Thoughts on the Taycan (long, rambling, possibly non-sensical)

rich_r

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I've been intrigued by the Taycan ever since the Mission-E concept first appeared. It is the first 4 door Porsche that I think they really nailed from a design perspective. Actually, I think it is the best looking 4 door car on sale today. After test driving a 4S a month ago, I think it may be one of the best driving as well. The ride quality is up there w/ Mercedes S class, full-size Range Rover, etc. Really amazing. Of course it's super responsive but that goes without saying.

If it were just me (if I didn't have a wife and a kid), I'd probably buy some form of manual 911. As it is, we really only have need and space for 1 car. So for the past 10 years or so, I've leased various types of automatic 4 door vehicles ranging from BMW sport sedans (3 and 5 series) to our current Range Rover sport. I've always found myself "holding back" a bit in terms of spending on each of these vehicles because none fully grabbed me (lastest example is the RRS is the 6 not the v8). By the same token, they've all been great cars with no real issues or annoyances. That being said, I dont miss any of them. Weirdly (since i consider myself a car guy), the RRS has gotten under my skin the most- it has more character about it than the BMWs did. I would like to return to a car for my next vehicle though.

Anyway, I keep coming back to the Taycan as an object of fascination. It both makes complete sense to me (it's a beautiful, great driving car with a usable backseat), and no sense (it's the width, length and weight of our SUV but seems to have less cargo/storage/interior room than a 3 series while being more expensive than any car I've ever owned). And speaking of ownership, that's what I'd do if I bought a Taycan. Porsche lease terms dont make sense to me, so i'd just buy it and keep it-- meaning this would likely be a longer commitment than 3 years given the likely depreciation over that time.

Based on my test drive experience and lurking on this forum, the Taycan also seems to have the greatest potential to annoy me with its various quirks. Now, I'm used to some level of quirkiness given my current car, but the Taycan is another level. No need to list out all the stuff that would potentially bug me, but there's definitely a bunch. And while I like the interior, it somehow just didn't quite feel special enough to me for the price. I think if i threw about 7k worht of interior options at, things would improve but I'm not sure i really want to do that. The Cross Turismo body style potentially improves things somewhat on the practicality/space front, but still, we are talking Audi S5 sportback levels of space, not Audi RS6 avant (as an example). And it grates on me a bit that the plastic cladding is mandatory.

And yet here I am. I spend entirely way too much time reading about it, looking at pics, playing with the configurator, etc. I think to myself "maybe I should just lease something like an Audi S5 (another good looking, fun to drive 4 door car with a nice interior and practicality) and see what comes out in 3 years. Audi/Porsche are developing cars based on their new PPE platform including an EV replacement for the A5, Macan, etc". (No, I wouldn't buy/lease a current Macan, Cayenne or Panamera because none of those cars grab me and also share some of the Taycan's annoying quirks). Maybe Audi will come out with their own version of the cross-turismo for ~10k less with less quirks and an interior that I prefer (though truth be told I think the Taycan sedan is better looking than the Etron GT).

Anyway, not really sure what the point of this is other than to get my thoughts out and see if anyone here went through a similar back and forth about whether the Taycan was right for them. (Is it an itch that must be scratched or something that I'll come to regret). For those who were on the fence, how has it worked out now that you've had the car for a bit?
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Kingske

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I've been intrigued by the Taycan ever since the Mission-E concept first appeared. It is the first 4 door Porsche that I think they really nailed from a design perspective. Actually, I think it is the best looking 4 door car on sale today. After test driving a 4S a month ago, I think it may be one of the best driving as well. The ride quality is up there w/ Mercedes S class, full-size Range Rover, etc. Really amazing. Of course it's super responsive but that goes without saying.

If it were just me (if I didn't have a wife and a kid), I'd probably buy some form of manual 911. As it is, we really only have need and space for 1 car. So for the past 10 years or so, I've leased various types of automatic 4 door vehicles ranging from BMW sport sedans (3 and 5 series) to our current Range Rover sport. I've always found myself "holding back" a bit in terms of spending on each of these vehicles because none fully grabbed me (lastest example is the RRS is the 6 not the v8). By the same token, they've all been great cars with no real issues or annoyances. That being said, I dont miss any of them. Weirdly (since i consider myself a car guy), the RRS has gotten under my skin the most- it has more character about it than the BMWs did. I would like to return to a car for my next vehicle though.

