chrisk
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- Dec 3, 2020
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- 2020 Taycan 4S
Exactly what you described is also the difference of Macan vs Q5. The two brands intentionally have these differences to appeal to different customer segments. Porsche is always going to be more athletic (and more expensive) and Audi is always going to be an grand tourer.Forum newbie here, but I thought I would chime in as it looks like not many in the USA have been able to actually test drive both the e-Tron GT and the Taycan and do a close comparison. This is going to be a longer read, but the TL;DR is that the Taycan still wins out for me due to the driving dynamics outweighing the aesthetics and fit and finish with the e-Tron GT.
For context, I've test driven the RWD, 4S, and Turbo Taycan. I love the Taycan 4S, but the options were expensive and getting a 4S with the options I wanted was going to take me north of $140K, which was higher than my desired budget.
So I was really excited about the e-Tron GT as it seemed like you could get many of the same options as a well optioned 4S for about $30K-$40K less.
There were a few e-Tron GTs that made it to the Audi lots here in Northern California for a brief time, so I quickly found and test drove one. It was a base model GT with performance package. No RS models were available. The car I test drove was sold 3 days later and I haven't seen any more hit the lot since the US launch.
Right away, I could see the infotainment and interior finish was higher in the Audi. Real buttons that were more intuitive, stronger infotainment, and the fit and finish was higher than a Taycan unless you added about $15-$20K in interior upgrades. There was a cheapness to some of the plastic buttons for things like windows/mirror adjustments in the Taycan that bothered me, and this disappeared with the GT. It felt like a $100K+ luxury car was supposed to.
The exterior was also gorgeous. I only sent my wife pictures but she commented on how nice it looked. I still preferred the sportier look of the Taycan, but there was no denying the base config GT has better looks unless you option out the Taycan's exterior.
So everything seemed great so far, and I was excited to test drive it. When the dealer came out with the key, I eagerly pulled it out of the lot and I was on my way.
This is where things turned sour for me. The car felt muted, like something was holding it back. All the excitement in the corners, the acceleration and thrill that I got from the Taycan was missing. I felt the weight of the car and the sluggishness of the acceleration. I tried changing the drive mode settings and things only felt marginally better.
I extended the drive a bit more to see if I could feel some sort of connection with the car, and I just couldn't. It was simply lifeless compared to the Taycan.
A week later, I went back and drove a RWD Taycan with my wife so she could see the Porsche fit and finish. We both enjoyed the ride in that car a lot, and even with the lower grade motor, it was more fun than the GT.
I wish I could have tested out the e-Tron GT RS, but for me the decision is clear. Pay the extra to option out the Taycan 4S, and get a car with more of a soul.
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