Porsche Taycan 2024 Review

The 2024 Porsche Taycan starts at $174,500 plus on-road costs for the car simply known as Taycan. It’s the only single motor model - making 320kW and 420Nm when using launch control and fitted with the optional bigger battery (known as Performance Battery Plus) – with all others getting two motors for all-wheel drive, as well as the larger battery.

The most affordable all-wheel drive is the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo ($197,400, which like all prices listed here excludes ORCs). It makes the same 320kW and 420Nm of the Taycan. Or you can get a more powerful 4S ($215,700) or 4S Cross Turismo ($223,400), each delivering 440kW/710Nm

Turbo models (650kW/940Nm) step up the performance further and get Turbonite grey design highlights - including smoked-out badges - with the regular sedan priced at $306,900 and the Cross Turismo $309,800.

Then there’s a wilder $373,600 Turbo S (with 700kW and 1110Nm) or the new top-of-the-range Turbo GT at $416,600, something that packs a hefty 815kW and 1240Nm.?

All get a Bose sound system, electric front seats, heated steering wheel, head-up display and surround-view camera as part of an extensive list of gear. Plus there’s a curved 16.8-inch instrument cluster with added info on charging and battery temperature. The central infotainment screen is a 10.9-inch unit.

Turbo and 4S variants also pick up a no-cost panoramic sunroof and doors that suck themselves closed, while Turbos get quad-zone ventilation.

You don’t have to step up through the range to get big performance in the 2024 Porsche Taycan. All models have more power, and not just a tick-the-box additional few kilowatts.

The 4S we’ve focussed on here previously made 420kW and 650Nm when utilising launch control and that’s now stepped up to 440kW/710Nm. That’s enough to jet to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds. That’s supercar-like acceleration.?

Somewhat frightening is that there are three models – Turbo, Turbo S and Turbo GT – with even more power; that Turbo GT takes just 2.2 seconds to hit 100km/h. So don’t go fussing too much about performance, because all Taycans deliver - big time.

Even in entry-level guise the Taycan has more punch than most will yearn for, especially in everyday driving.?By the time you get to this 4S model the performance figures are getting vaguely giddy and with the Turbo GT it’s positively bonkers.

We reckon the 4S will suit most people. The Taycan 4S accelerates with the sort of effortless thrust and near-instant response that makes it so easy to live with. Cruising at 100km/h and need to overtake? A quick dab of the throttle and the job’s done.

Tame your right hoof, though, and it’s relaxed, deceptively quiet and comfortable, delivering more of a luxury experience. Yet there’s always that ready-to-pounce persona quietly bubbling away.

Riding on adaptive air suspension means it soaks up bumps beautifully in its most sedate Normal drive mode.?Dial up Sport or Sport+ and the ride tightens but it never jars; those sportier modes also prepare the two-speed rear transmission by dropping it into its lowest gear sooner.

There’s also prodigious grip and cornering talent, the Taycan devouring snaking sections of black-top with efficiency and clinical pace. Throw in beautifully weighted steering and potent brakes and it cements itself as a highly accomplished performance car.

Astonishingly, driving manners and performance weren’t the biggest focus for the updated Taycan.?The biggest investment went into making it go further between charges, with Porsche claiming about 35 per cent longer range. That comes from bigger batteries, with the 105kWh Performance Battery Plus fitted to all but the base Taycan now 12 per cent larger. But even that entry level car – with an 89kWh battery – has a claimed range of 566km, so should it get close to 500km out in the wild.

In Cross Turismo guise the 4S has a range of 601km, although that’s using the optimistic NEDC calculation used for Australian Design Rules. Still, expect something north of 500km in everyday driving.

The Taycan also has a practical side, especially in Cross Turismo guise that unleashes some more rear headroom. Plus there’s an 84-litre ‘frunk’ to add to the 366-litre boot. Back seat legroom may not be ready for the high school basketball team, but it’ll easily accommodate most shapes and sizes, the low-slung seats helped by “foot garages” in the battery pack that lines the rest of the floor.

The cabin is also pure Porsche, sharing the steering wheel with the 911 and with immaculate attention to detail throughout. You can choose traditional finishes – wood and leather – or go for more modern materials as part of the vast array of options.

Can a car be too good? The 2024 Porsche Taycan is so good at what it does – to the point where there’s more clinical efficiency and raw pace than character and personality.

When you’re splashing out big bucks for a fast car some will want more than clinical brilliance. Don’t get me wrong, it absolutely delivers on outright pace. It’s just there’s less of the spine tingling that normally goes with a Porsche. Partially blame the sensibilities - and refinement - of electric motors.

Still, it fades swiftly into the rear vision mirror once you press the pedal on the right – and we suspect occupants will get enough of a thrill from being thrust back into the seats as they would from hearing cylinders igniting premium unleaded.

The Taycan is still a heavy beast, even if it’s shaved a few kilos in the transition to MY24; the battery pack is the same weight despite increasing in capacity. At nearly 2.3 tonnes for dual-motor models there’s a lot of EV to shuffle along.

Not that you know it in most situations. The Taycan is wonderfully athletic and sits beautifully flat in corners. But dial up the pace on a track and those kilos become more obvious, the Taycan leaning on its tyres.

There’s also the occasional misstep in the cabin with functionality. The Taycan has adopted the Panamera’s electronically adjusted air vents. So instead of simply redirecting the air flow manually, you now have to open a menu and guide an icon to the part of the cabin you want the air to heat or cool. And whereas you used to be able to adjust the regenerative brakes via a button on the steering wheel, you now have to delve into the central screen to get the same result.

Oh, and there’s no ignoring the price. It’s crept up, so you absolutely pay for the privilege to get behind the wheel of a Taycan. And while there’s a healthy smattering of standard equipment, it’s easy to spend a whole lot more customising the colours and adding trinkets to your taste.

Those chasing a high-performance four-door with next-level pace should add the 2024 Porsche Taycan high up on their shopping list. And we’re not just talking about an EV shortlist, either. The Taycan is a car that delivers petrol-beating acceleration and brilliant dynamics.

Sure, it comes at a price, but for those looking for substance there’s loads to like with the Taycan. The good news is you don’t have to launch into the more expensive models to get supercar acceleration. Even the base Taycan delivers on pace and the 4S will be more than enough for many – but there’s always more if you really (really) want to laugh out loud.

2024 Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo at a glance:
Price: $223,400?(plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Output:?380kW/710Nm (440kW when using launch control)
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear?(front axle), dual-speed transmission (rear axle)
Battery:?104.9kWh (97kWh usable) nickel manganese cobalt lithium-ion
Range:?601km (ADR)
Energy consumption:?18.5kWh/100km (ADR)
Safety rating:?Not tested

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