Anyway, I keep coming back to the Taycan as an object of fascination. It both makes complete sense to me (it's a beautiful, great driving car with a usable backseat), and no sense (it's the width, length and weight of our SUV but seems to have less cargo/storage/interior room than a 3 series while being more expensive than any car I've ever owned). And speaking of ownership, that's what I'd do if I bought a Taycan. Porsche lease terms dont make sense to me, so i'd just buy it and keep it-- meaning this would likely be a longer commitment than 3 years given the likely depreciation over that time.

Based on my test drive experience and lurking on this forum, the Taycan also seems to have the greatest potential to annoy me with its various quirks. Now, I'm used to some level of quirkiness given my current car, but the Taycan is another level. No need to list out all the stuff that would potentially bug me, but there's definitely a bunch. And while I like the interior, it somehow just didn't quite feel special enough to me for the price. I think if i threw about 7k worht of interior options at, things would improve but I'm not sure i really want to do that. The Cross Turismo body style potentially improves things somewhat on the practicality/space front, but still, we are talking Audi S5 sportback levels of space, not Audi RS6 avant (as an example). And it grates on me a bit that the plastic cladding is mandatory.

And yet here I am. I spend entirely way too much time reading about it, looking at pics, playing with the configurator, etc. I think to myself "maybe I should just lease something like an Audi S5 (another good looking, fun to drive 4 door car with a nice interior and practicality) and see what comes out in 3 years. Audi/Porsche are developing cars based on their new PPE platform including an EV replacement for the A5, Macan, etc". (No, I wouldn't buy/lease a current Macan, Cayenne or Panamera because none of those cars grab me and also share some of the Taycan's annoying quirks). Maybe Audi will come out with their own version of the cross-turismo for ~10k less with less quirks and an interior that I prefer (though truth be told I think the Taycan sedan is better looking than the Etron GT).

Anyway, not really sure what the point of this is other than to get my thoughts out and see if anyone here went through a similar back and forth about whether the Taycan was right for them. (Is it an itch that must be scratched or something that I'll come to regret). For those who were on the fence, how has it worked out now that you've had the car for a bit?
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You will not regret it. Period. This is one of the few cars where the real-life experience matches the dreams and anticipation. The software seems like it is cobbled together by Johannes Gutenberg himself, but you will gladly accept its glitches in return for the sheer driving pleasure it offers.
 

John89

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You will not regret it. Period. This is one of the few cars where the real-life experience matches the dreams and anticipation. The software seems like it is cobbled together by Johannes Gutenberg himself, but you will gladly accept its glitches in return for the sheer driving pleasure it offers.
It really is a great driving car. And when all the stuff works, its really very good. It has some teething problems and that probably is to be expected. The only thing that is an issue for me- my driving style and driving loops take me out to multiple 150 mile days each week, and they include a lot of highway driving. I drive at 82-90 + mph on the highway and I'm not gonna change that. I also live in cold, shit weather most of the year. So when I add all that up, those factors simply eat range. To be able to meet my driving style and range needs, I need an electric car that gets a true 300 mile range. I say that because I expect that in the cold, and driving at high speeds, it will knock 20% off the 300 mile number. And if I can get a car that can do a true 240 miles of range, that would help quite a bit ( I get about 180 miles of range @ 85% charge - my driving style).
 

