Pros and cons
Porsche Taycan pros and cons — the honest buyer's verdict (2023)
4 min read·Last updated: 2023-01-01·By ev.care editorial team
TL;DR
4 pros, 4 cons. The Porsche Taycan is best for porsche enthusiasts who want the ultimate driver's ev — nothing else comes close for driving feel — within that envelope it is one of the strongest picks in its segment.
Buying decisions narrow down faster when you can see strengths and weaknesses side by side. For the Porsche Taycan, Porsche has built a real platform with real wins, but also real compromises. Here are 4 on the plus side and 4 on the minus, with enough context on each to know which matter to you.
Porsche Taycan — the pros
Across reviews, owner interviews, and ev.care's service history, these are the Porsche Taycan's consistent strengths. Strength 1 — Drives like a Porsche — that says everything. On the Porsche Taycan specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 2 — 800V pioneer — most mature fast charging. On the Porsche Taycan specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 3 — 2-speed rear gearbox — unique. On the Porsche Taycan specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 4 — 625 bhp with launch control. On the Porsche Taycan specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Anchoring all of this: a 93.4 kWh battery, 484 km range, and a starting price that defines the Porsche Taycan's value envelope.
Porsche Taycan — the cons
Where the Porsche Taycan loses ground to rivals — and why that matters or doesn't, depending on your use case. Weakness 1 — — Porsche pricing. On the Porsche Taycan specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 2 — 120mm GC — cannot drive on real-world roads properly. On the Porsche Taycan specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 3 — 366L boot — impractical. On the Porsche Taycan specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 4 — 4 seats only. On the Porsche Taycan specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. For a electric sports sedan weighing 2295 kg with 260 km/h top speed, these trade-offs are within segment norms but worth pricing in.
Who the Porsche Taycan is for
Porsche pitches the Porsche Taycan at "Porsche enthusiasts who want the ultimate driver's EV — nothing else comes close for driving feel", and that framing holds up. If your driving fits that shape, the pros above land hardest and the cons fade fastest. 484 km of range is enough for most weekly profiles, and 5-80% in 22.5 min (270kW DC) of fast charging keep occasional long trips practical.
Practical next steps
Ask a current Porsche Taycan owner what they'd buy again. Owner regret is the cleanest signal — far better than reviews from people who drove the car for an afternoon.
Related Porsche EVs
If the cons above are dealbreakers, look at audi e tron gt, mercedes eqs 580 — each makes a different set of trade-offs. The Porsche Taycan wins more often than not in its tier, but cross-shopping protects you from buying the wrong shape.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the most common Porsche Taycan complaint?
- Look at the first item in the cons list above. That's the one owners mention first when ev.care surveys them at the 12-month mark. If you can live with it, the rest tends to fade.
- Should I wait for the next Porsche Taycan refresh?
- Only if a specific con is a dealbreaker and you have reason to believe the next version fixes it. Otherwise the cost of waiting (lost EV running-cost savings, opportunity cost of an extra year on petrol) usually outweighs the upgrade.
- How does the Porsche Taycan compare to its segment rivals?
- The Porsche Taycan sits in the middle of its segment on most axes — not the cheapest, not the fastest, not the longest-range. Its win is balance. Rivals that beat it on one axis usually lose on another, so the comparison comes down to which axis you care about most.
- Will the Porsche Taycan hold its value?
- The Porsche Taycan depreciates in line with the segment. The pros above are the ones that resale-buyers will also notice, so a well-maintained Porsche Taycan with documented service history holds value about as well as any EV in this band.
Read this side-by-side, the Porsche Taycan is a strong choice for porsche enthusiasts who want the ultimate driver's ev — nothing else comes close for driving feel. The cons are real but mostly knowable; the pros compound the longer you own the car.