2016 Porsche 718 Boxster - Road Test and Track Impressions

So I have finally got the new 718 Boxster on Petrol Ped thanks to the generosity of Porsche UK. I was invited to an Introduction of Porsche media day and got to drive the 718 Boxster S on track and then the Boxster out on the road. Sadly I could film any of the track action !
A super impressive car. In this video I discuss the debate about moving from normally aspirated flat 6 to a turbo charged flat 4. To be honest I'm not sure what the fuss is all about ! The 4 pot turbo is a mighty power unit with a great noise and guaranteed smiles ! It's not often I get to drive a car I am reviewing on track and take it to it's limits and then get to drive it on the public road.
For me this car re-defines the Boxster and sets the bar VERY high for any two-seat convertible wannabes !
A big thank you to Porsche Guilford and Porsche UK for making this review happen. Your support is much appreciated.
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[@darrencumber9858]

Drove my new Porsche back from Bristol to London and it’s fantastic

[@fgl8195]

Another brilliant review petrol ped!! Very real and genuine, and best review of the 718 I have seen yet.

[@PetrolPed]

That's kind of you to say 👍 Glad you enjoyed it 😎

[@drbobs8267]

Just got a 718 a month ago so I’m watching every video I can about them and I agree this is one of the best I’ve seen! No complaint from me about the sound!

[@PetrolPed]

Great cars 👍

[@randyland1000]

love mine

[@lee0001]

Just ordered the 718 basic (plus a few extras). Should arrive in June, so looking forward to a few long road trips.

[@khoaphan8490]

it's crazy how they made a 4 cylinder accelerate 0-60 in under 5s and yet we still have people complaining about the engine noise.

[@PetrolPed]

Most of the people complaining about the engine noise have never driven one, they've just heard someone else say it :-)

[@tonychiarizzi7574]

Khoa Phan - It's not crazy. 0-60 time, and engine noise invoke different emotions. I've driven both the naturally aspirated 6 and the turbo 4 - 718. While there is no denying that the 718 is a rocket, and will beat the pants off the n/a (one emotion), the sound of the n/a is considered superior by a wide margin (another emotion). Both versions are amazing, and special in their own way.

[@pilot.ignacio]

Petrol Ped True. I own a 718 Boxster GTS and I like the way it sound😊.

[@paulwood862]

Under 4 secs in gts

[@HRINACAR]

Extremely well done - no prep - nailed a long one. Very impressed with that indeed. Well very done dude. Really impressed. Really well done.

[@PetrolPed]

Thank you. Such encouraging words mean a lot coming from you. This was the review I wanted to nail and I'm pleased with the result. Cayenne and 911 Turbo S footage looks good too. Just got to make a good job of the editing 👍

[@rainzoro]

As a soon 718 buyer I’ve watched almost all KZbin reviews and without hesitation this is the best one I’ve seen. It’s all about the feeling isn’t it? The wind, face expression, choice of words makes you feel like you’re sitting next. This type of review is truly doing justice as a “video review”. Just elaborating about the car is no different than a magazine.

[@PetrolPed]

Thank you. That is that style I am aiming for. You are going to love your new car 👍👏

[@DaveSurreyUK]

So refreshing to have someone saying they like the 718 sound. No it's not as nice as the previous generation, but it's still pleasant and i quite like the low down growl. I've had 2 718's and 4 911's, but I'm leaning towards buying another 718 next as they're such a good car and excellent value.

[@mattylf1]

That's some impressive performance stats for an entry level model. Nice review 👍

[@iancross5370]

Great vid Pete editing on point 👌you can tell you had fun making it. Also impressive aero design. ..you could hear you speak clearly with not much wind noise.

[@PetrolPed]

+Ian Cross Thanks Ian. This was a car I wanted to drive for a while and it didn't disappoint. Even at speed there wasn't too much wind noise.

[@claytonfarlow76]

Subscribed! Good luck with your channel, your reviews are great - such enthusiasm!

[@PetrolPed]

Thank you for the lovely feedback and the Sub. I'm glad you enjoy my stuff. Ped.

[@andrewmawbey4179]

Got to love a Porsche, I had an early 1997 2.5 Boxster a few years back, lovely car and still miss it.... That new one ticks all the boxes, great interior. What's also interesting watching you review these cars is knowing your own Audi Rs is a quick car but these still impress you with the acceleration. Great review...

