RoseyPSU

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My 2020 TTS is currently at the dealership where they are working to diagnose a charging issue (it starts and stops charging somewhat intermittently and randomly when plugged in at home) and the loaner they gave me is a 2022 RWD Taycan . My TTS is my daily driver that I've had for over a year and about 13,000 miles and this is the first time I've driven the base Taycan, so I thought I would share my impressions. TLDR: I'm really impressed with the base Taycan and it's performance.

The loaner is a 2022 in Neptune Blue with 21" Taycan Exclusive Design wheels and Performance Battery Plus. MSRP, as you can see below, is $107,280.

Porsche Taycan Taycan Base vs. Turbo S - my review IMG_7827 Medium


By comparison, the MSRP on my TTS was $208,230.

My first thought when they handed me the keys to the loaner was that I was going to be disappointed to be "stuck" with it for a few days. I'm not at all. The two biggest differences are obviously performance and quality of materials. Everyone knows by just reading numbers that the TTS is twice as fast 0-60, which is huge. But in real world driving, I was really impressed with the base Taycan's quickness. Power is delivered immediately and it's quicker than almost all other cars you'll encounter on a daily basis. Braking with the standard brakes vs. ceramic is a non-issue in day to day driving and handling is great. Of course, this is daily driving, not on a track or bombing through twisties. In daily driving, the insane power of the TTS is mostly unusable and the base Taycan has more than enough.

I did get to try out launch control in the base Taycan and I can say this: my wife didn't even look up from online shopping on her cell phone in the base Taycan whereas launching the TTS with her in the passenger seat usually results in a icy stare, colorful language shouted in my direction, and occasional physical violence. Launching a TTS is an event every time. In the base Taycan, it's somewhat pointless.

Performance aside, the biggest difference for me is the quality of the interior, which is where you spend all of your time anyway. The standard interior felt "cheap" to me. Having the standard interior confirmed that in any future build I'd go with the Olea Club leather and the Paldao trim, both of which I currently have and both of which make the car feel far more luxurious. I also think that the Panoramic Roof adds to the higher end feel, but I know that's a topic of much debate here on the forum. I was surprised by the quality of the Bose vs. the Burmester. I'm not sure I'd spec the Burmester again if trying to keep costs down (but is buying a TTS keeping costs down?). The 8-way seats are awful compared to the 18-way seats, and the lack of the sport-chrono package is maddening. Having to press 4 buttons every time I get in as compared to a single twist of a dial is making me crazy after only 3 days.

Most of the other differences are cosmetic and a matter of personal choice. I prefer Gentian Blue over Neptune Blue. I prefer the Mission E wheels, especially painted in Satin Platinum over the Taycan Exclusive Wheels. I love my giant yellow brake calipers. The carbon fiber bits on the TTS are cool but not a deal-breaker for me. I prefer 2 rear seats vs. 3, as the middle seat in the rear seems pretty useless for an adult, and I would not spec the 4-zone climate control again.

All in all, I would of course take a TTS over a base Taycan, and if money is no object so should you, but I'm not sure it's worth $100,000 more. That's a HUGE, HUGE difference and the base Taycan is damn good. Just wanted to share my thoughts, especially for those that may be out there with a base Taycan but pining for a different model. No matter which Taycan model you drive consider yourself lucky, it's a great vehicle.

Porsche Taycan Taycan Base vs. Turbo S - my review IMG_7826 Medium

Porsche Taycan Taycan Base vs. Turbo S - my review IMG_4142 Lar
 

tomtom901

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Thanks for the write-up. Honest comparison of 2 great cars, and that is what I also love about the Taycan. Even if you can 'just' spare the base, which is still a lot of money, you still get access to the greatness of the Taycan.

Both of them look great, but the Gentian Blue TTS looks very, very sexy!
 

philbur

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just wait until they put you into a base macan loaner!!! that is a massive leap backwards even though it is an amazing vehicle :) On ICE i always recommend S trim as you get tighter suspension and engine.. its not that way on the taycan. S just gets you power. We have a CT4 and love it. We also use it as our family wagon so have the standard interior which is holding up great to the kid abuse - same with our 15 cayenne s it replaced - standard interior looked like new after raising 2 kids in it! Taycan is just solid :) the way they just bolted on additional features really made the base a great option.

phil.
 

whan

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Great writeup - seems to confirm what a lot of people have said about the Base Taycan, that you get a lot of the experience of the top models, for a lot less money. Looking forward to getting my RWD (I did spec full leather for the same reason you mentioned, but no pano since I prefer the metal roof look and instead put the money into RWS)
 

