2005 Porsche Boxster: Road Test
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2005 Porsche Boxster ▼
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- MSRP: $43,800 -$53,100
- Invoice: $38,172 -$46,314
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Our road test for the 2005 Porsche Boxster includes a full evaluation of the 2005 Porsche Boxster from the inside out. We evaluate not only engine and handling performance for the 2005 Porsche Boxster, but also interior cabin and cargo space. Let our comprehensive road test ratings for the 2005 Porsche Boxster help you decide if a 2005 Porsche Boxster is right for you.
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ACCELERATION
| Base w/18-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, auto. | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 9 | 8 | 8.1 |
Smooth, ready power for any situation. S version particularly strong as rpm climbs. No opportunity to clock, but Porsche's 0-60-mph times feel justified: 5.9 sec for base, 5.2 for S with manual transmission; 6.8 and 6.2, respectively, with automatic. Responsive automatic a better substitute for manual than most, but still not the sports-car ideal.
FUEL ECONOMY
| Base w/18-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, auto. | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 5 | 4 | 4.4 |
No opportunity to measure, but likely to mirror previous-generation models, which had manual-transmission test averages of 23.3 mpg in base form, 17.2 for S. Boxsters require premium-grade fuel.
RIDE QUALITY
| Base w/18-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, auto. | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Firm control, with tire choice a big factor in comfort. No base version with 17-inch tires made available for test, but with 18s, bumps, cracks, patchy pavement pass with little undue harshness. No S with 18s made available for test, but with 19s, ride is uncomfortably choppy on all but smooth roads. Uneven surfaces induce more structural shimmy than in BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Honda rivals, but body flex never compromising.
STEERING/HANDLING/BRAKING
| Base w/18-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, auto. | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 8.6 |
Invigorating. Steering natural, communicative, responsive. Boxster rock-steady on straightaways; an agile, balanced ally in corners. S with 19-inch tires has tenacious grip in turns. Antiskid/traction system an unobtrusive safety net. Brake feel, strength inspire confidence.
QUIETNESS
| Base w/18-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, auto. | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3.9 |
Top-down wind rush unobjectionable, and race-car-engine note delights. Top-up, engine's location behind seats means more mechanical ruckus than in front-engine designs. But top insulates well against wind rush, and road noise well-managed, considering wide, low-profile tires.
CONTROLS
| Base w/18-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, auto. | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 6.2 |
Racy, hi-tech design puts tachometer appropriately dead-ahead. It houses digital road-speed readout to supplement analog speedometer. Control layout orderly, logical, but audio, climate systems governed by too many undersized, look-alike buttons. No opportunity to test with navigation system. Rich-feeling, carefully assembled cabin materials enhance sophisticated ambience, though at these prices, we'd like genuine aluminum interior trim rather than painted plastic.
ROOM/COMFORT/DRIVER SEATING (FRONT)
| Base w/18-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, auto. | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 5.6 |
Low-slung cockpit roomy enough for 6-footers. Seats exceptionally supportive in aggressive cornering. Top-up rear visibility severely limited to corners and aft. Entry/exit demands some flexibility.
ROOM/COMFORT (REAR)
| Base w/18-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, auto. | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | .4 |
(No rear seating.)
CARGO ROOM
| Base w/18-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, auto. | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Careful packing takes good advantage of cargo bays front and rear for more luggage-carrying possibilities than in many 2-seaters. And no volume is lost when roof is down. Note that '05 Boxster does without a spare tire, supplying instead an emergency inflation kit. Little in-cabin storage space.
VALUE WITHIN CLASS
| Base w/18-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, auto. | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 6 | 5 | 4.6 |
Some less-expensive sports cars challenge Boxster on a fun-per-dollar basis, and some like-priced competitors deliver more outright power. But few match its range of strengths: road manners, mechanical sophistication to satisfy the most discriminating driver, a good dose of everyday usability, and the cachet of the Porsche name.
Total Score
| Base w/18-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, man. | S w/19-in. wheels, auto. | Class Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 48 | 45 | 47.8 |
Total Score: 48
Scores for all Premium Sporty/performance Cars
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