Porsche 718 Boxster first drive review: Now with a Subaru soundtrack
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 เม.ย. 2016
- We drive the latest generation of the all-conquering Porsche Boxster - to find out if adding a turbocharger and a smaller engine ruins the recipe for the perfect roadster.
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I've been trying a 718 Boxster for the past few days and I wouldn't agree with this at all...the 981 feels so gutless compared to the 718. It might lack the flat 6 sound but it still sounds throaty and unlike any 4 cyl turbo I've heard before. Sounds like a much bigger engine. It has so much usable torque around the city, depends on how you use the car will help decide whether or not this is useful but it feels significantly faster than before, I doubt a 981 would see where the 718 went on a back road. I actually thought the 981 sounded a bit lifeless, compared to their more aggressive flat-6 engines like in my GT3
in my view they managed to create a pretty cool sound for a 4cyl., and a great job making it stronger and more efficient. originally, porsche became famous with 4cyl.-engines - like in the classic 718. no doubt i´d pick this flat-4 over any heavy and thirsty US-V8. btw watercooled porsche 6cyl. never sounded that great to me. a green porsche, how awesome is that??
Lol 2020 how wrong you were
Nonsense. It still has the heart and soul it's always had, faster than ever, and sounds good when you get on it. And it's much more a pure sports car than your TT. If you owned one(as I do--and I owned a Cayman S before this), you'd change your tune, sir.
This is still a brilliant and fun car. Stop comparing it to something that is dead. Compare it to all the rest of the turbo platforms which are the norm from here on out. I don't want to hear crying about how the old platform will be missed, focus on this versus its present competition so that your viewers can actually get a good perspective of what this segment looks like in the present moment.
Having owned the 981 to my current 781 S I can tell you aside from the sound, the 718 has improved every aspect of the old car. Performance is most noticeable to me. The old car is miles slower! I know because I'm a stop light drag junkie lol
same here! I had a 981 2.7 and she was amazing and sound incredible!! now I have a 718 S and it's a lot faster, has incredible torque and better in everything (but the sound of course)
apples to apples here - I owned a base 2.7l 981 and now own a 718 T (base engine) and the new one is much more energetic and dynamic - and I liked the old car; but the sound is really the only place the 2.7l beats the 2.0. Not insignificant in a sports car, but hardly the whole picture given the differences elsewhere. And I actually like the sound of the 2.0, except when you're really flogging it.
I couldn’t care less for the sound... Would be even happier if it was electric. The agility, performance and handling matters.... only the “bloggers” who do not even own one, are dreaming of fat 6 cylinder. But trust me, driving for 3 hours between Stuttgart Muenchen with constant Brumms even at 7th gear (PDK) makes you wish for something more quiet!
While I appreciate your honesty and opinions you are grossly downplaying the fact that the performance is far superior to outgoing models. This coupled with the significant savings at the pump, far more torque down low at most rev ranges (1900-4500 roughly) combine to mean that this boxster is head and shoulders above the old model. Yes, I too miss the old soundtrack but this is overall a tour de force massive improvement overall. Maybe it will give WRX and TT owners something to aspire to.
Something tells me time will reveal the 4 as the better engine and fanboys will always complain. Porsche knows what they are doing far more than what this fellas thinks he knows.
Lol 2021...embarrassing how wrong you were
Well this comment aged like milk
I heard the 718 at the dealership and sounded not bad at all. It has a nice deep growl
I have subscribed! you have proved to be me that Autotrader is honest, brave and different to many other car review channels by reviewing a car that gets less review. thank you.
In spite of all the negative comments,...I'm still gonna get one. Can't believe so many are so hung up just about the sound...Really????? Looking at the total package, the Porsche engineers gave us more torque, more horsepower, better fuel economy, ergonomic upgrades, and you dissed the car based purely on how it sounds?????......Dammn...!!!!
..lol,..nice analogy!!...I still like the car tho'..
..well said.:).!!!
i bet it would sound sweet with downpipe, muffler delete, and intake. i love turbo spool noises!