ThePaddyWan

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just wait until they put you into a base macan loaner!!! that is a massive leap backwards even though it is an amazing vehicle :) On ICE i always recommend S trim as you get tighter suspension and engine.. its not that way on the taycan. S just gets you power. We have a CT4 and love it. We also use it as our family wagon so have the standard interior which is holding up great to the kid abuse - same with our 15 cayenne s it replaced - standard interior looked like new after raising 2 kids in it! Taycan is just solid :) the way they just bolted on additional features really made the base a great option.

phil.
I was given a base Macan as loaner and it does highlight the quality differences from our Turbo. Most obvious was seat and interior materials. Still, showed me and the wife that even with the most basic vehicle you can get, the Porsche DNA is there. Helped convince the wife to put ourselves on the list for a Macan EV ;)
 


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I was given a base Macan as loaner and it does highlight the quality differences from our Turbo. Most obvious was seat and interior materials. Still, showed me and the wife that even with the most basic vehicle you can get, the Porsche DNA is there. Helped convince the wife to put ourselves on the list for a Macan EV ;)
the one thing my wife doesnt like in her taycan is sitting lower.. macan is too small for us.. wagons are cooler\better than SUVs.. if they made an eCayenne maybe, but for now she is stuck in one of the coolest cars out there and the best wagon!
 

notsofast

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I did get to try out launch control in the base Taycan and I can say this: my wife didn't even look up from online shopping on her cell phone in the base Taycan whereas launching the TTS with her in the passenger seat usually results in a icy stare, colorful language shouted in my direction, and occasional physical violence. Launching a TTS is an event every time. In the base Taycan, it's somewhat pointless.
Can I just say you made my day. Very much mirrors my experience.
 

XLR82XS

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Performance aside, the biggest difference for me is the quality of the interior, which is where you spend all of your time anyway. The standard interior felt "cheap" to me. Having the standard interior confirmed that in any future build I'd go with the Olea Club leather and the Paldao trim, both of which I currently have and both of which make the car feel far more luxurious. I also think that the Panoramic Roof adds to the higher end feel, but I know that's a topic of much debate here on the forum. I was surprised by the quality of the Bose vs. the Burmester.
I love my RWD and 100% agree about the interior. That is why I ordered mine with leather interior. It's a Porsche - get the full leather!

Out of all the P-cars I owned/have owned the BOSE in Taycan is the best BOSE. I have had Burmester in a Panamera Turbo and it was INCREDIBLE. I couldn't justify the $ for Burmester in the Taycan so went with BOSE. That said, base stereo is terrrible.
 


Fish Fingers

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Good write up thankyou.

Just one question..... Why having to press 4 buttons every time you get in without Sport Chrono?
 

Fsudoles

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Look at you reppin’ the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley! Mom and Dad both went to Penn State and I got admitted, but since I grew up in Florida, I opted for FSU. PSU still has a soft spot in my heart…but maybe you should’ve gone for the all white spec….to mirror those iconic Unis…..and for the White Out Nights! Beautiful car….and thanks for the write up…notice the Cherry Metallic….remind you of a school down south? Hope you get your car back soon….
Porsche Taycan Taycan Base vs. Turbo S - my review A662E771-CB54-4685-8F76-174AAE9B145A
Porsche Taycan Taycan Base vs. Turbo S - my review 00474768-AC52-4FB3-913D-5B42DD9A08C7
 

Fsudoles

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Good write up thankyou.

Just one question..... Why having to press 4 buttons every time you get in without Sport Chrono?
I can’t speak to the TTS, but with my 2022 base….I have to switch to Sport Mode, turn on Auto Recuperation, adjust the AC, make some adjustment(s) to Car Play for music, Sirius, etc. and ultimately drop into Drive when my checklist is complete. I’m like a pilot preparing for takeoff. : )
 

Windpower

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Having the standard interior confirmed that in any future build I'd go with the Olea Club leather and the Paldao trim, both of which I currently have and both of which make the car feel far more luxurious.
Having lived with the 'base' interior, I would agree. When I was configuring my Taycan, I traded off the Olea leather for rear wheel steering, adaptive air suspension and Innodrive. On my next Taycan, I'll upgrade the interior. I can't think of anything else which I regret not getting.
 

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I love my RWD and 100% agree about the interior. That is why I ordered mine with leather interior. It's a Porsche - get the full leather!

Out of all the P-cars I owned/have owned the BOSE in Taycan is the best BOSE. I have had Burmester in a Panamera Turbo and it was INCREDIBLE. I couldn't justify the $ for Burmester in the Taycan so went with BOSE. That said, base stereo is terrrible.
I have the base audio and can confirm it sucks. Nowhere as good as the model s..
On the other hand there are no rattles in the taycan so I enjoy the silence 👍
 

hitmonlee

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Thanks for the writeup! Really informative.

btw I’m a little surprised you got a premium/less common exterior color for a loaner. In my experience it’s always boring white or black.
 

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