New vs used sports cars: Mazda MX-5 or Porsche Boxster?
Both of these cars offer plenty of fun and fresh air, but which model should you pick?
While our weather can be unpredictable, there are few better ways to spend rare sunny days than a drive in a proper drop-top sports car. While many of these special motors command serious money, the king of the affordable sports cars continues to be the lovable Mazda MX-5. With rear-wheel drive and a folding roof, you can easily have loads of fun in this roadster, and a brand-new example can be yours for a budget of just £35,000.
If you have an incurable desire for a more upmarket badge, though, the used car market may just have the answer. The mighty Porsche Boxster may live in the 911’s shadow, but it is still a proper driver’s car. What’s more is that we found a clean 2015 model for under £31,000 via our Find a Car service.
So which car offers genuine thrills for only small financial spills? Our expert road testers share their verdict below.
New: Mazda MX-5
- Our pick: Mazda MX-5 Homura
- Price: £34,835
- Standard kit: 17-inch wheels, LED headlights, heated seats
- Key stats: 41.5mpg, 153g/km CO2, 6.5secs 0-62mph
- VED: £680 in first year, then £190
- Insurance group: 33
- Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles
It’s not hard to see why the Mazda MX-5 has become the world’s most popular roadster. It's brilliant to drive, affordable to buy, cost-effective, and reliability is bombproof.
Used - available now
2024 Volkswagen
Golf
27,331 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £21,400
2021 Nissan
Leaf
23,861 milesAutomaticElectric
Cash £11,800
2024 Volkswagen
Golf GTI
12,996 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £28,600
2020 Suzuki
Ignis
12,783 milesManualPetrol1.2L
Cash £14,950Now in its fourth generation, the MX-5 is better than ever. Despite being barely any bigger or heavier than the 1989 original, the latest model is packed with all the tech, creature comforts and safety kit you’re ever likely to need.
That’s especially true of the flagship Homura edition, which benefits from adaptive LED headlights, 17-inch BBS multi-spoke alloy wheels and a smattering of gloss black detailing, while the interior features figure-hugging Recaro heated seats, keyless entry and wireless smartphone connectivity.
Despite its dinky dimensions, the MX-5’s snug-looking cabin is actually surprisingly roomy. It also packs a decent amount of handy storage, some neat cup-holders and a very effective windbreak. The manually operated fabric roof can be easily raised and lowered in seconds, meaning you can always make the most of any breaks in the weather.
However, it’s the way the Mazda drives that really marks it out as something special. For starters, the zingy 181bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine produces a suitably raspy soundtrack and can fire the two-seater from 0-62mph in just 6.5 seconds. Better still, it's mated to one of the best manual transmissions in the business, the six-speed unit featuring a snappy and precise action.
Then there’s the rear-wheel-drive handling that allows you dance the MX-5 through corners using a combination of steering and throttle. Homura versions also get firmer Bilstein suspension for enhanced body control, a limited-slip differential for greater traction out of corners, and powerful Brembo brakes.
Yet unlike many performance cars, the Mazda doesn’t force you to shell out on big bills. Claimed fuel economy is an impressive 41.5mpg, emissions are only 153g/km, and servicing it will cost no more than for Mazda’s 3 family hatchback. Having fun has never been so sensible.
Used: Porsche Boxster
- One we found: Porsche Boxster 2.7 PDK
- Price: £30,995
- Mileage/year: 25,000/2015
- Standard kit: powered roof, leather trim, electric seat adjustment
- Key stats: 35.8mpg, 183g/km CO2, 5.7secs 0-62mph
- VED: £335
- Insurance group: 42
If there is such a thing as a sensible used sports car, then the Porsche Boxster could just be it. It blends scintillating driving dynamics with top-notch build quality and surprising practicality.
At this budget you’ll have your pick of the latest 718 models with their turbocharged four-cylinder engines, but we’d seek out one of the earlier 981 versions. While it will lack the newer car’s cutting-edge tech and safety kit, it makes up for this with its charismatic flat-six motor.
Packing 261bhp, the 2.7-litre unit has the Mazda covered for firepower and will blast the Porsche from standstill to 62mph in 5.7 seconds. More importantly, the punchy performance is matched to a howling, spine-tingling soundtrack. There’s a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, but the seven-speed PDK’s combination of rapid-fire manual shifts and silky automatic changes makes it a great option.
The Porsche is even more exciting when you point it down a twisty back road. It serves up acrobatic handling and limpet-like grip through a series of corners, while all of its major controls are simply dripping with feedback. And while the beautifully damped ride is firm at low speeds, it never becomes uncomfortable.
In fact, the Boxster is remarkably easy to live with. Its interior is even more spacious and upmarket than the MX-5’s, while its combined front and rear boot capacity of 280 litres is 150 litres more than the Mazda can muster. Its fabric roof isn’t quite as quick in operations as its new rival’s, but the electrically powered set-up requires just a prod of a button.
So, what’s the catch? Well, you’ll be looking at cars that are around 10 years old (although the example we found had just 25,000 miles on the clock) so an aftermarket warranty is a must. Parts and servicing will also be much pricier than for the MX-5. On the flipside, Porsche promises a fuel figure of 35.8mpg and tax-friendly CO2 emissions of less than 200g/km.
Used - available now
2016 Porsche
Boxster (2012-2016)
94,000 milesAutomaticPetrol2.7L
Cash £21,450
2016 Porsche
Boxster (2012-2016)
15,118 milesManualPetrol3.8L
Cash £62,000
2016 Porsche
Boxster (2012-2016)
49,714 milesAutomaticPetrol2.7L
Cash £26,500Convertible car buying advice
Separating these two drop-tops is extremely difficult indeed, because they’re both brilliantly entertaining sports cars that will never fail to lift your mood. And that's even more the case when the sun is shining.
In the final reckoning, the Mazda’s dependability, low running costs and warranty just tip the balance. Yet we’d understand if you were swayed by the desirable Porsche’s image and stunning flat-six powerplant.
In the market for a new or used sports car? This is where you can find the best deals...