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It really is a great driving car. And when all the stuff works, its really very good. It has some teething problems and that probably is to be expected. The only thing that is an issue for me- my driving style and driving loops take me out to multiple 150 mile days each week, and they include a lot of highway driving. I drive at 82-90 + mph on the highway and I'm not gonna change that. I also live in cold, shit weather most of the year. So when I add all that up, those factors simply eat range. To be able to meet my driving style and range needs, I need an electric car that gets a true 300 mile range. I say that because I expect that in the cold, and driving at high speeds, it will knock 20% off the 300 mile number. And if I can get a car that can do a true 240 miles of range, that would help quite a bit ( I get about 180 miles of range @ 85% charge - my driving style).
Totally with you! Let's see what new battery tech will bring in the coming years.
 


ithinkmac

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Rich:
I'm on my 2nd RRS, '14 and '19, both V8SC, love JLR exhaust notes, especially the V8SC engines. I'm also on my 2n Model X, '16 and '21 (pre horizontal screen). So I'm both an EV and ICE fan, I think I'll own at least 1 ICE car for at least the foreseeable future.

I'm really a big Tesla fan for the longest time. Build quality be damned. Once I got my X, I drove that more than the '14 RRS, and now the '19 RRS is only driven once every 2 weeks, just to make sure it runs and no O2 CEL light, and 12v battery is good. I've put 10k miles on the '19 RRS since I bought it in 2018. EV is the preferred choice, and Supercharging network keeps me on the list of people who likes to give Elon money. 3 Teslas, 2 X and 1 3. Loving the tech and the charging network, AutoPilot in stop and go traffic and on long road-trips is a game changer for me. never tired when driving long distance. So when Taycan went into production, I was curious and thinking maybe it'll be a good Tesla replacement. The original low battery range (EPA figures) didn't attract me, and EA network in 2019-2020 didn't appeal to me either. Plus the high $$ point of entry cost at the time. Now a couple of years later. We got RWD Taycan and Cross Turismo.

Oh, I had a 2nd Gen Cayenne S too, 1st few years of ownership was great and fun, got tired of the bazillion buttons they were doing during that time, then year 5 hit, and just out of warranty, engine rebuilt, transmission problems. Sold it immediately, and scared me out of the Porsche brand till now.

Ordered a 4S CT for late 2021 delivery. My new thinking process is this... I no longer need the Taycan as a road-trip car, I'll have the '21 X for that, at 371 miles per charge. Going to use the CT as my daily driver and weekend canyon drives. The range is no longer relevant and hence whatever EA is doing now is not at the top of my priority list anymore. So I want fun, handling, and good looking car to drive (I love the looks of the CT), so it was an easy decision for me this time around. Not so much in 2019-2020 - when Tesla was like the only choice to have a good EV. I think my requirements are different this time around, and hence an easy decision. BUT, if it's the only car I have, I don't think I would have chosen the Taycan. As the only car, I think the draw of the longer range and the supercharging network will be hard to ignore.

Sorry, my rambling answer to your thoughts.

-ThinkMac-
 

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About the only quirk that's caused me the slightest annoyance is the crappy parking assist Porsche uses, but that's true for all of their models.

The Taycan "quirks" get overblown by people new to the brand that are coming from companies with boring to drive cars that have great software.

If you're coming from a high end performance mindset, the infotainment and software are perfectly fine/in line with other similar cars.

It's ONLY the fact that it's an EV and people assume EVs must be driving iPads that cause any discussion. The 992 has just as many bugs/glitches and no one really complains much.

People approach the Taycan as though it's Porsche's Tesla. It's not.. it's a Porsche with an electric drivetrain.
 


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rich_r

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About the only quirk that's caused me the slightest annoyance is the crappy parking assist Porsche uses, but that's true for all of their models.

The Taycan "quirks" get overblown by people new to the brand that are coming from companies with boring to drive cars that have great software.

If you're coming from a high end performance mindset, the infotainment and software are perfectly fine/in line with other similar cars.

It's ONLY the fact that it's an EV and people assume EVs must be driving iPads that cause any discussion. The 992 has just as many bugs/glitches and no one really complains much.

People approach the Taycan as though it's Porsche's Tesla. It's not.. it's a Porsche with an electric drivetrain.
I have a Land Rover so I’m no stranger to quirky, fussy infotainment systems. But atkeast it still has knobs for climate control and volume. The Taycan goes all-in with touch screens which creates some of the annoyances I was alluding to. Definitely am not interested in Tesla and prefer less “iPad on wheels”.

