20 Years of the Boxster: 9 Thoughts on How the Porsche Boxster Has (Not) Changed from 2004 to 2024
Porsche recently confirm that it is the end of the line for gas engines 718 Boxster and Cayman. The electric-only successor are hot on the heels, but all this means is that it’s time to enjoy the last breaths of greatness from these mid-engine masterpieces.
What better way to appreciate what we have now than to look back at the past? I just got a 2024 Porsche 718 Boxster Style version in my driveway for a week of testing. I also happen to own a 2004 Porsche S 550 Spyder Special Edition. The two special editions Boxster20 years apart, one from the first-generation 986 and one from the final model of the line. Let’s take a look at both to see how far (or in some cases, how little) we’ve come. And for more impressions of the new Style Edition, be sure to check out Our road test is here.
The Boxster has never stopped being a small car.
My 2004 Boxster was 170.1 inches long. This 2024 model? Just 172.4 inches. That’s a few inches more in an era of extreme bloat, which is commendable. It’s also about the same width, as today’s base Boxster is only about an inch wider than the first generation. All of which means the modern Boxster drives and handles like a small car. sport car from the 1990s, as it’s still basically the same size as a small sports car from the ’90s. Even the weight is tightly controlled, as this Style Edition weighs just a little over 3,000 pounds, just a little heavier than my 2004 model.
Electric soft top technology has definitely improved.
Not only does the new Boxster soft top look much better in terms of fit and finish than my brown one, it’s also much easier to use. The original Boxster was partly mechanical (requiring you to remove the top yourself) and then electric throughout. It was cumbersome, didn’t make the best noise, and was generally unrefined. The new Boxster’s top, on the other hand, goes up and down with the press of a button, no fuss. This Style Edition even has a subtle “Boxster” embossed on the top, which you can appreciate every time you walk up to the car.
Porsche’s “evolutionary, not revolutionary” styling directive has always been clear.
Look at details like the front grille. The horizontal slats still dominate today, but they’re larger and wider in the new Boxster. The rear fender vents are much longer and more angular today, but you can trace their roots back to the original. Even little details like the model designation on the trunk lid – it’s the exact same font, no fancy flourishes or misplaced slashes. And of course the Boxster still has the twin central exhaust pipes, because what else could Porsche do?
The interior of the new Boxster still has the old style
Despite the touchscreen and Apple CarPlay, the interior of the new 718 is more 2014 than 2024. You get fancy switches and buttons for most of the important controls, and probably even a few you’ll never touch. The three-cluster instrument cluster is almost entirely analog, although Porsche snuck in a screen for the far right cluster, which is appreciated. Switching back and forth between the instrument cluster computers in the original Boxster was a bit of a nightmare, but at least it had a digital speedometer. Funnily enough, the analog speedometer is basically as useless in the new 718 as it was in the original, thanks to the large spacing between the numbers and the shrinking size. One downside to the new Boxster, however, is the lack of a bridge instrument cluster. If you look closely at the original, you’ll notice that it’s not a full hood and you can see straight through the windshield above the gauges – that’s no longer the case in 2024.
Inner packaging is intact
Sure, the Boxster may only be a two-seater sports car, but it’s incredibly practical, and has been so since the beginning. Deep, wide door pockets? Yeah, they never go away. Enough space to tuck narrow items behind the seats? Sure. Usable center console? Check. Even the acceptable cupholders are there from the original, and while the design is a little different in 2024, you can still carry a couple of drinks while driving. All of that, plus the seat ergonomics (and they always have been) are great for the vast majority of people.
Weekend trips are just as easy.
Not only does the Boxster have a roomy trunk for a mid-engine convertible, it also has a roomy front trunk. In fact, I could fit as many bags in the new trunk as I did in the old one, and I did so on a weekend trip to western Michigan in the new Style Edition. One oddity I noticed when I opened the hood was that even the red rubber-capped gearshift lever was the same as before. The only real negative I found with the new 718 here was the lack of a spare tire in the front trunk, which I hope I never use but would be grateful to have if I needed it.
But what about driving?
This one is a little tricky to compare properly, partly because this Boxster tester is the base model, while my car is the S (which has even more upgrades beyond the special edition package). Styling differences aside, the 2024 Boxster is clearly the superior driving machine. Cornering stability, chassis stiffness, ride comfort, and handling are all modern and objectively superior to the original Boxster. You notice it immediately in the refined ride provided by more advanced damping technology, combined with super-sharp handling responses and much quicker steering. My 2004 Boxster exhibits more lean, lower handling limits, and worse handling over rough pavement. Don’t think for a second I dislike my old Porsche, as it’s still charming and capable, but I’d take the 2024 over a winding road any day.
The engine is another story.
Since this Style Edition is a basic Boxster under all its flashy stickers and wheels, it’s powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four that’s tucked just behind the cockpit and under the retractable hood. It’s no surprise that it’s not the most engaging engine from a purely aural standpoint, but compared to other four-cylinder engines on the market today, it’s pretty good. The exhaust rumbles and growls, and for a small-displacement four-cylinder, it loves to rev. But knowing what a naturally aspirated flat-six sounds like in its place, you know that this isn’t the best possible heart for an open-top sports car experience. The 3.2-liter flat-six in my 2004 Boxster S howls and revs past 7,000 rpm, giving you that raw, Porsche sound. motor sport sound. There’s no denying that it’s special in that other cars without the Porsche badge don’t and can’t sound like it. Meanwhile, the flat-four in the new 718 is just flat by comparison. It’s absolutely fantastic in a vacuum cleaner with plenty of punch (it’s a full second quicker to 60 mph than my old S), but it’s also clear as day why Porsche brought the flat-six back to the its GTS 4.0 models.
I’ll still miss that flat-six (or four) on the back of my head
While I complain about the four-cylinder engine, I’m not sure I’m ready for the Boxster to become a tram. Whether it’s through the lovely manual gearbox or the nimble PDK, hearing the revs rise, fall and flicker on a winding road is essential to the Boxster experience. Being exposed to the elements and moving fast with the wind in your hair would certainly be enough to make the next-generation electric car fun, but it would lack many of the characteristics that make the Boxster of today (and yesterday) such a satisfying driving car. The passage of time has undeniably made the Boxster a better car since its inception, so I can only cross my fingers and hope that such progress continues in the future. electric age.