[@PetrolPed]

+andrew mawbey It was a very quick car. Anything sub 5 to 60 gets me smiling ! What is nice is you feel like you can use it without getting into too much trouble 😜

[@martinbrackley4603]

Most reviews I've seen are of the S version, so it was great to see this review. Awesome review, and awesome car :)

[@PetrolPed]

Thanks. Yep, this car is great considering this is the 'slow' one !!!

[@gkk2001]

Loved this video. I am maybe 2000 miles from you but felt like I was sitting in the car with you. And it is refreshing to hear someone that does not bash the exhaust but in fact likes it. I do as well. I test drove the S and feel the power is just 'over the top' such that I would be in trouble with the S very soon after getting behind the wheel. Thanks so much for this review.

[@PetrolPed]

My pleasure Greg. The S is a rocket ship ! As I always say to people. if you have never experienced the flat 6 there is nothing to complain about ! I'm so chuffed you liked the review :-)

[@Viperrm64]

Love it, Love it, Love it, if i had the money( and i do not) i would order one right now!!!! Great video Peter one of your best reviews in a truly beautiful car, thank you.

[@PetrolPed]

You are my No. 1 fan Rob 👍 Glad you enjoyed it 😎

[@coleobrien3226]

Excellent video, I have a 2013 boxster s that I absolutely love. Keep up the good work

[@PetrolPed]

Cheers Cole 👍

[@eddiegray793]

2009 s love it too

[@secondchance4498]

Wow, how nice it is to come across a good new channel. Thank you, I will be crossing my fingers for more good videos to come. (subscribed)

[@PetrolPed]

Cheers ! Thanks for the Sub. I'll try my very best to bring you great content. I normally try to get at least 1 video out per week. 6pm Friday (UK time) is when I upload. Let you friends know I'm here ;-)

[@eddiegray793]

Never regreated having had two boxsters s so much fun

[@stefanschumacher7781]

Hey Ped! Great review. I like your enthusiam....

[@PetrolPed]

+Stefan Schumacher Thanks Stefan. Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@DJADAMCOOPER]

I have a 981 boxster S and when it was on service recently I was loaned a 718 Cayman S. For me, all the theatre and drama was lost, sure it was incredibly fast and the steering was sublime, but it didn’t feel as fast as the 981S because it didn’t have the sound track to go with it. But each to their own and glad you enjoyed the 718. I’m obviously biased, but I really wanted to disagree with the journalists, but I did agree with them. Great vid Pete!

[@pauladams5673]

Excellent & positive review for the real world of motoring.

[@PetrolPed]

Thanks Paul, glad you enjoyed it :-)

[@jamie3731]

What a brilliant review, thoroughly nice chap too, subscribed for sure 👍

[@PetrolPed]

Thanks for the sub. This is quite a few years ago. Check out one of my newer vids 👍

[@sirish19]

love it. Looking hard at this car!

[@cayman9815]

Hi, nice video to watch. You are clearly a car enthusiast. I drove the GTS for some days last year and am looking forward to drive the basic 718 (Cayman). Good to hear that the basic car is already powerful enough. That was the problem with the old model... You needed the 3.4 to have fun. Now this 2.0 car is already enough, I understand from yr review. Good news, thank you. Peter (Belgium)

[@PetrolPed]

Thanks for the great comments. Glad you enjoyed the video. Yep, the entry level Boxster is now VERY fast !!!

[@tryptobphan]

Great review. I actually have the 718 Cayman and it's fantastic. I had a 981 Cayman before, which was also fantastic. But I really enjoy your enthusiasm and I share the same enthusiasm with the 718 Boxster/Cayman!

[@PetrolPed]

Cheers Bryan. Lucky you...I really fell for the 718. High on my next car want list :-)

[@tryptobphan]

I can only imagine what it's like driving different cars from all sorts of automakers, so I'm looking forward to more impressions from you about other cars. Love the enthusiasm you have for cars in general. Keep up the great work!

