Compare the2023 Mercedes C-Class CabrioletVS 2023 Porsche 718 Boxster

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission and Drivetrain
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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The C-Class Cabriolet’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 C-Class Cabriolet 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 C-Class Cabriolet’s optional 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 C-Class Cabriolet offers an optional Surround View System 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 C-Class Cabriolet 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. 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 C-Class Cabriolet’s optional 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 C-Class Cabriolet’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 C-Class Cabriolet 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 Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet weighs 607 to 959 pounds more than the Porsche 718 Boxster. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

There are almost 2 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the C-Class Cabriolet’s warranty.

Reliability

The 718 Boxster’s redline is at 7500 to 8000 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The C-Class Cabriolet has a 6500 RPM redline.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Porsche vehicles. With 11 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Porsche.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the C-Class Cabriolet gets better mileage than the 718 Boxster:

			MPG
C-Class Cabriolet
RWD	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy
AWD	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/30 hwy
718 Boxster
RWD	Manual	T 2.0 turbo flat-4	20 city/26 hwy
		2.0 turbo flat-4	20 city/25 hwy
		2.5 turbo flat-4	19 city/24 hwy
		GTS 4.0 4.0 DOHC flat-6	17 city/24 hwy
		718 Spyder 4.0 DOHC flat-6	17 city/23 hwy
	Auto	2.0 turbo flat-4	21 city/27 hwy
		2.5 turbo flat-4	19 city/25 hwy
		GTS 4.0 DOHC flat-6	19 city/24 hwy
		Spyder 4.0 DOHC flat-6	18 city/24 hwy

The C-Class Cabriolet has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the 718 Boxster’s standard fuel tank (17.4 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 Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet higher (6 out of 10) than the Porsche 718 Boxster (1 to 5). This means the C-Class Cabriolet produces up to 45.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 718 Boxster every 15,000 miles.

Transmission and Drivetrain

The Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the 718 Boxster.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet, 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 C-Class Cabriolet, 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.

Tires and Wheels

The C-Class Cabriolet’s standard 245/40R18 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 718 Boxster’s standard 45 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the C-Class Cabriolet can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The C-Class Cabriolet offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the 718 Boxster; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The C-Class Cabriolet’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the C-Class Cabriolet’s wheelbase is 14.4 inches longer than on the 718 Boxster (111.8 inches vs. 97.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the C-Class Cabriolet is 1.5 inches wider in the front and .5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 718 Boxster.

The C-Class Cabriolet’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51.1% to 48.9%) than the 718 Boxster’s (45.5% to 54.5%). This gives the C-Class Cabriolet more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the C 300 Cabriolet’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the 718 Spyder’s (36.8 feet vs. 37.5 feet).

Chassis

The design of the Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet amounts to more than styling. The C-Class Cabriolet has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .3 Cd. That is lower than the 718 Boxster (.31 to .34) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the C-Class Cabriolet get better fuel mileage.

The front grille of the C-Class Cabriolet uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The C-Class Cabriolet has standard seating for 4 passengers; the 718 Boxster can only carry 2.

The C-Class Cabriolet has 32.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 718 Boxster (81.4 vs. 49).

Cargo Capacity

With its convertible body style, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the C-Class offers cargo security. The 718 Boxster’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

Towing

Standard Trailer Stabilization on the C-Class Cabriolet uses the Electronic Stability Program sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The C-Class Cabriolet has a standard 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.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the 718 Boxster, the C-Class Cabriolet offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The C-Class Cabriolet’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the 718 Boxster.

The C-Class Cabriolet offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed 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.

The C-Class Cabriolet’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. Porsche does not offer a locking feature on the 718 Boxster’s standard power windows.

If the windows are left open on the C-Class Cabriolet 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 C-Class Cabriolet’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 C-Class Cabriolet’s LED headlights produce a white, bright light using less electricity than the 718 Boxster’s standard xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. HID headlights can be slow to reach full brightness or power cycle, causing issues when flashing them to signal other vehicles; LED headlights light instantly. LED lights also last about three to four times as long.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the C-Class Cabriolet has standard extendable sun visors. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The C-Class Cabriolet’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 Mercedes C-Class offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The C-Class Cabriolet’s optional Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The 718 Boxster doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The Mercedes C-Class comes in coupe, convertible and sedan bodystyles; the Porsche 718 isn’t available as a sedan.

Recommendations

The Mercedes C-Class outsold the Porsche 718 by almost 11 to one during 2022.