Porsche 718 Boxster 2021 Review

When Porsche renamed its Boxster the 718 Boxster back in 2017 and replaced the car's six-cylinder engine with a turbocharged four-cylinder, part of the connection to the 911 — something so intrinsic to the Porsche experience — was lost. There's nothing wrong with the four-cylinder 718's performance certainly, but the driving experience, especially with the top down, lacks some all-important aural emotion.

Last year, Porsche moved to rectify the discrepancy with the reintroduction of the six-cylinder-powered 718 Spyder. For 2021, it's following it up with the 718 Boxster GTS 4.0. It has the same naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine as the Spyder, albeit with a bit less horsepower (394 horsepower compared to 414 hp). The Boxster GTS 4.0, though not inexpensive by any means, also offers good value for the standard equipment when compared to a similarly optioned-up S model.

To get the full GTS 4.0 experience, it's important to begin with the top down before starting the engine. With the twist of the left-hand mounted key, that familiar and evocative whir settles down into a slightly clattery idle. A brief prod of the throttle pedal sends the revs up and reminds you just how good a naturally aspirated flat six-cylinder engine sounds. Revving it out to its 7,800-rpm redline will give even the most cynical enthusiast the tingles.

The new GTS certainly boosts the appeal of the Boxster. It is, certainly, among the most enjoyable convertible sports cars you can buy. You could look at the BMW Z4 if you want something a little more comfortable, or perhaps the Corvette convertible for its V8 rumble and newfound mid-engine agility. Boost your budget and Porsche's 911 is in play. But for the quintessential top-down sports car experience, the 2021 718 Boxster is hard to beat.

Which 718 Boxster does MatoCar recommend?

The 2021 718 Boxster roadster is available in six trim levels: the base Boxster, Boxster T, Boxster S, Boxster GTS 4.0, Boxster 25 Years and Boxster Spyder. All are rear-wheel-drive and come standard with a six-speed manual transmission. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (Porsche calls it PDK) is offered as an option. Feature highlights include:

718 Boxster The base Boxster comes reasonably well equipped with:

• Turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (300 horsepower, 280 lb-ft of torque)
• 18-inch alloy wheels with summer performance tires
• Power-operated fabric convertible top
• Xenon headlights
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Heated front seats with power backrest adjustment
• Partial leather upholstery
• 7-inch touchscreen
• Two USB ports
• Eight-speaker audio system
• Satellite radio
• Apple CarPlay smartphone integration

718 Boxster T The Boxster T is a slightly sharper performance coupe and includes all of the base Boxster's features as well as:

• 20-inch wheels
• Variable-damping sport suspension lowered 20 millimeters
• Limited-slip differential and torque vectoring (can enhance traction and agility when accelerating or cornering)
• Sport Chrono package
• Lightweight nylon door handles

718 Boxster S The Boxster S is similar to the base model but increases the performance quotient with:

• Turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (350 hp, 309 lb-ft)
• 19-inch alloy wheels

718 Boxster GTS 4.0 The new GTS 4.0 gets a similar array of performance upgrades as the Boxster T. It also has:

• Naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six-cylinder engine (394 hp, 309 lb-ft of torque or 317 lb-ft with the PDK)
• 20-inch wheels
• GTS-specific trim details
• Upgraded sport seats

Boxster 25 Years This limited-edition Boxster pays homage to the original Boxster concept car from 1993. It's based on the GTS 4.0 but has:

• Copper-colored wheels and exterior trim
• Red fabric top and leather upholstery
• Full power-adjustable seats

718 Boxster Spyder The Spyder goes all in with:

• Slight power bump for the flat-six engine (414 hp, 309 lb-ft)
• Adjustable sport suspension lowered 30 mm
• High-performance summer tires
• GT4-specific trim and styling details
• Manually operated lightweight convertible top

Porsche also offers a myriad of appearance, performance and technology options. Significant ones to consider include:

• LED headlights
• Ventilated seats
• Upgraded Bose or Burmester sound system
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Boxster and the car in front)
• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
• Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)