First Drive in the Taycan Turbo

A little later than most, I finally got the chance to drive the Porsche Taycan, the brand’s all-electric sports car, for the first time. It had been a year and a half since I first saw the Taycan in person at a preview event one winter, so this was a long-awaited first drive.

My husband plans to write a detailed review later, so here I’ll share my impressions from a wife’s perspective—as a woman who drives a Porsche.

This time, we were lucky enough to have the car for a little longer than usual. That gave us the chance to drive on all kinds of roads, including regular streets, highways, and both uphill and downhill stretches.

The car we drove was the Taycan Turbo. It was finished in Frozen Berry Metallic—the same test car my husband had briefly driven around town before.

First Impressions of the Porsche Taycan

My first thought when I got behind the wheel was, “This feels a lot like a 992 (Porsche 911)!” The ride was firmer than I’d expected, with well-controlled suspension and a reassuring weight to the steering. That sense of connection between car and driver—the feeling that the car responds exactly as you intend—was pure Porsche.

The Taycan may look more like a Panamera, but from behind the wheel, it feels closer to a 911.

I’d heard people say that plenty of times, but once I drove it myself, I thought, “They’re absolutely right.” At one point, I even forgot I was in a Taycan and felt as if I were driving a thoroughbred sports car.

That doesn’t mean the ride is uncomfortable. It isn’t overly firm at low speeds, either. The difference is simply that the Taycan’s ride feels quite different from what its looks might lead you to expect. Like the 911, it’s perfectly comfortable to drive around town.

Still, I imagine many wives would prefer a smoother, more cushioned ride—something more like the Panamera or Cayenne.

Adults can sit in the back, but it’s not quite spacious enough to call it roomy. When my husband, who is 178 cm (about 5 ft 10 in), sat back there, he had roughly a fist’s worth of space to spare.

I found the Taycan easier to drive than the Panamera. The Panamera is slightly larger and can feel like a lot of car, while I didn’t have to think as much about the Taycan’s width when driving.

That may have something to do with the fact that I used to drive a Panamera and now drive a Cayenne, so I’m relatively used to handling larger cars…

Even so, the Taycan is a Porsche through and through. Its superb handling makes it feel so responsive and predictable that its size never feels intimidating.

It may be an EV, but at its core, it’s unmistakably a Porsche.

How the Taycan Drives on the Highway

What surprised me most about driving the Taycan was how it performed on the highway. Compared with every other car I’ve driven, it felt in a league of its own—incredibly composed, flat, and enjoyable.

From the moment we passed through the ETC toll gate and accelerated, the Taycan felt as though it was locked to the road, like opposite poles of a magnet pulling together. I was impressed by how flat the GT3 felt on the highway, but the Taycan was even more composed.

You could hear a thump as the car crossed the joints in the road, but the vibration disappeared almost immediately. And when changing lanes, it glided smoothly in a straight, fluid motion, almost like a maglev train (though I’ve never actually been on one).

“This is amazing! It feels so good!”

I found myself saying it out loud again and again.

My husband thought the Taycan’s remarkably flat ride was largely thanks to the optional PDCC (Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control), but he’ll go into more detail about that in his review.

I also tried the ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) on the highway. It seemed smarter than the cruise control in our 971-generation Panamera.

With the earlier system, the car could suddenly accelerate as soon as the vehicle ahead moved out of the lane. There were also times when I wondered, “Isn’t it going to brake yet?” and felt a little uneasy. In the Taycan, both acceleration and deceleration were very smooth and natural.

I think even women who aren’t used to driving on the highway could feel comfortable taking it on a long trip.

The Taycan we drove was also equipped with the optional Porsche Electric Sport Sound, and I really enjoyed it.

It’s hard to describe: somewhere between a “whooom” and a “boong”—almost like the sound of a spaceship from Star Wars. It has a futuristic quality, and it felt perfectly in sync with how far I pressed the accelerator. It was genuinely fun.

I could see that sound becoming addictive (laughs).

There was very little to criticize about the way it drove. If I had to point out a drawback, the center console and navigation system were not especially intuitive to use, and the navigation itself was a little confusing.

The touchscreen on the center console looks like an iPad, but it doesn’t respond to a light touch—you have to press it until you feel and hear a click. I found myself thinking, “Wouldn’t raised physical buttons be easier to use?”

Maybe it would all be fine once I got used to it.

As for the displays, the optional Passenger Display adds a 10.9-inch touchscreen on the passenger side. Apparently, it can be used to change vehicle settings and manage the route, too.

My husband, however, said:

If your wife is in the passenger seat, I’m not sure she’d use this feature. Wouldn’t she rather have a TV screen? (laughs)

That made me laugh, too.

Why Your Wife Should Take the Taycan for a Drive, Too

After driving the Taycan, I’d say this: if you’re going to a test drive as a couple or family, make sure your wife gets behind the wheel, too.

You can’t fully appreciate the Taycan from the passenger seat. There’s so much you only discover once you’re in the driver’s seat and driving it yourself—and I’m sure you’ll be impressed as soon as you do.

People often say that even those who aren’t interested in cars can feel the difference when they drive a Porsche. That was certainly true for me, and the Taycan was no exception.

“So, should we buy a Taycan?” If you ask me, it doesn’t look like we’ll be buying one just yet. But if Japan’s charging infrastructure improves in the future, I’d love to own one someday.

Thank you for letting me take it for a drive!