Porsche Taycan review
It looks like a Porsche. It drives like a Porsche. It is a Porsche. But unlike any other sports car the German manufacturer has designed and manufactured to date, the Taycan is fully electric. It’s a bold move - and one that’s paid off handsomely. This may just be the first ever truly great electric vehicle. Read our Porsche Taycan review below.
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Pros
- Excellent performance
- Great to drive
- Quality cabin with lots of tech
Cons
- Rear space impacted by sleek shape
- Expensive to buy
Interior
Our rating: 10/10
Prestige, luxury, splendour… There are a few words that occur to you when taking in your surroundings inside one of these plush Porsche models.
There’s an overriding feeling of quality to each and every feature and surface, and the lack of buttons lends even more of an upmarket and grown-up feel.
Cynics could argue the clean lines and desire to minimise features lends something of a starkness to the interior here.
Ask us? It looks unfussy and just seriously, seriously cool.
Tech and features
The Taycan comes with screens aplenty. There’s one behind the steering wheel, as you’d expect, and a couple in the middle of the dash.
Higher specs give you the option of providing a screen for your passenger.
The main infotainment system’s screen is crystal clear, although it’s a little low, meaning you do have to take your eye off the road slightly more than you may initially feel comfortable with.
Performance
Our rating: 9/10
Handling and ride comfort
The Taycan (which translates roughly from the Turkish for ‘lively young horse’) is a completely electric car.
It’s also an incredibly high-performance sports car that boasts balance, handling, speed and incredible smoothness.
Few people equate plug-ins with such a grippy, tactile and responsive drive. Those folk have never driven a Taycan.
The heavy batteries are kept centrally and low, giving a noticeably low centre of gravity. This only makes the drive sportier and even more agile.
With quick acceleration and the kind of top speed you’d expect from Porsche, this is a car built for the open road. Or, better yet, the racetrack.
Practicality
Our rating: 8/10
Boot space
For a car which is – for all intents and purposes – a sporty number in the mould of the classic Porsche 911, you find a rather generous amount of boot space on offer.
t’s more than a useable space for day-to-day shopping, boxes and luggage and its shape is such that you’ll find yourself cramming in only the most unwieldy items.
Altogether you’re gifted a similar amount of space as you’d find in most standard hatchbacks. Which is a surprising little bonus.
The lack of an engine allows for a neat little compartment at the front, an area towards the car’s nose which can easily accommodate a carry-on-sized suitcase or equivalent.
Still not enough room for lugging things about? No problem. Each rear seat folds down individually, so you can boost the luggage space quickly and easily should you need to.
Running costs
Our rating: 8/10
Range
Listen to Porsche and you’ll drive a Taycan around believing that a full charge gives you some 300 miles of driving. Try driving one and you’ll soon learn that’s a generous figure.
The reality is that any level of enthusiasm behind the wheel will take that figure closer to 200.
Still, charge a Taycan at home and the cheapness of a full-charge can be hard to believe. Charge at public charge points and you’ll feel the sting a little more.
Reliability
In terms of reliability, Porsche rarely lets owners down. Drive this 2.3-ton beast around at speeds it’s capable of though and you’ll find you wear through tyres.
You may want to consider cinchCare for that added peace of mind.
The verdict
Interior
10/10
Performance
9/10
Practicality
8/10
Running costs
8/10
If you’ve got a healthy budget and are looking into buying an almost-new sports car, you’ll have a few options available to you.
Those of you that love fast cars and impeccable engineering, and also care about the environment, have fewer options.
The Porsche Taycan more than scratches the itch for anyone who rates performance and eco-friendliness alongside one another, and makes for a seriously compelling option for a range of drivers, from company car owners to families and performance enthusiasts.
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