Compare the2023 BMW M4VS 2022 Porsche 718 Boxster

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission and Drivetrain
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The M4’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The M4’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the front seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The M4 has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The M4 offers optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The M4 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The M4’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The M4 offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 718 Boxster only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The M4 has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the 718 Boxster’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the M4’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The M4’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the M4 and the 718 Boxster have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The BMW M4 weighs 406 to 1286 pounds more than the Porsche 718 Boxster. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the M4 for 2 years and 26000 miles longer than Porsche pays for maintenance for the 718 Boxster (3/36,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 80 percent more BMW dealers than there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the M4’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the M4 has a standard 209-amp alternator. The 718 Boxster’s 175-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the M4 has a standard 900-amp battery. The 718 Boxster’s 450-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Porsche vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in initial quality. With 35 more problems per 100 vehicles, Porsche is rated below average.

Engine

The M4 has more powerful engines than the 718 Boxster:

	Horsepower	Torque
M4 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder	473 HP	406 lbs.-ft.
M4 Competition 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder	503 HP	479 lbs.-ft.
M4 CSL 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder	543 HP	479 lbs.-ft.
718 Boxster 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	300 HP	280 lbs.-ft.
718 Boxster S 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder	350 HP	309 lbs.-ft.
718 Boxster GTS 4.0 4.0 GT3 6-cylinder	394 HP	309 lbs.-ft.
718 Spyder 4.0 GT3 6-cylinder	414 HP	309 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Car and Driver the BMW M4 3.0 is faster than the Porsche 718 Boxster (manual transmissions tested):

	M4	718 Boxster 2.0	718 Boxster S
Zero to 30 MPH	1.5 sec	1.8 sec	1.7 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	3.8 sec	4.6 sec	4.3 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	8.3 sec	10.5 sec	9.8 sec
Quarter Mile	12 sec	13 sec	12.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	121 MPH	110 MPH	113 MPH
Top Speed	180 MPH	170 MPH	n/a

Fuel Economy and Range

The M4 has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the 718 Boxster’s standard fuel tank (15.6 vs. 14.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the BMW M4 higher (5 out of 10) than the Porsche 718 Boxster (1). This means the M4 produces up to 39 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 718 Boxster every 15,000 miles.

Transmission and Drivetrain

An eight-speed automatic is available on the BMW M4, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the 718 Boxster.

All wheel drive, available in the M4, provides the best traction for acceleration in wet, dry, and icy conditions. In corners, all wheel drive allows both outside wheels to provide power, balancing the car. This allows for better handling. The Porsche 718 Boxster is not available with all wheel drive.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the M4’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the 718 Boxster:

	M4	718 Boxster
Front Rotors	15 inches	13 inches
Rear Rotors	14.6 inches	11.8 inches

The M4 stops shorter than the 718 Boxster:

	M4	718 Boxster
70 to 0 MPH	146 feet	150 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the M4 has larger tires than the 718 Boxster (F:275/40R18 & R:285/35R19 vs. F:235/45R18 & R:265/45R18). The M4’s front tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 718 Boxster (275/40R18 vs. 245/35R20).

The M4’s standard 275/40R18 front and 285/35R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 718 Boxster’s standard 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the M4 has standard 19-inch rear wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the 718 Boxster.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the M4’s wheelbase is 15.1 inches longer than on the 718 Boxster (112.5 inches vs. 97.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the M4 is 3.7 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 718 Boxster.

Chassis

The M4’s standard power retractable hardtop allows a seamless transition from an open car, to a completely sealed coupe. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer a retractable hardtop.

Passenger Space

The M4 has standard seating for 4 passengers; the 718 Boxster can only carry 2.

The M4 Convertible has 35 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 718 Boxster (84 vs. 49).

Cargo Capacity

The M4 Convertible has a larger trunk with its top down than the 718 Boxster (10.6 vs. 9.6 cubic feet).

With its coupe body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the M4 offers cargo security. The 718 Boxster’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the M4 offers an optional power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer a power trunk.

Ergonomics

The M4 (except Manual) offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The M4 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

If the windows are left open on the M4 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the 718 Boxster can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The M4’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The 718 Boxster’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The M4’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The 718 Boxster’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW M4 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The M4’s optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The BMW 4 Series outsold the Porsche 718 by over four to one during the 2021 model year.