+jtstar10 There is no doubt that this is a great car. It's just that it has lost a great deal of it's soul and character now that they've put a four banger in there.
Yes!!..wholeheartedly agree with you. This is not a deal breaker for me though as the driving dynamics more than make up for it! Still a good and valid point on your part. Thanks!!
nice to hear a different opinion than the other vids. it definitely doesn't sound as good and that's always been part of the porsche driving experience. looks bloody killer though. love the black scheme and the new spoiler with the bar light.
Respectfully disagree. Just bought 2017 Boxster, stick. Glorious. I had several Cayman S's (flat six)which were amazing. This is amazing, too, and I think it sounds great. I advise all of you, DON'T JUDGE THIS ENGINE UNTIL YOU DRIVE IT. Don't believe any reviewer, drive it yourself and make your own decision. I've owned six of them in 16 years, and I'm telling you, it's a work of art, it's awesome. You can disagree, but it means nothing unless drive one everyday. Only then does your opinion have any weight.
Am awaiting my Cayman T, the replacement for my 987 Boxster. I was a sound junkie with Fabspeed exhaust with bypass valve and amazing sound. I was concerned about the sound of the 4cyl until I drove several. Totally different and just as engaging. The 987 was dead below 3500-4000 rpm, the 718 much livelier and responsive. No regrets.
@@howardschaefer1445 only we who own them know how glorious they are.....
i just got one,s version, and it just sounds fantastic.
i really dont understand what is wrong with the new 718 noise.
Is that a Casette Tape player under the CD input???
Of all of those who criticize the four cylinder, I’d love to know how many c
an actually afford it.
It wasn't for MPG.... it was for emissions (ironic given what happened at VW).
N/A engines are a dying breed for this reason. Even superminis are switching to smaller turbo engines. The days of the I.C.E are numbered. The future is electric. Imagine a Boxster with NO engine noise.... thats what we'll have 10-15 years from now!
+soundseeker63 Its either that or watch the planet boil from heat trapped by CO2.
Great review. Being a Porsche 987 owner, I agree that the 4 cylinder is such a shame.
Gone are the moans and howls of the Porsche flat six
+Dung Bag concur. glad Ima poor working Dad, and hafta 'settle' for a 987.1... Cayman tho
Listen, if you are buying a brand new Porsche, life ain't so bad.....
That Adidas NMD matches the car really well lol
i love the honesty - best review i have seen in months ... journalists are under the thumb of the companies generally turbo's I'm totally against especially here -
RIP to one of the best sounding cars out there. You will be missed.
Good honest review. I've been worried about the new 4 cylinder engine... I currently own a 2016 Boxster and just love the SOUND. In fact the main reason I prefer driving it over my faster 2016 Macan S is that the sound of the Boxster 6 cylindar engine - its amazing really.
Solid review, beautifully filmed.
Does the adage "no replacement for displacement" come to mind?
Beautiful car, still keeping my flat6 5speed
I couldn't agree with you more Mr Bond about the now missing flat-six (I feel a bit funny as I'm typing that, sorry, and it's all about your famous namesake). A great review as always.
I'm a potential customer and own a 987 Boxster S right now. I'm waiting to drive one myself before I decide what to do. I could buy a very well specc'd 981 GTS for the price of a new 718 (or I may just keep my very well specc'd 987.
I should grab a current model GTS. Prob the best value and last best boxster you can get.
Perfect conclusion! Thanks for the honesty.
This new generation of Cayman and Boxster are truly a big shame. It's not a numbers game after all with these cars. It's about emotions and they're gone.
slaWterCH Except his conclusion is wrong, the change was due to emissions and not a mpg savings. Blame the environmental freaks for insisting on saving the planet that doesn’t need saving, that is the mantra of course, but it’s really all about the💰💰💰.
buy a 718, and then buy a 986 just for the sound. have both. love love the sound the 986 makes.
I am testing this car today at a nearby dealership ! I have reserved it for one hour. Lets see how it goes.
I am far from being a racing driver but the design is what really attracts me :) love love love that ass!
