Porsche Taycan review | Auto Express

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The Porsche Taycan is the electric four-door saloon that thinks it’s a sports car. We had an inkling that Porsche’s first all-electric car would be good, but we had no idea it would offer such a comprehensive skillset.

This is a vehicle that shows how much fun a plug-in future can be. It’s a car with a realistic electric range, a delightful interior and the handling characteristics of a lightweight sports car. It’s not cheap, but anyone fortunate enough to take the plunge will enjoy a truly revolutionary electric car.

Porsche has drawn a line in the sand with the Taycan, taking the fight to the Tesla Model S and giving the Americans a bloody nose. The Germans have won this battle – and there’s no need for it to go to penalties.

About the Porsche Taycan

Eight years after the launch of the Tesla Model S, Porsche responded with what feels like a turning point for the electric car sector. It was worth the wait. We don’t say this lightly: the Porsche Taycan is a genuine game-changer.

Making its debut at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Taycan is the first all-electric car Porsche has produced. The four-door saloon has the look of a coupe and is built on a new battery-electric platform that is also used to underpin the Audi e-Tron GT.

Specify the Taycan with the Performance Battery Plus option and you’ll benefit from more than 300 miles of range, although throw lower winter temperatures into the equation and a range of 220 miles between charges is likely – still impressive given the performance and weight of the car.

Opt for one of the Turbo models or a Performance Battery Plus version and you get a super-fast, 800V, 270kW peak charging rate. Once the charging network has caught up, this promises to make the Taycan no less usable than a 911.

It’s brilliant to drive, too. The Taycan hides its bulk remarkably well, tackling B-road corners like a 911, yet feeling as refined and comfortable as a Panamera over long distances. You’re also treated to one of the most tech-laden and impressive interiors this side of a luxury saloon.

Buyers looking for a little more practicality might be drawn to the estate body style of the Taycan Cross Turismo. In contrast to the Taycan saloon, the Cross Turismo offers more of a shooting brake design, with a hatchback that provides a 446-litre boot. There’s an 84-litre storage compartment in the front for charging cables, too. Porsche has also introduced the Sport Turismo body style which sits between the standard car and the Cross model in terms of size.

The Taycan saloon isn’t perfect, with a smaller 366-litre boot, some features that should be free on a car of this price, and a sloping roofline limiting the space in the back. However, none of this detracts from what is one of the best four-door sports cars you can buy – EV or otherwise.

For an alternative review of the Porsche Taycan, visit our sister site drivingelectric.com…