Go for a Spin

Checks All the Boxes

The Porsche Boxster scores close to perfect on the sports car grid

If you have a passion for sports cars, and a little spare time, sit behind the wheel of a Porsche Boxster and take inventory.

You’re surrounded by a mid-engine design with vibrant steering, superb brakes, and a willing engine. You sit beneath a retractable roof for wind-in-the-hair driving, unburdened by much of the frippery that passes for luxury these days. In terms of the sports car ethos, the Boxster checks all the boxes.

The Boxster has evolved since its late 1996 debut, but only a little. So good is its basic design and execution that significant change has simply been unnecessary. The little Porsche has made Car & Driver’s 10 Best Cars list every year but one since its introduction. In case you’re wondering, the name Boxster is a combination of the words boxer, referring to the car’s horizontally opposed, or  “boxer” engine, and roadster, referring to its convertible top.

While the Boxster has been subtly restyled twice in its decade-plus tenure, the most noticeable changes have come in the engine compartment, which lies behind the seats. The refinements began in 2000, when the base model’s engine displacement grew from 2.5 to 2.7 liters and the Boxster S (with its 3.2-liter H-6) debuted. In 2003 both models got a further boost, and today the Boxster boasts 245 hp (the Boxster S, which has grown again to 3.4 liters, produces 295 hp).

Launching from a stoplight on my way to pick up a friend at the airport was all it took to appreciate that the base Boxster has plenty of performance for a roadster (zero to 60 mph takes 5.9 seconds). On the way there I was able to sample the car’s highway character, which is stable and reassuring even at 80 mph with the top down. The optional clear plastic wind deflector between the seats keeps the stereo audible and prevents small tornadoes from forming in the cockpit.

The surprising practicality and everyday drivability that characterize all Porsches are evident here. The 2.7-liter turns a comfortable 2,800 rpm in fifth gear at highway speed. The Boxster sits low as I cross speed bumps on my way to the baggage terminal, but not so low that the nose is in jeopardy. Once there, my passenger’s large duffel and camera bag fit neatly in the front trunk, his garment bag in the rear. The return trip demonstrated the comfort of the Boxster’s supportive seats and the lack of fatigue the car generates.  

Of course, twisting two-lane roads are the Boxster’s happy place. There, its mid-engine balance and properly sorted suspension yield confidence-building handling. The car rewards smoothness but refuses to be upset by either mid-corner bumps or ham-fisted drivers. The Boxster gives you all the steering feedback you desire and a flex-free chassis. A precise, easy-to-use gearbox helps keep the 2.7-liter H-6 in its 5,000 rpm sweet spot. The Porsche Stability Management system aids the Boxster’s sure-footedness, but on the street it rarely interferes. A combined average 23.3 mpg adds to the appeal.

The Speed Yellow car I drove had a black leather interior with color-coordinated yellow seatbelts, seat heaters, and almost-ideal ergonomics, diminished only by stereo/HVAC buttons that are too small. Top-up sightlines are somewhat limited, but a rear windshield of real glass and two-step top operation exemplify convertible functionality. The main exterior’s headlights and large side engine intakes both look good. The optional 18-inch wheels further blur the distinction between the base model and the S version.

All of it comes at one of the lowest price points in Porsche’s lineup. Fora tad over $45K you get arguably as much fun as cars costing twice as much. That said, the Boxster does have some competition, including the Mazda MX-5, which provides practically the same level of fun for half the price.

But there’s one box the Boxster’s competitors just can’t check — the one that says Porsche.