... I can't afford it though :(
what's the color of this car? Guards red or Carmine red?
Great review other than the wine coming from the reviewer talking about the motor.
I own the 2015 Porsche boxster GTS. I purposly sought out this last flat six because of it being the last flat six. yes the new 718 is .3 seconds faster from zero to one hundred. but when you have the flat six wound up in sport plus in manual on a tight mountain road, there is no substitute for the violent Crackling sound track that eminate from the sport exhaust. maybe, just maybe Porsche may produce a flat six turbo with special hoodoo to meet emission standards. omg imagine that. however I believe the last of the flat six GTS models will become sought after. Porsche I understand why the flat four because of emission standards, but you are Porsche and I am sure you will figure it out, there is no substitute , Porsche!
It's been 3 years since this comment, do you still own the car and feel the same way? :)
Manuel for sure. .....wow, what a beauty.
+Bosse Grytbakk ....who that buys such cars are worrying about miles pr gallon?
porsche didn't even gain a significant amount of mpg with the 4 cylinder. its basically for slightly more performance, but without the intoxicating sound, i feel it won't be worth it.
This is the most honest review I have seen.
Finally, a review that tells it like it is. Everyone else is praising turbocharged torque. And I say, who cares? If I wanted low to midrange torque I'd go drive my WRX. A NA porsche offers an unparalleled driving dynamic, and sacrificing some low end grunt is well worth it when you get to 7,000.
Completely agree, i own both a boxster and a wrx, and having a four cylinder kills the entire purpose.
+Augusto Ortiz e
@@augustortiz couldn't disagree more, and I don't see the argument; this still has the "unparalleled driving dynamic" you praise, but now gives you a mid-range rush of torque to boot? You didn't mention sound, but that's the only area where the base 718 at least arguably doesn't improve on the old car - the chassis and steering are better, and I owned 2 981s - a base and the Spyder. In fact the Spyder introduced some things that then became standard on the incoming 718s, like the steering rack/ratio from the 911 turbo, and 911 S brakes, as well as the rear subframe brace that the 718s got standard. Anyway, with a fairly top heavy powerband (for a 2.0T) and a 7500 rpm redline, you can still enjoy ripping to 7K in this one.
This review makes me appreciate my 981s more.. Be interesting to see how the value of the 981 is effected.. Seems as though demand for this won't be as great as the 981
Spot on conclusion! I own a 981S and there is no way I'm trading it in for this. The flat six symphony is the heart of its appeal. Performance be damned! GT4 and Spyder have the 3.8 if you want the extra grunt. Porsche better sort it out for the next Gen.
Here's an interesting one. I've always preferred the noise of 3 cylinders to 4. Almost sounds like a mini 6. I deliberately revved the seat mii city curtosy car not just because that's the only way it moves even slowly but because it sounds rorty. So maybe make a turbocharged 3 if you're forced to get economy. Wonder if the s sounds better.
Like the colour and black wheels 👍🏻
Spot on conclusion.
great and honest review
This is a very strategic move from Porsche, in that it will force some customers into buying a 991.2 (911) because the 981 was getting too close and let's not forget, the 911 is the most profitable car in the world I believe. Whether this is a good move from Porsche, I'm not so sure, but if you have a good 981, keep it - Their values are holding very firm indeed...
They do this to try and widen tbe gap between the boxster/cayman and 911.
The last gen's rear looks wayyyyy much better
For me it Sounds good. More power than the old boxter. For me the better one.
Tintsch assxsxdcdcdvd
Thats a little disturbing, the headlight looks a bit like the eyes from the Terminator robots when moving around.
The title killed me.
Finally someone who tells it like it is.
The boxster is now porsche's co2 car. Put a four cylinder in the boxster so they can keep selling bigass cayenne v8 turbos.
They could have put a detuned base 911 engine in there. The differences in efficiency would be marginal ... but no ... the boxster will serve to bring down the fleet average co2.
At least we can be happy they didn't go for equal length exhaust headers, i guess.
At least they made some attempt to give it some character.
