Porsche Boxster Review

2007 Porsche Boxster Convertible Shown

When it debuted in the late '90s, the Porsche Boxster ushered in an era of the more affordable Porsche convertible. Featuring a finely balanced midengine layout, sublime handling and steering, and the performance of a proven, sophisticated flat-6 engine, the Boxster quickly became part of the Porsche legend and one of the best-selling cars in the luxury roadster class.

There are several big-name competitors with equivalent cachet, but one drive in a Boxster is often all it takes to end a sports car shopping trip. Several evolutionary updates and detail changes through the years have kept the Boxster generally competitive in the face of faster and newer rivals. The latest version is the most powerful ever, with almost 300 horsepower available.

Inside, the quality of materials used has improved over the years and late-model Boxsters certainly project the aura of a premium sports car. With two ample cargo holds front and rear, the Boxster is a mostly practical daily driver, too. Though its competitive breeding can manifest an edgy nature that's sometimes a bit much around town or during lengthy commutes, our editors believe the Porsche Boxster is the quintessential top-down, high-speed weekend getaway device for two.

After a decade in production, the classically styled Porsche Boxster also remains a serious, purpose-built midengine sports car designed to travel hard and fast -- sometimes demanding a driver's undivided attention but rewarding the skilled pilot with razor-sharp feedback and unmatched thrills and satisfaction behind the wheel. If that's what you're after and you can swing a sometimes pricey bottom line, you couldn't convince us of a more compelling choice, new or used.

Current Porsche Boxster

Now in its second generation, the Boxster continues to be available in the base version or as the more powerful Boxster S. The base model has a horizontally opposed 2.7-liter six-cylinder engine. Mounted amidships, it's rated at 245 hp and 201 pound-feet of torque. The Boxster S has a 3.4-liter version that produces 295 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque. A manual or automatic transmission is offered. Standard equipment on both models is respectable, but most Boxsters leave the dealership floor with a fair number of additional options, which elevate the price rather quickly.

In our reviews, the Porsche Boxster's midengine power and classic styling, not to mention its sublime steering and brakes and relative practicality, give it a level of desirability that's hard to deny -- particularly among true sports car enthusiasts. If you keep the options list under control, it can also provide unmatched luxury sports car value.

Past Porsche Boxster Models

The present-generation Boxster arrived for 2005, after Porsche applied evolutionary changes to much of the car that preceded it. The styling was subtly tweaked for a sleeker look, while the quality and look of the interior improved. Prior to the engine improvements introduced for 2007, the base 2.7-liter six-cylinder produced 228 hp, and the 3.2-liter six in the S made 258 horses.

The original Boxster debuted for the 1997 model year. At the time, it was considered to be a key release for the brand. Porsche had been struggling financially through the early and mid '90s, and the Boxster's affordability, classic styling and simplicity made it a huge hit with consumers.

The first-generation Porsche Boxster came with a power-operated soft top and a 201-hp, 2.5-liter flat-6 engine. In 2000, the big news was the addition of a second, even more focused S model. The Boxster S featured 250 hp, larger wheels and brakes and a more stiffly tuned suspension. For 2001, the tweaks mostly involved interior refinements in layout and materials quality. But underneath, the sophisticated Porsche Stability Management system was made available for both models. For 2004, Porsche increased the power output of both engines slightly.

Though reasonable for a luxury-sports roadster, the Porsche Boxster has been consistently among the most expensive cars in its class. Of course, this matters less to a serious sports car shopper, as midengine cars are rare at any price point -- from an enthusiast's perspective, it's all about the Boxster's ability to perform precisely when driven hard. And that it does. But either way -- whether more recent or more than a few years old -- a Boxster unladen with lots of expensive optional upgrades makes for a serious used sports car value.

SELECT A SPECIFIC PORSCHE BOXSTER MODEL YEAR*

* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.