I was thinking about it though and you’re absolutely right that the 992 can be similarly annoying. Yet if I were in the position to buy a manual 992 right now I wouldn’t give those quirks a second thought. So I’m guilty of applying a double standard to the taycan I guess.
 

Kingske

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I have a Land Rover so I’m no stranger to quirky, fussy infotainment systems. But atkeast it still has knobs for climate control and volume. The Taycan goes all-in with touch screens which creates some of the annoyances I was alluding to. Definitely am not interested in Tesla and prefer less “iPad on wheels”.

I was thinking about it though and you’re absolutely right that the 992 can be similarly annoying. Yet if I were in the position to buy a manual 992 right now I wouldn’t give those quirks a second thought. So I’m guilty of applying a double standard to the taycan I guess.
For the sake of full disclosure, another Taycan feature that requires some getting used to - in addition to the quirky software - is the not-so-efficiënt ratio of inside over outside dimensions. It does not come across a such when you see a picture of it in isolation, but if you see a Taycan parked next to a 911, it immediately becomes apparent that this is a rather big car with adequate but not overly generous interior space. To use a BMW analogy: it is the size of a 5 Series on the outside with the space of a 3 Series on the inside. This is not at all a problem for me but worth mentioning. And again, for such a big car the Taycan shows remarkably nimble driving dynamics.
 
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rich_r

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For the sake of full disclosure, another Taycan feature that requires some getting used to - in addition to the quirky software - is the not-so-efficiënt ratio of inside over outside dimensions. It does not come across a such when you see a picture of it in isolation, but if you see a Taycan parked next to a 911, it immediately becomes apparent that this is a rather big car with adequate but not overly generous interior space. To use a BMW analogy: it is the size of a 5 Series on the outside with the space of a 3 Series on the inside. This is not at all a problem for me but worth mentioning. And again, for such a big car the Taycan shows remarkably nimble driving dynamics.
for sure. The taycan is just as wide and heavy (and slightly longer) as my Range Rover sport while seemingly having less interior room than a 3 series. I’m not quite sure how Porsche managed that given the packaging advantages of EVs but somehow they did. Anyway, I agree that the car drives well enough to make you forget all that. Too bad the rear and surround view cameras are so bad though. Not sure why they couldn’t have just used Audi’s camera system as that is quite good.
 

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for sure. The taycan is just as wide and heavy (and slightly longer) as my Range Rover sport while seemingly having less interior room than a 3 series. I’m not quite sure how Porsche managed that given the packaging advantages of EVs but somehow they did. Anyway, I agree that the car drives well enough to make you forget all that. Too bad the rear and surround view cameras are so bad though. Not sure why they couldn’t have just used Audi’s camera system as that is quite good.
It’s almost as if they went out of their way to make the cameras bad.
 
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rich_r

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The software seems like it is cobbled together by Johannes Gutenberg himself,
LOL. If the Taycan's software was designed by Gutenberg, my Range Rover Sport's software was designed by Henry VIII. Its one saving grace is the physical controls for climate temp and volume.
 

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I have a Land Rover so I’m no stranger to quirky, fussy infotainment systems. But atkeast it still has knobs for climate control and volume. The Taycan goes all-in with touch screens which creates some of the annoyances I was alluding to. Definitely am not interested in Tesla and prefer less “iPad on wheels”.

I was thinking about it though and you’re absolutely right that the 992 can be similarly annoying. Yet if I were in the position to buy a manual 992 right now I wouldn’t give those quirks a second thought. So I’m guilty of applying a double standard to the taycan I guess.
I have a Land Rover so I’m no stranger to quirky, fussy infotainment systems. But atkeast it still has knobs for climate control and volume. The Taycan goes all-in with touch screens which creates some of the annoyances I was alluding to. Definitely am not interested in Tesla and prefer less “iPad on wheels”.

I was thinking about it though and you’re absolutely right that the 992 can be similarly annoying. Yet if I were in the position to buy a manual 992 right now I wouldn’t give those quirks a second thought. So I’m guilty of applying a double standard to the taycan I guess.
The Taycan actually does have a volume knob, on the steering wheel, which works great.
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