Finally a journalist who refuses to drink Porsche's Kool-Aid. Congrats ! And let's be honest: who really thinks that this new turbocharged engine will get the proclaimed mileage in the real world anyway ? Just a lot of cosmetics and some marginal performance gains to hide the fact that compared to the outgoing Boxster (981) this new 718 Boxster is more expensive, heavier, has a smaller trunk and gas tank, and lost a lot of its character: the sound of its famous flat six. But Porsche's marketing guys got what they wanted: a much bigger gap with their real money maker sports car, the 911...
Close your eyes and you would never think a Porsche is making that sound.
Could tell how this review was going to go when comparing Porsche with Subaru in the title
Is This car 2000 cc?
thank you for being brave enough to telling the truth, its totally less enjoyable with out the flat 6, its not horrible but its no longer superstar.
+TheCa007 true
What is "enjoyable" for you? 718 have now a lot more torque practically in all rpm, and more power, and a lot more efficient, more fast 0-100...
You know that the 718 Cayman S have the same time than the GT4?
And yet sounds good, anyway you can buy aftermarket exhaust.
Whats enjoyable to me is that flat 6 singing in my ears as i reach peak rpm over 7000rpm. also, if you think that the 4 cylinder sounds anything even close to as good as the 981 flat 6, you are sadly mistaken. It may be faster, and if speed is all thats important their are a lot of cheaper cars that are faster around a track and straight aways than a gt4 or this 4 cylinder turbo, 100k money graber. ex. shelby gt350r, corvette grand sport, any version of the corvette z06 and very soon a camaro z28 or zr1 all except the z06 top 2 versions cost less than the cayman 4 cylinder and gt4 (fully loaded) and will out perform them on track. what made the car special was the motor and the great handling. the cars i mentioned all have good or great handling, exceptional speed and powerful n/a motors (v8s). whats the point again in buying a over priced 4 cylinder?, get an alfa 4 c spider for 20k less, mid-engine 4 cylinder with great handling and far better steering.
I only tell you more advantadges, i too can say you that if you buy a Cayman for the sound you are sadly mistaken, you have a lot cars with better sound and more cheap, like the list of cars you said me, or buy a motorbike.
GT3 or turbo models dont have 8 or 10 cilinders and nobody cry about Ferrari or lamborghini sounds better.
The 6 cilinder porsche even dont sound really good, dont have high rpm, but you talk about 6 engine like a masterpiece and 4 cilinders like garbage.
I have a old NSX (6 cilinder) and this sounds a lot better in the interior than any Cayman, or even cheaper cars like M3 E46 (6 cilinder) no sense buy a Cayman for the sound.
Buy a muscle V8.
Porsche is about efficience, performance, drive feeling, luxury, quality..., well sound is a extra, but is a lot better car and yet sounds ok, or buy a aftermarket exahust.
All the market is turning in downsize and electrics, contamination and taxes too is a factor.
I'll take a 718 over a 981 Cayman Boxster all day, a great exhaust will open up anywhere from 30-50hp,better sound, and a simple tune will add 50hp easily. Alfa 4C better steering than a Cayman,no way mate. No power steering,no rearward visibility,no manual option,no cargo space,far from a Cayman comparison.
Horrid lag on that navigation system, the car is cool though
+Carlitox b nice!
+pundaint 0
I would've got a TT it wasn't FWD focused AWD. Such a shame.
Nice to see owners sticking for the faster 2Litre and some liking the sound it makes. Subdued and pleasant to an adult, but distressing for road testers whose cliche ridden group thinkers can’t get past it. For them testing cars is like comparing cakes or wine. Subjective and not necessarily useful.
This chap is wrong about grip too. It’s not that great, presumably to make sure it’s not as fast round tracks than more expensive models. My Merc has more grip on narrower Pirellis and they didn’t last as long.
The 718 is the best Boxster to date, it has more mid and low end punch and the PDK is a must have for either traffic queues or faster driving.
For the first 15 years Porsche made only fours.
Excellent points.
