New Car Specification - Best options for a 4S ST (Active Ride?)

[1uke]

So I'm looking at purchasing a Salary Sacrifice 4S Sport Turismo.
Current build options: https://porsche-code.com/PTZV3SC9

I need to keep the P11D value under £125k which is quite a struggle given the options list!

Background, I currently drive a Panamera hybrid (air suspension) with nearly all the options I've specced on the taycan, along with nightview assist, innodrive, and a couple of others I've forgotten.

What do people think about this spec, and have I missed anything blindingly obvious? The Active Ride is a big expense as you need to include PTV Plus. Does anyone have active ride, and in terms of comfort, is is significantly better than the standard air suspension?

I'm struggling to book a like for like test drive, and my local dealer said he has only ever seen 2 Taycans equipped with Active Ride, which to me seems surprising given how much press coverage the Panamera got for this. It makes me wonder if its really neccesary, and that with the low COG on the taycan, body roll and composure really isn't a big issue!

Any comments welcome.

Luke

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[trycan]

It makes me wonder if its really neccesary

No, Active Ride is not necessary, but neither is a Taycan. I'd strongly recommend getting Active Ride though, as I really like mine. I don't have experience to compare with the standard air suspension.
The dealer inventory seems to only spec Active Ride at Turbo S and above. Definitely a smart move to spec your 4S w/ Active Ride.

 

[newbie]

I have a ‘26 4S and love active ride. Watch the video from Porche that compares with and without and you’ll be sold. I drove both with and without active ride and ordered new rather than used to get the Active Ride option. If you want the best handling car available without harsh suspension, pay the money. It’s also nice to have it rise up to meet you and your passengers.

 

[Fun TC Driving]

If there is any way you could get rear wheel steering, I would. It is my must have option on the 2027 Taycan I am ordering.

 

[1uke]

Seems like Active Ride is a must!

I don’t have rear axle steer on my current Panamera, so I’m not really sure what I’m missing.
I’d probably have to drop out a couple of the tech options or the Burmester which I don’t really want to down grade given that I currently have Burmester.

Do you find the rear axle steer a must have because of high speed driving or low speed manoeuvres?

 

[Fun TC Driving]

Low speed moanoevering and high-speed sharp cornering are the two places I love RWS. However, the Taycan’s wheelbase is 1.8“ shorter than the Panamera’s and if you did not miss it there? Perhaps our usage case is dfferent from ours.

 

[AtTheGlen]

I have Active Ride on a 2025 GTS purchased as part of a dealer promotion in August 2025, perhaps to increase sales. I traded in a 2023 GTS without Active Ride and had to select a GTS that was in stock with a dealer. I wanted two options - Active Ride and Rear Axle Steering. The video description at the “i” icon provides a compelling argument for Active Ride. Ninety-five percent of the time I owned the 2023 GTS, I was in southern California with its good roads. The 2025 has been driven exclusively in upstate New York State with horrible pothole-covered roads, so I can’t make a direct comparison.

That said, the new car with Active Ride handles extremely well and that is likely attributable to the system’s mechanical hardware and software programming. An important feature of Active Ride that I did not expect is that the car instantly rises/lowers when the doors are opened/closed for ingress and egress. The car is significantly easier to get in and out of compared to our 2023, which was comparable to ingress/egress on our GT3, so with the 2023, we were used to a very low car. The 2025 is so much easier and significantly better for friends and family members.

The UK configurator and your options are somewhat different from ours in the US but here are a few comments regarding your build, which I think is very good. I’ll start with thoughts that could help you achieve your target price point. I suspect that you might have trips over long distances or with long duration, and therefore have selected massaging seats and the Burmester. The ‘25 GTS has Burmester; the ’23 had Bose, and in my case if I had to make a choice between Burmester and Active Ride, I’d choose the latter. I don’t have massaging seats, so for me, of the two, I’d pick Active Ride, but I would add front seat ventilation.

Recently, I have ordered cars with the dashcam prewire ($140.00 in the US; a no-cost option in the UK). I opted for the center rear seat (4+1 in the UK) just in case we had five in the car. I was surprised that side air bags in the rear are an option in the UK. Even if you rarely carry passengers in the rear, 4+1 seating could be a good investment for resale if not leasing.

I am not a big fan of Innodrive. I actually had to uncheck the box in the PCM where Innodrive slows the car on curves, which in a Taycan is exactly what I do not want to do. Active Lane Keeping is a good safety feature but I disable it around town because I’m always dodging potholes and ALK resists it. That said, the comprehensive safety features, not available a la carte in the UK, are worth keeping and therefore require Innodrive. I have been opting for calipers painted in gloss black on recent cars whether with standard brakes or PCCBs. It’s a personal choice though because the red really pops against the Volcano gray body color.

