2021 Porsche Taycan Review

The Porsche Taycan is a four-door electric car and the first fully electric vehicle from Porsche. Although it's tempting to imagine that the Taycan is based on Porsche's other four-door sedan, the Panamera, the two have little in common aside from a few minor suspension components.

The Taycan is available in four trims. The 4S, Turbo and Turbo S carry over from last year and are joined by a new entry-level model simply called the Taycan. Two battery packs are available: one with a 79.2-kWh capacity is standard on the Taycan and 4S levels, while a larger pack with 93.4 kWh is standard on the Turbo and Turbo S and optional for the others. For 2021, the Taycan debuts with a host of new options. There's a newly available head-up display, and the air suspension can now be programmed to automatically lift the car once a user stores a geo-specific spot in the car's memory. Porsche is introducing over-the-air feature unlocks, so if you decide after you buy your Taycan that you did, in fact, want lane keeping assist, you can have it activated by clicking a button. These features can be unlocked on a permanent or month-to-month basis. We're also expecting the rollout of the wagonesque Taycan Cross Turismo.

The only real electric competitor to the Taycan is the Tesla Model S, which has a much more attractive pricing structure. Performance-wise, the Tesla is on par with the Porsche, at least in a straight line, and the Tesla has exclusive use of its touted nationwide charging network. But the addition of the Cross Turismo, along with the arrival of an entry-level Taycan, will undoubtedly amp up the competition.

The Taycan has impressed us beyond our already high expectations, and we look forward to the Cross Turismo for 2021 for its added hatchback practicality.