Version review

Porsche Taycan 500kW Turbo 93kWh 4dr Auto Review

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Best small SUV

Best family car

Best small electric car

Best luxury car

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This is the Turbo model. Normally it has 617bhp but, for short bursts, it can produce up to 671bhp. We timed it on a damp track getting from 0-60mph in 3.1sec and going on to reach 100mph in just 6.9sec – quicker than a Tesla Model S Dual Motor Performance managed in the same conditions. It will also do a WLTP range of 315 miles (bank on 250 in the real world) and can charge at up to 270kW, which would take the battery from 10-80% in around 20mins.

500kW

Saloon

Porsche is best known as the quintessential sports car maker, but its line-up is increasingly diverse, interesting and successful, from its SUV family to the Panamera hatchback and shooting brake and, in time, a planned family of electric vehicles.

Whatever your choice, What Car?’s testers rate the cars highly; Porsche has an unusually high percentage of five and four-star cars.

Without exception, its sports cars are class leaders or among the class leaders, standing out for combining driving thrills with surprising luxury and comfort. Likewise, its SUVs are among the sharpest handling, as well as offering high levels of practicality and quality. Meanwhile, the Panamera is a true rival to the very best large executive saloons.

Porsche also sees itself as an electric car pioneer and has already enjoyed sales success with its plug-in hybrid range. Its first all-electric sports car is imminent, signalling the firm’s intent to stay relevant for many years to come.

PORSCHE

TAYCAN

This adds bigger front brakes, heated rear seats, leather trim, 14-way powered front seats (18-way adaptive sports seats are a no-cost option) and a 14-speaker Bose stereo.

Turbo

500kW Turbo 93kWh 4dr Auto

500kw-turbo-93kwh-4dr-auto

Adaptive air suspension including Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM)

Automatic headlight activation including welcome home lighting

Engine immobiliser with remote central locking and alarm system with radar based interior surveillance

Full size driver and front passenger airbags

Electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors with aspherical on driver's side

Front and rear park assist with visual and audible warning

14 way electric comfort front seats with memory pack

Exclusive matrix LED headlights in glacier ice blue with porsche dynamic light system plus

Remote park assist with lane change assist

SportDesign package painted in high gloss black - Taycan

Neodyme accent package in combination with club leather interior olea - Taycan

Accent package painted in exterior colour - Taycan

Dark silver accent package in combination with club leather interior olea - Taycan

Accent package exterior colour painted in combination with club leather interior olea - Taycan

Race-Tex centre console trim package - Taycan

Centre console leather trim leather - Taycan

Interior trim package with decorative stitching and leather seat centres in contrasting colour - Taycan

Interior trim package with decorative stitching in contrasting colour - Taycan

Sport chrono package with porsche design subsecond clock - Taycan

Porsche Taycan

If you're looking for a brilliant electric car that offers real driving pleasure, the Porsche Taycan is the one for you. On top of its amazing handling, it's also wonderfully classy inside and reasonably practical, too. On the negative side, the Audi e-tron GT is almost as good to drive but cheaper and better equipped, while the Tesla Model S has a much better official range.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test </li> <li>Quick charging times and compatibility with the most ubiquitous types of public charging points </li> <li>Priced to be within the grasp of more than just the privileged few </li> <li>As with any car, ride comfort, practicality and ownership costs can’t be ignored</li></ul>

We define an electric car as one that runs purely on battery power and has no tailpipe to puff out nasty chemicals.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/zoe/hatchback/review/n152">Renault Zoe</a> is one of the most affordable options and has a surprisingly long range of between 120 and 180 miles (depending on the weather and the road type). However, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/leaf/hatchback/review/n17338">Nissan Leaf</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id3/hatchback/review/n21832">Volkswagen ID.3</a> are more practical and more accomplished to drive, even if the latter doesn't have a particularly long range between charges.

At the other end of the scale, Tesla’s ground-up electric car&nbsp;philosophy – and the American brand’s network of super-fast chargers – makes the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-s/hatchback/review/n150">Model S</a> a tempting choice. It has a classy interior, loads of tech and a long enough real-world range to make inter-city travel a real possibility.

Car of the Year Awards 2023 >>

Porsche Taycan 500kW Turbo 93kWh 4dr Auto Review

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