Test-Driving the Porsche Taycan

When my husband visited a Porsche Center recently, he got the chance to take the Taycan—Porsche’s first all-electric sports car—for a short test drive.

He’d previously driven the Taycan on a racetrack, but this was his first time behind the wheel on public roads. So I asked him to share a few quick impressions.

The Taycan he drove was a Taycan Turbo finished in Frozen Berry Metallic. That color really turns heads around town!

Here’s what my husband had to say about the drive:

The Taycan is seriously quick. Even a light touch of the accelerator brings strong acceleration. Electric motors really are something—the car just keeps pulling as the speed climbs.
When I drove the Taycan on a circuit, accelerating down the straight pinned me to the seat with incredible G-forces. I got a small taste of that same acceleration even on city streets.

That was his take.

The Taycan Turbo S can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 2.8 seconds. And even after more than 20 consecutive 0–200 km/h (0–124 mph) runs, its acceleration times reportedly barely drop. It produces up to 761 PS and 1,050 Nm of torque.

Incredible!

Another feature that really impressed him was the sound.

The optional Porsche Electric Sport Sound is fantastic! I’d almost buy the car just for that option. I want to use it as my phone ringtone (laughs).
It sounds cool inside the car, but it’s especially impressive from outside. I’ve never heard anything quite like it. In some ways, it felt even more dramatic than the GT3. I really love it.

That said, one thing wasn’t quite what he expected: the ride.

The ride wasn’t as silky-smooth as I’d imagined. I pictured something like the Cayenne E-Hybrid, but with low-profile tires, you can still feel the roughness of the road through them. Because the electric drivetrain is so smooth, tire noise and the sensation of the tires rolling over the road stand out even more. If I were buying one, I’d go for slightly smaller wheels.
That said, the ride quality is excellent. It’s incredibly composed—like sitting on a single, rigid platform, with hardly any movement in your field of view. This test car seemed to have PDCC, so maybe that’s what made it feel so remarkably flat. It reminded me of how planted the GT3 feels when you’re cruising at speed on the highway, almost glued to the road. The Taycan lets you enjoy that same composed feel around town.

That was his impression.

Would He Buy a Taycan?

So I asked my husband, “Would you buy a Taycan after all?” His answer: “Not right now.”

When I asked why, he said:

The Taycan just doesn’t have a role in our lives right now. You can get it with five seats, but if we need room for the family, the Cayenne is much more spacious.
And when it comes to driving, the Taycan is closer to a 911 than a Panamera. But if someone asks, “Would you take the Taycan on a road trip?”—I’d have to say no. You have to keep an eye on the range, so it’s not ideal for the spontaneous long-distance trips I like to take.
As for everyday solo drives, I’d rather take the 911 or Boxster. I just can’t see how we’d use a Taycan enough to justify buying one.

That’s where he landed.

Japan’s charging infrastructure still seems to lag well behind Europe, so owning a Taycan here may come with its share of challenges. Some of our blog readers have bought one, though, so I’d love to hear about their experiences and share more first-hand insights from Taycan owners in a future post.