2010 Porsche Boxster

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability

Performance - What the Auto Press Says

Critics rave about the 2010 Boxster's strong powertrain options and superb handling capabilities. Though some competitors may be faster off the line, few connect as well with drivers as the Boxster.

• "Porsches are excellent driving machines and both Boxster models more than live up to that heritage. They are rewarding to drive at nearly any level of expertise." --Kelley Blue Book
• "Some less-expensive sports cars challenge Boxster on a fun-per-dollar basis, and some like-priced competitors deliver more outright power. Few, however, match this 2008 Recommended pick's range of strengths: road manners and mechanical sophistication to satisfy the most discriminating driver, a good dose of everyday usability, and the cachet of the Porsche name." -- Consumer Guide
• "If you value driving excellence above all else, the 2009 Porsche Boxster is still without peer at this price point. The outgoing Honda S2000 (2009 is its last year) is much cheaper and almost as capable in terms of handling, but the Boxster is far more luxurious and refined." -- Edmunds

Acceleration and Power

The Boxster's smooth and powerful powertrain options leave test drivers impressed. The base-trim Boxster features a 2.9-liter six-cylinder engine that makes 255 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 214 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 - 5,500 rpm. The Boxster S, however, comes equipped with a more powerful 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine that produces 310 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 266 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm. Standard on the base and S trim is a six-speed manual transmission. However, a seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission is optional, and features both manual gearshift and automatic modes.

According to Porsche, the base-trim Boxster can reach a top speed of 163 mph with the manual transmission and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds with the PDK. Even faster, the Boxster S has a maximum speed of 170 mph with the manual transmission, and it can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds with the PDK.

The EPA rates the Boxster's city/highway fuel economy as ranging from 19/26 mpg to 20/29 mpg, depending on trim and transmission.

• "Any Boxster has smooth, ready power for any situation. S versions are particularly strong as engine speed rises. Manual-transmission models have smooth, easy shifter and clutch action. The automatic is responsive, and its manual shift gate works better than most rival systems, but it's still not the ideal choice for this sports car." -- Consumer Guide
• "If you think the Boxster's fabric roof marks it as some kind of fluffy poseur car, try exploring its limits on a public road -- and get back to me when you've regained your ability to speak in complete sentences. Perhaps 245 hp doesn't sound like a mental amount, but it's more than enough to keep a smile on your face." -- Automobile Magazine
• "Withall that power at the rear wheels it doesn't take long to ramp up to highway speeds and beyond, and with the Boxster's unique instrument design, where the speedo shows tighter 5 mph increments than average cars, it doesn't look like you're traveling anywhere near as quickly as you are both on the gauge and overall, in the car. " -- Automobile.com
• "With either transmission, EPA fuel economy estimates are reasonable for a car with such stellar performance potential." -- Edmunds

Handling and Braking

According to most test drivers, the Boxster is a well-balanced and thrilling sports performer.  Despite its chop-top design, it conquers twists, turns and straight-aways with ease.

• "Although the Cayman, by virtue of the added rigidity of its hardtop, maintains the ultimate edge in handling, away from the race track for most drivers the Boxster provides comparable performance excitement with the added allure of a convertible top, a bit more comfort and definitely more available storage via two roomy trunks." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "Porsche was wise enough to leave the rest of the Boxster S alone, so the tactile delights that are the Boxster's steering, brakes, and handling all remain undisturbed and as pure as they've ever been." -- Car and Driver
• "The classically styled Porsche Boxster also remains a serious, purpose-built midengine roadster designed to travel hard and fast -- sometimes demanding a driver's undivided attention but rewarding the skilled pilot with razor-sharp real-time feedback and unmatched thrills and satisfaction behind the wheel." -- Edmunds
• "The Boxster, and especially this S version, continues to be one of the most enjoyable cars to throw through the corners. It not only covers ground fast, no matter the twists and turns that lay ahead, but does so in such a controlled, confidence-inspiring manner that you'll feel like an accomplished road racer doing so." -- Automobile.com
• "Invigorating. Steering feel is natural, communicative, and responsive. Boxster is rock-steady on straightaways and agile and balanced in corners. Grip is tenacious in turns, and the brakes provide outstanding stopping control." -- Consumer Guide