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Porsche Boxster roadster (2012-2016) - Reliability & safety

Advanced engineering puts the Boxster at the cutting edge

Carbuyer Rating

4.7 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.5 out of 5

Read owner reviews
Reliability & safety Rating

4.0 out of 5

Porsche is famed for its advanced engineering know-how and the Boxster is a beautifully built car. Extensive use of aluminium in the body has reduced its weight, but the car is still a lot stiffer than the old model. With lots of technology being carried over from the 911, the Boxster's engine, chassis and electronics are well proven. Interior quality is excellent, while the taut fabric hood has fleece cushioning to improve sound insulation.

Porsche Boxster reliability

Porsche has a reputation for good reliability and build quality in its cars. In the manufacturer rankings of our comprehensive Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, Porsche came in sixth place for the second year in a row in 2015, indicating its customers are very happy with their cars.

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No individual Porsche models featured in the survey’s Top 200 cars (there weren’t enough individual responses from owners) but we expect there to be very few problems with the Boxster and it should prove quite durable in the long run.

However, it’s worth bearing in mind that if something does go wrong once the warranty has expired after three years, then the necessary parts and repair work at a Porsche dealer are likely to be expensive.

Safety

The Boxster hasn’t been crash-tested by Euro NCAP yet, but it comes with anti-lock brakes (ABS) and a host of electronic driver aids (such as traction control and electronic stability control) to help prevent you getting into an accident in the first place.

For extra stopping power, you can also specify the (admittedly very expensive) optional carbon-ceramic brakes – although in truth the standard steel brakes are perfectly adequate for everyday driving on the road.

Should the worst happen, you can rest assured there’s a full complement of airbags waiting to deploy, while a strong pop-up roll hoops protect you in the event of an accident that results in the car rolling over. A high-strength steel windscreen frame offers further protection in this regard.

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Richard is a former editor of Carbuyer, as well as sister site DrivingElectric.com, and he's now Deputy Editor at Auto Express. Having spent a decade working in the automotive industry, he understands exactly what makes new car buyers tick.

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