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There had been electric cars before the Porsche Taycan arrived in 2019, and quick ones too, but very few that appealed for any more than their technology or straight line speed. The Porsche added so much more to the recipe, from the simple appeal of the Porsche badge, to the company’s handling expertise.
The result was a car that, sure, was very quick, but one that was genuinely good to drive when you didn’t have your foot to the floor too. Its range can’t quite match that of some rivals but in all other respects it remains one of the most desirable electric cars on the market - and it’s now possible to pick up a Taycan only a few years old that’s far less than the cost of a new one.
The Taycan isn’t short of alternatives though. The car to beat in this segment, in terms of performance and ease of use thanks to its dedicated charging network, is the Tesla Model S. But there’s also the Audi e-tron GT, which is similar to the Taycan under the skin, and the Jaguar I-Pace - while the BMW i5 also treads on the Taycan’s toes in several key areas.
If a lot of electric cars feel like regular cars that have had electric power thrust uncomfortably upon them, then the Porsche Taycan is different for feeling like a Porsche through and through - one that just happens to be powered by electricity, rather than internal combustion.
This, as you can imagine, is a good thing, particularly if you’ve been unconvinced by electric cars so far. From the way it’s styled inside and out to the way it drives, the Taycan is a proper Porsche. There are some compromises of course - some of the Taycan’s rivals offer more range, and the sporty cabin isn’t quite as accommodating as that of Porsche’s other four-door car, the Panamera, but this is a Porsche you can use and enjoy every day without a drop of fuel.
If there’s another way of telling that the Taycan is a true Porsche, it’s in the enormous range of models the company offers, from a rear-wheel drive car with fairly modest (for a Porsche) performance, to the enormously potent Turbo S that can cover the 0-62mph sprint in under three seconds. A couple of different battery pack options and this choice of variants means Porsche quotes a range of between 270 and more than 310 miles, depending on the model.
All Taycans are sharp to drive, and Porsche has done a good job tuning both the braking and steering - two areas that EVs don’t always hit the mark on. It’s refined too, not just because it’s electric, but because there’s also minimal road and wind noise. The low-slung driving position is great, and while rear seat space is a little tight, the boot is a decent size, helped by an extra 80 litres of storage under the bonnet - much like Porsche’s rear- and mid-engined models.
If you’re considering a Taycan, the Tesla Model S has probably already cropped up on your radar. Tesla’s Supercharger network is second to none which is a big part of the Model S’s appeal, while its range and performance are strong too - though its handling can’t match the Taycan. The Audi e-tron GT shares most of its underpinnings with the Taycan but offers a slightly more relaxed drive, and while you won’t see many on the used market yet, the new BMW i5 is another contender - it’s fast, refined, and offers better passenger space and range than the Porsche.
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There’s a strong case to be made for the basic Porsche Taycan, whether you’re buying it new or used. There are quicker electric cars on the market (even from brands like Kia), but a 5.4-second 0-62mph time is hardly slow, and a claimed range of up to 314 miles (if you can find one with the larger Performance Battery Plus battery pack) should minimise range anxiety for most drivers.
Stepping up to the more potent models though doesn’t seem to greatly affect range (particularly as some of the more powerful cars have the larger battery by default), while their performance enters supercar territory. If some of the Taycans seem expensive when new, getting this kind of acceleration looks more tempting at used prices.
Like all Porsches trim levels in the Porsche Taycan correspond directly with the different drivetrains, so the range here spans the same models as we’ve detailed above in the range and performance section. It starts with the Taycan, and rises to the mighty Taycan Turbo S. Also like all other Porsches, the options list is almost endless, so it’s likely that no two used Taycan models will be exactly alike.
The Porsche Taycan’s dimensions are:
The Porsche Taycan’s boot size is:
It might be an expensive performance car from a premium manufacturer, but that doesn’t mean the Porsche Taycan costs a fortune to tax. Being an electric car, it currently doesn’t attract any VED or ‘road tax’, though that may change later down the line.
In what shouldn’t be a great surprise, the Porsche Taycan will cost more to insure than your average executive express. The entry level Taycan starts in group 48 in the 1-50 system, and if you add the larger battery that rises to group 49. The entire rest of the range sits in group 50, though you’ll find the same with many prestige electric cars, and actual insurance costs will still vary between group 50 models.
Read our full Porsche Taycan review
