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Pros: excellent cabin quality, more range, drivability
Cons: purchase cost, limited practicality
Porsche Taycan Design
The mid-cycle update to the Taycan focuses more on what’s underneath the skin than its overall appearance, but there are some visual changes to the exterior. At the front, there are a couple of new bumper designs depending on the model variant. The Taycan and 4S versions retain upright air intakes at the corners, but unlike previous versions, these are now separate from the headlights. From the Taycan Turbo upwards, there is a more performance-themed bumper design that can be further customised with optional colour accents on the lower lip.
Porsche has enhanced the LED headlights with a fresh look and, with the optional LED Matrix units, has given them a major upgrade that sees the hardware go from 84 pixels to 32,000 individually controlled micro-LEDs. These provide longer projection distances and greater dynamic ability when illuminating areas around other vehicles on the road at night.
At the rear of the Taycan are similar minor changes, the most obvious being the introduction of an illuminated Porsche word mark. Buyers can choose from a couple of different backlight colours for this detail. New wheel designs also freshen up the Taycan’s appearance and contribute to an improved driving range, with the most efficient wheel designs resulting in up to 40 kilometres of additional range thanks to their aerodynamic properties.
The standout model in the updated Taycan line up is the Turbo GT. This halo model represents the first time the GT designation has been applied to an electric Porsche, and its design reflects its serious performance credentials. A bespoke front bumper features carbon-fibre aeroblades on the sides to help channel airflow along the car. New sills complement that aspect, while an adaptive spoiler with a carbon-fibre ‘Gurney flap’ is at the rear. Going one step further is the Turbo GT Weissach package, which adds a fixed rear wing (also in high-gloss carbon fibre) and deletes the rear seats, contributing to an overall weight saving of 70kg.
Porsche Taycan Interior
Few other marques can rival Porsche when it comes to interior quality, and there are a dizzying number of material and colour options available for further customisation. The driver-centric setup provides an excellent seating position, and the Taycan’s curved digital display is unique and one of the best-looking in the business. An optional head-up display is also available, though this takes away from the instrument display’s cleanliness by adding a further layer on top.
An angled central touchscreen provides accessibility to all of the secondary functions, including climate control and the optional panoramic glass roof that features segments that can electrically turn opaque instantly. Besides the central touchscreen for the infotainment and navigation, an optional third touchscreen can be specified in front of the passenger, allowing further entertainment options, including video streaming. This display includes a privacy film, which means when the video is playing, the driver can’t view it - for safety reasons.
Even though the Taycan has a sloping roofline, there is a decent amount of legroom and headroom for passengers in the back seats. Part of that is down to how the battery is arranged, leaving ‘foot garages’ in the outer footwells to provide more room. Luggage space in the Taycan is alright, but its boot doesn’t have the largest of apertures. The Cross Turismo or Sport Turismo (effectively estate variants) will serve you better if you require more space.
Porsche Taycan Performance & Drive
One of the most appealing parts of the updated Taycan is the improved battery pack that is now available. Called the Performance Battery Plus, the net energy capacity increases to 97kWh, resulting in a combined WLTP range of 678 kilometres in the single-motor rear-wheel-drive Taycan. The driving range varies across the different models, but even in the highest-performance version, the Taycan Turbo GT, the official range is 555 kilometres. Peak charging rate is now 320kW on DC, and thanks to optimised cooling and battery management software, the Taycan can maintain charging rates above 300kW for five minutes, which can shave minutes off a charging session. In optimal conditions, a 10 to 80 per cent charge can be completed in 18 minutes.
Performance outputs also span quite a spectrum, ranging from 435hp up to 1,034hp for the Taycan Turbo GT in launch mode. Whichever version of the Taycan you choose, it delivers generous performance perfectly blended with an involving and rewarding driving experience. The dual-motor Taycan Turbo GT is ballistically fast, accelerating from 0-100km/h in 2.2 seconds and reaching a top speed of 305km/h. Equally impressive is how it can go from that to a comfortable and sedate electric cruiser as desired.
An innovation in the updated Taycan is Porsche Active Ride, an adaptive air suspension that, in specific settings, can isolate the car’s body from the road surface undulations beneath. This setup is powered directly by the high-voltage battery and works extraordinarily quickly to adjust the force on each wheel. The result is that the Taycan can remain flat when cornering and can compensate for pitch and dive during acceleration and braking.
Porsche Taycan Pricing
The Porsche Taycan range starts at €110,446 and rises up to €191,503 for the Taycan Turbo and €266,024 for the range-topping Taycan Turbo GT. There is a small premium for the Taycan Sport Turismo, which starts at €111,519 and rises to €231,607 for the Turbo S variant. The Taycan Cross Turismo, which has a more off-road-themed look, is priced at €123,597. Porsche currently does not offer the Turbo GT in either Cross Turismo or Sport Turismo body styles.
Carzone Verdict
The Porsche Taycan set a high watermark when it burst onto the scene four years ago, and now, with this update, it has reaffirmed its position as one of the finest high-performance electric cars that money can buy. Porsche’s meticulous attention to detail in crafting its cars and the experience it provides its drivers are second to none. The Turbo GT delivers other-worldly performance that is a match for any supercar. Further down the range are impressively competent models, making the Taycan one of the best premium electric cars money can buy.