2020 Porsche 718 Boxster Review

　　

2020 Porsche 718 Review

byTravis LangnessReviews Editor

　　Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.

　　For 2020, the Porsche 718 Boxster switches things up a bit. Porsche has sidelined the previous top dog, the GTS, to prepare for a return in 2021 as the Boxster GTS 4.0. It's replaced by two new models: the Boxster T and the 718 Spyder. The Boxster T takes the base model and adds extra performance bits for a modest price bump. Porsche has also revived the enthusiast-favorite Spyder. Not only does it look fantastic, but in our brief experience it was just as good to drive.

　　The Boxster T is aimed squarely at enthusiasts who are satisfied with the 300-horsepower base engine but want to exploit the Boxster's corner-carving abilities to the fullest. To this end, Porsche has thrown in a kitchen sink's worth of performance upgrades. The 718 Spyder is a performance marvel all its own. It's a fully fledged Porsche Motorsport product, which means it gains a suspension derived from the 911 GT3, plus the same 4.0-liter non-turbo flat-six from its Cayman GT4 coupe relation.

　　The 2020 Porsche 718 Boxster is one of the best sports cars you can buy in terms of driving enjoyment. It's fast, nimble and uncommonly precise in the way it communicates with its driver. The turbocharged four-cylinder engine lacks character, but the addition of the Spyder means you can finally reclaim that classic Porsche six-cylinder in one of the purest driver's cars on the road.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating for the 718 Boxster

Due to updates for 2020, we're revising our rating for the 718 Boxster. In the meantime, check out our full rating of last year's 718 Boxster GTS for a comprehensive evaluation. Certain scores may change for 2020, but our vehicle testing team's overall assessment from last year still applies.

　　

Which 718 Boxster does zzdcar recommend?

While the price of a 718 Boxster can add up quickly, we like the fact that Porsche offers almost all of its options across the trim levels. So we'd recommend the base 718 Boxster. It's not as visceral as the six-cylinder Spyder, but it's nearly half the price and is still thrilling to drive. With the money you save, you can opt for those color-matching seat belts you've always wanted.

　　

2020 Porsche 718 Boxster models

The 2020 718 Boxster is a two-seat, rear-wheel-drive soft-top convertible sports car available in four trims: base, T, S and Spyder. The Cayman hardtop coupe is covered in separate reviews. The base 718 Boxster and Boxster T come with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produces 300 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. The Boxster S comes with a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 350 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque. The 718 Spyder uses a 4.0-liter flat-six engine that produces 414 hp and 309 lb-ft. All Boxsters come standard with a six-speed manual transmission — a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic is optional. Standard highlight features include:

　　Base

　　Starts you off with:

　　Sport exhaust with single center tailpipe Black brake calipers Xenon headlights and LED running lights Front and rear parking sensors Automatic climate control Rearview camera Six-way adjustable seats (power recline; manual height and slide) Partial leather upholstery 7-inch touchscreen Two USB ports Eight-speaker audio system The T adds to that with:

　　Two centrally mounted exhaust tips Variable-damping sport suspension lowered 20 mm Torque vectoring Sport Chrono packageFrom there, the Boxster S adds the more powerful 2.5-liter engine, red brake calipers and dual exhaust pipes pushed out toward the corners, but not much in the way of standard equipment.

　　Available options for the base, T and S include:

　　Carbon-ceramic brakes LED headlights Auto-dimming mirrors Heated seats and a heated steering wheel Dual-zone automatic climate control Upgraded Bose or Burmester sound system Apple CarPlay compatibilitySafety options include:

　　Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a safe following distance) Forward collision warning and mitigation (issues alerts in the event of a collision) Blind-spot monitoring (warns the driver of vehicles that may be difficult to see)For a full review of the topped-out Spyder, check out our full rating of last year's 718 Boxster GTS. Porsche also provides seemingly endless ways to customize the 718 Boxster's interior and exterior, from wheel style to the soft top's color to custom body paint.

　　

2020 718 Boxster Highlights

Type: ConvertibleSpyderConvertible

　　Trim: BaseTSSpyderBase

　　

Base MSRP	$61,600
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$208/month
Seating	2 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	9.6 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles