A daily driver is a personally owned automobile driven daily for all sorts of mundane tasks, which means that the car should be a great all-arounder that can transport you in comfort, safety, and ease.
A daily driver is a car that accumulates lots of miles, goes onto all kinds of road surfaces, and is out and about for the majority of its lifetime. A daily driver should be fairly efficient and reliable, something like a Porsche Macan or the Porsche Cayenne.
A Porsche Boxster as a daily is a bit of a stretch in most cases. Porsche Boxsters are fairly compact 2 seater roadsters that are usually only driven on weekends and during the summer/warmer periods of the year. A Boxster also costs more than an average US daily driver.
Judging by many online outlets, an average US citizen drivers as much as 10k miles per year, and a 5-year-old Porsche Boxster depreciates as much as 50%. If you combine these two variables, the Boxster is a good daily driver only for a few customers that are ready to compromise.
Considering buying a used Boxster? Read about the best years for used Porsche Boxsters.
Porsche Boxster practicality
One of the main qualities a daily driver has got to offer is decent practicality for yourself, your passengers, and a decent amount of luggage. A Porsche Boxster is impractical for almost every usage scenario imaginable as it only offers two seats, not much leg-room or head-room, and a fairly compact luggage compartment.
The luggage space is not enough for 99% of people, but, a Porsche Boxster actually offers two trunks! Thanks to its mid-mounted engine, the Boxster offers a trunk in the front and the back, and the combined space on offer is better than what you would find in the larger Porsche 911 but still fairly compact.
But, the awkward shape of the trunk requires you to mostly use soft luggage bags, or a specifically shaped hard luggage bag if you want to utilize the trunk space entirely. The headroom in the Boxster is limited for larger adults, this means that if you don’t drive with an opened top all the time, it is not worth it.
The good thing is that the Boxster is a fairly compact car in general and the visibility is decent. A Porsche Boxster will fit into pretty much every parking space, and the newest Boxsters also offer some convenience features like cameras and parking sensors which further improve the practicality.
Porsche Boxster technology, comfort, and safety
Today’s daily driver duty cars are feature-packed with amazing technology and comfort amenities. A great stereo system, ambient lighting, multiple zone climate control, electric seats, heated and cooled seats, many advanced driver assistance systems including active lane-keeping assists, automated cruise controls, crash pre-sense, etc.
A Porsche Boxster is a fairly compromised car in the sense that it only offers a few of these features. This is mostly due to the latest 718 Boxster being on sale for 6 years now, and a new Boxster is soon to be revealed. But, the Boxster does offer a great Stereo system, dual-zone climate control, and heated seats.
Some ADAS are available, but most of them are optional features. When it comes to safety, the Boxster is a well-proven chassis, and the safety scores of the Porsche Boxster are more than adamant. The Boxster offers only a few modern technologies, comfort, and safety features mostly because it is coming to the end of its lifespan.
The new Boxster is expected to offer all the newest features and a considerable upgrade when it comes to technology, luxury, and infotainment system.
Porsche Boxster reliability, build quality, longevity, and performance.
What Porsche does best is reliability and build quality, as almost all Porsche models are a lot more reliable than most German luxury cars. Most Porsche Boxsters are reliable, and the ones that are not are well-known and well-documented online.
Build quality is also an area in which Porsche never ceases to amaze as Porsche offers superior interior materials compared to many other brands on the market. Porsches are as sturdy as cars get, and even after 100k miles or more, creaking is virtually non-existent.
Many older Porsche Boxsters are still being used thoroughly, and there are no major issues when it comes to longevity. Performance is what Porsches are made for, and if you are looking for a well-balanced thrilling sports car daily, the Boxster is a great choice.
The Boxster, Cayman, and 911 models are all made to be driven and enjoyed, this means that these cars are not made for daily driving purposes, but they can perform in every scenario without many issues due to above-average reliability.
FAQ Section
Is the Porsche 911 a better daily driver than a Porsche Boxster?
The Porsche 911 is larger, more comfortable, more feature-packed, and considerably more expensive. This means that the 911 will perform that bit better than a Boxster will in most cases, and the 911 also offers 4 seats. The rear seats in the 911 are not large enough for average adults, but you might be able to squeeze someone if necessary.
The answer to this question mostly relies upon the potential buyer, but the 911 does offer more in almost all regards. That being said the Boxster is not far behind because it does offer more luggage space, and many people prefer more luggage space compared to the rear seats of a 911.
Is the Porsche Macan/Cayenne a better daily driver than the Porsche Boxster?
Yes, both Porsche SUVs are made for daily driving purposes, and the Boxster is not. Besides performance and handling, the Boxster simply can’t match the Macan/Cayenne for practicality, technology, comfort, or safety.
Pricewise both of these SUVs depreciate as much as the Boxster does, but the second-hand demand for used Porsche SUVs is a lot higher compared to the Boxster/Cayman models. If you want a Porsche daily driver, the Macan/Cayenne SUV is your best choice.
Which Porsche Boxster should I buy?
If you are sure that you want a Porsche Boxster as your daily, choosing the right one is key. And the best daily driver Boxster is the $62k 2021 718 Porsche Boxster. The 718 is period correct when it comes to design and most features, and the starting price is not as bad as a brand new 911.
Older Boxster models do cost a lot less compared to the 718 generations, but they are not equipped for daily driver duties, so if you are used to a modern car, you should not consider those. The previous-gen Boxster models (2012-2016) are still also decently acceptable as daily drivers if you really want a Boxster.