I hope this long tome has some value for you. You have configured an amazing Taycan. All the best with your upcoming purchase!

 

[AtTheGlen]

A quick “P.S.”: I recommend Rear Axle Steering. Our Taycan GTS is remarkably agile and I suspect RAS is a factor.

 

[trycan]

Seems like Active Ride is a must!

I don’t have rear axle steer on my current Panamera, so I’m not really sure what I’m missing.
I’d probably have to drop out a couple of the tech options or the Burmester which I don’t really want to down grade given that I currently have Burmester.

Do you find the rear axle steer a must have because of high speed driving or low speed manoeuvres?

Rear wheel steering is also strongly recommended. I like it for tight turns in parking situations. People say it doesn't do much, but even a few inches can get out of a tight spot more easily.
The stability at high speed is also nice and worth it.

 

[SoccerMan94043]

+1 to both AR and RAS. They are must have features to me at this price point.

While this long thread is about a GTS, it's mostly about active ride as well if you want other opinions: https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/gts-ride-quality-with-or-without-active-ride.33380/

On a side note, I'm reading that you now have to spec Innodrive if you want it (it used to be an option to purchase it over the air). I don't find any value in it so I wouldn't miss it.

Couple of thoughts on the specific build:

1) I'd drop "Interior Trim Package with decorative Stitching in contrasting Colour" for RAS.
2) I don't value the heads up display at all (I keep it turned off).
3) "Preparation for Porsche dashcam front and rear" is a free option... might as well click to the box.
4) While I wish I had the Burmeister, the Bose is fine if you need to stay in budget.

 

[W1NGE]

So I'm looking at purchasing a Salary Sacrifice 4S Sport Turismo.
Current build options: https://porsche-code.com/PTZV3SC9

I need to keep the P11D value under £125k which is quite a struggle given the options list!

Background, I currently drive a Panamera hybrid (air suspension) with nearly all the options I've specced on the taycan, along with nightview assist, innodrive, and a couple of others I've forgotten.

What do people think about this spec, and have I missed anything blindingly obvious? The Active Ride is a big expense as you need to include PTV Plus. Does anyone have active ride, and in terms of comfort, is is significantly better than the standard air suspension?

I'm struggling to book a like for like test drive, and my local dealer said he has only ever seen 2 Taycans equipped with Active Ride, which to me seems surprising given how much press coverage the Panamera got for this. It makes me wonder if its really neccesary, and that with the low COG on the taycan, body roll and composure really isn't a big issue!

Any comments welcome.

Luke

PAR not essential but desirable. Too expensive IMHO which explains why it's not common on UK cars.

RAS worth every penny.

HD Matrix lights are superior to standard Matrix.

Burmester I'd baulk at and Bose is good enough.

HUD I would skip as you already have excellent displays and this just adds more unnecessary distractions.

Deviated stitching is a costly cosmetic so drop this and add RAS.

GTS has RAS and PTV as standard - perhaps that may be a better basis. Better car overall - I went from a 4S to a GTS ST with RAS (the best car I've ever owned).

Many ways to get to £125K.

 

[RWD_Coil_Springs]

Personally I would recommend HUD which I position very low so that I only see the MPH — and also can see NAV direction indicators when using the Porsche NAV. I also adjust the brightness so it isn’t too bright so as not to be distracting. After tweaking the HUD this way I wouldn’t be without as it is one of most favored options.

Note that if wearing polarized sunglasses the HUD becomes very dim or nearly invisible. So I just ordered new non-polarized sunglasses with 85% grey tint.

 

[targa666]

- I would take the HUD. Experienced it on the loaner Macan and I really loved it.
- Also take RAS. It is very agile
- Personally given the size of this car I am very happy with the self-parking option.
- Last but not least depending on your climate: take heated steering wheel!

I would drop some fancies in the trim for technical upgrades, but it all depends on your personal wishes of course how important that is!

 

[SoccerMan94043]

- I would take the HUD. Experienced it on the loaner Macan and I really loved it.

If you had a more recent model of the Macan, the hud could have been much better than the Taycan's.

https://www.macanevowners.com/forum...-do-augmented-reality-heads-up-display.18385/

 

[targa666]

If you had a more recent model of the Macan, the hud was likely much better than the Taycan's.

https://www.macanevowners.com/forum...-do-augmented-reality-heads-up-display.18385/

It was a brand new Macan indeed. And my only experience with HUD in a Porsche

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