The Porsche brand has long been associated with luxury, speed, and refinement. The quick Porsche Boxster roadster has seen changes over the years, with one of the most recent being the loss of some cylinders from the engine. Many in the car world wondered if cylinder loss would mean quality loss. But the 2020 Porsche 718 Boxster’s four-cylinder engine is helping it climb the ranks to become quite possibly the best four-cylinder car of the year.

The 2020 Porsche Boxster takes the crown as the best four-cylinder car of the year

The experts at U.S. News compiled a list of the “Best Four-Cylinder Cars in 2020,” and the luxury brand Porsche took its top two spots. Out of 17 total cars, across every segment, the 2020 Porsche Boxster takes the first position as the best four-cylinder of the year. U.S. News experts call the 2020 Porsche Boxster “one of the finest luxury sports cars around,” boasting speed, power, and refinement. 

The 2020 Porsche Boxster received the highest overall score from U.S. News experts of all four-cylinder cars on the list. Receiving an extraordinary overall score of 9.0/10.0, the newest Porsche Boxster is ranked No. 1 among the four-cylinder cars on the list but also among luxury sports car and luxury convertible segments. In fact, U.S. News experts say that “you have to look close to find any serious faults with the Boxster.”

No favoritism here: experts love the it

It’s clear that Porsche hit four-cylinder perfection with the 2020 Porsche Boxster. It comes with an impressive overall rating of 88 out of 100 from Consumer Reports experts, nailing the road test with a score of 95 out of 100. Consumer Reports experts say that the 2020 Porsche Boxster’s “four-cylinder engine provides plenty of readily available power and hearty throttle response even at low to mid revs.” In addition to being powerful and quick down the line, its two-cylinder loss over the previous Boxster only adds refinement and smoothness to the ride.

Car and Driver experts call the 2020 Porsche Boxster “one of the best,” giving it an unheard-of rating of 10/10. The Boxster also made both Car and Driver’s “Editor’s Choice” and “10 Best” lists, with experts using impressive adjectives like “heavenly,” “speedy,” and “glorious” to describe it. In fact, the Boxster’s speedy nature, “serene steering,” and turbocharged engine makes it feel like it is “meant to put its driver on a pedestal and redefine the sports car genre.”

The 2020 Porsche Boxster’s best features

The base Porsche 718 Boxster starts at around $60,000 – considered a bargain by many in the sports car world. All Boxsters come with rear-wheel drive and a choice between six- or seven-speed automatic transmission. That entry price gives owners a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, making 300 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. Aside from the six-cylinder engine available in the top trim, owners can also upgrade from the base four-cylinder to a 350-hp four-cylinder with larger displacement. But the Boxster’s base engine is certainly adequate, going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in around 4.4 seconds.

Other than its obvious speed and power, the Boxster exudes luxury on the interior with standard leather sports seats, a power-folding soft top, automatic climate control, rearview camera, and a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and satellite radio capabilities.

Comfort and luxury can be extended even farther, with a long list of optional and available features like heated seats and steering wheel, a suite of driver-assistance features, lowered adaptive suspension, speed-sensitive steering, and ceramic composite brakes. Depending on the trim level, the Porsche Boxster earns an EPA-estimated 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.