[@PetrolPed]

It's the reason I started Petrol Ped. I just wanted a way to get to drive lots of different cars, if I can share that with you guys then all the better :-)

[@user-ec9hg3nu4u]

This is a great review - just bought one 2020 and I have seen some very unkind reviews talking about the previous flat 6 engine. You have to appreciate most people dont drive supercars for a living so the constant comparison to flat 6s is a little redundant. In 10 years time we will all be driving cars that go from 0-60 in 3 secs and have zero noise/feedback. Im moving from a Mini JCW so I suspect ill be very impressed. Anyway - thank you for this review as its brilliant and really makes sense to the average person who will buy one of these - thanks Nick

[@PetrolPed]

Thanks Nik. There is a 718 Cayman S review on my channel you may also enjoy 👍

[@jamessuttie1261]

Great comments. I don't understand why so many other journalists diss the Turbo 4. My Cayman S arrives in a month. Can't wait.

[@PetrolPed]

James Suttie Jealous! You are going to LOVE it 😎

[@gekookeg3705]

Fantastic drive test mine is coming on december 😎

[@PetrolPed]

Lucky you 👍 You are going to LOVE it 😎

[@Cogito1978]

Great objective review....thanks!

[@PetrolPed]

My pleasure, I'm glad you enjoyed it :-)

[@wanlmeddoc2000]

Great review! Not many people will appreciate the new 4 cylinder sound. I do! Its much more civilized than the old 6 cylinder which I've driven before. I am much more prefer the new 4 cylinder noise in the city, as daily commute. I've got the Boxster 718 GTS. Beautiful car! Thanks for your review! At least I know there's some one out there, hold the same view of this new 718.

[@PetrolPed]

Nice, the 718 GTS is the one to have. Brilliant car :-)

[@tomlabarbara1436]

Awesome review

[@PetrolPed]

Cheers Tom 👍

[@kitebarbarian]

The 718 is an awesome car. I went and drove (back to back to back I might add) a 2016 f-type s convertible, 2019 corvette grand sport convertible and 2019 boxter s. The best car overall? Boxter, hands down! Ordered one a few days back, cant wait!

[@PetrolPed]

Wow...that what I call a good day of test drives and the correct decision 👍

[@lumu696]

Thanks for a great review of the entry level Boxster. Most are of the S model. My 718 Cayman is in production in Stuttgart and due to arrive in less than 3 months. I fell in love with the performance as well as the sound during a test drive. I opted out of the Boxster only because I'm finally making a huge transition from driving SUVs most of my adult life to a two-seater and not yet comfortable driving a convertible. Once I'm in my comfort zone, maybe I'll consider a Boxster down the road? Shots of you driving with the sun and wind in your face are quite tempting!

[@PetrolPed]

I've driven the 718 Cayman too and it is absolutely BRILLIANT ! You are going to love it...I'm very jealous ! I'm a soft top kinda guy, you just cant beat the wind in your hair !

[@rabulc]

Epic, nice car🎉

[@robertgregory1927]

Love the look but just can’t do the 4 cylinder . Cheers.

[@alanbooth7280]

Good luck with the channel also

[@PetrolPed]

Thanks Alan...much appreciated :-)

[@ronstopfer2315]

Excellent!

[@PetrolPed]

Cheers Ron 👍

[@anthhodgson7680]

Great review...

[@PetrolPed]

Thanks Anthony. That was a pretty special day early in my KZbin career 👍

[@sparkford04]

I enjoy my Boxster 981 flat six. 2016 model. Cracking car with manual box well spec'd with sports exhaust.718 & 981 both cracking soft top motoring

[@PetrolPed]

Agree. Both very competent allrounders with some interesting differences. I love them both for different reasons :-)

[@julianadams2206]

718 looks ace. With the Porsche range I think the less is more principle applies.

[@markevangelista3856]

Awesome review! Could you review the BMW M4? Thanks!

[@PetrolPed]

Cheers Mark. That is one of the cars on my list ! In the mean time here is my review of the M5... kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH3IpHSsf8t4eZo

[@coltoncleveringa8004]

Great review Pete I like Porsche’s a lot myself but have never driven one. A 911 turbo would be fun!! Do u think you’ll ever own a 718 boxster Porsche??

[@PetrolPed]

It's on my nest car short list ;-)

[@coltoncleveringa8004]

Petrol Ped what is your top 5 picks for a next car as of right now?

