxster even has reasonable luggage space, with two storage compartments.

This is a sports car that can use every day and it's inherently reliable, so it shouldn't let you down.

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Used Porsche Boxster 2004 - 2012 reliability

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Used Porsche Boxster 2004 - 2012 review

Be wary of a car that looks like it hasn't been loved and cherished. Some owners might be tempted to save money by skipping services or using non-specialist garages, so a full dealer service history is essential on newer cars.,Build quality is first class, so look out for anything that's less than perfect - it usually means there are bigger issues afoot. Also look for poor-quality paintwork or general imperfections in the body - a sure sign of repairs.,Make sure all the controls and switches work properly, including the operation and condition of the hood. If you're buying from a dealer, make sure that any issues are sorted before you take delivery. If the wheel alignment isn't spot-on, the tyres wear rapidly and unevenly, so make sure you check before you buy. 

What to look for when buying a Porsche Boxster 2004 - 2012, covering common problems to check for and overall vehicle reliability.

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Used Porsche Boxster 2004 - 2012 reliability

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