718 Boxster

It's telling when even the base version of a car can put a big grin on your face, and that's certainly the case with the 718 Boxster. The soft-top Boxster shares powertrains and just about everything else but its roof with the hard-top Cayman coupe, and while you can get both with nearly 500 horsepower, even the 300-hp base models are soul-satisfying, as they benefit from the same fantastic transmissions and wonderfully tuned chassis as the more expensive, more powerful versions. Although not the performance bargain that the mid-engine Corvette is, the Boxster has a more premium feel and manages to do more with less power, with poise and a lightness that the Chevy can't quite match. The true magic of the Boxster lies in its ability to balance value, quality, and smiles per mile — a blend of characteristics that earned it a spot on our 2025 10Best list. Other droptop competitors include the BMW Z4, the aforementioned Vette, and…not much else. You could also consider the Porsche 911 Cabriolet, especially if you'd like more interior space, but its starting price is about 75 percent higher. As one of our favorites in its segment, the Porsche 718 Boxster has earned a spot on our Editors’ Choice list for 2025.