Porsche Boxster convertible (2004 – ) expert review

The Porsche Boxster is an exceptionally pretty car. The front end is virtually indistinguishable from the more expensive 911, but the rear has a look all of its own. The rear is certainly more attractive than the Boxster-based Cayman coupe and there are nice touches all around, such as the centrally-mounted exhaust and LED side and tail lights. The standard Boxster features 17-inch alloys, while the Boxster S has 18s, and a wide range of optional designs are available.

The interior is  largely form over function, but the materials used and the quality with which it’s all put together are first rate. Most surfaces are covered in neatly-stitched leather. All the controls are where you’d expect to find them, and are clearly labelled, with the exception of the speedo, which goes up in 25mph increments. However, there is a clear digital readout under the large, centrally-mounted rev-counter.

For a dinky two-seater, the Porsche Boxster has an impressive 280 litres of storage space. The rear boot is shallow, but its 130 litres means it’s just big enough for the weekly shop and the 150-litre front boot stretches all the way from the bonnet to the floor. Luggage space is comparable with the more conventional front-engined Mercedes SLK and almost three times the size of the Nissan 370Z Roadster’s boot. There are a few storage spaces in the cabin in the usual places, and three cubbyholes behind the seats. The electric roof can open or close at speeds of up to 30mph in 12 seconds. Heated and air-conditioned seats are available as an option too.

The Porsche Boxster’s chassis is a masterpiece of engineering, offering superb levels of grip and feedback, and recently tweaked suspension alignment improves things further. The mid-engined layout means almost perfect weight distribution and superb traction out of bends. The steering’s variable assistance means low-speed manoeuvres can be made easily, but the steering adds weight at speed and has an almost telepathic way of communicating information about the road surface and grip levels to the driver. The optional Porsche Active Suspension Management firms the suspension at the touch of a button, but with a standard setup as good as this, only the most committed drivers will benefit.

The standard Porsche Boxster features a 255bhp 2.9-litre engine, while the S packs a 310bhp 3.4-litre unit. Both belong to the same family of engines installed in the 911. With the slick-shifting manual gearbox, the Boxster will reach 62mph in 5.9 seconds, but just 5.8 with the double clutch PDK automatic gearbox. The Boxster S will hit 62mph in 5.3 and 5.2 seconds for the manual and PDK respectively. Despite this performance, the engine is smooth and feels as at home in start-stop traffic as it does at high speed. The PDK gearbox is one of the best paddle-shift automatics on the market, with fast and jerk-free gearshifts.

Despite being the cheapest way into Porsche ownership, the Boxster is still expensive. Used values are rock solid, so expect to see around 65 per cent of your original purchase price when you sell after three years/36,000 miles. However, early examples have started to lose value faster due to the sheer number of Boxsters around. Servicing is expensive, and a necessary evil to retain a strong used price, but Porsches are well-built machines and a well-maintained one should last well. Naturally insurance and road tax is costly, as are the fuel bills.

As exciting sports cars go, there are few which look better built and even fewer which feel better built. Just watch for signs of a used example being a trackday regular and signs of crash damage. Only the Perspex wind deflector feels fragile.

No EuroNCAP crash test results are available, but the Porsche Boxster has a good level of safety kit and a chassis which is communicative enough to help stop an accident in the first place. All models come with a two-part roll-over protection system, driver and passenger airbags and Porsche Stability Management which encompasses a range of safety equipment. The Boxster is the first open-top car to feature a head airbag concealed in the door panels, and joins driver, passenger and a pair of side ‘bags. Should the car turn over, protection is offered by two roll bars behind the seats.

All models in the Porsche Boxster range features a trip computer, alloy wheels, electrically-operated folding roof, self-raising rear spoiler, LED side and taillights, air-con and alcantara/leatherette seats. The light weight Boxster Spyder sees equipment like air-con and the audio equipment removed in the pursuit of weight reduction.

It’s a Porsche well within the reach of the average petrolhead. And one of the best handling cars available at any price.