That's my dream car right there
Whats next? The 715, with a 3 cylinder 999 cc boxer........?
Ouch! 👍🏼 thanks for you brutal opinion
I'm guessing your Audi sounds better because it's making fake "vroom vroom" noises through a speaker. I have a Volkswagen with a 2.0 turbo that's not so dramatically different and while I'd certainly agree that the flat six makes a beautiful song, the flat four is still several steps above the Audi/VW turbo inline fours. Not that the TSI/FSI engines sound bad, but to get to a genuinely amazing sound out of an Audi or VW you have to step up to a VR6 or a turbo five.
This with a turbo charged 6 cylinder is what everyone wants but that will kill sales of other Porsche models. Looks nice, handles well, just doesn't sound good.
Some people can't get over the fact that the 718 now has only 4 instead of 6 cylinders and that the car has a "bad" noise. Get over it people ! It simply is a fact that manufacturers need to get fuel down and if this is the way so be it. The 718 is faster than it used to be and most people turn on music when they drive, so what is the problem ? really ...
I'm surprised that Porsche don't offer the NA flat-six as an option for those who want it. They should be able to shoe-horn the old engine into the new vehicle - so why not let the market decide?
Some are going to prefer the NA six and others will opt for the additional power and fuel-economy of the turbo four.
Please review a S model.
Cant wait to pick up a Cayman in the autumn. Must be worth a couple of % APR, withall the negativity about the new engine.
dont worry, i drive 718 s for one week,it is much better car then previous one and sound is fantastic.
and this is why when i heard porsche was going to switch it to a 4 cal turbo bought the last breed 2016 981 flat 6.
Everything is great expect the 4 cylinder!
A lot of people are forgetting that this is a Porsche, not a Ferrari. They are dedicated to performance.
well said about the hart and soul of that car
Ouch, that was harsh!!!
+Γιώργος Παπαδόπουλος i agree. becos i have own the 986 boxster s. even that car sounded 10x better with an exhaust.
I wouldn't be surprised if Porsche would turn to make some 3 cylinder SUVs in about a decade's time just to get some profit
The Reddish colour reminds me of Ferrari some how :P
Landrover defender wolf road test
Hes very good reciewer
Would easily take this over a TT-S, which is a turbocharged 4-cylinder as well anyway. The TT-S isn't available in North America as a roadster, or with a manual transmission either.
I thought he was going to say "seismic shit"
This looks like Portugal :)
It doesn't sound like an STi, there is no rumble. It could be the WRX or the Focus RS, but not the distinctive Subaru STi sound.
I didn't know I cared about sound till I recently bought a 2015 Boxster S. Surprisingly (to me)The sound of that flat 5 is addicting and definitely a crucial part of the driving experience. Now..that said, had I not experienced the sound...the 718 would not be a disappointment. Bottom line.. I can't believe I own this car...I'm gonna enjoy every moment.
flat 6...
nice NMD's
Hopefully, the GTS comes with a proper flat 6. This Subaru sound is an absolutely no go!
read that only the gt4 will keep the flat 6.
I completely agree with the conclusion of that, that engine is souless
So -- why did Porsche "rip the heart out" of the Boxster for a few more miles per gallon? Were buyers demanding it?
No. It was because our government(s) mandated it.
I would rather buy the second hand 6cyl version
Exactly, and with the saving, one could get a simple or more complex engine tune to outstrip the new 4-cylr! Porsche have really dropped the ball on this one. What's the wager that the next revamped version/model will have a 6-cylr?
He likes the handling, it's faster, you can set it for a new fun mode, it still feels balanced. Damn, Porsche should have added a couple of glass packs. Are the grippy tires too quiet too or do they have enough squeal?
What shoes is he wearing?
Some form of lightweight Adidas running shoe.
So most prefer sound to performance? Really?
+butterscotchtele really
yes. exploiting this car's performance requires a track. My goal [was] to enjoy it on the open road; where the driving experience (sound included) is paramount. Piping exhaust notes into the cabin seems disingenuous.
