Porsche Boxster Roadster (2004 - 2011) practicality

There's no crash test rating for the Boxster but the body is very strong and it benefits from driver, passenger, side and head airbags. A comprehensive Porsche Stability Management system keep things in check while an alarm and immobiliser are standard fit. Ceramic brakes with even shorter stopping distances are an option on the Boxster S but they're expensive at more than £5,000.

Because the engine is located in the middle, this frees up luggage space in the front and back of the Boxster, making it surprisingly practical for a sports car. There's 130 litres of space at the rear and 150-litres under the bonnet - this is quite deep too and allows you to fit larger or boxy items in. Inside there's a good sized glovebox, a centre armrest with a cubbyhole and large door pockets with flip up lids that double as armrests.

There's also a clever twin cupholder system that flips out of a slot above the glovebox (see gallery for a better illustration). To fold down the roof you first have to undo a fairly stiff central catch, but once released, the electric motors take over to drop the roof in just 12 seconds. It's even quicker to close.