[@BillLee3]

Thanks for the video. Question: I'm considering a 718 Boxster. I'd keep the car for the foreseeable future and would therefore want to option it up to just the way I want it. The base model ends up only about $16.5K (US) less than the (still highly optioned) GTS. While I have no doubt that depreciation is higher with a very optioned base versus the GTS, the GTS is still considerably more expensive over 10 years. Is that difference really worth it? Particularly with regards to turbo lag. In test drives at a dealer it's really hard to tell. (I'm not considering the S because it ends up just below a GTS with the options I want). Before just answering yes, consider that: 1) The base is somewhat more than I WANT to spend, but while the GTS is certainly within the range of what I CAN do, it is really beyond what I SHOULD do, and 2) I used to own a 2006 Z51 Corvette with headers and a tune that made ~450HP. Performance figures on that car were not substantially better than the GTS and you had to drive it MUCH faster than legal in order to have any fun at all. My wife's Miata cost just over half as much but was actually almost as fun to drive on a day to day basis (just too small for me). I would likely NEVER track the car, just drive it in the mountains..... 3) On the other hand, this guy (kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmS7iGNmgamgi7s) has me worried that it would be a poor decision. Thanks for any input.

[@PetrolPed]

It's all down to personal preference. For me I'd go for a used S as close to my spec as I could find. There is a big performance difference between base and S (50bhp). Many people will be more than happy with the standard 300bhp. My neighbour has one and loves it. Interestingly he was recently given a 718 Boxster S as a courtesy cat and did start to doubt he had the right car. The extra grunt makes a lot of difference. The GTS clearly has even more performance, not sure the average driver could tell the difference. You might find a used GTS has better residuals too.

[@butterscotchtele]

How did the 19" wheels feel on the base compared with the 20" on the S you drove? I'm particulary interested in cornering stability.

[@PetrolPed]

For me I didn't feel any great difference. On track in the S I was able to push very hard and the cornering grip, especially under acceleration was very impressive. The 20s didn't feel too harsh even though the surface was pretty good. On the road the 19s on the standard car felt nice. Excellent ride quality. I am a lover of big wheels so would opt for the 20s if it was my choice.

[@teggsy2165]

Love the colour of this car it is a great looker,but theres still the Audi TTS convertible and it's sound.

[@butterscotchtele]

Was this base model optioned with the "sport exhaust system"? You refer to sport exhaust, but sport mode comes standard which crackles on over-run. For daily driving, would you opt for the base or S?

[@PetrolPed]

I believe it did have the sport exhaust and for me it's worth the money. It sounded ace ! The base Boxster is massively fast and would make a perfect daily. I certainly wouldn't be disappointed, however if I was buying one I'd stretch my budget and go for the S. I know what I'm like, I'd be sat in my base Boxster and an S would pull up alongside and I'd wish I gone for it !!

[@butterscotchtele]

Exactly! Thanks mate.

[@yannickandraschko1812]

Any sound Difference between the non s and s Version in Terms of noise and loudness?

[@EvanK2EJT]

I own a 2.0 liter 718 Cayman, and have driven the 2.5 liter Cayman S. You'd be hard pressed to tell the difference based on the sound.

[@sajinsanand]

Most of the journalists complaint about the engine sound.. They all loved the old atmospheric flat 6 than the new 4 cylinder engine..did you not felt that? Or are you biased😜 Any turbo lag?

[@PetrolPed]

I've no reason to be biased, I drive a Mini and an Audi ! Honestly I think the engine sounds great. Lots a throat on acceleration and massive pops on over run. Different to the flat 6 but still very nice !

[@sajinsanand]

+Petrol Ped thanks... I got an invite to try the new 718 cayman.. Hope it will be a great car..

[@your_alter_ego]

Perhaps he has never driven a 981 Boxster with the glorious flat 6 howl.

[@PetrolPed]

+FixTooth I have driven both. Here is my review of the 3.4 S... kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5nRYnSpnpKMe9U I'm not saying the flat 6 doesn't sound nice. I'm saying the flat 4 sounds better than people are saying. Actually it sounded stunning !

[@massiveglove2960]

Beautiful car and no doubt it handles better than ever - but for more reasons than one, I'm going to hang on to my 987 Boxster S...

[@eddiegray793]

Me too

[@eddiegray793]

I have a 987.2 s and I agree with you

[@jayb2617]

sounds like a mix between a beetle and a subaru wrx

[@glenndavis3063]

Sold it to me, I'll take 2 please!

[@PetrolPed]

Cheers Glenn...you'd love it !

[@limenghean]

Exhaust volume wise is it as loud as the 981?

