2008 Porsche Boxster Quality Review

The 2008 Porsche Boxster is exceptionally comfortable and boasts plenty of top-notch materials. There is a fair amount of noise, though not only the pleasant kind.

The Porsche 2008 Boxster has room for "two occupants" to "enjoy leather-upholstered body-hugging bucket seats," according to Cars.com. Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com unanimously rave about the seats inside the 2008 Porsche Boxster, which Kelley Blue Book says include "four leather-covered seating choices" that "range from mainly-manual six-way adjustable standard seats to fully-powered 'adaptive' sport seats." Edmunds reviewers also love the seats, cooing "seat comfort is extraordinary for both occupants." ConsumerGuide adds "the low-slung cockpit is roomy enough for six-footers," and the Porsche Boxster's "seats are exceptionally supportive during aggressive cornering."

For a sportscar, especially a roadster, the 2008 Porsche Boxster offers an impressive amount of cargo room. ConsumerGuide says that "careful packing takes good advantage of the front and rear cargo bays for more luggage-carrying possibilities than in many two-seaters." Kelley Blue Book cites the Boxster Porsche's "two trunks" among their favorite features, likening it to "having your cake and eating it, too -- and then getting seconds." In terms of actual capacity, Cars.com reports that the "cargo compartments at both ends offer a total of 9.9 cubic feet of space." Interior storage is not quite as practical as the overall trunk space, and ConsumerGuide indicates that "cabin storage space is very limited," but they also note "clever cubbies hidden inside the door armrests."

The Porsche Boxster is a luxury performance car, and the luxury aspect definitely shines through when it comes to materials and build quality. Edmunds writes that the Porsche Boxster's "interior boasts premium materials, proper sports car seating and leather everywhere." ConsumerGuide seconds that opinion, finding that the Boxster's "rich-feeling, carefully assembled cabin materials enhance a sophisticated ambiance." Kelley Blue Book also jumps in with their own compliments, and they are pleased to find that the Porsche 2008 Boxster "carries over the major 2005 revamp that stressed roomier accommodations and upgraded materials."

For all the Boxster's luxurious appointments and performance credentials, it can't outrun its one major drawback in this category: loud road and wind noise. ConsumerGuide says that the "engine's location behind the seats means more mechanical ruckus than in front-engine designs," though fortunately, the "race-car engine note delights." Edmunds also reports "top-up wind noise above 70 mph can sometimes be enough to challenge both conversation and the Boxster's sound system." While AutoWeek reviewers lodge a similar complaint, they also claim that the problem is "easily solved by going topless, dropping the hammer and forgetting about all else."