+butterscotchtele
It's not a track car but a sports car to have fun driving. The sound in these kind of cars is a big part of the cars soul that puts a smile on your face, or even scares you a bit when you get close to red line. It's like F1 cars. The new ones with their power unites might be faster but part of the soul/excitement is gone.
Absolutely. Sound is at least 50% of driving a sports car to me. I love hearing the engine screaming at 6-7 thousand, even on my miata! I'd never buy a boxster with a turbo four. If i wanted that i'd buy a gt86, put a turbo on it, and have the exact same thing for half the price.
+butterscotchtele I don't care a thing about the fastest cars I've owned. I couldn't even say definitively say which ones they were in a descending order. I remember and miss the better sounding ones. Porsche has made a mistake. They should have made smaller 6 cyl engines if they didn't need the cubic inches. What are the odds of being able to graft 2 blocks together to make it an 8 cyl? Maybe an LS will fit. What is with Porsche hating it's own models?
So sad people only think a car is good for its sound,yes sound it part of the experience,but ,it could make no sound IE p85d and still give you a great driving experience. So what it doesn't sound like like the 6 it's better looking ,lighter , faster ,all while giving you better MPG. I would say thats a win win. O ya it comes in a stick ++++
Old Porsche's cost way too much now as collectors have driven the price's into stupid range,this you can buy and go faster safer and if it gets hurt replace with new for a fraction of the cost,or buy a 918 used for cheap and beat the crap out of it and throw it away.
+P Kuudsk I guess you've never driven a car with a good sounding engine.
For porsches, the flat six wail is something that is very much part of the experience, and their identity.
Porsche had to do it. There in the business of selling cars, not playing hard to get. Also the model line up did not make any sense to the pricing chart. This 3.0 liter turbo and non turbo is being used across 4 different model lines. So how do you justify the high sticker price if I can get the same engine in the smallest car. If you ask me the 911 has been compromised. Take engine away and giving something smaller but performance oriented and now you can sell more cars. The boxster makes sense to me and I love it but my heart still belongs to a 911 carrera S4.
I just think if any company, with race heritage, could have produced a low emissions 6 cylr, it would have/could have been Porsche, even if they developed the Audi's 5 cylr. But to have such a car sound like a 1990's Vauxhall is a dreadful executive decision.
Shall I go for Camaro SS...
Now with a subaru soundtrack yeh right , more like the original porsche sound track , porsche started off with a flat 4 .
I'm getting quite fed up with this "the 718 sounds like a Subaru" line that's going around lately. No it doesn't -- people have the chronology backward. Subarus -- perhaps excluding the newer ones with equal-length exhaust headers -- sound like the original 718 or any other flat-four Porsche that had already captured the world's imagination long before Subaru ever put a flat four in any car.
If anything, the boxer rumble of the 718 is a return to form for Porsche. The flat-six motors still had that funky boxer rumble right up through the 964, after which they sounded increasingly bland up to the point that now they're virtually devoid of any distinguishing characteristics other than a cold, mechanical howl.. "They have such a sonorous exhaust tone as you wring them out to redline!" every adoring automotive critic likes to say about the modern Porsche flat-sixes. NO THEY DON'T. They sound like an industrial sewing machine stitching together a parachute. So I for one am very pleased to see a modern Porsche producing an exhaust note with some palpable character.
And no Paul, your Audi's dainty-sounding inline four does NOT sound better than this street rumbler.
We all know that flat 4's are for boy racers.. Flat 6 is legend
Well... I have never driven the old Boxster, therefore I don't care what the differences are. I just would like to know about the experience of driving this car, how it behaves on open roads and in the city, etc, etc, what can I expect if I buy the car.
And this review doesn't say much about it, just whines about the old one.
they spoilt the look of the front too
"Subaru soundtrack" is exact and precise. Purists miss the the 6 and typical sound.
Since when Porsche owners consider the miles per gallon ????? I guess, BMW guys were much future predictor, they have started z4 2000cc with flat 4 cylinder long, long time ago : nice review, thank you ..
So buy a second hand flat six one then