[@PetrolPed]

It's a very different noise. The volume really depends on the exhaust. Many people don't like it but I however thought it sounded pretty good :-)

[@limenghean]

Me too. Many wouldn't agree but the raspy exhaust note of the new flat 4 actually sounds really good!

[@jonreeves7377]

So which would you buy, this or the TT RS?

[@PetrolPed]

Oh man that is a tough question and a real first world problem. A close call but probably the Audi.

[@jonreeves7377]

Im a big fan of both the Cayman S and the TT RS. Porsche nicely speced, PDK etc....just shy of £60K. Exactly the same as the RS with a few added toys, black pack et al. In the end, the 5 cylinder swings it. Had it not been for the neutering, this would win. Self harm IMO and it will cost them.

[@sparkford04]

Used low mileage at sensible money GT4 for me.

[@Baerchenization]

He's a lucky guy :) Not because they invited him, but because they didn't un-invite him... He said "it is not really a Boxer". JESUS CHRIST !!

[@mcesarey]

The old car at the beginning looked like a 904 instead of a 718. Am I wrong?

[@PetrolPed]

Hi Michael. I hope not. If it is I'm going to blame Google !!!!

[@mcesarey]

Check it out...I'm sure that car was a 904.

[@PetrolPed]

I got this picture from the Porsche 718 Wikipedia page. It's even labeled as a 718 ! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_718 I'll look into it some more. I can't change the video now but could put a note in the description. Thank you for letting me know.

[@mcesarey]

Oh wow, that wikipedia page is totally wrong...definitely not a 718. That's crazy!

[@PetrolPed]

That's Wikipedia for you...LOL !

[@goons123flofy]

Windnoise is killing my ears in the opening shot.

[@PetrolPed]

I know. Sorry for that. Didn't realise it was so bad until I check through my footage.

[@goons123flofy]

Petrol Ped probably not bad on an ipad, but with headsets on any windnoise is super annoying.

[@PetrolPed]

TurgBurglar I now have a DSLR with RODE mic and wind muffler so hopefully wind will be less of a problem 😜

[@rabulc]

Ueee

[@redtvproductions1]

Loved your video and the car but I hated seeing the camera operator in the reflections. Its just amateurish. Get a better gimbal and camera so you can set back a bit out of the shot.

[@PetrolPed]

That will be because I was, and arguably still am, an amateur learning their trade ;-) Thanks for the tip and glad you liked the video.

[@redtvproductions1]

Yes, I realised it was you but I didn't want to knock you. the difficult part of camera work is avoiding those type of shots. its a skill that has to be learnt in the commercial world. Anyone can hold a camera and a gimbal but not without their reflection in the car. Often I wear a black sheet over my head so it doesn't show me in the background or reflections. The problem with the gimbals is you always see the shadow in the shot or on the ground so you have to shoot at different angles. Thats why we charge the big bucks. I charge over $2500 to shoot a house but there are no reflections in the mirror or bathrooms etc.

[@PetrolPed]

Wow...I'm not at that level yet ;-)

[@GavinPhillips]

I prefer electric cars, they're cheap to take care of and it doesn't cause global warming as much as gas cars and it feels like a roller coaster

[@PetrolPed]

The question we mustn't forget to ask is 'where does the electricity come from ?' If it's a coal fired power station then it will still contribute to global warming. I think to ultimate way forward is to crack hydrogen fuel cells. However I think electric and hybrid vehicles will make up more of the new car mix as we go forward.

[@GavinPhillips]

+Petrol Ped I said that it doesn't cause global warming as bad as gas cars

[@GavinPhillips]

+Petrol Ped I'm not completely against gas cars because they have they're advantages

[@PetrolPed]

I know. I totally get where you are coming from. I think we need more of a mix. I think it is diesel cars that are most under fire !

[@PetrolPed]

Yep, noise being the best one !!

[@alanbooth7280]

Lovely car but it still sounds like a hoover.

[@PetrolPed]

LOL !

[@Super_Cool_Guy]

this car looks cheap and plastic

[@Super_Cool_Guy]

not worth the money

[@pilot.ignacio]

Definitely you do not have something better than a Renault or a Peugeot

[@dineshreddy5989]

If u would choose lambo or Bugatti u would get more plastic.. definitely u don’t know with what material the Porsche 718 is made off... lucky to know that let alone the convertible top of 718.. u might have not seen a normal cap in your head .. change it I’d to super cheap guy it suits u well